1 Corinthians 11:23-32
FThere are a number of names for the sacrament where we eat Christ’s body and drink his blood. Each of them describes a different aspect of the sacrament. Eucharist comes from a Greek word which means “to give thanks.” It reminds us that we give thanks to Christ for his body and blood. The Lord’s Supper reminds us that Jesus is the host, and he offers himself to us. The Sacrament of the Altar points us to the altar as a symbol of sacrifice. Jesus sacrificed himself for us and we receive his body and blood.
Holy Communion points to the unity we have in Jesus. When we eat his body and drink his blood we are united both with him and with each other in his body.
In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul tells us “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.” and “For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.”
Those are some scary words! Guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Eats and drinks judgment on himself. How can we avoid that?
We’ll skip all the details (you can hear them in the sermon) and give you the short answer. Holy Communion is a union with all who take it. We are united in Jesus’ body. When people come to communion in disunity, it’s a sin against the union of Holy Communion. People who are angry at each other shouldn’t take communion together until they’ve reconciled. People who believe different things about how God works shouldn’t take communion together, because they’re not united.