ACTS 1:6-8: “Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” NKJV

OBSERVATION: Since the final moment of Jesus’ life, there has been a divine tension between the promise of the Kingdom and the fulfillment of this promise. The disciples were focused on the Kingdom, but Jesus turned their attention to the Harvest.

“And He said to them, It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:7-8 NKJV)

We are instructed to pray for the Kingdom, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Yet, we are also called to engage in the Harvest! While our eternal hope lies heavenward, our earthly call lies in the hearts and souls of men, women, and children.

There is a coming Kingdom when all the promises of God, purchased on the Cross of Jesus Christ, will be fulfilled. There will be a New Heaven and a New Earth. God will wipe away every tear. Sin and sickness will be no more. Even the corruption that has affected God’s earthly creation will be done away with.

So what does communion have to do with all of this? It is the focus of our prayer for the Kingdom. It is the call to be engaged in the Harvest. It is the reminder of the fullness of Christ’s provision. It is the declaration that what He has promised will FULLY come to pass.

While we hear of wars and rumors of wars, while we see the effects of sin ravaging our world, while we experience tribulation in this life, the Cross of Jesus Christ, the bread (His body), and the cup (His blood), proclaim that God’s Kingdom is and will come. We may not see the fullness of the Kingdom at the moment.

BUT WE SEE JESUS!

We see Him in the BREAD as our Burden Bearer, our Healer, our Compassionate High Priest.

We see Him in the CUP as our Savior, Redeemer, Baptizer in the Holy Spirit, and soon coming King.

There is nothing that is not addressed and completed in the Cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And, while we do not see all things regarding the Kingdom of God yet completely fulfilled,

We do SEE JESUS!

“You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.” (Hebrews 2:8-9 NKJV)

So, as we prepare to take communion today, we do so to remind ourselves…

• Of the PROMISE of the Kingdom.
• Of our CALL to be engaged in the HARVEST.
• Of the SURETY of His coming.
• Of the COMPLETION of all He has promised.

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26)

Jesus, today, we proclaim Your COMPLETE VICTORY through the Cross!

In Jesus’ Name!