Unity in Christ: The Sacredness of Communion

Devotional

Day 1: Communal Worship Over Individual Gain

In the early church, gatherings were seen as sacred events where the body of Christ came together, emphasizing communal worship over individual gain. This perspective challenges the modern individualistic mindset, where church attendance is often about personal benefit rather than collective worship. The early believers understood that they were part of something much larger than themselves, recognizing the body of Christ not just as the local congregation but as a connection to the heavenly realm. This understanding calls us to see church as a time to unite with others in worship, shifting our focus from ourselves to the divine. [17:34]

1 Corinthians 12:12-14 (ESV): "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many."

Reflection: How can you shift your focus from personal gain to communal worship during your next church gathering?

Day 2: Connection to the Heavenly Realm

Recognizing the body of Christ involves understanding our connection to the heavenly realm. The early believers saw their gatherings as joining the ongoing worship in heaven, with angels and saints focused solely on God. This perspective shifts our focus from ourselves to the divine, reminding us that worship is not about us but about joining the eternal praise of God. By seeing our gatherings as a connection to the heavenly realm, we are invited to participate in a divine reality that transcends our earthly concerns. [24:49]

Hebrews 12:22-24 (ESV): "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel."

Reflection: In what ways can you remind yourself of your connection to the heavenly realm during your daily worship practices?

Day 3: Unity Through Communion

Communion was central to early church gatherings, fostering unity and minimizing divisions. Today, with over 30,000 Christian denominations, we see the consequences of shifting focus away from this central act. Communion reminds us of our shared identity in Christ, transcending theological differences and uniting us as one body. By placing the body and blood of Christ at the center of our gatherings, we can foster unity and minimize divisions, recognizing our shared identity in Christ. [36:49]

Ephesians 4:4-6 (ESV): "There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

Reflection: How can you actively promote unity within your church community, especially during times of communion?

Day 4: Reconciliation and Unity

We are not isolated individuals but parts of a greater whole. This understanding should drive us to reconcile with one another, fix divisions, and approach the Lord's Table with reverence and unity. Communion is a sacred act, a reminder of Christ's sacrifice and our unity with believers past, present, and future. As we partake in communion, we must recognize our role in the body of Christ and strive to reconcile with one another, approaching the Lord's Table with reverence and unity. [42:08]

Colossians 3:12-14 (ESV): "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."

Reflection: Is there someone you need to reconcile with before your next communion? How can you take steps toward that reconciliation today?

Day 5: Partaking with Reverence

Communion is a sacred act, reminding us of Christ's sacrifice and our unity with believers past, present, and future. It calls us to recognize our role in the body of Christ and to partake with reverence and unity. By approaching the Lord's Table with reverence, we honor Christ's sacrifice and affirm our unity with believers across time and space. This sacred act invites us to reflect on our shared identity in Christ and our commitment to live in harmony with one another. [45:23]

1 Corinthians 11:27-29 (ESV): "Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself."

Reflection: How can you prepare your heart to partake in communion with reverence and unity this week?

Sermon Summary

In our journey of faith, it's crucial to discern the body of Christ rightly. This involves understanding the significance of the Lord's Supper and the unity it represents. The early church devoted themselves to this practice, and while their traditions aren't on par with Scripture, they offer valuable insights. The early believers saw gathering as a special event, a time when the body of Christ came together, each member playing a vital role. This contrasts with our modern individualistic mindset, where church attendance is often about personal gain rather than communal worship.

The early church understood that they were part of something much larger than themselves. They recognized the body of Christ not just as the local congregation but as a connection to the heavenly realm. In Revelation, we see a picture of worship in heaven, with angels and saints focused solely on God. The early believers saw their gatherings as joining this heavenly worship, a time when heaven and earth intersected. This perspective shifts our focus from ourselves to the divine, reminding us that worship is not about us but about joining the eternal praise of God.

Moreover, the early church placed the body and blood of Christ at the center of their gatherings, not a pulpit or a speaker. This centrality of communion fostered unity and minimized divisions. Today, with over 30,000 Christian denominations, we see the consequences of shifting focus away from this central act. Communion reminds us of our shared identity in Christ, transcending theological differences and uniting us as one body.

As we partake in communion, we must recognize our role in the body of Christ. We are not isolated individuals but parts of a greater whole. This understanding should drive us to reconcile with one another, to fix divisions, and to approach the Lord's Table with reverence and unity. Communion is a sacred act, a reminder of Christ's sacrifice and our unity with believers past, present, and future.

