...the grace of God...

The Plot to Kill Jesus

"1 It was two days before the Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him; 2 for they said, ‘Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.’

The Anointing at Bethany

3 While He was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. 4 But some were there who said to one another in anger, ‘Why was the ointment wasted in this way? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.’ And they scolded her. 6 But Jesus said, ‘Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.’

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. 11 When they heard it, they were greatly pleased, and promised to give him money. So he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.

The Passover with the Disciples

12 On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, his disciples said to him, ‘Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?’ 13 So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, 14 and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, “The Teacher asks, Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” 15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.’ 16 So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.

17 When it was evening, Jesus came with the twelve. 18 And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.’ 19 They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another, ‘Surely, not I?’ 20 He said to them, ‘It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the bowl with me. 21 For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.’

The Institution of the Lord’s Supper

22 While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, ‘Take; this is my body.’ 23 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. 24 He said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.’ 26 When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives” Mark 14:1-26.

I have a few thoughts about communion. You don’t have to agree with me. I hope, however, my thoughts will encourage you to think about communion and its meaning.  For me, I think throughout history, the church has struggled to understand just how the communion elements, the bread and wine, relate to the sacrifice of Jesus. Most Christian churches recognize that Jesus is in some sense present and in some sense absent in the communion celebration. We look back, reenacting and reappropriating the benefits of Jesus’ death, thus making these present again in our experience. But we are also keenly aware of our Lord’s absence, as we look forward in faith to that day when Jesus’ presence will be our unbroken experience in God’s kingdom.

I think we not only look back and remember; but we also look forward and anticipate. We also look around. Jesus is certainly present at communion, but not simply in the elements of bread and wine, or in the remembering. Is He not chiefly present, as He promised, in the gathering. Jesus said, “19 Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.’” Matthew 18:19-20. I remind myself every time I participate in communion that the church is not a collection of individuals bound together by a common participation in a sacrament; instead, the church is a real, living, and interrelating family, as Jesus reminded us: “34 And looking at those who sat around Him, Jesus said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother’” Mark 3:34-35.

Lastly, I want to say one final thing about communion, or eucharist: This is a gift of God’s grace given to us by Jesus Christ. To restrict people for any reason from receiving communion and participating fully, is to restrict the grace of God. None of us has that right or authority to do such a thing. Such a decision is a violation of the very gift of God’s grace: Grace is God giving what we need, not what we deserve, not what we have earned. Every celebration of the eucharist is filled with sinners. There are no sinless saints in the family of God! None of us always does the will of God. Most of us, if wee are honest, know that we go to worship as a member of the family of God, having intentionally sinned against God! But go — we must — to receive the grace of God, especially the mercy of God! And whenever we gather for communion God is present with us all, giving us what we need, not what we deserve or have earned!

Take time to review your thoughts about communion and the sacraments of God. Pray for God’s grace and merciful love!

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.