The Final Passover Lamb

       

            

          

              Wow, Holy Thursday (sometimes referred to as Maundy Thursday) is already upon us. I hope that your devotional time has been fruitful this week as we slowly build to the joyous resurrection that secured for us the possibility of eternal life.  There has been and will continue to be quite a bit of content on the blog this week.  Check out the links below to visit my previous Holy Week blog entries.

Palm Sunday: Reflecting on Jesus’s triumphant entrance into Jerusalem.

https://kendalwordandsacrament.blogspot.com/2020/04/palm-sunday-reflections.html

Life as a Christian: Some introspective thoughts on how my life has changed since I reverted to practicing my Christian faith about three years ago.

https://kendalwordandsacrament.blogspot.com/2020/04/life-as-christian.html

On to tonight’s topic.

              Holy Thursday is marked by the last meal Jesus shared with His disciples in the upper room. This meal is usually referred to as the Last Supper. To prepare for this blog posting, I read through the Last Supper account in each of the four Gospels. Per usual, Matthew, Mark, and Luke record the events as unfolding in a very similar manner while John’s version and timeline differ slightly. It is generally understood that Mark’s Gospel was the first to be written with Matthew and Luke using Mark’s Gospel writings as an outline for their own. John’s Gospel was written down much later than the other three. I’m getting off track here, but this is a key point to understand when reading through the Gospels.

              For the purposes of this reflection, I’ll be using Matthew’s account in Chapter 26. The story of the Last Supper begins with Matthew telling us that the authorities were plotting to have Jesus killed, but wanted to wait as the feast of the Passover was approaching and they did not want to upset the Jewish people.  This temporary delay of the inevitable allowed Jesus to share one last meal with His faithful disciples. Well, eleven of the twelve disciples were faithful. Satan had already entered the heart of Judas Iscariot in order that he would eventually betray Jesus for a measly thirty pieces of silver.

              Jesus then directs His disciples to head to the upper room to prepare the Passover meal. The Passover was a Jewish ritual celebration dating back to the days of Exodus.  In the time of Exodus, the Jewish people were enslaved in the land of Egypt. As the Jewish people were chosen by God, Moses was tasked with leading the Jews out of Egypt and into the promised land (Remember the burning bush?). In the course of the Exodus, a series of plagues afflicted the Egyptians. The last plague was that the first-born male of each Egyptian family would be killed. In order that this awful plague would “pass over” the Jewish people, they were instructed to slaughter a sacrificial lamb and to mark their door with the blood of the lamb. If this task was completed, the household would be spared. Eventually, the Jewish people escaped Egypt and reached the promised land, which we now know as the present-day state of Israel. To commemorate the exodus from Egypt, the Passover celebration was inaugurated and included the annual killing and eating of a sacrificial lamb.

            Back in the upper room with his twelve disciples, the annual Passover feast had commenced.  In verse 26, Jesus begins to introduce to us what will become known as the Words of Institution for the Lord’s Supper – an act of worship that persists as a means of Grace to this very day.  Matthew chapter 26, verses 26 through 28 are vital to our faith as Christians. The Scriptures reads as follows: “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 new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

              Wow! There’s so much rich Gospel truth contained in these three short verses. There has been and continues to be much debate over the nature of Jesus’s words in these verses. Was Jesus speaking literally or figuratively when he proclaimed, “this is my body” and then later, “this is my blood”? That’s a debate that won’t be settled in this space.  (I’d love to discuss it with any of you though!) And in the spirit of unity, I won’t try to settle the debate tonight. Holy Week is a time to unite Christians worldwide through our common belief in the resurrection of Christ, not to divide the body over matters of non-salvific doctrine. It is my own personal belief that Jesus is truly present to us in a very special way when we partake in the Lord’s Supper. The manner in which His presence is manifested to us is truly a mystery that we won’t understand this side of Heaven. Again, this is my own personal opinion after studying the Scriptures in earnest. There is certainly ample evidence to support the doctrine that the Lord’s Supper is purely symbolic in nature.

