One of my favorite stories of experiencing God is one Sara Miles tells. Miles was an atheist living in San Francisco when she wandered into St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church on a Sunday morning. She writes that she’d never heard a Gospel reading or said the Lord’s Prayer, but she found a seat and took in the scene, and when the priest said, “Jesus invites everyone to his table” the whole gathering moved to a table that had some dishes and a pottery goblet on it. She goes on to write that after some standing and singing, someone pressed a piece of fresh, crumbly bread in her hands saying, “the body of Christ” and handed her the goblet of sweet wine saying, “The blood of Christ.” She ends this part of her story saying, “Then something outrageous and terrifying happened. Jesus happened to me.”[i]
Another story is one I witnessed this past Easter morning. We were still worshiping in the parking lot where we had been most every Sunday since October. And as I preached, I saw a man stop on the sidewalk on Marietta Street. He stood and listened, and as the hymn of the day played, I walked over and invited him to come closer and join us. He moved a little closer during the prayers, and when we received communion that morning, I took bread and wine to him where he stood, and he received it. And just like on that morning at St. Gregory’s, Jesus happened.
What we find in “the bread and wine set in God’s Word and bound to it” is the treasure of God’s promised forgiveness of sins for you and for me.[ii]
In his Large Catechism, Martin Luther wrote,
This treasure is opened and placed at everyone’s door, and yes, upon the table, but it also belongs to the sacrament to take it and confidently believe that it is just as the words [“given and shed for you”] tell you.
Addressing the crowd in John’s gospel Jesus says, “the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (6:33)
And they respond eagerly, commanding Jesus, “Lord, give us this bread always.” (6:34)
Hearing their enthusiasm, I remembered that Luther wrote,
If you could see how many daggers, spears and arrows are aimed at you at every moment, you would be glad to come to the sacrament as often as you can.
In the sacrament, Christ “gives himself for us, so that it is impossible for sin, death, hell and Satan to stand before him”, thrusting our weakness and his strength together, where they become one.[iii]
Today’s worship theme is “practicing communion” and while “practicing communion” begins with receiving this treasure from Christ, it doesn’t end there.
When we receive communion, we become one bread and one drink among another, as Paul said to the Corinthians. (1 Corinthians 10)
When you make bread all the grains of wheat are crushed and ground so that each grain becomes the flour of the others, and they’re all mixed together and not one grain of wheat retains its original form. Instead, each loses its body in order to become the one body of bread.
In the same way when you make wine, each grape mixes its juice with the others so that no single grape remains Each loses its form to become one drink. [iv]
Gathered here together as church, our many-ness becomes one-ness, and the result isn’t mealy or bland, sour or sharp. Instead, it is hearty, sweet and joy-filled.
“Practicing communion” nourishes us as we support the life with God we each have in faith.[v]
Faith is never only about Jesus and you. As much as God’s promise is for you, your witness to the faith that sustains you matters to others. Watching how you persevere in hard times. Witnessing the gratitude that you name in joyful times. Hearing your questions when you wrestle with God. Experiencing peace when you pray together.
Seeing how you care for all those whom God loves.
Practicing communion means your presence and participation in this body of Christ matters. Whether you are worshiping online or in the sanctuary, commit to not being a spectator but participating fully in worship, willing to be surprised by God’s work in and around you.
I hope that through our worship together over this six weeks, we will be able to name reasons we gather together and what difference our faith makes in our lives, and how your faith and witness makes a difference in the lives of the people you encounter.
Let us pray…
Good and gracious God,
Thank you for your Son Jesus, the One who brings life to the world.
Thank you for your forgiveness for our sins, and the strength to stand against evil.
Give us courage to practice communion at the Table and in our lives that we would be nourished by you and support one another in all things.
We pray in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen.
[i] Sara Miles. Take this bread. 2007. 58.
[ii] Martin Luther. "The Sacrament of the Altar”, Book of Concord. LC 469:21-22.
[iii] Martin Luther. “Of the Holy Sacrament, and of Confession and Absolution”. 1523. 18.
[iv] ibid. 21
[v] Martha Grace Reese. Unbinding the Gospel. 14.
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