Based on a sermon preached 18th August 2024
There are a number of
reasons why I entered ordained ministry. But the most important probably is a
sense of wanting to share communion. I can’t pinpoint when I sensed this, but I
know that near the time I started the process of offering for ministry, I’d
attended a communion service and seen the minister giving communion and felt
this is something I wanted to do.
Now inevitably this begs the
question “Why is it that only ministers can serve communion?” Or to be
precise in the Methodist Church only presbyters. So why is it? It is a good question,
and I cannot give you a definitive answer really. Though 2000 years of church
history show that within a short time after Jesus’ death, the early church recognised
that communion should be led by someone who had been ordained to that role.
The Methodist Church is no
different in that sense. Our standing orders make clear that within Methodism there
are two distinct types of ministries – Deacons and Presbyters. I am a presbyter,
and a presbyter is “a person ordained to the ministry of word and
sacrament”.
Communion is important to me
both as a presbyter and as a person. Thanks to the plan, I lead a communion
service nearly every week. And as such I take communion every week. John Wesley
would approve. He celebrated communion at least once a week and if possible,
every day. Though for me leading communion, celebrating communion is not the
same as being given communion by another minister. That feels very special.
During my sabbatical it
seemed to be that of the Sunday services we attended, in different places,
everyone was a communion. We experienced a very simple service at Cirencester
Baptist Church, and we experienced the full High Church Anglican communion
complete with incense at Southwark Cathedral in London. And lots in between. All
different but all special for me.
By the way, I tend to say “Communion.” It could be the Lord’s Supper. It could be Eucharist. It
could be Mass. It is all the same in essence – setting aside the variations in
liturgy depending on church tradition. I say “Communion” for it is a word
suggesting a coming together, being in fellowship, a uniting. Communion with
one another but most importantly with Jesus.
Today we’ve heard a reading
from John’s Gospel. It comes at the end of chapter 6 and in a way the whole of chapter
6 is John’s take on the Last Supper. Unlike the other three Gospels John
doesn’t specifically mention the Last Supper. But in this chapter, there are plenty
of references to it and also to communion. For example, at the start of the
chapter we have John’s account of the feeding of the five thousand. And John
tells us:
11 Then
Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them
to those who were seated; John 6:11 NIV
Words that are reminiscent
of the words in the Last Supper accounts. For example, in Luke 22
19 Then
he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and
gave it to them, Luke 22: 19 NIV
For much of the rest of
chapter 6 John shows how Jesus then talks about him being the bread of life. Then
in the passage we’re thinking about Jesus goes on to say this:
53 So
Jesus said to them, ‘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 Those
who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up
on the last day; John 6: 53 - 54 NIV
It’s worth stopping there
for a moment and reflecting on Jesus’ words., “unless you eat the flesh of
the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.”
We’ve heard these words many
times. We know we are not literally eating Christ’s body and drinking his blood.
The words are symbolic. They were a reminder to the earliest disciples and us
that Jesus went to the cross for us. He gave up his body, his own flesh and
shed his own blood, so that if we believe in him, we will have eternal life.
A few years ago, now one of
the churches I looked after in Swindon had quite a number of small children.
Grandchildren of church members. It was accepted that the children could come
up for communion and receive bread and wine if their grandparents were happy
with this. On one occasion a little boy – I’ll call him Stephen – came up with
his grandma. It was the custom there for the congregation – maybe about 15 in
all – to form a semi-circle at the front. I’d take the bread round and once we’d
all received, we’d eat it. I gave Stephen the bread and he looked around,
couldn’t see anyone eating and so I saw him put it in his pocket.
Afterwards a lady came to me (I'll call her Phyllis) and said it was disgusting what Stephen had done. He shouldn’t be allowed to
receive communion as he clearly doesn’t know what’s going on. I said to her “Phyllis.
Can you tell me what is going on in communion? I don’t mean the symbolism. What
is really going on? The mysticism of it. I can’t.”
So what is going on?
Firstly, we have communion to remember Jesus. In one of his 44 sermons The
ways of obtaining God’s blessing – the means of grace John Wesley said communion,
the Lord’s Supper, is a solemn remembrance.
The celebration of the
Lord's supper is a way of commemorating his death in the presence of God and
the angels, and mankind, by means of visible symbols. You show that you are solemnly
remembering his death until he comes in the clouds of heaven.
But it is much more than that.
A few years ago, the
Methodist Church produced small booklet called “The Methodist Catechism”.
It contains a summary of what Methodists believe. Our theology. The booklet
says:
In the Lord's Supper Jesus
Christ is present with his worshipping people and gives himself to them as
their Lord and saviour.
As they eat the bread and
drink the wine, through the power of the Holy Spirit, they receive him by faith
and with Thanksgiving. They give thanks with the whole Church for Christ’s
sacrifice of himself once and for all on the cross.
The Lord's Supper recalls
Christ’s Last Supper with the disciples. It proclaims Christ’s passion, death
and resurrection, unites the participants with him so that they are a living
sacrifice in him, and gives them a foretaste of his heavenly banquet.
So now you know! All that is
going on when you receive bread and wine. No wonder Phyllis was for once lost
for words when I challenged her!
But in fairness to Phyllis,
she did sort of have a valid point. For John Wesley in that sermon I’ve
mentioned says that when we come to the communion table we must:
“… firstly, ask ourselves
whether we understand the purpose of this ritual, and whether we really want to
share in the death of Jesus, before we join in breaking bread.”
Of course do we really understand what's going on?
Wesley goes on to say that
we need to remind ourselves that we are sinners. We aren’t worthy. That we are
to die to sin and that also as followers of Christ we are called to take up our
own crosses.
Nonetheless despite this
Wesley says, we come to the table filled with joy and peace for we know that we
are forgiven. And Wesley says.
“The Lord's supper is a way
planned by God for us to receive his grace.”
Wesley continues: The eating of that bread and the drinking of
that cup are the outward and visible means by which God pours into our souls
all the spiritual grace of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit
which were purchased for us by the death of Jesus on the cross. So let all of
us who truly desire the grace of God eat that bread and drink from that cup.
Communion, the Lord’s
Supper, Eucharist, whatever we call it is also a reminder to us that Jesus
says;
56 Those
who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. John
6:56 NIV
Through this bread and this wine,
we are made one with Jesus.
More than that; eat the bread,
and we live.
58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live for ever.’ John 6: 58 NIV
Eat this Bread and you will live, he promises. But even more than that, eat this Bread and I will abide with you, and you will abide with me Jesus says.
I like that word abide.
Abide is an old-fashioned word but it is a comforting word. It suggests images
of home, of dwelling, of staying with, of living in and with, of trusting and
being there. To abide is to know that no matter what comes our way, we will not
be deserted nor left to face whatever the matter is on our own. Christ comes to
live within us, to take up residence in our spirits, and promises not to leave.
Whatever your intellectual, emotional, theological, or
spiritual experiences with Holy Communion, I pray this sacrament will continue
to be for you a holy, life-giving, mysterious magnet, drawing you ever closer
to the love of God. God who sent his son that we might never be hungry nor
thirsty; this day, tomorrow, and forever and ever.
