1st
Congregational
Rev. Carol = Barriger
Sunday, October 2, 3005
20th Sunday after Pentecost, Worldwide Communion Sunday
Psalm 19:1,= 5, 7-10; 1 Corinthians 12:4-5, 7-13, 27
Now you = are the Body of Christ, and individually members of it. (1 Cor 12:27)
[during thi= s sermon, a loaf of bread is created]
We share communi=
on in
our church once a month. In s=
ome
churches it is more often – almost every time the community gathers in
Catholic, Orthodox and Episcopal churches.=
In others it is less frequent, maybe a few times a year. In some churches, only ordained cl=
ergy
– priests and ministers – are permitted to consecrate and offer=
the
bread and cup. Others are more
relaxed. In our partner
denomination, the Disciples of Christ, only
lay people lead and serve communion &=
nbsp;
The exact words, the liturgies, vary but basically they are similar
– drawn from the words which tradition tells us Jesus spoke as he sha=
red
his last meal with his disciples and asked them to repeat that action often,
doing it in remembrance of him as they carried on his ministry. Some of the most powerful and wond=
erful
things that Jesus said or did were done around the table.
If everyone does=
this
all the time, why have this special day?&n=
bsp;
Why Worldwide Communion Sunday?&nbs=
p;
What does it mean? On =
the
first Sunday in October, Christians are symbolically united around the worl=
d,
by being united around this table.
We experience communion in the setting of a global community of
faith. We break whatever part=
icular
kind of bread we use, pour the cup of wine or fruit juice and affirm that t=
he
spirit of Jesus, of love, lives in our midst. It’s a simple meal, but this=
is
for us a sacred table. If you=
stop
to think, however, this is really no different than any dining or kitchen t=
able
in any home in Redwood City, or across the country or around the world. This what Jesus used, a simple tab=
le
where people ate together. Ou=
r home
tables, where most of us will sit sometime today, are just as sacred as this
table … just as all the tables we've sat around as children, and adul=
ts,
and elders, wherever we've lived and traveled, are sacred places.
In the winter of=
1935, a
group of ministers looked at the spiritual needs of people during the Great
Depression. They imagined a Worldwide Communion Sunday on the first Sunday =
of
November, placing it close to Armistice Day, which marks the end of World W=
ar
I. Their idea was that wor=
ldwide
communion would supercede worldwide conflict, that the church would lead the
way in ending violence between nations, and bring peace to all people. =
Doesn't it seem that that world is =
in
need of that now, in October 2005?&=
nbsp;
It surfaces for us today where the moral voice and force of the chur=
ch
should be felt. So this is th=
e day
when we celebrate the unity of the whole church as the Body of Christ ̵=
1;
one God, one faith, one baptism in all places and times – symbolized =
by
bread shared.
To share the mea=
l, and recall
how Jesus instituted it, is a sacramental act. A sacrament is an outward and visi=
ble
sign of the inward and invisible grace of God. Yet for something so filled with
mystery, it employs the most common, everyday things. Bread … wine (probably cheap=
wine)
or juice … things that remind us that God has the power to make the m=
ost
ordinary things of our lives sacred.
God took an ordinary human being Jesus, but one totally transparent =
to
the Spirit within him, and created in him a reflection of God's desire and =
will
to dwell among, and love, all humanity.
John 6:35 : Jesus said to them, “I am=
the
bread of life. Whoever comes =
to me
will never be hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.̶=
1;
What's so specia=
l about
bread? It is the basic food of
life, probably one of the first things early humans learned to prepare with
fire. It’s a staple in =
all
cultures, though it may look a little different. Bread feeds our bodies. And when Jesus said, "I am the
bread of life, " he also meant that he was the bread that feeds our sp=
irits. When we offer bread to another, we=
are
saying, “I want you to live.”
Mark 8:6-9 : =
He
ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground; and he took the seven loaves, =
and
after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distrib=
ute;
and they distributed them to the crowd.&nb=
sp;
They had also a few small fish; and after blessing them, he ordered =
that
these too should be distributed.
They ate and were filled; and they took up the broken pieces left ov=
er,
seven baskets full. … There were about four thousand people.
Bread is a good
meal-stretcher. It makes the
available food go farther, so more people can share what is available. It is also the symbol of hospitali=
ty. It is meant to be shared. In so many languages the word companion, companero, compagno=
, compagnon, companhiero means "with bread." A companion is the person with who=
m we
share bread – the bread of our tables and the bread of our spirits.
