What Is Communion?

Communion is a very important tradition for Christians. Jesus introduced this idea to the disciples right before he went to the cross. They were all sitting down for a meal when Jesus told them a story. He used food and drink from the table to teach the lesson. Jesus picked up some bread and broke it into smaller pieces and said, “This is my body that will be broken for you.” Then he picked up the drink and said, “This is my blood that will be spilled for you.” Now, the disciples were confused. Why was Jesus talking about being broken and his blood being spilled? They were just enjoying a meal together. But Jesus was warning them about what was to come. Jesus was going to be arrested, put in jail, beaten and put on a cross to die. Jesus wanted the disciples to understand why that was happening. It had to happen so Jesus could pay for our sins. He was choosing to do this for our sake. Communion simply represents what Jesus did for us. So, at church, we use bread or crackers to remind us that his body was broken for us and we drink juice to remember that his blood paid for our sins. We do this to remember his sacrifice for us!