Communion Meditation-Imago Dei

John 17:20-23 20Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

The life of the Spirit is the life of community. This life of the community is the image of God. We were created in the image of God and that image, among other things, is the ability to have communion with God and with one another. To the extent that we have disunity with Him and with other human beings is the extent to which the image of God is marred in our midst.

Jesus prayed that we would display God’s image in our midst. This is the remaking of the world from that which was lost. Even in the garden, we see the fall of man and immediate disunion. Adam and Eve are hiding from God. They begin to blame others for their sins. Their son is at enmity with his brother. Discord and disunion become the paradigm of the life of man with man.

In the Trinity is perfect unity and diversity. In fallen man, diversity always creates disunity. Only in Christ can we once again find harmony and unity in diversity. This is what we do here in this meal. We are many, from many backgrounds, with many pre-conceived notions about God, about ourselves, the Church, worship, music, marriage, children and a host of other things. We are very different. But we celebrate that difference in Christ because to love others who differ with us is the exact thing that Jesus came to set right. Remember, I say, love them in Christ, because unity alone is not the goal. We cannot be unified outside of Christ and to be unified in Christ means to do what He says, obeying His Word.

We are many and we are one. This is God’s gift to us in Jesus and this is the truth that overcomes the world, even our faith in Christ and our love for one another.