Today we are celebrating Communion. Communion is a way to stop and remember what Jesus did for us on the cross. And we’re going to think of it in a special way today- the PASTt the PRESENT and the FUTURE.
PAST
In the past God’s people celebrated a special holiday called Passover. On this holiday they remembered how the angel of death had passed over their houses and spared them because of the blood of a lamb. Well, the night before Jesus died on the cross, He was celebrating this holiday with His disciples and He told them that His body was going to be broken, just like the lambs’ body has been broken on Passover. And that His blood would be spilled just like the lambs’ blood had been spilled. They didn’t understand what He meant. But the next day, Jesus was nailed to a cross, and He died. Just like the lamb at Passover died in the place of the Israelites, John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that God gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus died in our place, and then rose from the dead.
PRESENT
Now let’s talk about right now. Jesus died and rose again about 2000 years ago, but the cool thing is, we can spend time with Him everyday. We call what we’re doing “Communion” because we are communing or spending time with Jesus when we eat the bread and drink the juice to remember what He did for us. So right now, before we take the elements of communion, we are each going to pray silently and thank God for what He’s done on the cross, and also confess any sins that we haven’t yet confessed, so that we have a clear conscience while we take communion. (Give everyone a few minutes to pray) Take elements together.
FUTURE
Now let’s talk about the future! Because we are part of God’s forever family, we have an amazing future waiting for us, one where we spend forever with Jesus. And it’s described in Revelation 21:4 like this, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” We can celebrate when we take communion because we know this is the future that awaits us!
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Thank you Jesus for what you did in the past on the cross, that you’re with us today, and that you have a wonderful future waiting for us! In Jesus’ name we pray, amen!
Communion is now finished. You can return to your seats.
