Leviticus 2; Psalm 38:1-10, 18-22; I Corinthians 11:23-34; John 6:48-55,
Throughout the world, there are two basic raw foods which have fed people since ancient times. Grain and grapes, turned into bread and wine. Today we’ll take a look at why bread and wine are used in Holy Communion – and we’ll try to understand more deeply the meaning of Communion.
Grain – the seed of grass, many different types of grass – is the basic food used in almost every human society. Wheat is a form of grass, barley is a form of grass, maize corn is a form of grass, even rice is a form of grass. Millet, sorgum, buckwheat – all of these are forms of grass, and around the world, we find people who plant those grass seeds, harvest the seeds, and eat the seeds. And in most places, these seeds are ground into flour and turned into a form of bread. In fact, worldwide, we find that almost every culture with the exception of a very few, eat bread of one form or another. Flatbread, white bread, pizza, biscuits, French bread, pita bread, pancakes, Naan from India, or buchemgay from Korea, the basic food is grain flour mixed with some other ingredients and baked or fried.
There’s several reasons for this. First, some form of grain can grow almost anywhere. And people everywhere except the rainiest rain forests and the coldest Arctic areas live off the grains that can grow nearby. Second, grain grows without the constant attention that many other foods require. In many places, you can plant the grain in one season and harvest it six months later. And third, when you remove the moisture from the grain, when it gets good and dry, if you keep it dry, it can last for years and be ready to eat just by adding some moisture back to it. Grain can be kept around where other foods rot and spoil quickly. But flour or bread to which yeast has been added will spoil quickly unless it is thoroughly baked – something which was difficult to control in ancient times. So yeast was considered an impurity.
The other common food in much of the world is the grape and the wine that is made from it. The grape grows wild throughout much of the world. Just in North America, there are wild grapes that grow in Canada, wild grapes that grow around here, and even those wonderful muscadine and scupperdong grapes that grow in the Deep South. And in climates that have regular droughts, the grapevine’s deep, deep roots mean that established grapevines can live while everything around them is dying of thirst. And those grapes are ready to give their owners a nice sugary drink just when the water is least likely to be found – in August or September.
People can eat the grape or they can mash it into grape juice. And then, wonder of wonders, the grape juice, if left to itself for a few weeks, will turn into wine. And besides the well-known effects of wine on people – in modest quantities – positive – relaxation and peace – in higher quantities, drunkenness – the alcohol in the wine kills dangerous germs that would cause diarrhea and death. And so, in many parts of the world, wine was added to water – or water to wine, simply to purify the water. And there was one more benefit – a benefit in the days when starvation was far more common that obesity and diabetes and the dangers of them both. When the grape juice turned into wine, the calories were still there. The human liver, when not overwhelmed with too much wine, could turn the alcohol back into sugar, and live off those calories. And of course, wine could be kept for months or years, feeding people during the winter when there were no other foods except dried grain and bread.
And so, in much of the world before modern canning and refrigeration were developed, bread and wine – often diluted with water – bread and wine were the two basic foods of the 99% of the population who were poor farmers.
A third basic food was meat, whether sheep, goats, cattle, or pigs, these animals were grown and butchered. But what did the animals eat? Much the same as the people, the animals ate grain or the grass that brought forth the grain. And so people began to understand that in a very real way, the grain was what our bodies were made of.
Around the world, most of the ancient pagan cultures recognized that some years there were good harvests and some years there were poor harvests, and so they began to worship harvest gods. Greece, for example, had Demeter, the goddess of grain, and Dionysius, the god of grapes, while Rome had Ceres, the goddess of cereals, and Bacchus, the god of wine who brought joy. In ancient Israel, part of the Law of Moses laid down regulations for grain offerings.
Ever since the Exodus from Egypt, the Jewish nation observed the Passover Meal. And in that Passover meal, there were special foods – unrisen bread, bitter herbs, eggs, a sweet mixture, four glasses of red wine, and, of course, the sacrificial lamb. The Jews remembered that the blood of the Passover lamb had been spread over the doorways of the obedient homes, and the Angel of Death “passed over” those who had the blood on their doorways. They were saved by the blood of the lamb.
