All Christians agree that Holy Communion was instituted by Jesus on the night before he was killed, but there the agreement frequently ends. Is the bread and wine we receive at communion an object lesson that helps us to remember and think about Jesus, or does Jesus actually come and give himself to us when we celebrate his supper? While the latter view is the historical view of the church, the former view has gained in popularity the past several hundred years thanks to the Platonic/Enlightenment notion that the physical world has no value in itself except as a sign to “spiritual” values. However, the Bible insists that God uses the physical world (especially the Incarnation!) to accomplish spiritual things.
Chuck and Aaron discuss how the Lord’s Supper is just such a physical sign with spiritual power, and also discuss how what we really crave and need is God to meet every part of us (our bodies, souls, and relationships) with every part of himself (Jesus’ body and soul), and it’s Holy Communion where this gift of Jesus is given to us.