One of the most significant events that should happen in a Christian’s life is Communion; what we call the Last Supper. That moment when a piece of bread and a small cup of pure grape juice is served and we are asked to remember our Lords death for our sins, should be the highlight of that church service. It is a moment of solemnity, of meditation, and of reflection of what happened to him, but not of just what happened to him. When a prisoner is on death row he/she is given a last meal to give him/her comfort. With a full stomach we gain courage to go that extra mile, to do more cleaning, to accomplish those extra chores. Our brains function better when we have something in our stomachs. The last supper made a lasting effect on the disciples to the point that it became an established ceremony of the church.
Acts 27:35-36
35And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.
36Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.
Now, Paul was on his way to Cilicia as a prisoner with other prisoners and guards on a ship when a Hurricane was loosed on them. The storm lasted for day and they did everything possible to keep the ship in tack with difficulties. On the last day, after not eaten anything for many days with all hope lost for survival Paul initiated the last supper. After they ate, everyone gain their energies back to the point that they were able to swim to shore and find safety. The effect of the last supper are courage, strength and hope. Paul became a practitioner of the last supper and exhorts the church to exercise it each time they gather even though the church was going through a turmoil (1Cor. 11:26). Jesus expressed this idea after he ate with his disciples when he said that he would rise on the third day (Mk14:28). It is important to note that each time there was a last supper something impacting would happen; In exodus 12:21 the passover, Elijah with one meal ran for forth days and nights 1Kgs 19:8, and Jesus’ disciples gained hope after the last supper.