'This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood'
- Luke 22:20
Lets take a moment to consider the purpose and meaning of the Lord's Supper - or communion - and it's place in the Christian life. This simple meal of bread and 'wine' is actually filled with gospel meaning and ought to take on a central place in our life in union with Christ, both presently and eschatologically. Let us reflect on three aspects of the Lord's Supper which ought to drive us to a deeper appreciation of where it sits in our Gathered Worship on Sundays.
Firstly Lord's Supper in the gospels is not simply a meal of remembrance but a covenant ceremony. Luke 22:12-20 draws deeply upon passages like Exodus 24:1-11 where God calls His people upon an 'upper room' to share in a covenant making meal with them. The mountain being a mediation point between the transcendence of God being immanent with earthly creatures and the meal denoting the richness of God's provision and His holy prescence being made avaliable to His people. Therefore as we take Holy Communion we are reminded that we are not just remembering Him for the forgiveness of our sins but we are renewing our covenant commitment to God by recognising His grace and faithfulness to His word.
Secondly the meal draws us to think of our eternal hope in Him, which is coming when He returns. Luke 22:16 shares with us Jesus' words which speak of His anticipation of His return to us in the end times. It draws all believers to anticipate and have hope in Christ's return through the remembering of His faithfulness to His own covenant (Isaiah 25:6-9).
Finally it is for the proclamation of the gospel for all generations in the church. The Passover meal was designed for the younger generation who observed the meal to learn of God's saving of Israel from Egypt (Exodus 12:26-27). Likewise the Lord's Supper, while not meant to be taken by people who have not yet been able to examine themselves (1 Cor 11:28) is meant to be observed by all of God's people, so they may ask why and be told of the Gospel of Christ. The Lord's Supper plays a role in the discipleship of all the generations of the Church.
So as we prepare to partake of the Lord's Supper each time, lets take a moment to consider the faithfulness of God through the Covenant of Grace and reflect on how it would draw us to place our hope in Him and to use it as a discipleship opportunity for our next generation.
「這杯是用我的血所立的新約，是為你們流出來的。」
——路加福音 22:20
讓我們花一點時間思想聖餐的目的和意義，以及它在基督徒生命中的位置。這個看似簡單、由餅和「酒」組成的餐，其實充滿了福音的意義；它應當在我們與基督聯合的生命中佔有核心的位置，不但關乎我們現在的生命，也指向將來末世的盼望。讓我們從三方面反思主餐的意義，好幫助我們更深地體會主餐在每個主日的共同崇拜中所扮演的角色。
第一，福音書中的聖餐不只是一頓記念的筵席，更是一個立約的儀式。
路加福音22:12-20深深呼應了出埃及記24:1-11等經文。在那裡，神召聚祂的百姓到「樓上」一同吃立約的筵席。山上成為神與祂百姓相遇的地方，象徵超越萬有的神親自臨在於祂所造的受造物中；而筵席則表明神豐盛的供應，以及祂聖潔的同在臨到祂的百姓當中。
因此，當我們領受聖餐時，我們不只是記念基督為赦免我們的罪所成就的一切，也是藉著承認神的恩典，以及祂對自己話語的信實，再次確認我們與神所立的約，以及我們對祂的委身。
第二，聖餐引導我們思想在基督裡永恆的盼望，就是祂再來的日子。
路加福音22:16記載了耶穌的話，讓我們看見祂期待在末後的日子再臨。當我們記念祂對自己所立之約的信實時，聖餐也引導所有信徒盼望並期待基督的再來（以賽亞書25:6-9）。
最後，聖餐也是教會向世世代代宣講福音的一種方式。
逾越節的筵席其中一個目的，就是讓下一代藉著參與和觀看這個筵席，認識神如何拯救以色列人脫離埃及（出埃及記12:26-27）。同樣地，聖餐雖然不是為那些尚未能省察自己的人而設（哥林多前書11:28），卻是神所有子民都要領受和記念的，使下一代可以問：「為甚麼我們要這樣做？」而我們便可以向他們講述基督的福音。
因此，聖餐在教會世世代代的門徒訓練中，扮演著重要的角色。
所以，每一次我們預備領受聖餐時，讓我們停下來片刻，思想神在恩典之約中的信實；反思這份信實如何引導我們把盼望放在祂裡面，也思想我們如何藉著聖餐，成為下一代門徒訓練的一個機會。
