One Loaf, One Body: A Meaningful Communion 1Co 10:17 "Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf." Text: 1Cor.11.23-34 Wesley FMC, 10 2011 (World Communion Sunday) Spoiler alert! Your life as a Christian will be changed forever by what you are about to hear. And I m excited to be able to share with you this morning to unpack and explore the only aspect of worship Jesus actually commanded us to practice. Communion. Communion, it s a word that simply meanings sharing in common, or participating together. There are over 2billion Christians in the world. Approximately one out of every three human beings on earth claim to be a Christian. Yet the diversity of what it means to be Christian is as varied as the diversity of life forms on earth! Language differences, cultural differences, worship differences, even fairly deep theological differences make global Christianity, the world wide body of Christ on earth, difficult to describe. However, there are two practices that are all but universally adopted as cornerstones to Christian faith and practice Baptism and Communion. Baptism is the sacrament of initiation, the act through which a person makes public confession that she is leaving her old life behind, dying to self and uniting with Jesus Christ and his body on earth, the church, to live a new life. Baptism is generally done once. Communion, the Eucharist, the Lord s Supper all names for the same thing, is an ongoing sacrament, a means of grace repeated regularly in the life of a believer. It is the most significant act of worship. Jesus never commanded that we stand or kneel or make the sign of the cross, or wave our hands or gyrate to modern music, or play drums or play the organ, or light candles or use neon or employ powerpoint or meet in cathedrals or wear our fanciest clothes or dress casually or even that we read Scripture in church or have topical discussions about faith matters or anything that we often argue over as Christians today relating to meaningful worship. The one thing he did say was a requirement for all Christians everywhere is to love another. And the one practice he did pass on to be continued as a constant, visible, tangible, ongoing means of grace for his followers is communion, the eucharist, the Lord s supper. Some of us have come to view communion as a richly meaningful act of worship, and look forward to it, and wish it could be done on every Lord s Day, maybe even every day. Some of us have view communion as a repetitious, dull ritual, an add on to an otherwise enjoyable worship experience, and a clumsy experience at best having to get up, and move, and taste sometimes bad juice and eat sometimes dried, crusty crumbs and can hardly see this as a means of worship.
And since Jesus commanded it, and he is our Lord, our God, our Savior, then practice this ritual, engage this sacrament, and explore its rich meaning we shall. While Jesus instituted the practice of communion during his last supper before the cross, the first person to describe the meaning of communion as it was practiced in the early church is the Apostle Paul. And to Paul we turn. For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Normally when we approach communion we think of the cross of Jesus Christ. Rightly so, of course! It was on the cross that his body was crucified and his blood was shed for you. For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son that whoever would believe in would not perish but have everlasting life (Jn.3.16). And so, in remembrance of the death of Jesus on the cross for our sins, we continually engage in the ritual of communion, to reenact, to engage very personally, to experience with our full senses, to touch with our hearts the great mercy of God expressed to us through his own sacrificial death on the cross. For the majority of human history most people have been illiterate. Reading the gospels was not the way most Christians throughout time would come to know the story of what Jesus did. Stained glass pictures of the gospel scenes, and stories told by priests and monks about what Jesus did provided the gospel proclamation. But above all, the act of communion, the regular, usually weekly, repetition of Christ s sacrifice for us proclaimed the gospel. Communion is sharing. For most of our history as Christians it is not only the sharing of the story, but the participating together as one in affirming our acceptance of Christ s gift of salvation. This is my body. This is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, in remembrance of me. This morning, I want to touch on one aspect of communion that seemed to be the most important to the Apostle Paul, and it is overlooked or ignored by most of us today. Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner is guilty of sinning against the Lord? What does this mean? We sure don t want to do this. Especially when we look a verse or two down are read it reiterated even more strongly Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves (11:28,29). Yikes! I don t want to eat and drink judgment on myself or anyone else!
