In my church heritage, we practice Communion every Sunday. I've taken communion weekly for 11.5 years, but the way we do it at Journey is my favorite. Today at Journey we asked the question "Why do we celebrate communion weekly around tables?"
For those of you who haven't been there, tables feature centrally at Journey. Every week we spend about 10-15 minutes singing, praying, and eating this small meal together. It's central to our life together.
For me, I find the mystery of communion more and more fascinating. Now, I don't necessarily believe in a literal consubstantiation, but in a very real way, I see communion as The Body and Blood of Christ. I find it increasing meaningful that the tension between two definitions of the same thing is where true faith lies. Jesus was fully man and fully God. The Bible is written by God, and written by men. Baptism is nothing but water, but it is also the essence of our salvation.
I don't understand these things, but for me, they are where faith happens.
What about you? What do you find meaningful about communion?
4 comments:
historically there was four significant cups of wine used in the passover meal. each cup corresponded with an idea from exodus 6:6-7a.
cup #1 - "I am the Lord,and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians."
cup #2 - "I will free you from being slaves to them."
cup #3 - "I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment."
cup #4 - "I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God."
most likely cup one was served at the beginning of the meal or just before.
cups 2 and 3 (as read in luke's gospel) sandwiched the bread (ha ha) and have very strong "salvation talk"
some speculate the Jesus actually abstained from the 4th cup which serves as a reminder that one day Jesus will consummate His relationship with His people.
in some way the meal that Jesus shared with His disciples on that evening was not complete and we literally participate in His final meal until he returns.
communion is a look backward and forwards, inward and outward.
Its praise for what he did. To us now we look at his suffering and his torment and all our sin that he took. Like Paul wrote, we Look to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith. What a great time and moment each week (could be daily) to share in our covenant. Just like the Jews when they left Egypt, totally healed and set free. We have the same right to claim when we receive communion.
You used the word "consubstantiation," impressive. You should listen to the song "Communion" by my friend T.J. McCloud. http://www.stephenspeaks.com/music.html. It is on the "No More Doubt" CD.
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