The word "communion" refers to the celebration of the Lord's Supper. But it can also mean a sharing of something with others. It can refer to intimate discourse with others. I t can mean a body of Christians who share a common faith. We are a communion, a community of faith.
If there is one word that expresses the impact of communion it is the word "connected." This celebration points to our connectedness.
I have recently read two very different books that reminded me of the essential connectedness that we have in life. One is a biography of John Muir, Rediscovering America, by Frederick Turner. Actually, what Muir said came to me first in a slide show that I saw at our church not long ago. The photographer, who presented some outstanding slides of wild animals nature scenes, prefaced a section of his slides with a quote by Muir. That very evening as I read the biography in bed I came across the same statement: When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it hitched to the rest of the world. Everything is connected.
The other book is Mitch Albom's latest, Have a Little Faith. The book grew out of a request by his Rabbi for Albom to deliver the Reb's eulogy after his death. One as they visited the Rabbi began talking about the community he experienced when he was growing up in the Bronx. "Our apartment building was like a family. We watched out for one another," he said.
"I remember once, as a boy, I was so hungry, and there was a fruit and vegetable truck parked by our building. I tried to bump against it, so an apple would fall into my hands. That way it wouldn't feel like stealing. Suddenly, I heard a voice from above yelling at me in Yiddish, 'Albert, it is forbidden!' I jumped. I thought it was God."
Who was it? Albom asked. "A lady who lived upstairs." Albom laughed. Not quite God. "No, but Mitch, we were part of each other's lives. If someone was about to slip, someone else could catch him" (p 62).
Paul describes the church in much the same terms when he says, There are many members, yet one body ... And if one member suffers, all the members suffer it it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it (1 Corinthians 12:20,26). As members of this one body we are connected.
Shortly before this, in chapter 10, Paul linked the Lord's Supper with this connectedness when he wrote: The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread (10:16-17).
As we partake today I hope that you will let this observance speak to you of our connectedness.
Twin Oaks Christian Church
November 8, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Preparing for Communion Luke 22:7-13
As I read these verses recently it struck me that there is a theme here that needs more attention -- the theme of preparation. Jesus knew that an extremely important event was coming and adequate preparation was needed.
During Jesus' final week in Jerusalem, after he cleansed the temple of money changers, Jesus knew that his life was in danger. Not wanting to go before he was ready, his usual routine was to spend the day among friendly crowds in the temple area and then move to safe lodging on the Mount of Olives.
"In view of that," Fred Craddock comments, "one could easily read Jesus' instructions to Peter and John in Luke 22 as intriguing prearrangement's, as shadowy moves in a mystery novel" (Interpretation, 254).
"A man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him," Jesus said (v.10). It was unusual for a man to carry water; that was woman's work, and he would be easily spotted. Apparently, Jesus knew of a house where they could safely meet and had arranged to use it. He had prepared for this moment.
Then he told his disciples to make preparations for the Passover meal. This required purchasing bread, wine, herbs and a lamb that had been approved by a priest as unblemished and properly slain. It was then roasted whole.
There was a lot of preparation and the amount of preparation signified the importance of the event. When something is important we prepare carefully. Recently I watched the University of Oregon play a football game. At times I would have sworn that the defense knew exactly what the other team was going to do. Later, one of the players was quoted in the newspaper as saying that they had watched so much film and prepared so thoroughly that they did, indeed, know what was coming.
In the case of Jesus and his disciples, as a result of their meeting in that upper room we have this act of communion and remembrance. Wouldn't it be good for us to think more about our preparation? I don't mean the mechanics of supplying and filling trays. I mean our preparation to participate.
Primarily this requires a certain mind-set, anticipation, focusing on our purpose for coming together. As we get ready at home we could say to ourselves, I am preparing to meet with my Lord at the table, and dress accordingly. As we meet and greet one another we could realize that we are expressing the basic theme of one body found in the Lord's Supper. As we sing and pray in worship we could see it leading us to the table. Every Sunday our pastor presents a well prepared sermon. Consequently, his message is meaningful to us. We too should come well prepared to meet with our Lord. It will make the Lord's Supper much more meaningful if we are well prepared.
During Jesus' final week in Jerusalem, after he cleansed the temple of money changers, Jesus knew that his life was in danger. Not wanting to go before he was ready, his usual routine was to spend the day among friendly crowds in the temple area and then move to safe lodging on the Mount of Olives.
"In view of that," Fred Craddock comments, "one could easily read Jesus' instructions to Peter and John in Luke 22 as intriguing prearrangement's, as shadowy moves in a mystery novel" (Interpretation, 254).
"A man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him," Jesus said (v.10). It was unusual for a man to carry water; that was woman's work, and he would be easily spotted. Apparently, Jesus knew of a house where they could safely meet and had arranged to use it. He had prepared for this moment.
Then he told his disciples to make preparations for the Passover meal. This required purchasing bread, wine, herbs and a lamb that had been approved by a priest as unblemished and properly slain. It was then roasted whole.
There was a lot of preparation and the amount of preparation signified the importance of the event. When something is important we prepare carefully. Recently I watched the University of Oregon play a football game. At times I would have sworn that the defense knew exactly what the other team was going to do. Later, one of the players was quoted in the newspaper as saying that they had watched so much film and prepared so thoroughly that they did, indeed, know what was coming.
In the case of Jesus and his disciples, as a result of their meeting in that upper room we have this act of communion and remembrance. Wouldn't it be good for us to think more about our preparation? I don't mean the mechanics of supplying and filling trays. I mean our preparation to participate.
Primarily this requires a certain mind-set, anticipation, focusing on our purpose for coming together. As we get ready at home we could say to ourselves, I am preparing to meet with my Lord at the table, and dress accordingly. As we meet and greet one another we could realize that we are expressing the basic theme of one body found in the Lord's Supper. As we sing and pray in worship we could see it leading us to the table. Every Sunday our pastor presents a well prepared sermon. Consequently, his message is meaningful to us. We too should come well prepared to meet with our Lord. It will make the Lord's Supper much more meaningful if we are well prepared.
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