Many will not receive communion if they have been sinning that particular week. Some not at all, because of feeling they are not worthy to participate in this holy sacrament. What sins do you think would lead us to eat and drink judgment on ourselves? I think the secret to understanding this aspect of communion rests in understanding what the Bible teaches about the BREAD of communion. This is my blood. Most of us have some understanding of the cup, representing the blood of Jesus. We undertand that our sins are forgiven through this sacrifice of the son of God. We remember what Jesus did. Maybe we even receive Christ in a powerful, spiritual way, by participating in his going to the cross hence communion, sharing with Christ in this intimate way. The only way any of us has a saving relationship with God the father is through faith in Christ, his forgiveness provided to us through his own shed blood on the cross. That relationship is not possible through giving more money, or chanting mantras, or lighting candles, or genuflecting, or driving the speed limit or helping an old lady across the street, or the merits of your own so called goodness. Jesus instituted communion so that there would be a visible, constant, active, real reminder for all Christians everywhere the basis of our salvation, and the means by which to receive it. We have a relationship with God because Jesus for our sins, making it possible, and rose from the dead proving it real. "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." But This is my body is a bit more confusing, and lot more meaningful when we consider what it means to glorify God or to eat and drink judgment upon ourselves. Let s look at this text in context. Let s go back to 1 Corinthians 10, in which Paul actually begins his teaching about communion. (1Co 10:15-17) I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf. Paul is clearly talking about communion. The bread we break is a participation in what? The body of Christ. What is the body of Christ? Is this meant to be the physical flesh of the Jewish carpenter who was nailed to the cross? Not at all. Paul lays it out very clearly. The meaning of the bread: Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf. The body Jesus refers to when presents the loaf of bread is the group of people called the church, the group which St. Paul calls the Body of Christ. The bread represents you. Think about this. The only worship practice Jesus passed on to his followers is a reflection of the great commandment. The great command is simple, it sums up the whole law of God recorded in Scripture and written on your heart. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.
We have established that the Blood represents the love of God for us So great that he sent his only son to die for us, to give us a new and loving relationship with God, so that we can in fact love God. This is my blood, the greatest act of love the world has seen, enabling you to love God as well. This is my body, the church, the new community established on earth to demonstrate what it means to love your neighbor as you love yourself. This is the body of Christ, the church, the people who are as diverse as any ecosystem on earth, rich, poor, black, brown, yellow, red and white, male and female, working man and academic woman, former drug addicts, perverts, abusers, gluttons one and all. Bound together now as we have all come under the umbrella of God s love in Christ, through the blood of Jesus, and as together now as a loaf of bread, a conglomerate of various ingredients, mixed and baked to provide a single loaf that brings nourishment and wholeness to those who feed upon it. The loaf represents you, the body of Christ. Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf. That Paul is concerned not only with our relationship with God the father the blood of Christ which brings about our forgiveness and reconciliation with God, but extremely concerned that we live out that new relationship God WITH EACH OTHER! So, in 1 Cor 10 he concludes his teaching about communion by saying, No one should seek their own good, but the good of others... So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God-- even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. 1Cor.10.24, 31-33 If you want to eat and drink to the glory of God, if you want to bring God glory even in the sharing of the cup and bread of communion, then seek the good of those around you! If you want to bring God glory, then seek not your own good but the good of every person, whether they are insiders or outsiders. That is how you bring glory to God and that is how you properly enter into the spirit of communion. The beauty of communion is the constant reminder that we as a people, as a body, as a church can reflect the radiance of the living God. Every time we come to this table we are in the presence of God and each other, proclaiming Jesus in our midst, and committing to living out the love of Christ to our neighbor. Love God, the blood Christ makes this possible. Love your neighbor, recognizing that we are all one, even as a loaf of bread is one. So let s zero back in Chapter 11. Paul warns, Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves (11:28,29). But how do avoid this? How do make something beautiful rather than something bad of communion? This is a multidimensional question. Our vertical dimension, our