Luke 11:2-4: He said to them, "When you=
pray,
say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our
daily bread. And forgive us o=
ur
sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us=
to
the time of trial."
Bread is made of=
simple,
cheap ingredients, found everywhere.
It can be large, small, flat, raised, baked, fried It can be abundant, and nourishing=
like
manna in the desert. Or it ca=
n also
be "just enough" to fill a complaining, empty belly. Just enough for today. Our daily bread.
Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had gi=
ven
thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, whi=
ch
is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
Bread is a remin=
der of
Jesus' actions at the Last Supper.
Bread is something tangible and edible. We can feel it and take it into our
bodies. So it is with Jesus.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> We want to be able to feel his pre=
sence,
and take him fully into ourselves.
The bread that we break, is it not a sharin=
g in
the body of Christ? Because t=
here
is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one b=
read
… For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim =
the
Lord's death until he comes.
Bread is a symbo=
l of the
Body of Christ. It is somethi=
ng whole
which, like Christ's physical body, can be broken into pieces. It is like the body of all Christi=
an
believers everywhere, made up of many discrete particles and ingredients, b=
ut
brought together in a beautiful whole loaf. There are infinite varieties of br=
ead
– just try looking up bread recipes on the internet! They all sound good, but the funda=
mental
ingredients are universal and simple.
So simple, clear, and direct.
Like Jesus.
First there is flour …
=
; Genesis
18:1-2,6
The LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of
Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent …
He looked up and saw three men standing nea= r him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed dow= n to the ground. Abraham ha= stened into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes."
Leviticus
2:1
When anyone presents a grain offering to the
LORD, the offering shall be of choice flour…
Flour is the fun=
damental
ingredient in bread. And how =
many
different kinds of flour there are – made from all sorts of grains
– corn and wheat, barley and rye!&nb=
sp;
Grain, from which bread is made, was a valuable commodity. In scripture, grain represents hum=
an
beings, beloved of God, in God's plan and work with the world. Bread may be made of several diffe=
rent
grains and therefore be a composite, like many types of people making up one
body of Christ is often used to represent humanity. Diversity is strengthening. We use our different gifts –=
our
different tastes – to serve one another and build one another up.
And then there i=
s water …
…While Jesus was standing there, he c=
ried
out, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me,
and let the one who believes in me drink. A=
s the
scripture has said, 'Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living
water.' "
Jesus said to the woman, "Everyone who
drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water
that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will
become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life."
Bread
is basically flour mixed with water to make dough. Water in the body of Christ is the=
Holy
Spirit. As we drink of that S=
pirit
it soaks through us and changes our minds, our natures, and binds us
together. One part water to a=
bout
three parts flour is a standard measure.&n=
bsp;
The Holy Spirit is strong stuff.&nb=
sp;
We add a little at a time until the mixture starts to pucker and
stretch. This means the gluten
– the starch that holds the dough together – is starting to wor=
k.
There is leaven, or yeast …
Jesus told them another parable: "The
kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three
measures of flour until all of it was leavened."
… Do you not know that a little yeast
leavens the whole batch of dough?
Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch
Yeast, or leaven=
, is an
ingredient which works all out of proportion to its size. This little packet of powder is wh=
at
will transform this ball of dough into a risen loaf of bread. It only takes a little, under the =
right
conditions. One person, Jesus=
, in
the sea of humanity throughout all time, was like this little bit of
yeast. Because of him, everyt=
hing
is different.
The
unleavened, flat bread of the Passover is the bread of the pre-Easter
Jesus. It represents sincerit=
y and
truth, stripped of the old leaven of malice and wickedness, competition,
vanity, pride, and hate. We a=
re to
clean out the old yeast of these harmful attitudes that drive wedges between
people. The risen loaves are =
the
bread of Emmaus, the risen Christ, the new yeast in our lives.
And then there i=
s oil …
James
5:14
Are any among you sick? They should call fo=
r the
elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil =
in
the name of the Lord … faith will save the sick, and the Lord will ra=
ise
them up.
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I =
am the
light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will
have the light of life."
Oil's traditiona=
l uses
were in anointing – for consecration to the holy, or for healing R=
11;
and to be burned in lamps for light and warmth. By incorporating oil into the brea=
d, we
are healed in Christ, and dedicate ourselves to healing others, and healing=
the
world. We become light to the=
world
in Jesus' name. Oil also repr=
esents
the Holy Spirit. It is used in
bread-making to give texture and smoothness. It reminds us that the people in G=
od's
church must relate to one another in harmony. One consequence of having God's Sp=
irit
in our community is that we show love and concern for others.
