Edible Words

In 1 Cor 11, Paul warns us not to eat and drink in an unworthy manner (v27) because by drinking in this way we drink judgment on ourselves (v29).

So, how can we eat and drink in an unworthy manner? The answer is simple. To eat unworthily, just behave like the Corinthians.

How did they behave? In verse 18, Paul tells us. There were divisions among the members of the church. Or put another way, there was no church unity.

How were they divided?
First, there were factions; people united around various leaders.

In Mark 10:35-44 we are given a fascinating insight in to what is going on at the communion table today. This communion meal today is an invitation to be part of the eternal kingdom of Christ but we must first understand more about what we are doing when we eat and drink.

On the road to Jerusalem, the disciples, James and John, ask Jesus a foolish question. They want to be great in the kingdom of the Son of Man, but they don't know yet how to be great.

In Luke 20, Jesus was being criticised by the religious leaders of Jerusalem. Physical violence can't get rid of Jesus, because of the adoring crowds (19:47-48), so he is plied with trick questions - first in the personal arena (1-8), then the political arena (19-26) and finally in the theological arena (27-39). By 20:40, each interested group has asked a question and every avenue has been explored. They've failed to expose Jesus; instead their own spiritual bankruptcy has become transparent whilst Jesus' authority is established more vividly than ever.

This attempt to unseat Jesus is a fulfilment of the dramatic conclusion of Palm Sunday recorded in 19:41-46. Jesus is cheered by the crowds into Jerusalem, but then he stops to make the very public gesture of weeping. He weeps because he can see the devestation to befall the city and the temple in 40 years time, devestation that will come as God's judgement because this city did not recognise her Lord when he visited. After weeping, he symbolically drives the profiteering merchants out of the temple, as a symbol of the judgement to come. The rejection he weeps over is all too apparent in the deceitful questioning of chapter 20.

"... and take this holy sacrament to your comfort, meekly kneeling upon your knees" wrote Cranmer in the Book of Common Prayer.

Mark 14:17-31 is not, on the surface, a particularly comforting section of Mark. It is, in fact, a profoundly disturbing portion of his gospel. Mark sets Judas and Peter alongside one another as two examples for us. Judas is the one failure - yet what he does in betraying his Lord is so serious that non-existence would be a better prospect than what awaits him.

Jesus then predicts that all his disciples will disown him. This is a far less dramatic form of letting down Jesus, but it is to let him down nonetheless. This time it is not one disciple who will do it - they all will. If Judas was earlier the one spectacular failure, here Peter thinks he will be the one success story. He will be the one who does not disown. But not even the Rock is immune from letting down the Lord Jesus.

In Luke 15, Jesus addresses two groups of people. First, the tax collectors and sinners with whom he was eating. These people were viewed by respectable people as scum of the earth, lowest of the low, beyond the pale. Second, he addresses the Pharisees and lawyers. These people were good as can be, careful to do what is right, squeaky clean, respectable and above reproach and they looked down on the tax collectors and sinners.

As the Pharisees grumble about Jesus eating with sinners, he replies by telling three parables.

Beowulf is one of the greatest medieval epic poems. It's set in Scandinavia. And towards the start of the poem, Beowulf sails to land of Danes, to rescue them from Grendel - a man-eating monster. The Danes have been terrorised by Grendel, and are completely helpless. But Beowulf comes and kills Grendel in hand-to-hand combat.

After his great victory, the poem describes the Danes' celebration in the Mead Hall. It's a scene full of singing, and drinking - a rowdy, rawcous, joyful celebration.

And it's a wonderful picture of what the Lord's Supper should be.

Heb. 2:14f says, 'Since the children share in flesh and blood, [God's Son] likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.'

I wonder how you feel at this stage on Christmas morning. Some of you may be thinking about the turkey that is on timer, and wondering how you'll ever get all the trimmings ready at the same time. Others of you may be excited at the thought of the day ahead. Others of you may be feeling slightly left out, not having made many plans for Christmas this year. And others of you may dread today, because it's been a difficult year and everyone is going to expect you to be happy.

What that passage from Luke's gospel tells us how is how heaven felt on the first Christmas day.

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests."