We Who Are Many Are One Body

Today is World Communion Sunday. It is a day in which we celebrate what we have in common with our brothers and sisters in Christ in other denominations and traditions within the church around the world. It is a day in which we focus on what we have in common as the church: Jesus. In a few minutes, you will hear Pastor Steve speak over the elements something like, on the night Jesus was betrayed, he took bread, broke it, gave it to his disciples and said TAKE, EAT, THIS IS MY BODY BROKEN FOR YOU. TAKE, DRINK, THIS IS MY BLOOD POURED OUT FOR YOU. This meal represents Jesus's body, and we are all called to come to this table and participate in this meal symbolic of the one body of Christ. Interestingly enough, in addition to referring to the elements at the Communion Table as the Body and blood of Christ, the church is also referred to as the body of Christ. In fact, in the first part of our text for today, Paul, who is writing to the church at Corinth says this: 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 PARTAKE OF THE ONE LOAF.

Paul is emphasizing the teachings of Jesus that we just came out of last week. If we are to call ourselves the body of Christ, then we must recognize that there is only one body and we, who are many—many people, many denominations, many churches, many ideas and beliefs—ARE ONE BODY, THE BODY OF CHRIST. In fact, in 1 Corinthians 12, Paul offers what has become one of his most known teachings that WE ARE ONE BODY WITH MANY PARTS. AND HOW CAN ONE PART SAY TO ANOTHER PART, I DON’T NEED YOU. Just as with our individual bodies, we take greater care with our most vulnerable parts, so should the body of Christ work to take care of its most vulnerable parts. 

But in between these passages, Paul offers what is perhaps his most misinterpreted writing that tends to strike fear in people. He says, when you come together for The Lord’s Supper, it is not the Lord’s Supper that you are eating. In fact, those who eat of the Lord’s supper in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. He goes on to say that to anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord, eats and drinks judgment upon themselves. This rightfully makes people anxious about taking communion, and it makes people set rules about who can and cannot take communion, and it even sets rules about how and when we should take communion so that we are not bringing judgment upon ourselves. 

I get it . . . except for the fact that this is not what Paul is saying here. In fact, what if I told you that what Paul is saying is bigger than Holy Communion and this judgment can happen even when we are not taking Holy Communion. Let me explain. 

In this text, Paul offers several clues to us as to what he is saying. These things would have been extremely clear to those he was writing to. Then when we take it in conjunction with chapters 10 about we who are many are one body and 12 with his one body, many parts metaphor, we really see where the issue is and what God’s judgment is about. 

What we need to understand is that this is the first century church. The church would gather in people’s homes. There were no church buildings. The homes that were suitable for gathering in, that had enough space to gather, were the homes of the wealthier, more affluent members of the church. They would serve as the host for the day. And when the church gathered, it was not simply for a one hour worship service. It was for worship and they would also have special times to gather to celebrate Holy Communion and would also have a love feast around that. A love feast was a fellowship meal around Holy Communion. We Methodists would call it potluck lunch after worship. Here’s the rub, though. I’m going to put it in more modern language to help us understand what is going on here. On these days, the more affluent members of the church would knock off work early to head over to the celebration. They would be greeted by the host and welcomed in, and they would begin the celebration together and would start eating the delicious food that had been prepared and would begin drinking the wine that had been curated for the event while they waited for everyone else to arrive. And because of that, those who could (again, the more well off) started coming earlier and earlier to begin the celebration. 

But this wasn’t the full church. There were others in the church who we would call blue collar workers. They were the hourly workers, the lower and middle class persons who were a part of the church. They had to squeeze every hour of daylight out of the day in order to make ends meet and provide for their families. They would work as long as possible before getting there for the celebrations of the church. By the time they got there, though, all of the best food had been eaten and all of the wine had been drunk and all that was left was some brussel sprouts and that weird jello salad that you really aren’t sure what is in it. 

I want you to hear some of today’s scripture now with this understanding of context. WHEN YOU COME TOGETHER IT IS NOT THE LORD’S SUPPER THAT YOU ARE CELEBRATING FOR AS YOU EAT EACH OF YOU GOES AHEAD WITHOUT WAITING FOR ANYBODY ELSE. ONE REMAINS HUNGRY WHILE ANOTHER GETS DRUNK. DON’T YOU HAVE HOMES TO EAT AND DRINK IN? OR DO YOU DESPISE THE CHURCH OF GOD AND HUMILIATE THOSE WHO HAVE NOTHING? SHALL I PRAISE YOU FOR THIS? CERTAINLY NOT!

Truly this issue that Paul is leaning into with them is not about Communion. I mean, it is, but it is so much bigger. What he is saying is that you say this whole gathering is about celebrating Our Lord’s Supper. YET, you are choosing to celebrate THE MOST SELFLESS ACT IN THE HISTORY OF HUMANITY by acting SELFISHLY - failing to consider the needs of others, only considering yourself, not waiting on everyone to arrive, not caring that others will go hungry while you are getting drunk. So yeah, you are bringing judgment on yourself because you are not even considering the sacrifice of Jesus on behalf of the world and only thinking about yourself. But you know what, we can do that just the same at any other time in our life, not just during Holy Communion. 

Holy Communion is supposed to be lifting one bread and giving thanks that we are one body TOGETHER under the banner of Jesus. We are called to be united as the body of Christ. 

Today is World Communion Sunday. I want us to pause in this moment and recognize that any in the world who lift up the bread and utter the words of Christ over them when he said TAKE EAT THIS IS MY BODY BROKEN FOR YOU - TAKE, EAT IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME are part of that same body as us Whether they look like us, talk like us, vote like us, or are of the same socio economics as us. And how can one part of the body say to another I DON’T NEED YOU or I DON’T WANT TO CONSIDER YOU AS PART OF THE BODY.

As we started, Paul said we have to realize that WE, THOUGH MANY, ARE ONE BODY. This is what world communion Sunday is about. May we seek unity within the body of Christ so that we can represent Christ to a hurting and broken world and not bring judgment upon ourselves.

Thanks be to God
AMEN