Share It Among Yourselves

Jesus is the bread that came down from heaven for all people. He is the same manna that God send from heaven in the desert. 

The rule regarding daily manna collection was that; no one should collect or has more than his or her own neighbor. In other words; no one uses it to enrich himself or upgrade his or her own status above others. Israelites did not see what God was looking at when they looked at the manna. God wanted everyone to have not just the same manna but also the same size which means there shouldn’t be anyone with small manna or Jesus while others have bigger Jesus. When God was giving Israelite manna (Christ), He was looking at a community of people with the same mind and equal status. Israelites didn’t see this picture when they saw manna; they did not see God  creating or establishing a community where everyone has everything in common.  

 

Apostle Paul warned believers about this in the book of Philippians 2:3-4, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others".  

 

While Israelites were trying to use God’s provision (Manna) to upgrade or fulfilled their selfish desires, God corrected them so that those who collected above others had nothing more than those who collected less.  

This clearly shows that God hates accumulative wealth and loves distributive wealth. This becomes of the first Church in the book of Acts, “Now all who believed were together, and had all things common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.” (Acts 2:44-45) 

Jesus last supper with His disciple was very significant to the establishing of God community here on earth. When Jesus said “Take this and share it among yourselves.” He was communicating the mind of God; the same picture God saw when He gave Israelites manna in the desert to eat. The manna was to be share among themselves but they did the opposite. 

 

Just as Israelites did not see the heart of God beyond the symbolic bread (manna), the disciples of Jesus did not understand or see beyond the symbolic bread and wine before them.  Jesus was pointing to the reality, something beyond eating and drinking of wine. Symbols have no life in themselves but point to the reality. Bread and wine symbolically signify Christ death for the entire adamic race and not just for his disciples. When Jesus said “Take this and share it among yourselves”, He was simply saying, as I have laid down life for you, you ought to lay down your life for others. Jesus was communicating to his disciples the values of God’s kingdom; the community of God’s people. And His disciples understood Jesus clearly after his death and resurrection. On this note, one of his Apostles said; “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” (1Jhn 3:16). 

 

‘Share it among yourselves’ is the greatest value in Christ’s Kingdom and on this Christian Faith Ministries stands. Prof. Kent Hodge in his message to staff and students during Monday chapel, titled “Share it among yourselves” also said, it is not just about celebrating the mass or eating and drinking of wine but having or taking Christ Communion message at heart, which is laying down our own lives for our neighbors. Kent Hodge said that some nations commemorate their victories over weaker nations by displaying their military might but when we celebrate mass or eat the bread and wine, it should remind us of our own responsibilities to our neighbors. This should remind us of the unity or our oneness in Christ and the need to consider others above ourselves. This is what communion (bread and wine) is all about.

Kent Hodge preaching during Monday chapel on the topic "Share it among yourselves"

Paul corrected those who did not observed the communion (share it among yourselves) in a good manner; “So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you may not come together for judgment… (1 Cor. 11:33-34). In communion, we are united in Christ, both the rich are the poor are one and therefore, what an individual has belong to the community.

 So, in Christian Faith Ministries, we take communion or enjoy our wine and bread everyday by laying down our lives for the poor, we share what is given among ourselves. This is how to partake in the Holy communion and not just drinking bread and while our neighbors watch us hungrily.