I have been working on cars since I was 15 years old. By God’s grace, I attended a high school large enough to offer auto shop. I took Auto Mechanics 1, 2, and 3, and eventually became the teacher’s assistant, so I am usually pretty comfortable working on a vehicle.
Recently, I was changing the brakes on my wife’s car. As I was finishing, she came outside and said, “Dinner’s ready. Let me help you put away your tools.” It was great. It was a happy moment, but in that happy moment, I became distracted from something important.
Whenever I work on a car, I take it for a test drive afterward. I had driven about three houses down the road when I suddenly remembered that I had forgotten to torque the wheel. The lug nuts were on, and they were pretty tight, but they had not been torqued to the required 162 foot-pounds. Thankfully, I remembered before anything happened.
As I prayed about what to share during a recent communion service, I felt that the Lord wanted me to tell that story. It reminded me of how easily the same thing can happen in our Christian lives. We get busy, we get distracted, or we are having fun, and we forget about important things. We may know the Christ-honoring things we are supposed to do and the way we are supposed to live, but in the middle of everything else, we lose our focus.
Communion gives us an opportunity to take a time-out, evaluate where we are in our walk with Christ, and consider whether we are living the way he has called us to live.
Remember What Jesus Did for You
Communion should never become something we do just because it is on the church calendar. It is more than eating a small piece of bread and drinking a little cup of juice. Jesus gave us communion so that we would remember him and what he did to save us.
The apostle Paul wrote:
“The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’” – 1 Corinthians 11:23–25
The bread reminds us that Jesus willingly gave his body for us. He was mocked, beaten, pierced, and crucified. The cup reminds us that he shed his blood as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Jesus took upon himself the punishment we deserved so that everyone who places their faith in him can be forgiven, made right in the sight of God, and guaranteed an eternal home with him.
Communion is a time to remember what Jesus did for us, but it is also a time to remember all the people who are at the communion table with us. Christians may come from different churches, communities, families, and backgrounds, but we are brought together by the same Savior. We belong to Jesus, and because we belong to him, we also belong to one another.
That should affect the way we treat people. We cannot properly remember Christ’s forgiveness while stubbornly refusing to forgive someone else. If there is a relationship that needs attention, communion is a good time to ask the Lord what he wants us to do about it.
Paul gives us a serious warning in 1 Corinthians 11:
“So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.” – 1 Corinthians 11:27–28
This does not mean that only perfect people are worthy to receive communion. If sinless perfection were required, none of us could participate. We are not made worthy by our own goodness or religious performance. Jesus makes us worthy through his finished work on the cross.
Paul’s warning concerns the manner in which we receive communion. We should not approach the Lord’s Table thoughtlessly, carelessly, or without concern about the way we are living. Communion is a time of reflection. It gives us an opportunity to let the Holy Spirit bring to mind anything that is interfering with our relationship with the Lord.
Some people point out that, in context, Paul was especially concerned about broken relationships among believers. The Corinthians were divided, some were humiliating those who had little, and they were failing to recognize the church as the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:18–22, 29, 33–34). That relational emphasis is important, but it is shortsighted to conclude that communion reflection should be limited only to our relationships with other Christians. Paul tells each believer to “examine themselves” before participating (1 Corinthians 11:28), and Scripture repeatedly calls God’s people to examine their hearts and entire walk with the Lord. David prayed, “Search me, God, and know my heart… See if there is any offensive way in me” (Psalm 139:23–24). Lamentations 3:40 says, “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord,” while 2 Corinthians 13:5 says, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith.” Therefore, communion should lead us to consider both our fellowship with other believers and our personal relationship with Christ, confessing whatever sin God brings to our attention and receiving his forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9).
We should ask ourselves whether there is sin we need to confess, bitterness we need to release, or someone with whom we need to make peace. We should consider whether we are obeying what God has already shown us in his Word. Have we become spiritually distracted or careless? Are we living out the principles Jesus taught, or have we become content merely to know them?
The purpose of this self-examination is not to leave us feeling condemned or hopeless. It is to bring us back into honest fellowship with God. If the Holy Spirit brings a sin to mind, confess it. If God shows you something that needs to change, respond to him. If you have already dealt with those things as part of the Christian life you are living, use the time to thank Jesus and praise him for all he has done and all he will do.
What Psalm 40 Adds to Communion
Psalm 40:1-5 gives us a meaningful way to approach communion because it includes testimony, transformation, teaching, trust, and praise. It begins with David remembering what God had done for him:
“I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.”
Psalm 40:1–2
David remembered where he had been and how the Lord had rescued him. Communion invites us to do the same. What has Jesus rescued you from? How has he answered your cries for help? How has he held you steady when your life felt like mud and mire? How has he given you a firm place to stand?
Every Christian has a testimony of rescue. We were separated from God by our sin and unable to save ourselves. Jesus came for us. He gave his body, shed his blood, died in our place, and rose from the dead. Through faith in him, we have forgiveness, new life, and a firm place to stand.
Psalm 40 then moves from testimony to transformation:
“He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put their trust in him.”