We add the salt last.
"You are the salt of the earth; but if=
salt
has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good=
for
anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.
Salt
is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have sa=
lt
in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."
Salt is good, an=
d some
people add it to the dough sooner, but it stops the action of the yeast a
little, so I'm putting it in last.
Salt in the bread of Christ signifies zest or enthusiasm for the way=
s of
God. It is also a wonderful m=
etaphor
for our own unique additions of taste to the loaf of life. What zesty people we have in our c=
hurch!
You are the salt of the earth.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> When we share communion bread, wit=
h salt
in it, we acknowledge that we are an important part of the loaf, committed =
to
becoming one with the other members in the body of Christ.
This dough is ra=
w,
unfinished. First, it must be=
kneaded, worked hard. God kneads us over a lifetime, wor=
king
intention, love and holy skill into each of us, the way a baker works
bread. Like muscles kneaded in
massage, sometimes the holy work hurts us.=
We must look at ourselves or our world and see things we would rather
not. But kneading bread dough=
helps
gluten to form. It is the glu=
ten
which will give texture to the finished bread. We in the Body of Christ change an=
d grow
strong like this loaf when we permit ourselves to be kneaded and worked.
And the dough mu=
st rise before it is baked. To rise, it must rest in a warm
place. Often cooks place the
covered rising bowl in a cabinet, or a barely warm oven. It takes just the right temperatur=
e to
encourage the yeast to work. =
We,
too, need to be left alone
sometimes –=
; taken
out of the world and given a sanctuary.&nb=
sp;
A warm place, filled with love and prayers and people who care for
us. The church is the Body of
Christ and sometimes the church community must remember not to be always bu=
sy
with work and programs, but to retreat into meditation and reflection. That is why we have a women’s
spirituality group. That is w=
hy we
pray before meetings, and spend time with the Bible. That is why some of us take private
retreat time. It is about all=
owing
our loaf to rise.
We are the Body =
of
Christ. The yeast of God is at work in us.=
I learned early in the study of scripture that "God is in the
verbs." We hear that in =
the
actions of Jesus with the bread. It
is taken …blessed …broken …shared.
Luke
24:28-32
As they came =
near the
village ... of Emmaus, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, sayin=
g,
"Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly
over." So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them=
, he
took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and t=
hey
recognized him; and he vanished from their sight.
We will perform =
these
actions when we celebrate the meal – when we remember that for which
Jesus lived and died and lives again.
We, too, are to be like =
that
bread:
-allowing
ourselves to be taken by God f=
or
God's good purpose in the world
-rejoicing
in the fact that we are blessed, and
in turn offering blessing in the name of God
-allowing
ourselves to be broken, to know
suffering, realizing that God in Jesus suffers with us
-sharing joyfully all of our gifts with God's people
everywhere at a table, long and wide, without regard to gender, age, race or
language, sexual orientation or faith background.
… he s=
aid,
"It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone, but by every word t=
hat
comes from the mouth of God.' "
In a broken and =
diverse
world … we truly are one
Body. Thanks be to God
The heavens are telling the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims God’s handiwork.
In the heavens God has set a tent for the sun,
which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding can= opy,
and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
The law of our God is perfect, reviving the soul;
the decrees of our God are sure, making wise the simpl= e;
the precepts of our God are right, rejoicing the heart= ;
the commandment of our God is clear, enlightening the = eyes;
the fear of our God is pure, enduring forever;
the ordinances of our God are true and righteous altog= ether.
More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine = gold;
sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycom= b.
1 Corinthians 12:4-5, 7-13, 27
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;=
And there are varieties of services, but the same Lord= ;
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for t= he common good.
To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wi= sdom,
and to another the utterance of knowledge according to= the same Spirit,
to another faith by the same Spirit,
to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
to another the working of miracles,
to another prophecy,
to another the discernment of spirits,
to another various kinds of tongues,
to another the interpretation of tongues.
All these are activated by one and the same Spirit,
who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.
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 the one Spirit we were all baptized into one bo= dy –
Jews or Greeks, slaves or free –
and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
Now you are the Body of Christ, and individually membe= rs of it.
|
PAGE=
|
|
|