And then Jesus came along.
After three years of ministry, Jesus went to Jerusalem, where He was greeted by the crowd as the savior of Israel. He taught in the Temple courtyard that week to crowds and then on Thursday evening Jesus and His disciples retired to an upper room where they shared the traditional Passover meal. Jesus shocked them several times during this meal. At the beginning, he insisted upon washing everyone’s feet. At a time when people wore open sandals and walked on the same road as much livestock, by the end of the day, a person’s feet were dusty, dirty, and covered with the evidence of that livestock. Usually, the lowest slave was assigned the task of washing people’s feet, but this evening, Jesus stripped off his outer garment, got down on his knees and insisted upon washing each of His disciple’s feet. His point? The one who leads must be the servant of all. Disciples are to serve others, not lord over others. We would do well to remember this.
Then, during the meal, Jesus took bread, gave thanks for the bread to God the Father, broke the bread, and said, “This is my body which is broken for you. As often as you eat it, remember me.”
And then when the third cup of wine came around, he took the deep red wine and said, “This wine is my blood which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. As often as you drink it, remember me.”
It was only later on that they understood the meaning. Indeed, even today, we are still attempting to understand the full meaning of the ceremony we call Holy Communion. Let’s see what we know.
There are essentially three views on Holy Communion. Let’s look at them.
Followers of Jean Calvin – which means many Baptists, members of Reformed churches, and Presbyterians – look at Holy Communion as an ordinance, which means we do it because Jesus commanded it to be done. There is no mystical meaning. In the view of Calvinists, Communion is a time to remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ – nothing more, nothing less. It is a time of sober reflection and remembering, a time to focus upon our guilt which led to Christ’s sacrifice. Excess bread is simply excess bread, to be handled as you would handle any other bread. In many Baptist churches, anyone can preside over the ceremony, since in this view, Communion is just a ceremony.
The Roman Catholic Church gives Holy Communion a much more important role. The ceremony is referred to as a sacrament, a special sacred ceremony in which God is directly involved and something spiritual occurs. Catholics believe that when the priest blesses the elements, the bread and the wine are turned into the actual body and blood of Christ. Therefore, because this Body is present, a Catholic Mass is usually somber, similar in tone to a funeral. The wafers and the wine, being the actual body and blood of Christ, are treated very carefully, with extra wine being poured upon consecrated ground which has been consecrated as one prepares a cemetery. Extra wafers are reserved until the next Mass, often kept in a special container with a red light near the altar. Only a properly ordained priest may preside over Holy Communion, what is often called the Eucharest.
John Wesley’s view of the sacrament of Holy Communion is derived from the Church of England’s view, and then other Methodist theologians over the years have expanded upon this view. It is a middle view in some ways, but leads us to a totally different tone during our celebration.
First of all, we believe that in some way, Jesus was telling us the truth when He said, “This is my body”. This is more than a reminder and yet we know that this bread has not turned into human flesh, and the grape juice has not turned into human blood. This is apparent to our eyes, our nose, and our tongue. So what does this mean?
After much debate, we have come to the conclusion that the spiritual presence of Jesus is here when the elements are blessed. John Wesley referred to Communion as a “means of grace”, a manner in which God gives us good things we don’t deserve. It is indeed a sacrament; God is directly involved. If you will, open up your heart to the idea that Jesus is standing there, that the Holy Spirit is moving around and within the elements, that a spiritual blessing is in the bread and the grape juice ready to be taken into your body if you choose.
Because of this, there are certain distinct parts to our ceremony. First, anyone who is reverently seeking God may join us at the table. Who are we, sinful creatures that we are, to deny another the grace of God? And balancing this is Paul’s comment in the I Corinthians passage:
27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.
This passage has been read incorrectly by some groups who maintain that you must be worthy to receive Communion and if so, then we are all in trouble because NO ONE is worthy to receive Communion. Yet thankfully, verse 27 clearly talks about eating in an unworthy manner. Are you being flippant? Are you approaching the table without even thinking about Christ? Are you actively making fun of the ceremony? Are you pushing and shoving others? Those might be unworthy ways. Instead, while you are in line, ask yourself how you might, with God’s help, improve in holiness.
