Communion Meditation 3 May 2007

Communion Meditation

Smithfield Christian Church               Gregg Shelton                 22 June 2008

James 1:22-25 (NIV)

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.[1]

The starting point of Christian practice is the confession of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  An important part of that confession is our observance of communion | It starts here; it ends out there. |

.  Through this simple act we remember the price Jesus paid to redeem each of us.  But this observance is just a starting point; we are called to do much more.

In his book Spiritual Life, John Westerhoff challenges Christians to accept there is no boundary between our “spiritual lives” and our secular lives.

As in our love of God and love of neighbor, the value of our rituals and devotional life is judged by how we behave in our daily life and work.

What will you carry away from this table today? 

Luke 11:33 (NIV)

33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.[2]

It only starts here … it ends out there.

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[1]  The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984.

[2]  The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984.