We have a tremendous privilege here—two congregations are seated together, partaking of the Lord’s Supper together. This is an emblem, a sign, a small statement of a much more glorious statement—one that actually occurs in the heavenly realms all the time. In the power of the Spirit, all the churches of Christ throughout the world are as surely gathered together at this one Table every time it is observed as our two congregations are here this morning gathered at this one Table.
I say that we are always eating at the same Table because the apostle Paul only identifies two tables total—the Table of the Lord and the table of demons. It is one or the other, and if Christian brothers are genuinely partaking of the Lord’s Table, wherever in the world they may be, or in whatever denomination they are in, they are seated together in the heavens with you. This is the work of the Holy Spirit.
But we tend to be more influenced by our physical eyes than we are by our spiritual eyes. We see the physical distance, and we don’t think that the Spirit can overcome that. But we don’t have joint services so that can partake of the Lord’s Supper together—we have joint services so that we can be reminded that we already are partaking together every week.
As separate congregations, we have been developing distinct church cultures, but however robustly we pursue that, there is no way we could ever get those differences to surpass the cultural differences between, say, Jew and Gentile of the first century. And the apostles insisted on the Lord’s Supper being used to bridge that particular chasm, which it did.
If sin is interfering with fellowship, then you have been taught to confess your own sin long before you come to this Table—you are to be rejoicing here, not condemning yourself in morbid introspection. If the sin of another is interfering with fellowship, then you are to either talk to your brother about it, or let love cover a multitude of whatever it is he is doing. You don’t have the option of coming here, muttering about his problems. Confront, or cover, but don’t complain.
But don’t ever make the mistake of saying that the differences between you must be sin simply because he is being different. Whether they are personality differences, or church culture differences, or differences in wisdom issues, or some other thing, isn’t that enough to condemn him? No. And continuing to say no is necessary to keep the wonderful fellowship between our congregations untrammeled and unhindered.