The Lord's Supper is the covenant meal in the New Testament. Some refer to it as communion, and so it is. The word communion, from the Greek word koinonia, may also be translated fellowship. At the covenant meal, we have fellowship or communion with the Lord of the covenant and other believers. We are bonded in union and communion with the Lord and others in the body of Christ.
The covenant meal is a time to remember what Christ did for us, as he died on the cross for our sins. Jesus said, this do in remembrance of me (Luke 22:19). We give thanks to the one who died for us. We thank God for the new covenant through the shed blood of Jesus. Our Lord Jesus said, This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed for you (Luke 22:20).
After giving thanks to God for his Son Jesus shedding his blood for our sins, we eat the bread and drink from the cup. The bread represents the body of our Lord given for us. The cup represents the blood of the new covenant shed for us. We eat and drink to the glory of God in communion with Christ. Believers receive the covenant meal as an act of worship.
Jesus mentioned the kingdom of God twice at the first covenant meal. He said, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God (Luke 22:16). He also said, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes (Luke 22:18). The kingdom of God comes in all of its fulness at the second coming of Christ. Yes, Jesus is coming again and the covenant meal calls it to our remembrance.
