Sin during communion. Yes, that’s right. Sin can sneak itself anywhere even in church observing “The Lord’s Supper.” Lord forgive me. This is a true story.
We went to my son’s church to observe our granddaughter’s baptism. At this church they also observe communion during the same service.
After the baptism, the pastor read scriptures (Matthew 26:26-28 & Luke 22:19-20) about ‘The Last Supper’. He explained how our taking communion together honors the memory of how Jesus died for us.
Then the pastor held up a package of Matzo crackers and explained they use traditional Matzo crackers during their communion service. They break the crackers to remember the broken body of Christ.
At our own church we use little crackers that are all the same size and uniform in shape. But at my son’s church, they break up these Matzo crackers so none are the same shape.
The pastor explained this was to remind us that Jesus was broken and died for us.
Not Matzo crackers, but you get the idea.The Communion plate was passed down from one end of the pew to the other. Meanwhile, my mind was comparing this church to mine. I’m missed the familiarity of my own home church.
Sin During Communion
Eventually the Communion plate came to me. I held the plate and looked at all those broken crackers. Right in the middle of those crackers was a big one, twice the size as the others. It was the largest one.
And what goes through my mind? Without even considering this holy moment of worship, I think, “Oh wow! That cracker’s the biggest one. Get it.” So I did.
Yes, sin during communion. Greed. My greed for abundant food showed up during communion time, while observing the Lord’s Supper. Busted.
If I had been with Jesus during His last supper, guess I’d be the one eating all the bread at the end of the table. Guess I’d been the fat disciple loving the bread more than Jesus. Sigh.
So now I’m sitting in the middle of the pew holding that big piece of Matzo cracker, and conviction comes. Busted. I held greed, one of the seven deadly sins, in my hands. I can’t believe it.
Here I sinned taking communion in church in front of God and everyone else.
Holding that cracker, twice the size of all the others, I looked around to see if anyone else saw me. Then I panicked. How can I hide this big piece of cracker from others on the pew?
Maybe I should break it in half and put half in my pocket? No, they’ll see me and wonder why I’m putting the communion cracker in my pocket. What would they think? So I sit there looking at this Matzo cracker convicted of my sin of greed.
When the pastor leads his people to eat their ‘bread’, I have no other choice. So I ate that cracker feeling ashamed the whole time. Because of my greed, I had grabbed the biggest cracker in the communion plate. Sigh.
Then they drank juice in remembrance of Christ’s blood. This was no problem, all the little cups were the same size.
But the conviction over the biggest cracker stayed in my heart, exposing my greed, my sin during communion.
Committing sin is one thing, but committing sin during communion? What? . . .
I like to pride myself on being a ‘good’ Christian. I say my prayers, read my Bible, and go to church. But sin is sin is sin.
And I, ‘Good Christian’ sinned right in the middle of taking communion during church and on Sunday too. Sin is sin and it even shows up at church, even during communion. Sigh.
Lord, please forgive me for my heart was full of greed. And You revealed it to me while I was observing a ceremony to honor Your sacrifice.
And yet, I sinned during the ceremony. Please forgive my sin and make me right with You. Cleanse my heart, remove this sin and fill my heart with Yourself.
My child, I have forgiven you. Yes, I died for you. I died a horrible, painful death on Earth. But I chose to sacrifice My life for your sin, even your sin during communion. I gave My life for all sin, no matter what the sin.
For I love My people and I long for them to be free from the bondage of all sin. Therefore I am pleased you asked forgiveness. I have erased your sin. All you had to do was confess your sin to Me and then ask for forgiveness. It was that simple.
Since you asked for forgiveness, I’ve cleansed your heart of this greed. Your guilt over this is gone forever. Now go forth in the victory I’ve already prepared for you.
I have already prepared victory for all My people. If only they would come to Me. Then I could set them free from all their sin. And they could live in My victory.
I love each one. If only they would come to Me. Then they could receive their freedom from sin and their victory in life. I would give them life everlasting. If only they would come to Me.
For Freedom and Victory
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Romans 3:23 NLT
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” Romans 10:9-11 NIV
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV
