It is worth receiving the Lord’s Supper frequently:
to experience Christ face to face.
On our church’s altar, at this very moment, is a beautiful painting of the risen Christ walking with the Emmaus disciples. Do you remember that account from the Scriptures?
It was Easter afternoon. Christ had risen, but Cleopas and his friend didn’t realize it. Then the risen Christ began to walk along with them and discuss with them what had happened. Jesus prevented them from recognizing him physically, but he revealed his resurrection victory to them through the Scriptures.
Dramatically, it was “when he was at the table with them” that “he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.” Only “then” were “their eyes opened and they recognized him.” Interesting, eh?! It’s not that Jesus celebrated Holy Communion with them. But it was with the exact verbiage of the Lord’s Supper that Jesus revealed his presence to them, face to face.
And Jesus does the same with us. It happens at the Lord’s Table: when someone takes bread, gives thanks, and begins to give it to us. Then our hearts view Jesus himself, glorious and victorious. Then we hear the forgiving voice of our Savior. Then we taste his presence on our lips and in our mouths. In short, in Holy Communion, we experience Christ, face to face, as did the Emmaus disciples.
To meet the risen Christ himself, and to know that his resurrection pronounces our innocence forever—that’s another great reason to receive Lord’s Supper again sometime soon, and regularly.
He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.
Luke 24:30