And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake
it,
and gave it to the disciples, and said
Take, eat; this is my body.
And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying,
Drink ye all of it;
For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the
remission of sins.
But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine,
until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom.
Matthew 26, 26-29
King James
At Emmanuel Church we attempt to follow Communion as close to scripture as possible. We believe in taking unleavened bread and wine from the vine. The Bible also tells us when and how communion should be done.
Jesus took the bread, gave thanks to God, broke it, and said, This is my body, which is for you. Do this in memory of me. In the same way, after the supper he took the cup and said, This cup is God's new covenant, sealed with my blood. Whenever you drink it, do so in memory of me. This means that every time you eat this bread and drink from this cup you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. It follows that if anyone eats the Lord's bread or drinks from His in a way that dishonours him, he is guilty of sin against the Lord's body and Blood.
So then, everyone should examine himself first, and then eat the bread and drink from the cup. For if he does not recognise the meaning of the Lord's body when he eats the bread and drinks from the cup, he brings judgement on himself as he eats and drinks. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and several have died. If we would examine ourselves first, we should not come under God's judgement. But we are judged and punished by the Lord, so that we shall not be condemned together with the world. So then, my brothers, when you gather together to eat the Lord's Supper, wait for one another. And if anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that you will not come under God's judgement as you meet together. As for the other matters, I will settle them when I come.
1 Corinthians 11, 24 - 34Unleavened Bread
Many Churches view the bread as a symbol of His body which it is but do not use unleavened bread because they do not see the significance of it. The bible quotes the bread being used as unleavened bread. Therefore we try to make it as close as we can to the original event. As in Passover the Jews are told to use a lamb without blemish, Jesus became our Lamb and therefore we must use unleavened bread as it contains no yeast.
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaventh the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
1 Corinthians 5 4 - 8There are many quotes stating the use of unleavened bread:-
Now on the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the Passover?
Matthew 26, 17After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.
Mark 14, 1And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou mayest eat the passover?
Mark 14, 12Now the Feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.
Luke 22, 1Wine from the Vine
For communion we use wine from the vine as this is what Jesus originally used.
He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man; that he may bring forth food out of the earth; And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart.
Psalms 104, 14 - 16Wine in communion is used as a symbol of His blood that was shed for the remission of our sins.