How about discerning the body of Christ? Does this mean we need to see Jesus? No. Instead, are your emotions stirred either with joy or with deep emotion? Do you understand that Christ is present here? Do you see the connection between Jesus and the elements? That is what is needed – you do not have to see Jesus or look at the bread and see His flesh.
As part of our examination, we have a prayer. In this prayer, we admit our sinfulness and ask for forgiveness. There is nothing magical about this particular wording – any prayer of forgiveness is acceptable, particularly if you admit your greatest sins and ask forgiveness for them. It is normal for this part of the ceremony to find ourselves filled with guilt, sadness, and sorrow. We take time for you to pray silently about the private things in your life.
But then, the presider announces your forgiveness! He or she reminds you that Jesus promised to forgive us of all sins when we truly were sorry and asked forgiveness. And…joy of joys, we are forgiven! And so, the rest of the ceremony proceeds in a much more joyful tone.
We offer peace to each other. If we have someone we are fighting with, someone we have a bone to pick with, then we offer them forgiveness by sharing the Peace of Christ. And now we are at peace with God and at peace with the rest of the Body of Christ, which is the church.
Now, the presider leads us into a great prayer to the Almighty Father, as the great events of God and Jesus are recounted and remembered. Eventually, the elements are blessed by one who has been given authority by a bishop – which in the case of this church means myself or an ordained elder. This is to ensure that the ceremony is performed correctly. (Did you know that our bishop was ordained by someone who was ordained by someone who etc, etc, clear back to John Wesley and beyond that clear back to the Apostle Peter who was put in leadership by Jesus Himself? In the Wesleyan tradition, you cannot simply announce one day that you will preach and become a preacher. The pastor, the church, a group of other pastors, and the bishop must all agree. )
After the elements have been blessed, the prayer concludes. And then we share the elements with the congregation.
Some have asked: Why don’t we pass trays with pellets and little cups on them? There is nothing which prohibits us from doing so, but when we do so, we tend to forget another aspect of Holy Communion, which is COMMUNity. We share a common loaf; we share a common cup. In this way, we announce to everyone present that we inherently trust each other, and that we are part of one body, instead of a bunch of individuals having individual pieces in our individual seats.
Plus, for those who are able, there is something about coming forward to receive the elements that shows our willingness to work for Christ. It is easier to sit in our pew and have the elements passed. But is Christianity a spectator sport, a chance to be served? Or is it an active religion, where we get involved and do work for ourselves and others?
As you approach the elements, there is nothing wrong with positively greeting other people who are sitting or who are in line. This is a joyful, family meal, after all! We are all receiving blessing from God today! While many churches require you to put on your funeral face, our Wesleyan understanding is this: You have been forgiven by God, you have been forgiven by your fellow church members, God is going to give you food and drink, why shouldn’t you be happy and joyful?
Yet as we reach the front of the line, we would do well to remember one thing. Jesus is offering His body and blood to us – we are not taking it from Him. And so, holding your hands in a receptive position, allowing the bread to be placed into your hands rather than reaching out and taking the bread is proper. Receive Communion – don’t “take” Communion.
After dipping the bread in the grape juice, you may wish to pray at the altar, either by kneeling or standing. You may wish to thank God for the gifts you’ve been given, or pray for help in some area of your life or another’s life. Take your time.
By the way, you know that we use grape juice. This began in the 1830’s when Mr Welch developed a way of preserving grape juice without alcohol for communion because he had noticed several of his fellow church members had a problem not drinking alcoholic beverages. As the decades passed, the Methodists moved to the forefront of the Temperance movement, and so the tradition became for us to only use sweet grape juice in our ceremonies. A few years ago, however, the prohibition against using real wine was lifted in the United Methodist Church, recognizing that wine-drinking was not prohibited in the Bible – but habitually getting drunk is frowned upon and is a disqualification for leaders in the church. But sweet grape juice is still our custom here in this church, and so we stick with it, particularly because we recognize the damage that alcohol addiction has caused in our community.
