Communion

Obviously one of the most important things on my mind is this exciting opportunity to gather at North Salem Baptist Church this Sunday night at 6 pm to have a membership vote for purchasing the church and property surrounding the church. However, in preparation for this very important evening together we will meet Sunday morning for Communion. Communion has been a very important aspect in the life of the Christian church since Jesus instituted it the night he was betrayed. I want to have a great meeting Sunday night, and I think the forerunner to it is to have a deeply honest connection with Christ Sunday morning. Communion is a marvelous way to renew and affirm our love for Christ.

Maybe you remember Pastor Steve mentioning something about the Amish and their preparation for Communion. In the Amish culture they only celebrate Communion twice a year. When they do they prepare for a whole month of what is called “a season of preparation.” During that season the Amish take seriously the admonition that if anyone holds a grudge against his brother he is not to partake in the communion until he has put things right. If forgiveness isn’t offered, then how can forgiveness freely flow in our hearts?! Jesus said if we refuse to forgive there is a similar disconnect with the forgiveness that he gives. The forgiveness in this case is not based upon one’s salvation, but on the ongoing relationship that we have with the Lord. If we hold a grudge then there is an obstacle to our relationship with God. Likewise, if we are practicing sin, then there is an obstacle to our relationship with God. If we are living a compromised life, then there is an obstacle with our relationship with God. If we have taken the word sin out of our Christian vocabulary, we are missing the kind of depth that God wants to work in our lives that brings incredible freedom and joy. I challenge you to take some time before Sunday morning to prepare your hearts for the communion meal Sunday morning at our church.