The Common Eucharist

The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, for which we Christians remember and celebrate in the Eucharist (Lord’s Supper, Communion), is the good news (also called “Gospel”) for all people. The good news is that in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, the kingdom of God has already come but it is not yet fully realized and will only be fully realized when Jesus returns placing all of the powers of the world under his feet. This is eschatology and thus in the Eucharist, we remember and celebrate an eschatological event. We remember and celebrate the Eucharist as it is in heaven and how it will be when the kingdom of God, for which we already belong too, is fully realized.

If the death, burial, and resurrection, was a non-discriminating event that sought to remove all worldly distinctions that exist between people (Rom. 1:16), then the moral/ethic of the Eucharist must also be non-discriminating as well (1 Cor. 11:26). Therefore as Christians celebrate the Eucharist the worldly distinctions such as rich and poor, educated and non-educated, male and female, racial and ethnic, American and non-American, etc… should cease! The moral/ethic of the Eucharist is not limited to only that moment when we “eat of the bread and drink of the cup” rather it goes with us as we share this common-communion throughout our daily lives.

There is a church which practices such a Eucharistic communion. We read about it in Acts 2:42-47:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and miraculous signs done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day the continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their home and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (TNIV)

Is it any wonder why a church like this was such an incredible witness and missional group of people for the crucified but resurrected Jesus Christ?