As Christians, we are called to remember the victory won at the cross by Jesus Christ.  One of the most powerful ways we do this is through the ordinance of communion.

In Luke 22:14-20, Jesus instituted what we now call the Lord's Supper during His final Passover meal with His disciples. As they gathered in the upper room, Jesus used the bread and the cup to symbolise His body and blood, giving His followers a tangible way to remember His sacrifice.

The communion table is not merely a ritual or a religious tradition—it is a place of deep reflection and spiritual renewal.  Communion serves as a powerful reminder of the salvation Jesus secured for us through His death, burial, and resurrection. 

Communion: A Time of Remembrance

Communion is more than a symbolic act; it is a profound moment of remembrance. Jesus said, “This is my body which is given for you: do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). When we partake in communion, we are called to reflect on the significance of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. The bread represents His body, broken for us, and the cup represents His blood, shed for the remission of sins.

This act of remembrance goes beyond simply recalling historical events. It is a time for self-examination and a renewal of our commitment to live for Christ. As the apostle Paul instructs in 1 Corinthians 11:28, “Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.” Communion calls us to reflect on our lives and ensure that we are living in alignment with the teachings and sacrifice of Jesus. We are reminded to repent of any sin and to approach the table with a heart of gratitude and humility.

The Last Supper: Fulfillment of the Passover

The Last Supper took place during the Jewish celebration of Passover, a feast that commemorated Israel’s deliverance from Egyptian bondage. The Passover lamb, whose blood was applied to the doorposts to protect the Israelites from death, was a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Just as the blood of the lamb provided physical deliverance for Israel, the blood of Jesus provides spiritual deliverance for us today.

At the Last Supper, the Lamb was not on the table—He was sitting at the table. Jesus was about to fulfill the type and shadow of Passover by offering Himself as the final, perfect sacrifice. When He took the bread and the cup, He instituted a new covenant, one not based on the blood of animals but on His own precious blood. As we partake in communion, we remember that “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7).

The Power of Self-Examination

Communion is also a time of self-examination. In 1 Corinthians 11:26-32, Paul admonishes believers to approach the table with reverence, recognising the gravity of the act. He warns against partaking in an unworthy manner, which could bring judgment upon oneself. This does not mean that we must be perfect to partake, but that we must come with a repentant heart, acknowledging our need for the grace and forgiveness.

Just as the Jews removed leaven (which symbolizes sin) from their homes before the Feast of Unleavened Bread, we are called to examine our lives and remove the "leaven" of sin before approaching the Lord’s Table. This act of self-examination is not to condemn ourselves but to align ourselves with God’s will, ensuring that we are living in a way that honours His sacrifice.

The Cross: A Victory for All Believers

The communion table reminds us that the victory was won at the cross. When Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30), He declared the complete and final victory over sin, death, and the powers of darkness. This victory is not only a historical event but a present reality for every believer. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37).

Communion is a celebration of that victory. It reminds us that Jesus’ death on the cross wasn’t just about forgiveness; it was about triumph over every power that seeks to keep us in bondage.

As Colossians 2:15 says, “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” The Christian life, then, is a journey of living out the victory that Jesus has already won for us. We do not fight for victory; we fight from victory.

When we approach the communion table, we are reminded that the cross is not a symbol of defeat but of victory. We are called to live in the freedom that Jesus purchased for us. This does not mean that we will not face challenges, but it does mean that we can overcome them through the power of the cross. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in us (Romans 8:11), enabling us to walk in victory over sin, fear, and every attack of the enemy.

The Cross: The Defeat of Darkness

Communion is also a reminder that through the cross, Jesus defeated the powers of darkness. Genesis 3:15 prophesied that the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent, and this prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus died on the cross. He crushed the authority of Satan and broke the power of sin over our lives.  The cross was not only about atonement but also about spiritual warfare and victory over demonic forces.

When we come to the communion table, we are reminded that we are victors, not victims. The cross has defeated the enemy, and we live in the power of that victory. We have been given the name of Jesus, the blood of Jesus, and the Word of God—three powerful weapons that enable us to stand firm in our faith and resist the devil.

The Table of Victory

The communion table is not just a place of remembrance; it is a table of victory. As believers, we are called to come to the table often, not out of ritual, but out of a desire to remember and celebrate what Jesus did for us. When we partake of the bread and the cup, we declare the victory of Jesus over sin, death, and the powers of darkness. We remind ourselves that we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Romans 8:37).