Maundy Thursday

April 1, 1999

Pastor: Paul D. Nolting

SERMON

Text: 1 Corinthians 10:16-17

The 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? For we, being many, are one bread and one body, for we all partake of that one bread.

In Christ Jesus, Who is the Savior and Lord of His body--the church, dear fellow redeemed:

In our day the watchword for political correctness is "cultural diversity." In an effort to undue past discrimination and to secure equal rights for all citizens within our society, great emphasis is placed on recruiting a wide variety of individuals with different racial and ethnic background into organizations, whether they be colleges, businesses, or governmental agencies. This emphasis on "diversity" clearly worries social conservatives, who like to point to the fact that the strength of the United States has always been in incorporating vastly different people into one system and culture, rather than emphasizing individual differences. That historic phenomena is illustrated by the Latin phrase included on the back of our dollar bills--"e pluribus unum" (out of many...one)! Very early in our country’s history, John Dickinson, a colonial legislator, stated emphatically, "United we stand, divided we fall!"

We are not here this evening to debate either the merit or the lack thereof of cultural diversity. Rather, I would like to take John Dickinson’s comment and apply it not to our political life, or to our cultural life, but rather to our spiritual life. The gospel message of Jesus Christ truly speaks to every culture, for "God so love the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son!" (Jn. 3:16) Yet, in spite of all our differences, Christians of every race and culture stand united by that gospel! God does not see or speak to us as black, or yellow, or red, or white people. Nor does He speak to us as Americans, or Nigerians, or Vietnamese. No, He speaks to us as sinners redeemed by His grace through the blood of Jesus Christ! He speaks to all believers as His beloved children and heirs. There is no racial or cultural distinction that should separate us. Truly, UNITED WE STAND! For as we shall see from our text, we are united with Christ and we are united in Christ!

I.

On this very evening so many years ago, Jesus met with His disciples in the upper room to celebrate the Passover and to institute His Lord’s Supper. During the course of the evening, Jesus instructed His disciples in many areas. During what we now call His "High Priestly Prayer" Jesus said, "Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are" (Jn. 17:11). Jesus’ desire is that we, who are so different in many ways, are to be one! Scripture emphasizes this frequently. St. Paul urges us to "endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all" (Eph. 4:3-6). This does not mean that we cannot enjoy our distinct and historic cultural differences, but those differences pale in comparison to that which unites us--the gospel message, the teachings, and the person of our Savior!

The Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ in part to emphasize this truth. St. Paul writes in our text, "The 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?" In the Lord’s Supper, Jesus gives us wine to drink and bread to eat. We do not receive simply wine and bread, however, for closely associated with, participating in, and united with that wine is "the blood of Christ" and closely associated with, participating in, and united with that bread is "the body of Christ!" Through participation in the sacrament, we stand united with Christ. We receive His true body and blood, given for the special assurance of the forgiveness of our sins. Together with St. Paul we can confess, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me!" (Gal. 2:20)

How this all can be is too great a mystery for our human minds to grasp, but that need not disturb us, for we are assured of this truth by the Word of our God--a Word which is powerful and by which the very heavens and earth were created (cf. Gen. 1:3; Jn. 1:3)--a Word which shall live and abide forever (cf. 1 Pet. 1:25)! The sands of time will dissolve every earthly empire, yet the truth of God will stand firm. We are united with Christ and so united we stand!

II.

Beyond our union with Christ, however, we stand united with each other for we are united in Christ! St. Paul writes in our text, "For we, being many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread!" When we approach the Lord’s table, as we will do later during this service, we make a confessional statement. We say to the world, "I am united with these my fellow believers in my confession. I am one with them. I am showing this by partaking on my Lord’s body and blood with them!"

My dear friends, the Bible speaks regularly of the unity we possess as fellow Christians. St. Paul’s favorite picture of the church is as the "body" of Christ (Eph. 1:23). He assures us that Jesus has given each of us gifts, which we in turn are to use to "edify the body of Christ!" (Eph. 4:12) Listen to these words, which then follow, "speaking the truth in love, may (we) grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ--from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love" (Eph. 4:15-16). Each of us is part of one body--all different parts, but parts of one body working together to help each other grow. You may be an eye, while I may be a foot. Without you I will stub my toe, while without me you remain immobile!

Dear friends, do we see each other as united in Christ? Do we see each other as a part of our own body, to be nurtured, cared for, and embraced with love and compassion? Or do we speak to each other with bitterness and mistrust? Do we resent and mistreat each other to our own hurt? When I speak words of bitterness and scorn to my fellow believer, it is just as if I take a hammer to my own hand! When I treat my fellow believer in such a way that he or she feels unwanted or unwelcome, then it is as if I tie my own hand behind my back as I begin a job, for my brother or my sister is my second hand, my second arm, my partner in the ministry entrusted to me. Let us not tempt the Lord to deal with us as the master in the parable who dealt with the servant he had just given and who then went out to grasp his fellow servant by the neck. Hurtful words, a lying tongue, an unforgiving heart will meet the quick and just judgment of God! Let us repent; let us forgive one another; let us reach out to embrace, to uplift, and to heal, for then we will truly stand united before a world, which needs to hear a gospel message of repentance and remission of sins (cf. Lk. 24:47). Then we will be able to stand before the onslaughts of Satan and his hosts as we pursue the callings given us by God!

We are united with Christ; we are united in Christ! Let us ever rejoice in the wide variety of gifts God has given us to accomplish His work in our midst. May we use that diversity of gifts with attitudes of love, compassion, hope, and confidence. UNITED WE STAND! Amen.

—Pastor Paul D. Nolting