FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, ATLANTA, GEORGIA
Sermon by Ms. Kacy Brubaker, Director, Elementary
& Family Ministry
January 28, 2007
First Communion Sermon
Historical/Biblical Notes
FINDING COMMUNITY
We have got a scripture
reading packed with information this morning, and it is one to which we all
should pay close attention. 1 Corinthians,
is thought by most to have been written by Paul
probably near the year 55 A.D.,
only 25 years after the death of Jesus Christ.
Paul was evangelizing and teaching
congregations the
proper protocol for
worship.
The passage from 1
Corinthians 11:17-26 is an example of his teaching appropriate worship and
Christian behavior. And, it is one from
which we too can learn about appropriate Christian behavior. The main issue was
that during communion they were not acting
appropriately.
Current Abuses of the Lord’s Supper and
the need for community
Verse 18 states that the
people would “assemble as a church”.
This means that they should have
all join together as
one group in
one place.
This coming together is what
formed the bonds of community.
This morning we have 35 children
who are celebrating their First Communion.
During Worship Education over the past month these children and I have
spoken about how the words communion and community are similar in the sense
that they both refer to the “coming together” of people for a common
reason.
But, in this passage the
author goes on to state that there were “divisions”
or discord in the gathering. Though the
congregation appeared to come
together in one location and for one purpose they were divided into
groups. This is at times difficult for
modern Christian’s to understand because as Biblical scholars teach us, the
shape of worship is much different today than it was in the early church.
So, let’s set the scene. When the early Christians would come
together they were coming together not in a formal sanctuary setting such as we
are today, but rather in home churches.
A house, a home,
With furniture, tables,
personal items, but also community space.
Worship and the Lord’s Supper
took place in the home around the
setting of an actual meal. Unfortunately
as we learn in this passage the Corinthians were not coming together to sit at the common table.
Scholars teach us that
wealthy individuals would most likely host the meal, and the distinguished
guests would be invited to eat in the main dinning room, which would typically seat
up to ten people, while the other poorer guests would eat in the atrium, or
courtyard.[1] This finds its foundation when Paul states
that “each one goes ahead with his or her own meal, and one is hungry and
another is drunk”. The juxtaposition is
that though they were all gathered in the same
home some were welcomed into the fancy dining room while others were left
in the courtyard.
While some had plenty others were empty.
These divisions between the
wealthy and the poor were causing Paul to become angry.
The Lord’s Supper, an
occasion meant for community and fellowship, of oneness was being abused and the purity of it was tarnished when the church members begin eating in
different
groups,
different
times,
and differentiating between the rich members from the poor.
The way the Corinthian’s were
eating was socially appropriate and accepted
in the culture, but Paul was speaking out against it because it did not
resonate with Christian community.
Because while some had plenty others were left empty.
The question then becomes why
were the poor not excepted into the company of the wealthy?
Were the wealthy frightened by,
threatened by,
or intimidated by the poor?
Were the wealthy deliberately
exercising control over the poor?
Or, were the wealthy blind to
the fact that they had rejected their brothers and sisters?
We will probably never know
the answers to the questions, but we do know that the corruption of the
community meal had diverted their attention away from the real reason for being
together.
They had turned
From community to conflict
From brothers to betrayers
From fellowship to friction
From one to opposition
The real reason they were
supposed to gather was to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, to come together as a
community for communion, but they were neglecting each other and in turn
neglecting Christ himself
Paul’s Teaching of the Words of
Institution
In verses 23 through 26 Paul
urges them to recognize their role as a community by recalling the tradition of
the Lord’s Supper which had been revealed to him by the Lord. It is from this passage that we as
Christians derive the Word’s of
Institution. These are the Words of
Institution that the ministers say each time we celebrate the Lord’s
Supper.
“This is my
body which is given for you. Do this in
remembrance of me”
“This is the
new covenant in my blood. Do this, as
often as you drink it, in remembrance of me”
It from this passage that
Christians discover that we should approach Communion remembering Jesus Christ
and living out the life he has called us to live.
It is from this passage that
we learn the true meaning of communion- a time of unity and of spiritual union
to Christ as well as our brothers and sisters.
Simply stated, there should
be no division between the rich and the poor within the “body of Christ”. As Christian Ethicist Larry Rasmussen
writes, “Churches are, not only have, a social ethic. They form- or malform- those whose lives are shaped by worship,
instruction, moral witness, church order, or any other expression of church
life…[Churches] comprise a way of being in the world”.[2] Therefore, as a moral agent and
representative, the Christian church should be exemplifying community as
opposed to destructing it.
How does this relate to First Pres.?
So, the question now is how this
passage relates to us and to our lives as Christians. If Paul wrote
this nearly 2,000 years ago what could possibly be relevant to us today? I believe that all of what Paul says to the
Corinthians in 55 A.D. can also be said to us at First Presbyterian Church in
2007.
And, surprisingly, I think
that it is the children who teach us
this lesson better than anyone else. Paul has pointed out the divisions amongst
the community. Frequently young
children are often too busy learning about
themselves,
their own bodies,
their own families, and
their own surroundings to
begin naming differences between
themselves and others. Rather than
seeing dividing lines of wealth, race, ethnicity, and class that adults build
up like barriers between ourselves and “the
others” children see only a new
playmate, a trusted friend, or a loving teacher.
As the South African proverb teaches us, “A person becomes a
person through other persons”. [3] Through other persons we know ourselves and
understand community.
The Christian community, like
our children, is called to create solidarity through relationship rather than
division through opposition.
Not long ago I was privileged
to be a part of the Urban Ministry Conference.
On Saturday of the conference I had the opportunity to observe a
parenting forum designed especially for families that were living in
transition-
families that were living in
shelters,
living on the street
living in a position in which
they were struggling financially.
There were children attending
the forum- children amongst the families that had traveled far to reach the
church for the program, and children who were members of the church. These children came from a variety of
backgrounds- some wealthy, some struggling financially.
Some had plenty while others came empty.
The beautiful part of the
morning was that there was no separation between the children. Each child was simply that, a child of
God. There was no distinction between
those whose families had money and those whose families had no money. There was nothing but a sense of love,
acceptance, friendship, and community. The
children had not yet been jaded by this idea of the “norm”.
To them everything was still
new,
still fresh, and
still a chance to grow, learn
and make friends!
Some call this foolishness.
Others call it innocence.
I call it an opportunity to
create community.
The children exemplified for
us adults what true community could be.
It was not a false community built around naming differences and then
accepting people as “the other”.
It was not insincerity in feigned smiles and manufactured hand shakes.
It was not a sense of giving
and befriending because it is our responsibility
as a Christian.
Rather, the children
approached community with an even playing ground. They did not pre-judge or make false accusations based upon
assumptions. They were ready and
willing to befriend everyone, people
of all races, socio-economic status, intelligences, and abilities. The children
were finding the intrinsic value within each person. They were truly making space for the opportunity to create
community.
While some came with plenty no one left empty.
Through their loving embrace
the children showed us how to transform
Opposition
into Openness
Conflict
into Cooperation
Animosity
into Alliance
Rejection
into Reconciliation
As we all come together, as
we all find community around this communion
table I ask that we heed Paul’s warning.
Let us not build divisions between one another based upon
differences. Rather, let us become like
the children and eagerly learn from one another with a sense of respect, honor,
and equality.
Let us be like the child spoken
of in Isaiah 11 who leads the wolf
and lamb and leopard, the calf and lion to all lie down together in peace. Let us come to the table knowing in our minds
and believing in our hearts that all are truly invited to and welcomed to the
table, a table where all are equal.