Musings of the Minstrel

The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian church concerning the Lord's Supper. Evidently the secular culture of Corinth had begun to pull at the foundation of the church and the caste system of the carnal community had brought division to the body. The wealthy class of the church had begun to gather earlier than the working/poor class and had mingled the Lord's supper with "dinner on the ground" (maybe the first pot-luck church dinners-lol). They had divide themselves according to "the haves" and "the have nots". The communion service had simply become a ritual of remembrance. It was almost like a "toast" to a great hero of the past but they had lost the real purpose of the communion service.

Paul informed them that even though they claimed it to be a spiritual gathering it was not making them better but rather they were gathering and making themselves worse. The point was to recognize that the work of Christ's death was to produce a church (the body) that would accomplish his mission. He said that we are to look back to his death until he come. Notice the past, present and future of communion.

The Past.

We look back to his death and ask the questions: How he died? Why he died? For Whom did he die?

As we take the elements of communion we are to look around and recognize that Christ died to produce this group of people that we are communing with. The good, the bad, the ugly, the rich, the poor...we are all part of this body. (Corinth had missed this part)

Till he comes. Our Lord is coming again and we have been given the responsibility of the great Commission. That brother or sister standing next to you is part of the team that God has brought together by his death, burial and resurrection.

So, as we commune we look back, we look around and we look to the future and recommit ourselves to Christ, to one another and to a lost and dying world.

Thank God for the Body of Christ!

Last night was a night I will not soon forget! I saw and felt an incredible heart moving response to the needs of others by the wonderful people that God has allowed me to pastor. I told the story of the the "Good Samaritan" with some supporting scriptures concerning sharing what we have received with those that have need. In a way that I cannot describe the sweet presence of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Our bus ministry director (Jennifer Pelton) had presented the church staff an opportunity to help the 170 children that ride the bus every Sunday. At the conclusion of my message, I presented the opportunity to TRC...I was blown away. People surged to the front to adopt a child from the bus. We all committed to pray, love and give them a gift this year for Christmas, but also to build a relationship with these children.

I could not hold back the tears as I thought about the love that was being displayed last night.

James 1:27