“The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread” (1 Cor. 10:16-17).

I have been away from Knollwood on the Lord’s Day in recent weeks. However, while partaking of the Lord’s Supper with Christians in other places, I have found my thoughts focusing on the members back home at Knollwood. I am in remembrance of the physical body of my Lord, but for some reason my mind is also considering His spiritual body. As I break the bread and drink the cup, I remember that I have faithful brethren back home who are doing the same thing.

This is part of what makes the Lord’s Supper a “communion.” This word in the above text is translated from the Greek term koinonia which means to share with someone in something. It is also translated as “fellowship” in other verses. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial of the Lord’ suffering and death, but it is also something that binds us together as believers. We share in the benefits of the Lord’s suffering and death.

So, as we are partaking of the Lord’s Supper today, it is right for us to focus on the suffering our Lord experienced in His physical body and to remember that He shed His blood for us. However, it is also a time to appreciate our common faith and the sweet communion that we share in the body of Christ.