A Communion Meditation
The Communion of the Saints
Alexander Campbell once said that among the reasons he enjoyed taking communion was because he was sharing it with those who will join him in heaven at the supper of the lamb described at the end of Revelation. We often speak of the Lord's presence at our weekly supper as he promised, "if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him and he with me" (Rev. 3:20).
However, another dimension is frequently lost, the communion of saints. Jesus said in Matthew 22:32, quoting from Exodus about the Lord, "I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He is not the God of the dead, but of the living". The passage goes on later, "they were astonished at his teaching." Hebrews 12:1 adds to our understanding, "we are surrounded by so great a crowd of witnesses".
Recently in our hometown an event took place that drew a big crowd. A group of well known country artists and famous major league baseball players held an autograph signing for local charities. The people around here flocked to the publicized location just to be near, shake hands, take pictures and get a signature. If we knew and really believed that our weekly communion had present Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses, David, Solomon, Peter, James and John, Mary, Stephen the martyr and most importantly, Christ himself as he promised, would we ever miss? Our communion is not simple routine. It captures the eternal history of the church culminating in thepresence of the Lamb of God who was slain before the foundation of the world. When we take it in faith we are joined by all who will participate with us in the marriage supper of the Lamb promise to those who stay faithful until the end.
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