June 28 - 1 Corinthians 10:16

 

The cup of blessing that

we bless, is it not the

fellowship of the blood of Christ?

The bread that we break,

is it not the fellowship

of the body of Christ?

1 Corinthians 10:16

 

The Biblical word "koinonia" is sometimes translated as "fellowship." Other times it is translated as "communion." As a verb, it is "participating in" and "partaking of."

 

All of these meanings intersect in this passage! When we commune, we "partake of" the cup of blessing and the body of Christ. We "participate in" both a sacrament action and within a group of people called "the body of Christ." We call this act "communion," and we "commune with" and "fellowship with" both God and our brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

When we stretch out our hands at communion, there is intimate fellowship with God. When we approach the holy altar, God comes to meet us in a special, sacred, sacramental way. As Martin Luther said, "He is in, with, and under the bread." He is here! With us!

 

We also gather on typical Sundays with scores of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Through the week, we've been broken and scattered across our community, state, nation, and world. When we return to the altar, we are knit back together as the people of God. The week has been hard on many of us, so we return to partake in a cup of blessing and the promise of healing. We returned to be taught and encouraged and forgiven and nourished by our family of faith as we prepare to march back out into the world.

 

We need each other ... almost as much as we need God. That's how God designed the church. That's how he designed you and me.

 

In Christ's Love,

a who heard recently that

if you feel you're thirsty,

it's alreay too late; you're

already dehydrated.

Well, if you're weak, low,

doubting, despairing,

you're already tragically

low on the bread of life and

the blessing of communion

(in all its forms).

But it's never to late.

Come home.

Put out your hand.

Receive the bread.

Drink the cup of blessing.