Psalm 40:3
God did not pull David out of the pit and leave him unchanged. He put a new song in his mouth. In the same way, Jesus does not merely forgive us and then leave us exactly as we were. The Holy Spirit begins transforming us from the inside out.
Communion is a good time to ask how our lives have been transformed. We should not expect perfection, but there should be evidence that Jesus is changing us. Are we becoming more loving, honest, generous, patient, and forgiving? Are we learning to trust God in situations that once would have overwhelmed us? Are we treating people in ways that honor Christ? Are we using our words to encourage people rather than tear them down?
David said that many would see what God had done and put their trust in him. People are watching the way we live. They notice how we respond to disappointment, how we treat our families, how we conduct ourselves at work, and whether our faith makes a difference when life becomes difficult. Our lives should help other people see what Jesus can do in someone who trusts him.
David continued:
“Blessed is the one
who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.”
Psalm 40:4
This is the teaching part of David’s testimony. His experience with God became something he could share with others. He wanted people to know that the person who trusts in the Lord is blessed.
That gives us another question to consider: How are we teaching people to follow Jesus? We may teach through a sermon, Bible study, or Sunday school class, but teaching also happens through our ordinary lives. Parents teach through the way they live at home. Grandparents teach through the stories and wisdom they share. Friends teach by giving biblical encouragement. Employers and employees teach through integrity and faithfulness.
Every Christian can help someone else take another step toward Jesus. Communion reminds us that Jesus gave his life for us and has called us to tell others about him, make disciples, and live out his will and his way.
Psalm 40 then returns to testimony and praise:
“Many, Lord my God,
are the wonders you have done,
the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
they would be too many to declare.”
Psalm 40:5
Communion should include self-examination, but it should not leave us thinking only about our failures. It should also fill us with gratitude. Think about the prayers God has answered, the people he has brought into your life, the strength he has provided, and the ways he has carried you through circumstances you did not think you could endure.
Most importantly, remember what Jesus did to save you. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin. Jesus shed his blood as the perfect sacrifice for us. He is God’s perfect remedy for sin. When we place our faith in him, we can be made right with God and receive the gift of eternal life. If we tried to speak of everything God has done for us, it would be too much to declare.
If You Have Never Received Jesus
Communion is for those who have received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. It is open to Christ-following believers regardless of their particular church background. If you know Jesus as your Savior, the bread and cup are for you.
If you have never received Jesus, the most important thing is not to take communion. The most important thing is to receive the Savior to whom communion points. Instead of taking the elements, ask God to show himself to you and help you find the way to Jesus.
The Bible says that we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s standard. Our sin separates us from God, and we cannot remove that separation through good works, religious activity, or personal improvement. But God loves us and offers us a gift we could never earn. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. He was buried and rose from the dead. He offers forgiveness and eternal life to everyone who turns from sin and trusts in him.
Receiving Jesus means more than agreeing with certain facts about him. It means placing your trust in him as your Savior and choosing to follow him as your Lord. A good way to tell Jesus that you want to turn from your sin and follow him is through prayer. Just saying certain words will not save you. We are saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus. Prayer is a way to express the genuine desire and trust of your heart.
You might pray something like this: “Jesus, I know that I have sinned and need your forgiveness. I believe you died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sin and place my trust in you. Please forgive me, give me eternal life, and help me follow you as my Lord and Savior. Thank you for loving me and saving me. Amen.”
Just saying the words of the prayer does not save you. Jesus saves you when you turn from your sin and place your faith in him. If that prayer expresses the sincere desire of your heart, tell a pastor or another mature Christian about your decision. Find a Bible-believing church, begin reading God’s Word, and learn to follow Jesus with other believers. If you don’t have a church home, consider Rockwell Church where I am the pastor in Virginia-Eveleth.
Examine Your Life and Trust God With the Results
Paul wrote:
“For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” 1 Corinthians 11:26
Communion helps us look backward to the cross, inward at our hearts, around at the other believers at the table, and forward to the return of Jesus. Jesus is coming again, and that promise should affect the way we live today.
I pray that when Jesus returns, he will catch us doing good things. I pray that we will be busy telling people about him, making disciples, serving others, and living out his will and his way. The days God gives us matter, and we should use the opportunities he provides for his purposes.
When we serve Jesus, we should show up and give him our very best, even when we know our best may not be enough to accomplish everything that needs to be done. Our efforts will always have weaknesses and shortcomings. We will not always possess enough wisdom, strength, time, or ability.
But God can make up for what we lack. We do our part faithfully, depend on him for what we cannot do, and trust him to use our efforts to accomplish his purposes. When he produces results beyond what we could have accomplished on our own, we give him the praise.
The next time you receive communion, do not just go through the motions. Take a time-out and remember what Jesus did to save you. Let the Holy Spirit search your heart. Confess any sin he brings to mind and consider whether you need to make peace with someone. Think about your testimony, how your life has been transformed, what you are teaching others, and how you are praising the Lord for what he has done.
Then receive the bread and cup with gratitude. Jesus gave his body and shed his blood for us. We should remember him, follow him, give him our best, and trust him to supply what we lack and make our faithful efforts fruitful.