Devotion: Finding Union
Finding Union
Please take a moment to read Romans 3:19-28
This summer the sacrament of Holy Communion was in the news on several occasions. This is never good. When Communion makes the news it is usually about how it is being denied and/or fought over. Whenever this happens then we drive away folks who are unchurched. They are justified in their perspective: “There go those Christians again, talking about this thing I don’t understand and making it seem like a gift of love, but then denying it to anyone who disagrees with them.” Sometimes we, as the church, simply cannot get it right…
Sheridan’s new worship series, Finding Union, which begins this weekend, seeks to explore how we have strayed from what Jesus wanted for us in the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Reformation Sunday is the perfect starting point because “re-forming” the Sacrament was a big deal to Martin Luther. As a matter of fact, Luther felt like we should always be reflecting, rethinking and reexamining how we are the church and what God means for us.
Because I was not raised as a Lutheran Christian, I have strong feelings about the Sacrament of Communion, as I will detail in my Reformation sermon this weekend.
I believe God wishes that each Christian would be passionate about the Sacrament. But here is the catch: I believe that Holy Communion was instituted solely for the purpose of creating union – union between Jesus (and therefore God) and us and with whomever God wants to be united with! God chooses who is welcome, not the church and not us.
God loves. It is that simple. And God can love whomever God chooses. And we should not try to stop that love. And please don’t forget… God loves you, too.
Written by Pastor Greg Bouvier
Join us for worship each weekend in person on Saturdays at 5:30pm and Sundays at 8:30am, 9:45am and 11am. Worship online each Sunday at 9:45am on our website, YouTube channel and Facebook page.
Pastor Greg heard God’s call to Sheridan in 1999 and that began a journey which has become his life’s work. Having played a variety of roles as pastor of Sheridan, Pastor Greg was called as the Senior Pastor in 2011. He leads the staff and his primary focus is on the creation of culture, the overall direction of worship and partnering with our amazing team. Pastor Greg has been married to Rose for more than 30 years and together they have two servant-hearted grown children.