Our Contribution

By Stuart Powell

The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. (Genesis 2:15, New International Version). 

God created everything good. Yet in that goodness he structured creation with the dependency upon the combination of divine and human effort to produce the harvests. The harvest of plants, of some animals, and of other people. Maybe God’s design was to make creation thrive. That aspect of God’s design was not destroyed by our sins or God’s curse. This interdependency indicates that his design has a part for every person to play in God’s kingdom work. When we cooperate with God in his creation, he multiplies our efforts. He amplifies our efforts, brings good to other people. Sometimes our contribution involves something hard and even sacrificial. At other times our actions seem small and inconsequential.  

We see God’s design repeated in Jesus’ ministry. He enrolled the efforts of dozens of disciples. As the number of his followers grew, the more effective his ministry became. It was their participation in cooperation with the Father’s providence and power that established the foundation of the church in Jewish society. The expectation of our contribution in Jesus’ ministry is why we come to this part of our worship gathering. Remember how Matthew recorded the first time the disciples ate and drank it?   

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26:26-29). 

While they were eating Jesus asked his followers to pause over a bite of bread and a sip from a cup. When they ate he commanded them to remember his body. When they drank he expected them to focus on his blood sacrifice. This brief, intentional act of remembering and worship has been a hallmark of the Christian faith for 20 centuries. It is our contribution that God uses to cement our unity in faith. In the brief period of eating and drinking we connect with believers from around the world through generations.  

This small act of our obedience is a large step of faith. In eating and drinking we proclaim that Jesus the Son of God loved each of us enough to die for our sins. In this simple ritual we humbly remember that our relationship with God is built upon what Jesus laid down, not what we pick up. 

Stuart Powell lives outside of Terre Haute, Indiana, where he serves with the North Side Christian Church. 

Author: Christian Standard

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