Communion

It occurred to me while taking communion this weekend that when we remember the sacrifice of Christ that our theology is affirmed. The bread is a symbol of the body of Christ crushed for the penalty of our sin. Through the bread, propitiation occurs. The law and the wrath of God are satisfied because my sin had earned a death penalty. He paid the punishment that I deserved. But he also took my sin and my guilt; this is expiation. My sin was removed from me. Theology helps me remember why.

Leviticus tells us not to drink the blood of an animal because the life is in the blood (Lev 17:14). Don’t drink blood. 

Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. (John 6:53-57). How offensive this must have been to those who Jesus spoke. Did you catch that he just said to drink his blood?

But, we remember his blood poured out for us by drinking it. In his sacrifice, Jesus imputes His righteousness to me. His perfectly righteous life poured out through his wounds. By his stripes, we are healed (Isaiah 53). Theology gives depth to his sacrifice, helping me remember what his love purchased for me.