The body of Christ

""The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed,

took bread, and when he had given thanks,

he broke it and said,

'This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.'

In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying,

'This cup is the new covenant in my blood;

do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.'"

1 Corinthians 11:23-25 (New International Version)

 

I had a brand new experience in God's grace during our church family's communion time yesterday.  While we partook of the bread and wine, I turned to my new friend, sitting next to me, and asked her if she was familiar with the story of the bread and the wine Christians take at communion.  She said, "no", so I whispered, briefly, the story of the Passover celebration, which Jesus was observing with his disciples on the night he was betrayed, before his death and resurrection.  And, I explained that it is customary to wait until you have been baptized, and become part of the body of Christ, before partaking of the body and blood of Christ.

 

My friend is a resident at Rescue The Children, which is the womens' and childrens' shelter run by the Fresno Rescue Mission.  She has recently started the 18-month rehabilitation and training program, and we have been paired in a mentoring relationship.  She grew up in Fresno, but within a different religious and cultural background, and had never heard the stories that are so familiar to Christians. 

 

What a wonderful primer in God's grace this was for me! I can't really find adequate words to describe the fathomless depths of God's love, that we could be worshipping together on Sunday morning and partaking in the mystery of the body of Christ.

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom

and knowledge of God!"

Romans 11:33 (New International Version)

--Posted by Mama O.