Here are some thoughts that I've used on occasion to serve at the Lord's Table:
The Too Familiar Words of Institution - Quite often I struggle with what to say when we gather at the Lord's Table. Though we only partake of this once a month, we (pastors) often repeat the same lines by way of introduction. And out of fear of falling into a rut I feel compelled to try to come up with something fresh, some new angle on communion to help you.
But then it occurred to me that in the scriptures the main things are the plain things. what is important is stated bluntly, directly, and without subtlety. Furthermore, as all teachers know, repetition is key to learning as it anchors the information in the mind.
With this in view I read again the words of the apostle, "For I received from the Lord what I also pass on to you..." Corinthians 11:23-26.
On Eating and Drinking in the Kingdom - Paul said to the Christians in Rom, "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17). What Paul was dealing with there were some of the practical aspects of Christian liberty - "Can we eat meat offered to idols?" "Can we drink wine?" To all these he says in effect, "You're missing the point. It's not about eating and drinking. It's higher than that."
Yet, when we read the Bible carefully we see that there is a sense that the kingdom of God actually revolves around eating and drinking. In the Eternal Kingdom Jesus promises this: "To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God," Revelation 2:7. And also this: "It is done. I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life," Revelation 21:6. Surely these are figures and symbols picturing the reality we find in Jesus who said, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you," John 6:53.
Then, of course there are the very common elements of the Lord's Table - bread and wine - of which we are commanded to eat and drink in memory of Christ. So in one sense the kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking, in another sense it's all about eating and drinking.
