Communion

One of the responsibilities of the Elders of our church is to lead communion. As a new Elder, this morning is my first time. We'll see how it goes, but here are my thoughts on the subject.

When Christ initiated this moment 2000 years ago, there must have been a reason. And as I've considered what to say about communion, I've been struck by the fact that the reason goes beyond the fact that we're forgetful. Of course He wants us to remember Him and what He did, but the reason beyond that is the why.

Christ's death, burial and resurrection accomplished two things. They are both gifts. They both require faith. They are both complete. But they are not the same.

One requires nothing of us, the other, everything.
One is about rest, and one is about action.
One is about peace, one is about war.
One is about escaping death, the other, living life.
One is about freedom and the second? Response-ability.

The First
We have been redeemed. Christ died to take our sin to the grave once and for all and holy, righteous and complete new creatures. This loving gift is ours to have, and we are called to remember this - and allocate it into our lives - each time we take communion. Nothing is required of us to take this gift of rest, peace, escape from death and freedom.

And freedom is the why of this first part of communion. We are called upon to remember that we are new creatures no longer enslaved to the power of sin. We are free. Free to be all that was in the mind of our Creator when we were first designed. Free.

The Second
But it strikes me that we are free whether we remember it or not. There is nothing in scripture that says we must remember we are saved in Christ in order for it to be true. We are saved in Christ. Period. End of story, done.

But Christ did not die on the cross to enable us to sit at the table of communion and remember He died on the cross. He died on the cross so His plans could be fulfilled despite the fallen, dying, decomposing world in which we live. He died and rose to enable us to live out the purpose within our hearts - the ones HE put there. He died to empower us to live from our hearts.

The bible is explicit in teaching us that the heart is the wellspring of life, that God has put desires in our hearts, and that we will need Christ's help desperately in order to live out those desires. THIS is why we're called upon to take communion: it is a time to remember that it is through Christ that we can do all things. It's about response-ability.

Christ's death, burial and resurrection empowers our ability to respond to our calling and the world around us. A calling to power-full relationships, marriages and positions. Having life sustaining relationships, passionate and loving marriages, and positions of influence and power in the marketplace and community requires action. It requires everything we are, and we cannot possibly give everything we are without remembering the One who made us. The One who died and rose again to sustain us and moves us in living our design every day.

Lord, as we take the bread and the wine, give us your mercy and grace in abundance. Give us your mercy in a way that tangibly washes us clean. A clean that we know to be true in such a way that our knowledge of being FREE cannot be shaken. Give us this foundation. and give us your grace. Your empowering grace to MOVE in the things we know we are called to. The things of your word, the things of our prayers and the things that you've placed deep in our hearts. Give us the grace to live this life you've given us.

In Christ. Amen.