Grace to One Another

“The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.” (1 Cor. 10:16-17)

We’ve considered this morning the fact that God has saved us and is saving us through other people, chiefly Jesus Christ, our neighbor, our Good Samaritan who came to our rescue when we were left for dead on the side of the road. But this salvation is lived out here and during the week as communion, community, koinonia. This means that you need one another. One of the ways that we picture that mutual dependence is in the way that we partake of the bread and the wine. We give thanks here together, and then the bread and the wine go out from here, down the rows, and out to the back of the congregation. We picture in this what the gospel is doing in the world. It is a river that flows out of the temple and floods the earth. It is yeast that leavens the entire loaf until it is fully risen. The Church is the body of Christ, and therefore his blood flows through us. We have just exchanged Peace with one another, and now we are enacting that peace. But notice how we are doing it. We are doing it with the body and blood of the Lord Jesus. This is the only way to have peace. This is the only way relationships work. This is the only way you can deal with other people, through the blood of Christ. But by the grace of God this meal makes you all grace to one another. You are images of God, instruments of blessing to one another. So come eat, drink, and rejoice in the kindness of God.