The Fellowship of Kindred Minds
Illustration★★★★That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellow- ship of his sufferings. px. 3:10 The world needs some great unifying experience, and such an experience is presented to us in “World Communion.” Christian people differ widely in their thinking, but we are all one in the acceptance of Christ as our Lord and Master.
In the communion service our thoughts are centered on the Cross, and there is real value in having one service in the year when multitudes of Chris- tians have their hearts united before that Cross. Suffering is a unifying experience. When one suffers for others, all who benefit from that suffering are bound together by their devotion to him.
Many illustrations of that fact might be cited, but the most significant illustration is the death of Christ on the Cross. He died for all of us. Paul’s desire to know the fellowship of Christ’s suffering might well be our prayer. If all Christians were to share in that fellowship, Christ’s prayer for the unity of his followers would be realized.
We would then be united in him and in the Father. A. W. Fortune 197
The point
Christian unity is centered on shared acceptance of Christ and communion, deepened through participation in His suffering, making us one in Him.