“Apr 24, 2024 - Sharing and Unity”

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Sharing and Unity

Reading:  1 Corinthians 10:14-22
    
    Having reminded us of Israel’s fall in the wilderness, Paul returns to his topic of eating meat offered to idols.  In this section, he is thinking particularly of Christians joining in the feasts inside idol temples (since “we know that an idol has no real existence”, 1 Cor 8:4).  To help them think through it, he points them to the Lord’s Supper that Christians celebrate together:  “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?  The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?”(1 Cor 10:16).  As we share this meal together, we “participate in”(or share in/have communion with) the blood and body of Jesus.  It is no longer a mere meal, but a declaration that we belong to Jesus, remember his sacrifice, and share in it.  There is also a horizontal unity that it achieves with other partakers:  “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread”(1 Cor 10:17).  We are unified by our eating together in celebration of Jesus’ sacrifice.  Together, we connect with Jesus’ sacrifice.

    Paul then argues that this is the nature of worship meals:  we share in (and declare allegiance to) the one we worship and we are unified with fellow-worshipers.  This is true with Israel (1 Cor 10:18), whether Paul refers to offerings or to their rebellion at Sinai (1 Cor 10:7).  But Paul is especially concerned with Christians who step into idol-temples and sit down to eat without reservation.  “No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God.  I do not want you to be participants with demons.  You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons”(1 Cor 10:20-21).  Paul does not dispute the fact that pagans are not real; he instead argues that worship meals still mean something.  Our allegiance has already been given.  Will we make Jesus jealous?

    Paul has a rich view of worship.  It is not mere ritualistic acts, but a deep sharing in God’s good gifts and affirmation of our allegiance to him.  It is a time for connecting with others who love and honor him.  We must seek out those who, like us, long to share in Jesus’ grace and sacrifice.

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One Thing to Think About:  How can I appreciate Christian worship more deeply?

One Thing to Pray For:  Brothers and sisters who will join me in communing with Jesus 
 

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