              But whether Jesus’s words are literal or symbolic, there is a much deeper and glorious truth to be found in the Last Supper meal.  The most important point to be taken from the Last Supper passage is the way in which Christ interjects Himself into the greater context of the Passover celebration ritual. In doing so, Jesus draws a distinction between the sacrificial society of the Old Covenant and the Covenant of Grace that is to be initiated upon His death, burial, and resurrection. Remember, I mentioned above that the killing and eating of the sacrificial lamb was at the center of the ritual. In the context of the Last Supper amongst His disciples, Jesus inserts Himself as the sacrificial Passover lamb. The disciples were all practicing Jews and would have understood the connection Jesus was making. Over the course of His earthly ministry, Jesus had been preparing the disciples for His impending departure. By assuming the role of the Passover lamb, it became apparent that this impending prophecy was imminent. The prophecy was fulfilled on Good Friday and, subsequently, the temple veil was torn in two (Matthew 27:52); thereby ending the Jewish sacrificial system once and for all (This is the theme of much of the Book of Hebrews). Jesus, Himself, bore our sins and became the ultimate, spotless Passover sacrifice – ensuring a restored relationship with the Father who sent Him if only we would believe upon Him. The blood He spilled for us on Calvary is the purest offering to the Father that could possibly exist – blood pure enough to cleanse us of our sins and clothe us in the righteousness of Christ.  For this free gift, we owe our lives to the final Passover lamb.

              I think that Holy Thursday often goes under the radar during Holy Week. The events in the upper room set the stage for the trek to Calvary that we see the next day. As you continue through the week, I’d encourage you to take time to reflect on the Last Supper. The reality that the commemorative Passover sacrifice became a true and living sacrificial offering for our sins is truly something to remember and proclaim. The shepherd became the lamb so that His sheep might have eternal life.

If you are interested in more information about the connection between the Passover ritual and the Last Supper, here is a book I’d recommend:

Table and Tradition: Toward and Ecumenical Understanding of the Eucharist by Alasdair Heron

https://www.amazon.com/Table-Tradition-Ecumenical-Understanding-Eucharist/dp/0664245161

Well, I’ve gone on long enough for today’s Holy Thursday blog post. Be sure to check back to my blog frequently. I’ll have more content to follow this week for Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Grace and peace to you as you traverse through this unique Holy Week.

In Christ,

Kendal May

             

Life as a Christian

       

            Hey everyone! I hope you are off to a good start with Holy Week. Hard to believe we are almost to the midway point of the week. Time sure flies, even in a quarantine. As I mentioned in my last post, I’ll have plenty of Holy Week content. I started on Sunday with a reflection of Jesus’s entrance into the city of Jerusalem. If you missed it, the link is below:

https://kendalwordandsacrament.blogspot.com/2020/04/palm-sunday-reflections.html

              I like to use Holy Week as a time of personal reflection. I like to take time to consider where I am now and where I have been. It’s a time to take inventory, if you will. It’s been almost three years now since I dove headfirst back into the faith of my youth. I had taken a wide detour during my high school and college years until Jesus took the wheel and steered me sharply back onto the main road.  You can read an in-depth recounting of my spiritual journey here:

https://kendalwordandsacrament.blogspot.com/2019/05/my-story.html

              I started to think about all of the ways in which my life has been different since God forcefully drew me to Himself. A lot of the changes are of the superficial variety – church attendance, studying theology and Scripture, sharing the Gospel when I can, etc. That’s not to say that these changes weren’t essential. They are the foundation of my faith.  At this point in my walk, I can’t imagine not being in the Scriptures regularly. This discipline keeps me grounded and reminds me constantly of the assuring promises of God. Something I need to be reminded of regularly.

              But some of the life changes I’ve undergone have been much deeper than surface level. These changes have taken place in the deepest chambers of my heart. They are profound and have forever altered how I view myself as well as those around me. I’ll outline just a few of these below.

              Firstly, my walk with Christ has changed the way I relate to those I meet along the journey. As I mentioned above, reading the Scriptures has completely changed how I view the world, the people in it, and the ways in which we relate to God. Even when it may be difficult, I force myself to remember that every human being was hand crafted in the image of God.  Though it may sometimes be difficult to discern on the surface, each and every person that we come across is redeemable in the eyes of our loving Father.  I think back to what people must have thought of me before I reverted to following Christ and remember the seemingly insurmountable grip that sin can sometimes possess.  I try my best to approach each day and each situation with a fresh sense of positivity. It’s my hope that everyone I come across can encounter the love of God through my behavior.

