So, yesterday began a new week, Easter week, and I was glad to put the last one behind me. It was a humdinger. I guess that was why I nearly forgot about the Lord's Supper yesterday. Yep, true confession. By a small miracle of God, He brought it to my mind as I was getting ready to go set up for church. See, in our little church, which meets in a school, we set up every Sunday morning, and then tear down afterwards.
My absentmindedness meant I had to stop at Publix on the way down and pick up a loaf of fresh-baked bread and some grape juice. Fortunately, I carry the cloths, napkins, goblets and such around in my car. I know - - a special kind of weird. At any rate.... my friends Carolyn, Cindy and Sloania helped get the bread "chopped", juice poured and everything in place. Communion went off without a hitch, praise the Lord! I'm glad that there is no one-and-only-one "right" way to celebrate communion, apart from the fact that it is sacrament for Christian believers only. At our church, the elements are at the front, and we process row-by-row to the table, where we take the elements, saying "The body of Christ, the blood of Christ. Thanks be to God!"
Jesus commanded that we take communion to remember His sacrifice, but not how often we should celebrate that sacrament. Our church does it about once a month. It is a mysterious thing, The Lord's Supper, communion. I was thinking last night about yesterday's "near debacle" and about Jesus appearing to the two followers on the road to Emmaus, after His resurrection. I found it curious that He appeared first to Mary, outside the tomb, but even downright strange that He appeared to two rather obscure followers seven miles outside Jerusalem. Why would He do that? Don't you think that He "should" have appeared directly to The Twelve (apostles)? This is another curious thing: the two Emmaus road followers of Jesus did not recognize Him until He did one thing. Do you remember what that was?
30When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Luke 24:30-35 (ESV)
When did they recognize Him? When He was breaking the bread with them in communion, in fellowship. Wow. Who would have imagined their eyes would have been opened at that moment?! He is, in His own words, the Bread of Life (John 6:35). When we seek Him, study about Him, eat of that spiritual bread, He opens our eyes then too. The Lord's Supper not only reminds us of His death, burial and resurrection; it also reminds us that He is life, abundant life! I love how this story stars "the everyday believer", not the "stars of the show" (the Twelve). Jesus demonstrated that His food is freely available for every one of His beloved, not just those who are them most "visible" or "out front".
This morning I got up much earlier than usual to help with a church outreach. We are making a big push to invite folks to church on Easter Sunday, since many who don't usually attend will often look for some church to attend that day. So, four of us Rising Hills Church members met in a parking lot to assemble and then distribute (when "the traffic signal was red"!) over 100 paper bags containing a FREE Bojangles biscuit, jelly packet, juice and a card about our Easter services. There it is again - - - bread and juice.
We weren't celebrating the Lord's Supper this morning, of course. We were blessing commuters who were facing another Monday. But, those elements given today were prayed over by many; perhaps soul-hungry people saw or will see Jesus in the receiving of them. Hopefully, their hearts will burn within them, in a desire to know more about the one and only Savior.
By the way, last year I wrote in the blog a whole series of Easter posts, laying out a timeline of Jesus' acts during Passion Week. If you would like to read them, they begin with this one.
http://resplendentdaughter.blogspot.com/2016/03/10-days-that-changed-world.html
Happy Monday, folks! (Don't forget to eat.)
No comments:
Post a Comment