PALM SUNDAY (Creed Week 8: The Communion of Saints)

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The Apostles Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. 

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. 

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. 

He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 

He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, one holy Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Communion of the Saints Defined  

• Communion -  "Communion" refers to the sharing or fellowship among believers. Common practices include sharing of Lord's Supper together, “breaking bread” together (eating together), gathering to celebrate, learn and teach and the integrative participation of life one with another.  Along with signifying the spiritual union between believers and the bond they share to God in Christ. 

• Saints -individuals who choose to dedicate there life to God, the ways of Christ daily living server one another.  Often in current context it is uses as a reference to those who have a tendency to live above and beyond the ways of the world and are considered special by their actions because they are different, showing kindness, patients gentleness etc.  

• Last we talked about one holy church, united in our shared faith in Christ through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit with believers all our the word.  The Communion of the saints is how the “one holy Church” functions.

• Another way of  saying “communion of the saints” is  “Community”!

• Community is not merely a social construct; current christian “buzz” word or trendy slogan;  it is Gods divine design woven into the very fabric of God's plan for the sustaining of the church and the individual in Christ: 

1. Romans 12:4-5 (NLT)

"Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.”

2. Ephesians 4:3-6 (NLT)

"Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all."

3. Hebrews 10:24-25 (NLT)

"Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”

4. Acts 2:46-47 (NLT)

"They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved."

• What does community produce.

  • Fellowship, Unity and Belonging:  Acts 2:42 (NLT) 

  • Mutual Support and Encouragement: Hebrews 10:24-25 (NLT) 

  • Spiritual Growth and Edification: Ephesians 4:11-13 (NLT)

  • Accountability and Discipleship: James 5:16 (NLT) 

  • Mission and Shared purpose: Acts 1:8 (NLT) 

• Overall, community in the biblical sense is not merely a gathering of individuals, but a vibrant and interconnected body of believers who support, encourage, and grow together in their faith, ultimately advancing God's kingdom on earth.

• The Psychological impact “Communing” has on individual:

  • Sense of Belonging

  • Social Support 

  • Increased Happiness

  • Reduced Stress

  • Improved Self-Esteem

  • Opportunities for Growth

  • Enhanced Resilience to Crisis 

  • Increased Life Satisfaction

God Speaks to us in a few ways 

1. Word of God

2. Prayer

3. Spirit to Spirit 

4. Communion with others

COMMUNITY DESTROYS ISOLATION!

Questions can make hermits out of us, driving us into hiding. Yet the cave has no answers. Christ distributes courage through community; he dissipates doubts through fellowship. He never deposits all knowledge in one person but distributes pieces of the jigsaw puzzle to many. When you interlock your understanding with mine, and we share our discoveries, when we mix, mingle, confess and pray, Christ speaks. - Max Lucado