Drinking the Spirit

Earlier we considered what St. Paul says about the Holy Spirit baptizing all believers into one body. In the same place, Paul says that we have all been made to drink into one Spirit as well. Given the fact that Paul has already mentioned baptism and in the previous chapter has had an extended discussion of the Lord’s Supper, particularly concerned with making sure that everyone is served and no one is overlooked, it seems fairly certain that when Paul says that we have been made to drink of the Holy Spirit, he means primarily this table. This is one of the primary ways in which God the Holy Spirit knits us together as one body. Doug Jones pointed out yesterday that the blood of Christ is not only atonement before God but that it is what joins the body of Christ together. The blood of Christ is what unites joints, muscles, organs, and limbs so that they work together. And that’s why Jesus says that this cup is the new covenant in his blood. That’s what covenants do; a covenant binds a man and a woman together, a covenant forms a family, a nation, a kingdom. We are the covenant in the blood of Jesus, and as we serve one another here, passing bread and wine to each other, we are the body of Christ. And the Spirit works to strengthen us individually, but perhaps even more miraculously, the Spirit works to bind us together. To make us a stronger body, to make the eyes more appreciative of the feet, and the hands more thankful for the mouth. This is the wonderful work of the Holy Spirit, who loves to knit us together taking different notes, different rhythms and makes it all harmonize, makes it all sing. So come, eat, drink, and rejoice in one another, you are the body of Christ and the Spirit is binding you together.