Becoming One With Christ

Every time we come to receive Holy Communion together here at GMUMC, we hear some familiar words. We United Methodists call these words the "Great Thanksgiving." Part of the liturgy sounds like this:

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here,
       and on these gifts of bread and wine.
Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ,
      that we may be for the world the body of Christ,
redeemed by his blood.

By your Spirit make us one with Christ,
      one with each other,
      and one in ministry to all the world,
      until Christ comes in final victory
       and we feast at his heavenly banquet.


This is called the "epiclesis," or the invoking of the Holy Spirit. The pastor is asking God to be present in our action of receiving the bread and wine, in the bread and wine itself, and to be transformed by this action.

The next sermon series is called "Becoming," becoming one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world. I believe that worshiping God can truly transform us into these kinds of people. When we worship together, through singing songs, receiving Holy Communion, engaging with Scripture, serving others, we can become these things.

John 14: 1-14 may sound familiar to those of us who have attended a Christian funeral. Go ahead and take a look at this passage...Some of Jesus' most famous words of hope and comfort are spoken, here: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.”



This chapter, John 14, is part of Jesus' final words and actions with his disciples. He had just washed their feet, and commanded them to love one another. In an act of complete servitude and humility, he bends over with a wash cloth and basin of water, and wipes his friends' feet clean. Here is the good news: becoming one in Christ is not something we do. It is not our work! It is not our burden! It is God’s work. It is something that God in Christ does for us. Christ has reached out to touch us, wipe us clean, and be with us. I don't know about you, but I can trust a person who would do this for me. I can depend on someone like this.


We have received the invitation to be One with Christ, to trust him, and lean on him.

There is a word is Sanskrit "saranam" that is roughly translated to refuge, safe place, protection, or place of rest in English.

*Prayer:

Jesus, Savior, Lord, lo, to thee I fly;
 Saranam, Saranam, Saranam;
 thou the Rock, my refuge that’s  higher than I:
 Saranam, Saranam, Saranam.
In thy tent give me a dwelling place,
 and beneath thy wings may I find sheltering grace;
 O lift on me the sunshine of thy face:
 Saranam, Saranam, Saranam.

*United Methodist Hymnal, 523.

In Christ,

Jack