Debra

The Significance of the 12 Apostles drinking the cup of the covenant was to bind them to the New Covenant. Just as the 70 elders ate in God's presence as representatives of the people of God to confirm the old covenant [Exodus 24:11], so now the 12 apostles eat in Jesus's presence as the confirmation of the beginning of the New Covenant. Each of the apostles are commanded to drink of the cup, which binds them to the covenant. Jesus Christ came to fulfill the law of moses and create a new covenant between God and His people. ''Do not think I have come to abolish the law or the prophets, I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. '' [Matt 5: 17] The old covenant was written in stone, but the new covenant is written on our hearts; made possible only by faith in Christ, who shed his own blood to atone for the sins of the world. Luke 22:20 says, ''After supper, Jesus took another cup of wine and said, ''This wine is the token of God's New Covenant to save you an agreement sealed with the blood I will pour out for you. '' The 12 apostles would correspond with the twelve tribes of Israel and the significance of us drinking the cup of the covenant is that we are given the opportunity to receive salvation as a free gift, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. [Ephesians 2: 8-9] We can now share in the inheritance of Christ and enjoy a permanent, unbroken relationship with God.

The promised New Covenant differs from the Old Covenant because God no longer wants animals sacrificed. He wants to put ''HIS LAW IN THEIR MINDS, AND WRITE IT ON THEIR HEARTS'' He will '' FORGIVE THEIR WICKEDNESS AND REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE.'' Jeremiah 31:31-34 The promises God makes in the New Covenant are eternal life, forgiveness of all our sins through the death of Jesus Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Our responsibilities are to put our faith in God, put our trust in God, and our belief in His son Jesus Christ.

The covenant with Israel was ratified by Moses building an altar at the foot of the mountain and setting up twelve stone pillars. These pillars represented the twelve tribes of Israel. Then Moses sent young Israelite men and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the Lord. Half of the blood Moses put in bowls and the other half he sprinkled on the altar. He then took up the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people, and they all responded; ''We will do everything the Lord has said and we will obey.'' After, Moses the took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, ''This is the BLOOD OF THE COVENANT that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words'' Twice the people promised to do ''Everything the Lord has said and obey''. Young bulls were sacrificed. The bulls blood was sprinkled. The bulls were then eaten as this was the sacrificial meal offered in fellowship in God's presence.

The Words of Institution say to us that no sin is too great for His mercy. No iniquity too heinous that He cannot forgive. It is important for us to repent of known sin before taking the Lord's supper, so that we can be truly sorry and at peace with ourselves and God.

Jesus purposely pointed His disciples to the phrasing found in Isaiah 53, so that they will recall and understand the reason for His death. The chapter helps explain the meaning of Jesus death so that we can see that Jesus was the one and only sacrifice.

Jesus refered to the violent nature of His death in the words of Institution because He was refering to His own sacrifice for our sins. At the time the disciples couldn't understand it, which is why in Mark 8: 31-33, we see Jesus rebuking Peter and saying ''Get behind me, satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but in human things. NRSV. His disciples were horrified that He was going to sacrifice Himself, but Isaiah 53 clearly tells us of Jesus' voluntary sacrifice and Matthew 20:28 has Jesus telling us how He came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.

Old Testament sacrifices were a way of God showing grace and mercy to his people, because the animal atoined for our sins. The sacrifice of the life of the animal was a substitution for a person's own life. This was especially so where sin was concerned. Sacrifice was God's way of teaching us the seriousness of sin. God offered a way for the for the forgiveness of sins, the death of an animal instead of a person.

