The Same Spirit

Posted on by korgrocker

“The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptised into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.”
1 Corinthians 12:12-13 NLT

We pilgrims look around us in our Christian setting, and sometimes we ask about our value. By that I mean, how do we fit in with this fellowship of believers? Perhaps when times get a bit tough, do we look at other churches, thinking that we might be a better fit there? As with any group of people, cliques can develop, and friendships can be exclusive. Generally, people tend to gravitate towards those around them who share similar interests or backgrounds, often excluding those who do not. But Paul, perhaps sensing that this might be a problem in the Corinthian church, wrote to them using the analogy of the human body, which is composed of many different parts and functions. There seemed to be four different major groups in Corinth – Jews, Gentiles, slaves, and free people. However, Paul wrote that, regardless of these differences, they comprised one body because they had all been baptised by the same Spirit, and all shared the same Spirit, implying that, despite their differences in status, they were all essential members of the Body of Christ.

The church I attend has members from diverse backgrounds. Our pastor was originally from Senegal. We have several families from Nigeria, a number of indigenous Scots, and even one or two who were born South of the Scottish border. We have those who are retired and those who work. Those who live in social housing and those who are fortunate enough to own their own homes. School children and adults. But we all comprise a single fellowship because we have all been “baptised into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.”

In a conference recently, Gavin Calver, the CEO of the Evangelical Alliance, shared that the men in his church went out for a meal together, and the proprietor of the establishment was struck by the diverse nature of the men present. It wasn’t just the age range, which was from teens to someone in their eighties, but the different nationalitles represented were nearly as numerous as the number of men present. But all the men there had one thing in common – they were united by the same Spirit.

We must remember that God does not prefer one person over another.

“But there will be glory and honour and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. For God does not show favouritism”.

Romans 2:10-11

“”Then Peter replied, ‘I see very clearly that God shows no favouritism. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right”

Acts 10:24-25

So all believers everywhere can be assured that, before God, they all have equal standing. 

So such a perspective must be considered by all believers who make up the local church or fellowship. When worldly and sinful attitudes perhaps emerge and cause unwelcome partiality, we must remember before God that He loves all our fellow worshippers, regardless of who they are or where they have come from. And we must be inclusive with them all because they have all been “baptised in the same Spirit”. It is the same Holy Spirit who is within each believer.

Dear Father God. We thank You that before You we are all Your children and have equal rights and responsibilities. We love You Lord, and give You the glory for the amazing way that You are building Your church. Thank You. Amen.

Discerning Christ

Posted on by korgrocker

“So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and ill, and a number of you have fallen asleep.”
1 Corinthians 11:27-30 NIVUK

We continue this morning to consider what the Communion service, the Lord’s Supper, really means. We know that a few moments are allowed before we take the emblems, and in these times of reflection, we confess our sins and do what we can to get right with God, even making promises to ourselves to go and put things right after the service. But what does it mean to discern the Body of Christ? Paul wrote, “So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord”. We cannot ever make the mistake of being “unworthy” at a time like this, because of the solemnity of what it means. I’m sure, however, that we pilgrims would never want to be guilty of this, but we know our feeble capabilities. The pressures of life, and perhaps what we saw on television the night before, will crowd into our thought processes, causing us much distress. Paul eloquently described the problem in Romans 7:21, “So I find this law at work: although I want to do good, evil is right there with me”. Above all, we would never want to dishonour Jesus, who went through hell so that we wouldn’t have to. 

With the emblems before us, we should perhaps pause for a moment to consider that the bread on the plate isn’t the product of a baker at all, but the body of Jesus. In this respect, perhaps the Anglicans have got it right by never leaving even a crumb behind after the service. In the same way, the communion “wine”, whatever it is, must be totally consumed, and even the goblet used must be rinsed out and wiped clean. Anglicans do this in reverence to Christ because, through the solemnity of sharing the bread and wine, the emblems are made sacred. Sadly, so many churches will throw the unused elements away, disposing of them in the trash can or by pouring them down the sink. But how many congregants really make the connection between the elements and the body and blood of Jesus? God has blessed us pilgrims with an imagination, something that has become anointed by the Holy Spirit and is being sanctified by His presence. We must remember that although the body and blood, in the form of bread and wine, might be partaken of during a meal, they are entirely separate from it. 

In 1 Corinthians 11:26, we read, “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes”. In the process of sharing in the Communion, we are “proclaiming” the Lord’s death. In other words, through sharing in this ceremonial meal, we are acknowledging that Jesus gave His body and shed His blood for our benefit, for the salvation of all who believe in Him. And we will keep on proclaiming this momentous event until one of two things happens – either we die or Jesus returns, ushering in His new Kingdom. Jesus said, “I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29). Then there will be that marvellous occasion we refer to as the marriage feast of the Lamb (Revelation 19). 

But there is something else about “proclaiming” the Lord’s death. What else should we be proclaiming? We can’t just be obedient in this one thing without being obedient to many others as well. Are we loving our spouses? Are we sharing the Gospel? There is a long list of “Are we’s”, providing a sobering reality to what it means to be a Christian. Thankfully, God is patient and kind, and doesn’t expect an instant transition from an unbeliever to a fully fledged believer overnight. We enter into a process called sanctification, as we are being made holy to be more like Jesus.

Another reason for the Communion service is to declare the unity among believers. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, “Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf”. In other words, we must see Christ in our fellow Christians and treat them as we would treat Jesus when we come together.

If we bring God’s spotlight into our souls, looking at who we are through His eyes, what will we see? This is an easy question to answer, because through Jesus, we will see a righteous and holy child of God. Through our repentance, the blackness of sin has been left at the Cross. But we must never become complacent, and we must value the Communion service to provide an opportunity to touch base with Jesus once again. We feel His love and forgiveness once again flood over us, refreshing and restoring our souls.

Dear Lord Jesus. Once again, we kneel before You, confessing our sins, and thanking You for all You have done for us. We worship You today. Amen.