Key Takeaways

1. The early church viewed gathering as a sacred event where the body of Christ came together, emphasizing communal worship over individual gain. This challenges our modern individualistic mindset and calls us to see church as a time to unite with others in worship. [17:34]
2. Recognizing the body of Christ involves understanding our connection to the heavenly realm. The early believers saw their gatherings as joining the ongoing worship in heaven, shifting the focus from ourselves to the divine. [24:49]
3. Communion was central to early church gatherings, fostering unity and minimizing divisions. Today, with many denominations, we see the consequences of shifting focus away from this central act. Communion unites us as one body in Christ. [36:49]
4. We are not isolated individuals but parts of a greater whole. This understanding should drive us to reconcile with one another, fix divisions, and approach the Lord's Table with reverence and unity. [42:08]
5. Communion is a sacred act, reminding us of Christ's sacrifice and our unity with believers past, present, and future. It calls us to recognize our role in the body of Christ and to partake with reverence and unity. [45:23]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[14:32] - Understanding Early Church Practices
[16:39] - The Significance of Gathering
[18:20] - The Body as a Unified Whole
[19:18] - Individualism vs. Communal Worship
[22:26] - Recognizing the Body and Heaven
[24:49] - Joining Heavenly Worship
[27:29] - Communion with Departed Saints
[29:20] - The Eternal Temple
[31:11] - Our Role in the Heavenly Body
[33:19] - The Sacredness of Communion
[36:49] - Unity Through Communion
[38:25] - The Centrality of the Body and Blood
[41:18] - The Call to Reconciliation
[45:23] - Partaking with Reverence

Sermon Clips

The early church saw when we get together there's something special that happens so so a lot of times we don't think that way we just go dad do I feel like going to the gathering today you're thinking about yourself what am I going to get out of it today and we've created church systems where we try to appeal to individuals. [00:17:00]

There was like a sense of incompleteness every individual was coming thinking okay this is that one time when I get to be what I was made for a part of the body I can you know late in the next chapter talking about everyone is a part of the body. [00:17:41]

That's why they got excited to gather for a communion because they don't see themselves as all that like I'm on this complete it's all about me it's like man oh the body's gonna get together that was their act of worship they got excited they're not thinking well who's speaking and how long's a service gonna go. [00:19:47]

When you come together as the church the ekklesia the gathering the early church saw when we get together there's something special that happens so so a lot of times we don't think that way we just go dad do I feel like going to the gathering today you're thinking about yourself what am I going to get out of it today. [00:16:54]

The early believers would see themselves as sneaking into the back almost like oh this worships been going on in heaven and we're just joining ourselves with them and so recognizing the body to them had to do with recognizing the people in front of them but also recognizing those because from Christ's perspective. [00:26:36]

He sees friends of ours right now who have passed away right in fact they won't even call people dead that were in the church because if we're in Christ we never die he just saved the departed we don't see them but they're still worshiping God probably in a greater way than we were. [00:27:00]

The early church devoted themselves they're like how can I not take of this this is my calling this is what my life is about this is my identity as a part of the body and blood of Christ so rather than going there's division so I'm just not going to take of it it's like well let me fix those things. [00:41:45]

Let me reconcile with my brother and sister let me take time to recognize that I'm a part of this but I came maybe you came here today like you're just this great individual with all these significant thoughts and your own Twitter account you know maybe that's the way you came and you got here and you go That's not me. [00:42:08]

I'm a toe I'm a finger I'm an ear and I'm joining myself to the rest of the body and Christ is gonna show up in a crazy way because the ekklesia is happening here this is exciting this is why we gather and you're not going to stop me from taking of that body and blood because I believe with all my heart that Jesus Christ died on that cross for my sins. [00:42:50]

I believe there was something about taking communion out of the center of the church and replace it with a gifted speaker not that gifted speaker is not a part of the body of Christ and a gift to the body of Christ but the body itself needs me back in the center of the church you guys I've been dreaming about this. [00:37:40]

I've been praying about this god man I would love it if one day in our country here in the US people understood the body of Christ that they were just a part of it and they got excited to gather and partake of the body and blood of Christ and they celebrated together and that's why we gathered we have an opportunity man life is short. [00:38:06]

I want to give myself to this I want your body and blood to be at the center of our gatherings the reason why we gather I want to devote myself to this like they did God please surround me with a group of people that want the same thing where I want to sell I get excited to join with the body. [00:38:50]

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