A Cup of Change

Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we partake in one loaf.” 1 Corinthians 10:16-17

Visualize how even though we partake in the body and blood of Christ in many locations throughout the world, it as though we are eating from the same loaf and drinking from the same cup. When we partake of the sacrament of Holy Communion we are changed, we are forgiven, and we are filled with mercy and grace. Now as we exit our places of worship how do we conduct ourselves?“You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too.”(1 Corinthians 10:21)

Years ago, there was a song our congregation sang on the Sundays when Holy Communion was celebrated. This song reached down deep into my heart and prepared me for the feast to come. “Let Us Break Bread Together on our Knees,” is that song. The words humbled my haughty spirit and primed my mind and soul for the gift I was about to receive. Tears often resulted.

Our world seems to be continuing in a downward spiral with immorality of all types being revealed to us and our children. It is more than concerning and so big it feels hopeless but is it really any different than in A.D. 54?

Scripture does not say it will be easy, but that He will be there to offer us an out, better options than those the world leads us to……. The Bread—of Life        The Cup—Eternal Salvation

1 Corinthians 10:14-17

The Sea is Wide - God's Mercy is Wider

Romans 12:1-2


1-2 With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to him and acceptable by him. Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God re-mold your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.


Last week we focused on this part of Romans 12:

Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God re-mold your minds from within.

Remember the cookie cutter analogy?  We talked about NOT becoming a cookie-cutter sinner, but focusing on how God wants us to walk with him towards the goal of true maturity.

Let's look at the opening phrase, "With eyes wide open to the mercies of God."  It's easy to overlook this, isn't it?  I rush to see the rest of the sentence.  But let's slow down, and let's look with eyes wide open.  What are God's mercies?  Don't we say every Sunday "have mercy on me, a sinner?"  How dare we claim his mercy?  Have we earned it?  Can we ever, possibly, be 'good enough?'  Of course not.  As Pastor Steve said last Sunday, Jesus doesn't say "try harder."  He says, "come closer."

This phrase draws me to an old hymn, written more than 150+ years ago by an Englishman, Frederick Faber, who converted to Catholicism after spending some time as an Episcopal priest.  I wonder if he had this verse in mind when he wrote these words:

There's a wideness in God's mercy, like the wideness of the sea.
There's a kindness in His justice, which is more than liberty.

Here's a youtube video of the tune that I remember being connected to this hymn (If you go on Youtube, you'll find lots of variations, and many of them are really beautiful.  This is the one I resonate with.)

Let the words sink in - God's mercies are as wide as the sea.  That, my friends, is wide indeed.  Let's make it our goal this week to open our eyes wide to God's mercies.  They are all around us:  in nature, in our friends, even strangers.  Allow his mercies to enfold you - soak them up as they rain down on you.  He is good; he is just; and he is merciful.