We are the Body of Christ

We are the Body of Christ

In Dec. of 1993, I attended Urbana Conference. I was a graduate student at University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana so I was able to commute. I had been to KCCC Conference and also been to KOSTA a number of times before, but Urbana was the first conference where my eyes were open to experience what heaven might be like.

Until 1993, I don’t think I had ever been to a Christian conference with people other than Korean-Americans.

At Urbana I met people from Europe, Africa, and Asia, especially from Japan and Korea, and of course from all over the States. One of the songs we sang was “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing” in a bit more contemporary style. Never worshiped in a stadium filled with people before, and the sound… everyone praising God and singing with full gusto was an amazing experience. According to Urbana website, approximately 17,000 people attended their 1993 Conference

In the Apostles’ Creed, there is a phrase “holy catholic church.” (small c) This is different from Roman Catholic with capital C. Holy catholic church means the universal church, that is beyond denomination and beyond location. Every church with Jesus Christ as the head is a universal church, which we are also a part of, for we are the body of Christ.

Today is World Communion Sunday. Today, many Christians are gathering at the table remembering the Table Jesus offered to His disciples on the night He was captured.

We, in every nation, every tribe, every language, come today and partake in the communion which our Lord Jesus invites us to come. Come to the table as one, let us come to the table remembering that God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son for our salvation. As we remember our brothers and sisters we are with, have met and also have not met yet, let us all be reminded of the body of Christ, for we are the body of Christ.

Revelation 7:9-10 “After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ They cried out in a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”