And what about the leftovers? As all the miracles of Jesus were to give healing and life to people, we are to take the leftover bread and ideally consume it, or give it to the poor. Leftovers may be taken outside and fed to the birds, the remaining grape juice poured onto the soil where it can fertilize more life. We also have kits that allow you to take Communion to homebound people – see me if you’d like to be trained how to use the kits.
The ancients were right to recognize that there is something joyful about new life, about the ability of grain and grapes to feed people and to given them life. In many ways, Jesus is the embodiment of healing and life-giving power. His miracles were never destructive – fire did not flash from His fingertips as He fried His enemies, a laser beam did not slash His enemies in two. His strongest weapons were the very words He said which He reserved for those who blocked people from coming to God our Father.
Yet when He said that evening “this is my body” and “this is my blood”, and told us “as often as you do this, remember me”, He put a most powerful spiritual weapon in the hands of the church. Some churches deny Communion to people on the basis of their sin, their disobedience, the unbaptized state, their state of dress.
But the United Methodist Church opens Communion to all people.
As many of you know, Saundra and I spent a few years having a ministry to international students at Marietta College, mostly students from China. For months and years, some of them joined us on Sunday mornings as we brought up to two van-loads of students from the College to our church.
One morning, a particular girl who was and is very dear to us had joined us in Sunday school, and then we went upstairs to the main service which ended with Holy Communion being served. I had spent less time than usual with her that morning, as I explained on the way up the stairs, because I had to work with the younger students, and she was a “Big Girl”, now.
As I’d seen happen several times before, I saw her and her friends stand in the Communion line. Some did not stand in line, but simply watched, for they were not sure about what this would mean to them and their lives. This particular girl went through the line, head down, deep in thought, then took the elements. Afterwards, she was very quiet.
On the way home, after the other students had been let out at their dorms, she told Saundra and I that she had decided in that line that she WAS seeking God, and that she wanted to become a Christian. A couple of weeks later, she was baptized.
This strange ceremony we call Holy Communion is more than just a ceremony. It is a time when the fabric that separates us from Heaven is stretched thin and some of Heaven leaks through into those elements. Depending upon how you approach the table – in boredom and impatience, in fear and trembling, or with joy and expectation – God may choose to give you a snack of bread and grape juice, a sprinkle of grace, removing some of your fear, or an entire flood of blessings, as a Niagara of grace pours down from Heaven upon you because you have decided to let God do as God wills to you and through you.
You have heard that it is necessary to have a personal relationship with Jesus to truly become a follower of Him? What more could Jesus do for you than feed you? A mother feeds her child first through the umbilical cord, and then through her breast milk. Her child received life through what her body manufactures. And thus a close bond is formed.
Jesus has gone even further. He says that the bread is His body, the juice is His blood. He asks you to understand this whenever you eat and drink, not just in this particular ceremony, but at every meal. Do you eat grain – bread, pasta, buns, pancakes, waffles, biscuits? Do you drink juice or wine? If so, remember that Jesus is with you and has given you this.
In the first chapter of the Gospel of John, we hear these words:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
In the beginning, the Word existed. And the Word of God was made flesh and became Jesus the Christ. And so, when He told us that this bread was His body and this wine was His blood, we should remember that “Through him all things were made; with him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
How is life sustained? Jesus told us: “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” And Jesus was the Word of God who flows through the bread that you will have on your table today for lunch, if you discern Him to be there, if you see with your heart that He is there, and has given this to you.
Jesus Himself said this:
53 … “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”
If you would have eternal life, you must eat and drink the body and blood of Christ. For that is where life comes from…it flows through the bread, it flows in the lifeblood of animals or in the wine, but the life that lasts, the eternal life flows from the Word of God, who is Jesus the Christ, who sits by the right hand of God the Father – and who is present at this table every time we share Holy Communion. Is it any wonder that John Wesley urged his followers to receive Communion as often as possible?
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