Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – May 30, 2019
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 1 Corinthians 11:26 (NRSV)
Have you ever connected the Lord’s Supper to evangelism? For most of my life, I would have struggled to see the link. What does a seemingly private and personal act of devotion have to do with the outward focused work of proclaiming the good news of Jesus to the lost?
For Paul, the Lord’s Supper is deeply and intimately linked to the church’s mission and vocation in the world. If the death and resurrection of Jesus is the central truth upon which our faith is built, we proclaim this faith to be true, not only in the doctrines we affirm with our minds, but through the way we live and embody those truths as a community. Simply put, the Lord’s Supper is a bold and prophetic statement of what is true and real in this world.
In a world of competing truth claims and visions of the “good life”, it is incredibly easy to find ourselves perpetually confused and disoriented. We long for justice and truth, to live a life that matters and is in tune with all that is good, beautiful, and true. Yet without an anchor, Paul elsewhere reminds us that we are easily “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14). The Lord’s Supper is a grounding and stabilizing reality that keeps our vision clear in the midst of the storms of life.
I once heard a pastor say “The Lord’s Supper isn’t birthday cake, it’s daily bread.” I grew up with a “birthday cake” vision of this meal – something so special that it was to be rarely received, with the infrequency emphasizing its importance. However in recent years, especially with this vision from 1 Corinthians in mind, I’ve come to appreciate and seek out a more intentional and frequent rhythm of reception. I know how easily and quickly my heart and desires can wander, how forgetful I can be of God’s promises and the truth and beauty of resurrection life.
In addition to the other gifts God gives to us that remind us of who he is and who we are in Christ, such as Scripture reading and prayer, I encourage you to take your part in the regular communal meal of the Lord’s Supper. In so doing, you and I enter afresh into the story of salvation and proclaim it boldly to a world in need!
Prayer
Father, thank you for the gift of the Lord’s Supper, through which we are renewed in our faith and empowered to serve others in love and peace. Amen.
Application
Find time in the next week or two to participate in a service of the Lord’s Supper.
Related Reading
Matthew 26:26-28; John 6:53-54; 1 Corinthians 10:17
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Communion with Christ is a grounding and stabilizing reality that keeps our vision clear in the midst of life’s storms. #WisdomHunters #Jesus
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