Communion study points for
River of Life Leadership and Word
Ministry School by Dr. Rosemary Barnes
-- Some words related to this topic are interchangeable, e.g., communion and the Lord’s Supper as well as covenant and testament.
--Use verse references in your answers. Read all references that are provided for you here as well as those you discover on this topic in the Word. Although I want you to read all the verses referenced, you do not have to use them all in your paper. (I see connections between all the verses and one or more of the items below; however, for me to imagine you will “get” every single connection that I see here may be a bit too much to expect J.)
-- In recognition of the fact that some of these points/questions are quite difficult and that not all will “ get” solutions to all that is asked, I am asking students to do at least 10 of the 15 items below. But, you must do numbers 3,5, 6,10, and 14.
1. Fully define the word “communion”. Use Bible and secular
dictionaries to do so.
2. What enables us to have
communion with one another? State what
we would see as evidence in our lives together of true communion on an ongoing basis,
i.e., above and beyond the ceremony of partaking together of the Lord’s Supper.
3. The elements we take in
at the Lord’s Supper are the bread and the wine. Fully explain what each one
symbolizes. Having eaten the bread and drunk the wine, what effect does this
have on our Christian walk? What was
included in the “last supper” that we do not include as food? Why did they eat that?
4. Why do we often discuss receiving healing during communion?
5. Jesus said that the wine at the last supper is the new covenant
in His blood. What does blood have to
do with ushering in a new covenant? Fully
explain what the New Testament is using passages from both the Old and New
Covenant writings. In a covenant there
are 2 parties. In this covenant it is God and the Christian. What is the part does each one have in this
covenant?
What are the benefits of this
covenant? Am I in more trouble disregarding the New Covenant than people were
who disregarded the Old Covenant? Why is the new one better than the old?
What similarities are there
in the Old Covenant and the New, i.e., what did God want to accomplish in both
covenants?
6... In order for us to have a New Covenant,
Jesus had to die. Fully explain why
this was necessary. Jesus said, “This
do in remembrance of Me”. Explain what it is we are supposed to be remembering
when we take communion. Do not say, “His death”. State all that His death meant for us. He told us to remember His death until He comes. State what all
you think of as you “remember His death”.
7. What does it mean to “discern the body”?
8. We are told to “examine ourselves” before we take communion.
Why? Give several examples of what we
could find in ourselves that would cause us to “pass” taking communion at a
particular time. What must we find in
ourselves in order to be free to take communion?
9. The Bible says “Gal 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse
of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one
that hangeth on a tree:” What curses were we under before Christ took care of
them for us? What all blessings can we
have both now and later as a result of His taking on our curse?
10. Jesus and His disciples had the communion supper together just
before His death. What feast were they
celebrating? Thoroughly explain the connection of that feast with the Lord’s
death.
11. Was there some new revelation(s) for you while you studied
this?
12. State things you should
change in your life as a result of studying this.
13. State any way in which
you now know God better by having studied this topic.
14. If you were put in charge of a thirty-minute communion service,
what would you do? Think of every aspect,
e.g., what to buy, how to serve it, songs, message, prayers – whatever comes to
your mind and heart as to how to conduct a meaningful communion time.
15. In a sermon I once did, I made tickets for communion. They looked
like this:
The Lord’s Supper
Admit
one
Menu:
The Blood and Body of the Lord Jesus Christ
Dress:
Clothing will be provided by the Host
--------------
Create
a ticket for people to come to the communion time you prepared.
Gen 3:13-19; Exodus 12:1—51;
Ex 13:3-10; Ex 19:5-20; Num 15:40-41;Num 21:8-9; Lev 17:10-14; Deut 9:9-11;Deut
14:1-2;Deut 28; Deut 29:12-15; 2 Kings 17:35-39; 1 Chron 17:21-22; 2 Chron 5:10;
2 Chron 34:31-33; Ps 25:14; Ps 78:5-7; Ps 107:20; Isa 59:1,2 &16-17; Isa
53:1-12; Isaiah 61:10; Jer 11:1-7; Jer 31:31-34 Jer 32:37-40; Jer 33:14-16;
Ezek 37:26-28 Zeph 3:14-18
Matt 13:41-43;Matt 25:34-46;
Matt 26:18 – 28:20; Mark 15: 17; John 1:1-17,29;John 3:14—21;John 12:32-33; John
6:47—69; John 14:16-18&28—29; Acts 1:8-9; Acts 2:1-4;Acts 5:30-31; Rom
6:20-23; Rom 11:26-27; Rom 4:25; Rom 5:6-21;Rom 8:1-13&22-23,32; Rom 10:1-;
1 Corinthians 5:1—13; 1 Cor 6:9-11; 1 Cor 10:14—22; 1 Cor 11:23 –34; 1 Cor
12:12-13; 1 Cor 15:1-; 2 Cor 3:6-18; 2 Cor 5:17-21; 1 Cor 6:9-11;
Gal 3:13; Ephes. 1:18 --23; Eph
2:11-22; Ephes.
5: 2,5—13,29-30; Philip. 1:27; Col. 3:14- --17; 1 Peter 1:13 & 18--24; 1 Peter 2:9-12; Heb 7:11-26;Hebrews
9:14—28; Heb 8:6—13 Heb 12:14,15,18-29;
Heb 10:16—31; Heb 13:20-21; 1 John 1:7; 1 John 3:6-10;Rev. 1:5-6; Rev. 5:11--14;
Rev. 7:13-17; Rev 12:11;Rev 19:7-9; Rev 21:9 &26-27