“This is My Body which is broken for you (I Corinthians 11:24)

Broken: (Gr. Klao): To break, separate or divide into pieces

There is such a rich fellowship in the Body of Christ when we gather to break bread together. This was the practice of the early Church Fathers as expressed in the Book of Acts “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness, and singleness of heart” (Acts 2:46).

My Body Broken for You. To capture the rich significance and spirit of the words of Christ is to capture a very special treasure of communion (koinonia) in our conversation in the Spirit of Christ. Breaking bread together, sharing in the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings, identifying with Him with His Presence in our midst is a joyous moment and truly does bring gladness to our hearts. It is a wonderful blessing to be together, breaking bread from house to house and in the house of the Lord.

In Remembrance of Me. When Jesus gathered His disciples on the night of His betrayal, when He gave them the broken bread, He said, “Take eat, this is My body which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of Me” (I Corinthians 11:24b). When breaking bread together, we are to call to mind, or remind ourselves, and reflect upon Christ and His sufferings for us. This is not to make us sad with worldly sorrow, but to rejoice in Christ our Savior Who bought with His brokenness our salvation.

The Fellowship of His Sufferings. The Apostle Paul was always in remembrance of Christ and expressed his one desire “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death” (Philippians 3:10). This focus, this one desire, this purpose and singleness of heart is not just for Apostles and Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers. No, it is for everyone. It is for you and me whatever our calling, whatever our place in the Body of Christ. We are all in this together, this communion, this brokenness, this oneness of heart in the Lord.

The Bread We Break. In his Epistle to the Corinthians, Paul wrote “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the Body of Christ”? (I Corinthians 10:16). It is a glorious gift of our Heavenly Father to share in the Holy Spirit, communion and fellowship in the Son. Knit together, fitly joined, compacted together, in bonds of love and grace in communion with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we are enjoined in one heart for one purpose and one destiny. What a glorious thing God has wrought upon the sons of men.

Broken Bread. Beloved, we have been called; we have been chosen to be conformed to Christ (cf. Romans 8:29). In this conforming there is a participation in the Spirit with the nature of Christ. There is a knowing; there is a recognition of Christ in the broken bread. May our testimony be as the two disciples who met Jesus on the road to Emmaus and gave witness to the risen Christ to the Apostles when “they told what things were done in the way, and how He was known of them in the breaking of bread” (Luke 24:35). Oh, what glorious things, indeed, are known there, in the breaking of bread.

The True Bread. “Jesus said to them, Verily, verily I say to you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven; for the Bread of God is He who came down from heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6:32-33). Yes, and this Bread was broken for us and given to us that in Him we might have eternal life.

“Jesus said to them, I am the Bread of Life; he that comes to Me shall never hunger, and he that believes on Me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). “I am the Living Bread which came down from heaven, if any man eat this Bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:51).

May we ever live in remembrance of Him and know Him in the breaking of bread.

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