Call me a chauvinist if you must, but it appears to me that women don’t understand how partnerships work, at least not as well as men. Men understand when entering a partnership, it is wise to be selective. We look for a partner who is compatible and complimentary to ourselves; somebody who can add value to our lives or benefit us in some way. Men understand this is how partnerships are supposed to work. Women, on the other hand, just don’t seem to be able to grasp that concept. When a woman enters a partnership, she rarely looks for value or benefit, which explains why women end up with men like us. Now I know some of you men see yourself as quite the catch and I will admit you men are some of the finest men I have known (and I am not just saying that I truly believe it). But let’s be honest when it comes to adding value or providing benefit to our partners, there is room for improvement.
Call me a heretic if you must, but it also appears to me that Jesus doesn’t understand how partnerships are supposed to work. Indeed, It appears Jesus has an even worse understanding of partnerships than women. You just read our Gospel lesson. You know what I say is true.
Jesus is celebrating the Passover meal with His disciples. He looks around the room at the men and women who have gathered. He couldn’t help but notice not many of them were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.[1] Most of them were uneducated fisherman, not that there is anything wrong with that, it’s just, well, these people did not add value to Jesus’ life or in some way benefit Him. Yet, while they were eating Jesus looked at them and said, “Take and eat, this is my body.” “Take and drink, this is my blood.” And in so doing, Jesus entered a partnership with them.
That partnership is what saint Paul makes so incredibly clear to us tonight. In 1 Corinthians 10:16 saint Paul writes, “16 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?” In this verse Paul writes about partnership. He writes about a partnership between body and bread, blood and wine. Here Paul does not go into detail as to how that partnership works. He simply states as fact that all four elements are present and participating in the Lord’s Supper. There are other passages in Scripture that speak to the mystery of this miracle but here in this verse, the partnership Paul is emphasizing is the partnership between the Holy God and you. Meditate on that mysterious miracle for a moment or two.
What value do you bring to Jesus’ life; what benefit do you offer Him? I’m not talking about the unconverted you; the you that once was dead in your sins and trespasses, the you who was once hostile to God, and the you whose heart was once only evil all the time. I am not talking about that you, I am talking about the you, you are today. I am talking about the converted you, the Christian you. I am talking about the right now you. What value or benefit does the right now you have to offer Jesus? I could give you a minute to think of something, but I think we all know what your answer will be, it is the same answer that is confessed by all who stand before the mirror of God’s perfect standard; His holy law and take an honest look at themselves. You, me, we have nothing of value or benefit to offer Jesus.
When Jesus looks at us it is not simply a lack of wisdom, influence, and nobility that He sees. When Jesus looks at us He sees sinners. He sees people who add no value to His life and in no way benefit Him. Yet, Jesus looks at you men and women and says, “Take and eat, this is my body.” “Take and drink, this is my blood.” And in so doing, Jesus enters a partnership with you. He knows it is not a partnership of equals. He knows you have nothing of value or benefit to offer Him. But… He loves you. There is no other way to explain why Jesus enters a partnership with you than that! He loves you. He loves you so much that He allowed His body to be broken and His blood to be shed so that all those sins you saw when you looked into the mirror of God’s holy law, (All of them!) ... are forgiven. Through the Lord’s Supper Jesus enters a partnership with you not to get value and benefit from you but to give value and benefit to you.
In the Lord’s Supper Jesus graciously enters a partnership with you and you and you and you and you…. Which means we all have the same partner, which means we too are in partnership with each other. Saint Paul also writes about that partnership. In verse 17 he writes, “17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.” We who are many are one body; we are partners. It is at this level of the partnership that value and benefit can be given. You personally have no value or benefit you can offer another person as far as their eternal salvation is concerned and there is no value or benefit any of us can offer you as far as your eternal salvation is concerned. But as far as here and now is concerned, there is value and benefit you have to offer others and there is value and benefit they have to offer you. And most of the time all you must do to give this value and benefit to others is … stand there. That’s it. Show up, step forward, and stand here. In so doing you are letting the person on your right and the person on your left know that they do not stand alone; they are not the last bible believing confessional Christian on the planet. You are letting them know that you believe what they believe. You have sinned as badly they have sinned. You need forgiveness as desperately as they need forgiveness. You believe that Jesus gives that forgiveness to you and to them in the eating and the drinking of the Sacrament. When you stand beside your fellow partakers at the Lord’s Supper you add value and benefit to your partners, and they add value and benefit to you.
For every man who has married up, there is a woman who has married down. I for one am very grateful women don’t understand how partnerships are supposed to work. But, more than that, I know we are all grateful that Jesus doesn’t seem to understand how partnerships are supposed to work. Because of Jesus, sinners such as ourselves, enjoy a partnership with the holy God. Because of Jesus you add value and benefit to others and we add value and benefit to you.
In just a few moments now we are going to gather our offerings, we are going to say some prayers, I am going to consecrate the elements, and then the confirmed members of our congregation will come forward and stand at the altar ready to receive the Lord’s Supper. As you stand there, I want you to first look up at this cross and recognize the partnership you have with your Savior. Then I want you to look to the people standing on your left and the people standing on your right and recognize the partnership you have with each other. Don’t worry I’ll give you some time to soak it all in. I’ll give you some time to appreciate this partnership. Amen.
[1] 1 Corinthians 1:26