humble acceptance of God s give of forgiveness is key, but equally or maybe even more important because this is where the rubber hits the road the way we treat each other, the horizontal dimension, is part of the picture of the cross. What was going on in Corinth that led to Paul to write instructions about communion? The church was practicing communion, getting together regularly, worshiping but were nonetheless completely screwed up. Here s what Paul says, this is his introduction to the teaching on communion (1Co 11:17) In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. No praise! You guys got it all wrong! Whatever you are thinking your are doing to glorify God is pretty messed up! (1Co 11:18) In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. Remember, some are arguing about whether Paul or Peter are the right guys to follow, and there are fights between Jewish and Gentile believers. In fact, some Jewish Christians still believed that a good Jew cannot eat with a gentile, and unless a gentile is circumcised, even if that person claims to be a Christian brother, they are not a Jewish Christian brother and we can t eat with them. Paul gets all sarcastic on them. (1Co 11:19) No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval. So the conservatives are sitting on one side of the church and the liberals on another, the gentiles are congregated together, the Jews are together in another part of the church. And they sit around and argue about who is really approved by God. No one ever does that in church these days! Here was the problem in Corinth. Paul just lays it out. (1Co 11:20-21) So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat, for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. Here s how it went down in the first century. The worshipers at the Corinthian church would gather for worship and they would also do a joint feast together. The different housechurches throughout the community that met in their homes, like the homes of Chloe, and or Priscilla and Aquilla, two mentioned in this letter, and they would share meals, pray, study Scripture and help each other in this housechurches, but gather also for the larger worship experience. In Corinth, when everyone gathered at the large worship experience, they would bring food. Well, the rich who had food would bring food, and libations. The poor, often traveling in from the countryside, would come late, and they couldn t bring much.
Unlike the common shared potluck which many here at church may experience, you bring what you can, everyone eats, it was different in Corinth. The rich ate there own, even got drunk, sharing nothing with the poor who came hungry to a community meal and left hungry, disrespected and dispirited. But they all took the Lord s Cup, recognizing the shed blood of Christ and forgiveness of their sins, and they all took of the common loaf recognizing that were to be one. But in reality, the ritual clearly meant nothing because the church was characterized by anything but unity. It was characterized by selfishness, disrespect and callous attitudes toward the poor and needy, prideful arguments about whose theology or practices were better than anothers. And Paul says, In this I have no praise! There is no praise when you remember that your sins are forgiven and refuse to forgive others. There is no praise when you know that you are unconditionally loved by your savior but refuse to love and accept your neighbor. There is no praise when you learn that all people are made in the image of God and you disrespect any of God s beautiful creations. There is no praise when you have been blessed to receive bounty by the Lord and yet have a callous heart refusing to share with your brother and sister in need. There is no praise when groups of Christians banded together by denominational label focus on worship with a few praise songs sharing the four spiritual laws but refuse to work for justice, peace and the restoration of this broken world. God said as much to Israel through the prophet Isaiah. In Isaiah s opening chapter God says to Israel: Isa 1:12 When you come to appear before me [in worship], who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations I cannot bear your evil assemblies. Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. In other words, if you think coming and singing and eating at a religious building pleases God, think again. God detests people who come to his place of worship and then refuse to really worship God rather than their own self-interest. True worship of the true God will always lead to a life characterized by doing right, seeking justice, encouraging the oppressed, defending the cause of the fatherless, pleading the case of the widow. So, how do we avoid eating and drinking condemnation on ourselves? By not profaning the blood of Christ, by respecting the fact that we have received our salvation at a great cost, and that our sins have been forgiven, and to receive with gratitude the mercy, love and grace of God. And by not profaning the Body of Christ,
by insisting that this same love, mercy and grace of god be shared with our fellow human beings. Not merely by telling them that God is merciful and loving, but by showing the world that you, with Christ in you, are merciful, and loving and just and, like a good loaf of bread, bringing warmth and nourishment to your family, your friends, your coworkers, your neighbors, your church brothers and sisters and your world. That s beautiful. That s holy communion. That honoring the spirit of This is my body, this is my blood. Now examine yourself before you receive communion. Is there someone you need to get right with? Is there a people group you have a problem in your heart toward? Is there an argument you believe you simply must win but it is driving a wedge between you and your coworker or family member? Have you engaged in a healthy way the plight of the poor, the hungry, the needy? No matter the issue, when you come to the table today, come to receive empowerment from Jesus Christ, to love God with al your heart and your neighbor as yourself.
17 In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. 18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval. 20 So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat, 21 for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. 22 Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter! 23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.