Commune Upon this rock blog post 43 New Life Gillette Church Wyoming

Commune

In the Gospels, Jesus is often found at a table, sharing meals and fellowship with his disciples and others. These moments at the table were more than just eating together; they were opportunities for teaching, building relationships, and creating intentional community.
 
On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked about where they would eat the Passover meal (Matthew 26:17). Jesus instructed them to find a specific man in the city and prepare the meal at his house, and this preparation led to one of the most significant events in Christian history—the Last Supper.
 
As they gathered, Jesus revealed that one of the twelve would betray him, causing great distress among the disciples. In this moment of tension, Jesus continued to teach, using the bread and wine to offer them a new covenant.
As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.” And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. 
Jesus didn’t die to start a religion. He died to start a relationship with us. This relationship is best described by the Greek word “koinonia,” which means participation in spiritual community or communion. In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus warns that not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of his Father. This passage emphasizes the necessity of a genuine relationship with him. He’s not asking for religious rituals. He’s asking for our hearts.
 
One of the core aspects of Jesus’ ministry was intentional community. Jesus focused on mentoring a few, who in turn mentored others. This created a ripple effect that changed the world. He mentored his disciples closely, showing them how to live and serve. This mentorship was hands-on and personal, often taking place around the table. As parents and leaders, we can emulate this by making our table time sacred, mentoring our children and others intentionally.
 
People often fail to recognize their need for community outside of a few key relationships. Most of us desire a relationship with our immediate family, a few friends, and a romantic partner, but we can’t stop there. Communion is a statement of our intention to commune with God and each other. It’s a commitment to make time for deep conversations, to ask meaningful questions, and to share life’s fluctuations.
 
Today, we face many distractions that pull us away from genuine relationships. We have prioritized entertainment and convenience over meaningful interactions. Facebook friends are not friends unless you turn them into friends. Cell phones at the table can kill family dynamics and prevent us from engaging deeply with one another. Instead, we should use our table time to learn from others, to mentor, and to share our hearts.
 
Without close relationships, deep truths and core values are not passed from generation to generation, from family to family, or from community to community. If we have any humility at all, we learn from the people with whom we have relationships, and those lessons form our communities. The Christian growth plan is dependent on Christians leading other Christians. Discipleship and mentorship help us grow.
 
Do you have a mentor? If not, find one, then set a regular schedule of meetings. The meetings don’t have to happen every week or even every month, but the time spent together should be intentional and relational. Ask your mentor thoughtful questions. Take notes. Ask for homework assignments. Take it seriously, and let it form you.
 
The great command, to love God and love each other, is not simply a rule by which we live. It is the defining characteristic of who we are, and as we love God and love each other, we become more like God and more like each other.
 
The Apostle Paul addressed the importance of community in his letter to the Corinthians. He urged them to live in harmony and use the Lord’s Supper to heal divisions (1 Corinthians 1:10; 11:18-22). Paul emphasized that genuine communion with God and each other transforms us, making us more like Christ and helping us to love one another. Jesus develops the best parts of us and quiets our selfish and anxious thoughts.
 
Jesus created us. He put everything in us that we would need to do the things he called us to do. However, because we were born into a sinful world, those qualities and gifts often need to be developed, to be called out of us. Jesus often used questions to teach and engage with his followers. He asked 307 questions in the Gospels, using them to foster reflection and learning. This method of teaching is powerful because it encourages introspection and personal growth.
 
We are then called to serve others the way Jesus served us, to call out the gifts that God has given to our Christian brothers and sisters. Jesus calls us to move from being sheep to shepherds. This transition calls us to mentor someone else as we take responsibility for our own spiritual growth. Everyone should have a mentor and also mentor someone else. The key is to not wait for perfection but to start leading others where we are.
 
Who are you mentoring? Will you make a commitment to build relationships that reflect the love and grace of Christ, to disciple others the way Jesus is discipling you? The impact of a life is measured by how much it is given away. Jesus, as the ultimate shepherd, gave his life for us and calls us to shepherd others. Just as Jesus used the table to teach and build relationships, let’s use our tables to do the same. Make it a priority to commune with other believers at the table, to celebrate the Last Supper by serving someone who is one or two steps behind you in the spiritual growth journey.
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