Communion 5

Acts 2:46-47

A few years back we knew that we would be unable to visit with our families over the Easter weekend. It was just not part of our busy schedule that year and we decided we would simply have a nice Easter Sunday meal at home as a family. We prepared a nice ham and all the side dishes – salad, mashed potatoes, corn and so on. It was a lot of food but we went ahead with our plans.

Then, unexpectedly, my sister and mother showed up at our house. We were excited at that point to have prepared such a large meal of abundance. And we were pleased that someone had come to share it with us.

After the resurrection of Jesus and after he was taken up into heaven the faithful believers continued to meet together as the beginnings of the church we know today. What did they do? What was their attitude?

The love and grace of Jesus Christ did not stop with his death. It continued on among the faithful and still flows today. The early believers would gather together in informal bands of worshipers. As part of their worship there was the sharing of food.

The believers would break bread together – eat – and they did it with glad hearts. They were pleased to be with one another and they were gladdened by the fact that each of them had a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Such should be our attitude as we celebrate Communion in our places of worship. Communion may be a time when we examine ourselves, where we realize that we are not worthy to receive such grace from God. But it should also be a time of celebration and gladness. We should take part in Communion with glad hearts, realizing that although we are unworthy, still Jesus loves us so much that he continues to open himself up to us so that we might be in his loving presence.

Let us rejoice as we take part in Communion. Let us be glad that Jesus loves us. And let us also take the opportunity of Communion to once more invite the Spirit of God to live in our hearts.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you be certain to have a glad heart when you take part in Communion?

Communion 5

Acts 2:46-47

A few years back we knew that we would be unable to visit with our families over the Easter weekend. It was just not part of our busy schedule that year and we decided we would simply have a nice Easter Sunday meal at home as a family. We prepared a nice ham and all the side dishes – salad, mashed potatoes, corn and so on. It was a lot of food but we went ahead with our plans.

Then, unexpectedly, my sister and mother showed up at our house. We were excited at that point to have prepared such a large meal of abundance. And we were pleased that someone had come to share it with us.

After the resurrection of Jesus and after he was taken up into heaven, the faithful believers continued to meet together as the beginnings of the church we know today. What did they do? What was their attitude?

The love and grace of Jesus Christ did not stop with his death. It continued on among the faithful and still flows today. The early believers would gather together in informal bands of worshipers. As part of their worship there was the sharing of food.

The believers would break bread together – eat – and they did it with glad hearts. They were pleased to be with one another and they were gladdened by the fact that each of them had a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Such should be our attitude as we celebrate Communion in our places of worship. Communion may be a time when we examine ourselves, where we realize that we are not worthy to receive such grace from God. But it should also be a time of celebration and gladness. We should take part in Communion with glad hearts, realizing that although we are unworthy, still Jesus loves us so much that he continues to open himself up to us so that we might be in his loving presence.

Let us rejoice as we take part in Communion. Let us be glad that Jesus loves us. And let us also take the opportunity of Communion to once more invite the Spirit of God to live in our hearts.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you be certain to have a glad heart when you take part in Communion?

Communion 5

Acts 2:46-47

One of our pastors from years ago asked about ways that we as a church could do more together. The first response was “pot-luck dinners.” This suggestion was not well received, but after some thought I realized how important shared meals can be.

With these meals we share a common space and a common time, spending time together as a community of worshipers. We also share of ourselves, preparing food that is intended to be distributed among many. It may seem superficial but carry-in dinners can be a way to achieve fellowship and a way for all of us to be made aware of the sacrificial attitude Christians should have.

The Book of Acts is an accounting of the very early church and the things (acts) they did. What did the believers do? What was their attitude? What was the result?

I am not advocating that covered dish dinners are the solution to all church problems, nor do I assert that these are a replacement for witnessing for Christ in the world.

But, as we look at the early church, we can see that sharing times of worship AND sharing meals was a wonderful way to build the church and strengthen the body of believers. The key is that these common or shared meals were a part of the worship. Bread was broken – a reminder of Christ’s sacrifice – and food was shared. But the attitude is key.

The people who shared this time of communing together did it with glad and sincere hearts. They celebrated the generosity of one another and took pleasure in one another’s gifts – a reminder of God’s abundance.

The result was that the church grew. More and more people were saved, hearing the good news of salvation through Jesus.

We are to take the same attitude in the rite of Holy Communion in worship. It is a celebration. It is still a part of worshiping God. It is an opportunity to join together with one another both physically and in spirit and celebrate the good news of salvation.

It is a reminder of God’s abundant table – not just of the physical needs which are met, but also the spiritual ills which are healed.

DAILY CHALLENGE: Will you have a glad and sincere heart during Communion? Will you praise God for His favor?