“The best thing since sliced bread” is a common expression. When did we begin slicing and packaging bread? Without researching it, I think it’s safe to say that sliced bread is a twentieth century American innovation. It’s neat, convenient, and saves time. Very American! After all, who wants to wrestle with a whole loaf early in the morning just to make the kids’ sandwiches?
Many of us American Christians also prefer a “sliced bread” fellowship. We can come to the service on Sunday mornings, sit side by side, sing and pray and partake of the Lord’s Supper—all without getting involved with others. Like bread neatly sliced and bound together by transparent cellophane. But the world can see through the surface. When the fragile wrapper is torn, the pieces fall apart and are easily consumed.
The Corinthians to whom Paul wrote never saw sliced bread. Or even wrapped bread. Still, they had a sliced bread view of the church. Worship was a come and go event. It was each person for himself or herself. Small groups found superficial common grounds and were artificially held together. Even though the cross had pulled different kinds of people together, they had no real involvement with one another. Why bother? Who can guarantee the joy will be worth all the pain? This attitude is why Paul wrote: “The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the same loaf.”
Maybe we should begin baking one loaf to see it torn apart at the communion table. The symbolism would be stronger. One loaf would offer some resistance. Pieces could not be torn apart neatly without involving the rest of the loaf.
But changing the form of our communion bread is too easy an answer. It’s more important to see that communing with our Lord also leads us to that time “when each can feel his brother’s sigh, / and with him bear a part; / when sorrow flows from eye to eye, / and joy from heart to heart.”
Is all this “fellowship stuff” just for the weak and sentimental? No.
Not just about Jesus’ body on the cross, but also about his body assembled, Paul warned: “For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself!”
Christian fellowship is not the best thing since sliced bread. It’s better than sliced bread. Jesus knew we need the fellowship enough to die for it.