The Sacrament of Participation

1. “Breaking of the Bread”Emphasizes encounter with the resurrected Christ.Re-enacts the post-Resurrection meal at Emmaus.

2.“Lord’s Supper”Emphasizes solemn remembrance of Christ’s death.Re-enacts the Last Supper.Paul connects this remembrance with recognition of the “body” of Christ (the church).

3.“Communion”Emphasizes shared participation (koinonia) .• Vertically, in the

salvation and ultimate victory over evil that is ours in Christ (the Cup).

• Horizontally, in the saved people who will share together the Messianic Banquet (the Bread).

1 Corinthians 1016The cup of blessing

that we bless, is it not a

participation (koinonia) in the blood

ofChrist?  The bread that we

break, is it not a participation

(koinonia) in the body of Christ?

1 Corinthians 10 (King James)

16The cup of blessing which

we bless, is it not the communion of the

blood of Christ? The bread which we

break, is it not the communion

of the body of Christ?

1 Corinthians 1017Because there is one

bread, we who are many

are one body, for we all partake

of the one bread.• We are united and

unified by participation in Jesus Christ.

• Our participation in Christ makes us participants in one another’s lives.

1 Corinthians 1018Consider the people

of Israel: are not those

who eat the sacrifices

participants in the altar?• By analogy, Israelites

who offered sacrifices to God were participants in God and His people through that act. 

1 Corinthians 10  20. . . what pagans

sacrificethey offer to demons

and not to God. I do not want

you to be participants with

demons.

• Paul’s concern was that some at Corinth thought they could participate with both Christ and pagan deities, who were in fact demons.

• C.f., verse 14: “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”

1 Cor 10:1-13 immediately

precedes our passage.• Israel had been

“baptized” into Moses (Red Sea).

• Israel had “Communion” with God in the desert (manna).

• But Israel also worshiped idols, and God overthrew them in the desert.

1 Corinthians 10:1-1311Now these things

happened to them as an example,

but they werewritten down for our

instruction, on whom the end of the

ages has come. 12Therefore let anyone

who thinks that he stands take heed

lest he fall. 

1 Corinthians 10:1-1313No temptation has

overtaken you that is not common to

man. God is faithful, and he will not

let you be tempted beyond your

ability, but with the temptation he

will also provide the way of

escape, that you may be able to endure it.

1 Corinthians 1021You cannot drink the

cup of the Lord and the cup of

demons. You cannot partake of

the table of the Lord and the

table of demons.

1 Corinthians 1022Shall we provoke the

Lord to jealousy? Are we

stronger than he?

God’s Jealousy and Communion

• Participation in Communion is an expression of an exclusive and precious relationship.• With God through

Christ• With others through

Christ• Stubborn participation

in relationships contrary to Christ (i.e., “stiff-necked” sin) mocks our communion with Christ and one another.

The Sacrament of Communion,

therefore, emphasizes our:

• loyal relationship with Christ, forsaking participation with “other lovers”

• loyal relationship with one another

Colossians 3:12-13• Put on:• Compassion• Kindness• Humility• Meekness • Patience

• Bear with one another• If one has a complaint

against another, forgive each other

• Above all put on love, which

binds everything together in perfect harmony.

What does all this mean in

practice?• When we participate

in Communion, we are expressing exclusive devotion to Jesus Christ.

• We are also expressing Christ-like devotion to our brothers and sisters at Harvest, and in the global Church.