Taking The Lord's Supper Is Dangerous For Some

Taking the Lord's Supper, or Communion, is a very interesting and unique memorial. It was personally instituted by Jesus. It is observed by Christians worldwide going on 2000 years. And the participants use food and drink to represent something very important. 

The Jews were familiar with using food and drink as representations of past events as the part of their memorial -- the Passover meal. In this meal, several items were symbolic. For example, they ate bitter herbs to remind them of the bitterness of Israel's slavery in Egypt. They ate unleavened bread to remind them of their hurried departure from Egypt before bread could rise. These memorials are reminders. 

The Last Supper began at a Passover meal. At the conclusion of that meal, Jesus took the bread and wine from the meal and used it to institute His own memorial that we know as the Lord's Supper. 

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: 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.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

The Lord's Supper is.......

1 - A Remembrance

Thus the purpose of the Lord's Supper is to be a memorial, a way to observe, remember, and acknowledge the sacrifice Jesus made, dying for my sins on the cross, giving us forgiveness. ("Do this in remembrance of me.")

However, in addition to the Lord's Supper being a remembrance, it is also a proclamation. 

2 - A Proclamation

"For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes."

A proclamation is a public declaration. When I take the Lord's Supper, I am declaring, announcing, proclaiming to everyone around me that I believe in Jesus and acknowledge that He died for me. In that moment, even in silence, I am publicly professing my faith. 

When I participate in the Lord's Supper with fellow Christians, you could think of it as a public demonstration! This is fine in the United States. But what about the Christians who live in a country where being a Christian is prohibited? And there are many countries where this is true -- North Korea, Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, and Nigeria just to name a few. 

According to Open Doors International, North Korea is the most dangerous place on earth to follow Jesus.  Can you imagine a Christian found participating in the Lord's Supper in North Korea? It would result in severe persecution, imprisonment in hard labor camps, or possibly even immediate execution. 

Yet, there are Christians there! 

"Despite these dangers, the underground church in North Korea is alive. It worships not with sound, but with whispered prayers and memorized Scripture. Believers continue to follow Christ with quiet courage, deep faith and a willingness to give everything for the sake of the gospel." (from Open Doors International)

So when you take the Lord's Supper, realize it's a remembrance of what Jesus did for you, and also realize that by participating, you are publicly proclaiming who you are -- a Christian who believes in Jesus.  

Be thankful that we in the United States are free to worship and proclaim Jesus as our Lord and Savior in public.

But also pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ who live in countries where they are undergoing, or threatened with, persecution.