That Jesus layed down His life for me is mind blowing! It shows how great Jesus's love for me is, it shows that no matter what I feel, that even if another person never loves me; HE does!! The Bible is full of His words of love to me.... He tells me Iam fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14 He tells me that Iam not a mistake, for all my days are written in His book. Psalm 139 :15-16 He tells me that He gave up everything He loved so that He might gain my love. Romans 8: 31-32 He tells me that He'll take away all the pain that I have suffered on this earth. Revelation 21: 3-4 He tells me that when Iam brokenhearted, then He is close to me. Psalm 34:18 He tells me that He is the father who comforts me in all my troubles. 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4 He tells me that He is able to do more for me than I could possibly imagine. Ephesians 3:20 He tells me that if I delight in Him, HE will give me the desires of my heart. Psalm 37:4 He tells me He wants to show me great and marvelous things. Jeremiah 33:3 He tells me that Iam His treasured possession. Exodus 19:5 He tells me that every good gift that I receive comes from His hand. James 1:17 He tells me that He will rejoice over me with singing. Zephaniah 3:17 He tells me that He is my provider and He meets all my needs. Matthew 6: 31-33 He tells me that as a shepherd carries a lamb, He has carried me close to His heart. Isaiah 40: 11 He tells me that He knew me even before I was conceived. Jeremiah 1: 4-5 He tells me that He chose me when He planned creation. Ephesians 1: 11-12 And simply because Iam His child and He is my father. 1 John 3: 1

Jesus's giving himself in sacrifice was to atone for our sins, to rescue and ransom us. 1 Timothy 2:5-6 says ''Christ Jesus , who gave Himself as a ransom for all men.'' Galations 1:3-4, says the ''Lord Jesus Christ who gave himself for our sins to rescue us. ''There are many other verses where we can find Jesus giving himself .... Luke 22:19b has Jesus saying ''This is my body given for you''. John 6:51b has Jesus saying'' This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world''. Titus 2:13-14 says Jesus Christ who gave himself for us to redeem us. Matthew 20:28 says The Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many as does Mark 10:45 and Ephesians 5:2 says Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrfice to God. Just as 1 Peter 3:18 says that Christ turned himself in for us, the Righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God. Just like a person handing himself over to police custody!

Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, is to come and always will be God in the flesh. When the son of God entered humanity, He took the human condition into himself and doing that ; He purified humanity redeemed it and gave it eternal fellowship with God the father. As a human, He took all human sin and corruption on himself and through His crucifixion and death all human sin and corruption has found it's end.

The Apostle Peter emphasized Jesus' physical body when he talks about sin-bearing because Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus voluntary sacrificed His body for the atonement of our sins. He bore our sins in His body so that we might die to them and live for righteousness. To quote from Isaiah 53:5 '' But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.'' New Revised Standard Version.

It's the most exquisite thought to feel at one with my Lord during Holy Communion. To know that He now dwells within me, and that ever since Jesus celebrated the last supper with His disciples on the night before He died; this wonderful thing has been done for centuries. For all manor of peoples, for kings at their crowning, for criminals before the scaffold, for a bride and her groom in a small country church as well as for countless numbers of people week by week, month by month across parishes through many continents. Priests and people have ''celebrated'' for that is what it is a celebration of a meeting of Christ. We celebrate the gift offered to us, the gift of nothing less than God's self-giving love. During the Eucharist we hear the good news and experience God's healing, but perhaps most important we meet as a family of God; where there is no division of status or class and each person is of equal and supreme importance. The body and blood of Christ nourish us so that we are sent forth to take God's faith, hope and love to the people. We are thus prepared for our heavenly banquent for all eternity!

As the priests were sharers in the sacrifice made on the altar of burnt offering they participated in the Old Testament sacrifices. Therefore Paul is saying that as we partake of the Lord's supper we become sharers in the offering of Christ on the cross for our sins.

Koinonia means participation, communion or sharing. Everytime we have Holy Communion at church we participate in the Lord's supper with all our brothers and sisters around the world, we are all shareholders in the cross. Meditating on this should touch our very soul and remind us that we share in this not just with our Christian brothers and sisters today, but ever since Christ commanded our participation.

Paul was exhorting the Corinthians about the cup of the Lord because they were worshipping idols. Corinth was a corrupt city and the people were offering sacrifices to demons and not to God. Paul was warning the people to flee from idolatry and only to drink the cup of the Lord and not demons. Idols represent the demonic, if pagan worshippers believe an idol is a god, demons act out the part of the imagined god. There is not a true god in the idol, but there is a satanic spiritual force.

The Lord's supper is a proclamation because it has been made public, the proclamation is made to all nations. It is important because everyone should know about what Jesus has done. When the theme becomes central the message of the cross is shared out to believers and unbelievers alike. It becomes an enacted sermon about Jesus's sacrifice for sins.

