It's in the Name

This weekend, we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper or, as we often call it, Communion. We look forward to remembering and honoring Christ’s sacrifice for us.
 
The last time we celebrated Communion, we passed the elements to one another – something we hadn’t done in a long time before that. Why? The way we’d been doing it started as a COVID precaution. However, as time went on, it was easy to continue the routine of grabbing Communion elements on the way in the doors for services. Passing plates takes more time and honestly isn’t as convenient, so why bother? We are used to doing things the most convenient way, whether it’s preparing food, scheduling an appointment, or doing a grocery store pickup. We like things to be quick and easy so that we can move on to the next thing. This mentality often finds itself at home in our churches, too, and neglects to acknowledge that some things exist not to be quick or easy, but rather to teach and sanctify us. 
 
1 Corinthians 10:16 says, “When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ?”
 
The word for “sharing” in that verse is the Greek word koinonia. Koinonia means “fellowship” or “communion.” It refers to something that is done together or in participation with one another. We live in such an individualized society that we often don’t opt for the communal option if we can avoid it. We have so many contactless options these days that we can employ to avoid dealing and interacting with other people. By contrast, like the name of our church implies, we want to live our lives in Christian fellowship.
 
The Christian life is meant to be lived and worked out in Christian koinonia. Christian communion. Christian fellowship. Even as we remember the Lord’s Supper, we are called to do so in community, interacting with and serving one another. The simple act of passing the elements and serving one another helps us to remember that we are many members of one body, and we are called to live, work, and serve the Lord together.
 
As we serve one another this weekend, let us remember what Christ did for us not only through the sacrifice of His death and the victory of His Resurrection, but also how He established His church for His glory and for the benefit of all of us who work, live, and serve together in Christian fellowship.
 
We hope to see you this Sunday!