When we think about communion, we often think about remembrance. We remember the cross, we remember the sacrifice, we remember the body being broken and the blood poured out. And that’s right and good.

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But in Mathew 26, Jesus says something unexpected. As he shares a cup with his disciples, he actually points to the future, telling them he won’t drink again until the day he drinks it new with them in the Father’s kingdom.

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Communion doesn’t just look backward, it looks forward. 

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In the middle of a sad and solemn moment, Jesus talks about a coming moment of celebration. The cross was not the end of the story. It was a doorway to restoration and reconciliation.

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Revelation 19:9 calls it “the marriage supper of the lamb.” A banquet. A celebration. A gathering of God’s people as he calls them home.

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Every time we take communion, just as we remember the sacrifice and significance of what Jesus has done, we also remember what is to come. We proclaim that death has been defeated and declare that restoration is coming. We remind our hearts that this broken world isn’t the final chapter. Communion is both a memorial and a promise to us. It anchors us in the grace that’s been freely given, and fills us with hope for the restoration ahead.

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So, when you take communion, don’t just look back on the cross. Look forward. There is a Kingdom coming. There is a day of celebration and reconciliation to prepare for.

Communion invites us into both remembrance and expectation. Consider what that may mean for you personally:

• When you take communion, do you tend to solely focus on the past, or do you remind yourself of the future the Lord has for you?

• How does knowing there is a coming “supper” with Christ change the way you take on the day?

• In what ways do you need to shift your perspective from despair to hope, remembering that restoration is coming?

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Jesus, thank you for the cross. Thank you for your body broken and the blood you shed for me. Thank you also for the promise of reconciliation one day. Help me to live with hope, knowing one day I will be called back for a supper with you. Remind me that restoration has both been accomplished and is coming. Fix my eyes on not only what you have done, but what is to come. Amen.