Christ's death is the core foundation of Christianity, the fact that He loved every single person on this planet enough to die for them is in my opinion mind blowing!! I think Christianity would lose it's true meaning If we neglected to remember Christ's death and possibly run the risk of becoming a small nondescript religion. I don't think we could call ourselves proper Christians if we forgot Christ's death. Jesus specifically commanded us to remember His atoning death for our sins. After all He did for us, the least we could do for Him is to remember. Crucifixion was the most horrendous death ever to be endured, the suffering that our Lord went through was best depicted in Mel Gibson's The Passion Of The Christ. The role of Christ was superbly played by Jim Caviezel in the most real way possible. I think we would do well to meditate on our Lord's sufferings by seeing this film and committing to memory Christs's passion, death and resurrection.

It was important for the passover to be repeated for future generations so the Jewish people always had a sense of their history. Passover commemorates the exodus and freedom of the Israelites from ancient Egypt. As described in the book of Exodus, passover marks the ''birth'' of the Jewish nation, as the Jew's ancestors were freed from being slaves of pharoah and allowed to become servants of God instead. If the Jews had stopped remembering the Exodus, their history could very well run the risk of being wiped out!

Christ's death is the core foundation of christianity, the fact that He loved every single person on this planet enough to die for them is mind blowing! I think christianity might die out and new age religions become more prominent, if the real meaning of Christ's death were to be neglected. I certainly couldn't call myself a proper christian if I forgot Christ's death!! Christ went through the most excruciating death imaginable for me so how can I possibly forget it. He left me His body to eat and His blood to drink to give me life and have it to the full. Therefore it is most important to remember the'' One'' who gave His life for me and hopefully I can give my life to him in return.

It was important for the passover to be repeated for future generations so the Jewish people always had a sense of their history. Passover commemorates the exodus and freedom of the Israelites from ancient Egypt. As described in the book of Exodus, passover marks the ''birth'' of the Jewish nation, as the Jew's ancestors were freed from being slaves of pharaoh and allowed to become servants of God instead. If the Jews had stopped remembering the exodus, their history would be wiped out!

Yes, very much so it can become mundane and boring and we can find our mind wandering. I know I do. Every day I attend the 8 o' clock mass just before I go to work and most morning's I have a struggle to keep awake or stop my mind wandering to all the things I've got to do when I get to work. I've tried going to the lunch time mass, but that means I usually can't wait for mass to be over, just so I can go and get some lunch. I must say that since I've started this course, it has made me take more notice of the Eucharist and I try to pay attention more. After all Our Lord did for us, it is the least I can do for Him. I may not succeed everytime but at least I try! The command ''Do this in remembrance of me'' obligates us, not only to repeat the Eucharist again and again but to bring to mind the work that God's Son did for us on the cross. Then we can go forth nourished by God's word and by Christ's Body and Blood.

For me to receice the Eucharist is the greatest privilege on earth, nothing compares to it and nothing ever will. It is what gives me strength for the journey of this life and for the life to come. The Eucharist is truly the source and summit of the christian life, in which Jesus awaites us in this sacrament of love. The most beautiful part is when the priest elevates the host at the words of consecration and says.... Take this, all of you, and eat it: this is my body which will be given up for you. Then likewise with the cup of His blood. The discourse from John 6: 41-51 has Jesus telling us the effects of His presence, how we will be raised up by Jesus and united with His risen body.

When we partake of the Lord's Supper we should be thinking about Jesus pouring out His blood for us, breaking His body for us and giving it to us after commanding that we do it in memory of Him. It is in the pouring out, the breaking and the giving that teach us the sacrifice of Jesus's atonement. Debra

With the symbolic interpretation of Holy Communion it is very easy for the real meaning to be forgotten. The balance therefore is to remember that however Holy Communion is interpreted for you, ie whatever christian denomination you belong to there is power there, which comes through the Holy Spirit. This power heals, comforts and challenges us. Debra

For me the Lord's Supper is literal. As a Roman Catholic receiving Holy Communion is purely receiving Christ and nothing more. The host that I receive is not bread but the Body of my Lord and Saviour, just as the wine I receive from the chalice is His pure and precious blood. That is why it is important for me to partake of Holy Communion daily. To quote from John 6. 53,'' Unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.''