John 4:1-15
Ephesians 3:14-21
The World Communion Sunday was established in 1936; this was a time when the world was deeply divided by World War II. World Communion Sunday was an intent to heal the world and nowadays is observed by Christians all over the world to affirm our unity in Jesus Christ.
On this Sunday, Christians worldwide gather to worship and share the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. As we gather, we celebrate one another and celebrate the presence of Jesus, our Savior, at communion tables worldwide. Communion tables in small churches, communion tables in big cathedrals, communion tables under a tree. Communion tables from every culture, every land, every people, and every global situation possible. As we gather, we, the global church of Jesus Christ, do a bold thing: We dare to continue with the dream to hold the world together and to proclaim peace and hope for the whole humanity; we dare to profess faith in God and our future.
On this day, we dare to proclaim unity within the church of Jesus Christ and humankind. And we also dare to proclaim hope. Hope in a new world, a world where all people -as Paul said in Ephesians 3:18-19- may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that all may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
On this day of World Communion Sunday, I would like to encourage you to imagine how this new world or new society might look like if we and all people could comprehend Christ’s love for us. I invite you to imagine how this world might look like if everyone found themselves filled with all the fullness of God.
Today, in World Communion Sunday, Christians worldwide dare to imagine this new world. A world without anger and abuse; a new world without addictions and neglect; a world without greed and pride; a world without murder and rape; a world without oppression and torture; a new world free from wars. This new world is described by Isaiah chapter 11, like this, “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put his hand into the viper’s nest.”
This new world, described by the prophet, will be free of harm and destruction, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
In a world like this one described by the prophet, there will be no hunger; there will be no children going to sleep with an empty stomach; there will be no weapons of mass destruction because we will be real brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ because we will be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
By now, you might be thinking, pastor, you are a dreamer, and I will answer, quoting John Lennon, “yes, but I am not the only one.” Thousands and thousands of pastors and preachers around the world are doing the same thing. Millions and millions of Christians worldwide are doing what we are doing today, and together with God’s power, we can transform this world. We can because we still believe in what Jesus has done in our lives, in what Jesus -the Prince of Peace- has done in history, and we also believe that His power, love, and purpose are still the same. He wants to bring men and women worldwide together; He wants to see His justice roll on like a river and His righteousness like a never-failing stream! As Amos 5:14 reminds us.
However, for this to happen, we must learn to comprehend, to grasp how wide, long, high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—for this to happen, we must be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
The gospel of John helps us to comprehend this kind of love Paul is talking about in Ephesians. John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God’s love in Jesus is so powerful that even when we were enemies of God because of our sins, He brought us together with His love. His love is so wide, so long, so high and deep that He embraces everyone regardless of their color, race, or origin.
In the gospel we read this morning, we see this embracing love at work. A love so needed in our times. For over 500 years, Samaritans and Jews were enemies, but God’s love in Jesus broke down all those historical barriers when He took time and sat down and talked with his historical enemy when they exchanged waters. The Samaritan woman gave Him water from Jacob’s well, and Jesus gave her water from the fountain of eternal life. The historical barriers of hostility came down when Jesus did not force her to come and worship at the temple as He did but offered her a neutral place. Not hers, not at the temple, but anywhere in spirit and truth.
If Jesus did this, I know, we can proclaim without any doubt that if we learn to comprehend and practice such love exemplified by Jesus, we can live together in peace and harmony even when we do not think alike.
Jesus also said: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” In other words, come to me those who -as the Samaritan woman- are rejected by this world. When I read the gospels, I find lepers, children, widows, prostitutes, and tax collectors welcomed by Jesus. And Jesus’ love and acceptance, my sisters and brothers made the difference in their lives. That is why today, in celebration of World Communion Sunday, I dare to believe and to preach that we can change our broken society; we can change the lives of those who -for different reasons- are rejected for this world. We can make a difference in their lives. But that will only happen when we can comprehend how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. And that will only happen when we get to know and experience this love that surpasses knowledge—that will only occur when we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Today we will come to the communion table in memory of Jesus. In memory of His ministry. We will come in remembrance of His transforming power, love, and purpose. We will come to the communion table to celebrate what Jesus has done in our lives and in the lives of others who are not like us. We will come, and we will ask Him to help us to not only know but to have a love for others that surpasses all knowledge and to fill us with the measure of all the fullness of God.