May 29, 2024
"For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep"
- 1st Corinthians 11:28-29
The Communion symbolizes the body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and they are physically represented by bread and cup. Another representation of the Lord’s body, a spiritual one, is the Church…for which Christ Himself is the head (Ephesians 1:22-23).
Now the Church (Christ’s Body) is made up of believers, you and I, brothers and sisters in Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27), individually created and uniquely gifted by God to serve and flourish in His house. As different as we are in appearance, height, color, speech, age, sex and so on, we belong to His Body.
The human body with its many parts is a great example of interdependent relationships between different body parts. An examination of this relationship is seen in 1st Corinthians 12:12-27. This passage of scripture compares the human body with the body of Christ. “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ” (Verse 12).
Now Christ’s Body is represented physically by the Bread during communion. Christ’s body is also represented spiritually by the Church. In the same way the physical representation of the body of Christ, the bread is discerned with reverence, the spiritual representation of the body of Christ, the Church, must also be discerned with reverence.
Discernment (with reverence) of the spiritual body of Christ in this context refers to the quality of the interdependent relationship between members of the body of Christ, the Church. As in the human body, when the interdependent relationship within its members is poor, the body does not function properly. The body is weak, sick and sometimes dies prematurely. The same in the Church when members have poor interdependent relationships with each other, they do not discern their selves (the Lord’s body) accordingly and as a result there is weakness, sickness and sometimes premature death (1 Corinthians 11:29). Because of this, prayers for healings (that would have removed the weakness, sickness and premature death) go unanswered (Mark 11:25).
Believers can sometimes be subtly bitter towards one another, enraged and angered at one another, brawling (quarreling) with each other, slandering each other and practicing all kinds of malice against one another (Ephesians 4:31). The Bible says to get rid of these things and “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” Ephesians 4:32.
Let us consider each person as part of the same body to which you belong—The Body of Christ. This approach will help us demonstrate compassion and care. Doing so we will be fulfilling God’s will and lifting each other up, instead of tearing one another down.
Song of Worship
Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow
Prayer - Dear Lord, I receive grace to discern my brothers and sisters in Christ with reverence. I receive grace to do away with bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. I receive grace to be kind and compassionate to my brothers and sisters in Christ, forgiving them, just as you, Christ have forgiven me in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Bible in 1 year: 2 Chronicles 7-9