Unity Around the Table

What is world communion Sunday? Why is it important?

This is a special Sunday in the lives of churches all over the world, it’s called World Communion Sunday.
What is World Communion Sunday?
World Communion Sunday (originally called World Wide Communion Sunday) originated in the Presbyterian Church (USA). In 1936, for the first time, the first Sunday in October was celebrated in Presbyterian churches in the United States and overseas.  From the beginning, it was planned so that other denominations could make use of it and, after a few years, the idea spread beyond the Presbyterian Church. 

The National Council of Churches was first associated with World Wide Communion Sunday in 1940 when the executive secretary, Jesse Bader, led in its extension to a number of churches throughout the world. Now it has grown to over 60 denominations in 220 countries.

Communion is a call to unity, to return to God, Christ has provided us the ability to return…
The passage we are going to look at is from a time when Israel was disconnected and the prophet Jeremiah is trying to call the people to unity with each other and with God.

Jeremiah 2: 4-13
4 Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob,
       all you clans of the house of Israel.

 5 This is what the LORD says:
       "What fault did your fathers find in me,
       that they strayed so far from me?
       They followed worthless idols
       and became worthless themselves.

 6 They did not ask, 'Where is the LORD,
       who brought us up out of Egypt
       and led us through the barren wilderness,
       through a land of deserts and rifts,
       a land of drought and darkness, [a]
       a land where no one travels and no one lives?'

 7 I brought you into a fertile land
       to eat its fruit and rich produce.
       But you came and defiled my land
       and made my inheritance detestable.

 8 The priests did not ask,
       'Where is the LORD ?'
       Those who deal with the law did not know me;
       the leaders rebelled against me.
       The prophets prophesied by Baal,
       following worthless idols.

Notice 2 things in this portion:
1) The accusation begins with a historical retrospective. First the ancestors of the present generation are criticized for turning away, despite God’s ongoing providence and protection. Then it moves on to priests, teachers, kings, and prophets all come under the judgment.

2) Begins with the ironic question “What wrong did your fathers find in Me that they abandoned Me?” and goes on to accuse them of never asking “Where is the Lord?” who brought them from Egypt, led them through the wilderness, and delivered them into the Promised Land. The implication is that the people have simply abandoned their historical God for no good reason, since the evidence of His presence and love is undeniable.

And that’s what God does-look at what you’re doing…and our response should be, yes! You are right I have turned away, I am worshiping idols, I have forgotten the God who has blessed and provided for me. Which is the first step when we approach the table-confession.

I like this next section because of what Jeremiah does-he utilizes the current context to drive home a point.

9 "Therefore I bring charges against you again,"
       declares the LORD.
       "And I will bring charges against your children's children.

 10 Cross over to the coasts of Kittim [b] and look,
       send to Kedar [c] and observe closely;
       see if there has ever been anything like this:

 11 Has a nation ever changed its gods?
       (Yet they are not gods at all.)
       But my people have exchanged their [d] Glory
       for worthless idols.

Do you understand what Jeremiah is saying? Even the pagans remain loyal and faithful to their gods and yet you who worship the one true God are turning to things that are meaningless.

What happens when we wonder off from God? What are the consequences?

Sometimes we wander off of the path not realizing it or still feeling safe, but before we know it, we’re lost and confused with no direction. When you were young by the killers
The devils water it aint so sweet you don’t have to drink right now, but you can dip your feet every once in a little while…

The idea that things look good on the outside or at first and before we know it we are consumed and separated from the things of God-from our relationship with God.

When we wander off the consequences are dire-charges against us and our children. But we have something that those early Israelites didn’t-Christ.

Communion-brings us together with each other and with God-because Christ unites.

 12 Be appalled at this, O heavens,
       and shudder with great horror,"
       declares the LORD.

 13 "My people have committed two sins:
       They have forsaken me,
       the spring of living water,
       and have dug their own cisterns,
       broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

God told the Israelites they sinned first because they turned from him, the spring of living water, to the worship of idols. Not only that, but the cisterns they chose were broken and empty.  Does everyone know what a cistern was? What was Jeremiah saying? Their new gods couldn’t hold water…

We don’t ever want to reach a point where God is pushed to the side. Where we have separated ourselves from God because of our busyness, because of the worthless things we have chosen to worship.

That’s where communion comes in-we may do or say things to each other, but we gather here around this table to confess, to reconcile, to forgive, and we also recognize that we have built worthless cisterns of our own that don’t hold water-and we need to confess, receive forgiveness, and worship again the one true God. That grace and forgiveness comes through Jesus who died for each one of us. This morning we recognize all sorts of boundaries that this table breaks down and we are thankful for it.