              I’ve also come to embrace Christian community. Over the past few years, I’ve been blessed to be involved with several wonderful small groups. Each group has been encouraging in its own way and has provided next-level accountability. It’s true what they say – we can’t do the Christian life alone! Growing up, I never really had a ton of close friends. I had lots of friendly acquaintances, but it was heavily surface level interaction.  Being in these groups, doing life with fellow Christians, and experiencing all of the ups, downs, joys, and triumphs of the Christian life has allowed me to experience humanity on a much deeper level than I’ve ever experienced before. For this, I am extremely grateful. I’m reminded of Romans 12:15: “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”

              Secondly, following Christ has narrowed my life’s focus and simplified my mindset. I now have an end goal in mind. That goal is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. If an action or opportunity isn’t leading to this end goal, then it gets thrown on the scrap heap to be hauled off. Following Christ and abiding in Him through the Word and Sacraments has brought a clarity to me life that I would have never thought possible just three years ago. That doesn’t mean I don’t ever temporarily become distracted from this goal. Sin is a gnawing problem in my life and always will be. I’m betting you are the same way. The main difference between now and three years ago is that I have an internal guide to find my way back to narrow path. You know that guide to be the Holy Spirit. John 16:13 outlines the role of the Holy Spirit, saying “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” Again, I am extremely grateful.

              Finally, abiding in Christ has given me a permanent identity. I’m not a huge Enneagram person and certainly haven’t spent time studying all the different personality types. I have taken the test, though, and know that I am a 5. I believe a 5 is called “the researcher”. Given my studious nature and love of theology, this probably a pretty appropriate label. However, I think I also have some select characteristics of a number 4. The number 4 is “the individualist”. I’ve always had an innate desire to fit in with the crowd – to be considered “normal” if you will. In an interesting paradox, however, I’ve always felt a need to stand out in some way. Growing up, my identity was often found in playing sports and being the “smart kid” in class. I found ways to stand out, such as qualifying for the state geography bee two years in a row (I know it sounds really nerdy, but if I had advanced out of the state competition, I could have met Alex Trebek! Who would have been laughing then!?).  But these identities were fleeting, like a leaf floating on a crisp fall day. Once I got to college, I was no longer playing organized sports and was just another college student at a state university. For some reason, I felt I had to create another identity for myself. Over the end of my college career and into my young professional life, my identity transformed into that of the “craft beer guru”. I knew everything there was to know about craft beer and had tried every variety of brew I could get my hands on. Once again, I found this identity to be fleeting like a light feather in the wind. Not to mention that this was a hobby that was more harmful than good.

 It was about this time that God drew me back to Himself, His Son, His Word, and His Sacraments. It came in His perfect timing and not a moment too soon. I opened the Scriptures and soon found a brand new identify – one that would never change or fade away.  It was found in Romans chapter 3, verses 22 through 24: “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” My identity is simply that I am a sinner in need of a saving Grace, and for that I am extremely grateful.

In Christ,

Kendal May

Palm Sunday Reflections

              Another week has come to a close. The weeks are starting to feel pretty familiar and monotonous now, aren’t they? Fear not, the blandness will be eviscerated this week. That’s right, it’s about to be Holy Week 2020. It’s one of my favorite weeks of the year and something that this Coronavirus couldn’t touch. Yes, it will look different; however, the essence of the week is unchangeable and leads us to the glorious resurrection that secures for us the possibility of eternal life. That should give us hope and joy in these uncertain, and quite frankly scary times.

              As I (and likely every person associated with your Church) pointed out above, this Holy Week is going to look quite different. Please don’t let that stop you from your devotions this week. I’ll be trying my best to do my part with content throughout the week. Much of it is already written, (Take that procrastination!) including my first foray into poetic writing. Be on the lookout for those posts over the course of the week.

              Of course, Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday. To prepare for this post, I read the account of Jesus’s triumphant entrance into Jerusalem found in John chapter 12. I encourage you to read this passage in preparation for online worship tomorrow morning. It’s a very familiar passage, but it’s worth reading time and time again. Stop every few verses and pause to reflect on what you have just read. I find that in doing this, I am able to pick up on some things that I may not have been able to otherwise.

              The story of the entrance into Jerusalem really gets going in verse 9.  Verse 9 reveals the true motives of those who had come to see Jesus. They were not there to see Jesus alone, but were also there to see Lazarus whom Jesus had previously raised from the dead.  In other words, these people were more interested in the benefits of the miracles Jesus performed than who he really was and claimed to be – the Son of God.  Unfortunately, these motives are introduced way before John 12. We see the same pattern of behavior back in John 6 after Jesus has fed the five thousand and walked on water.  In John 6:26, Jesus even calls out the crowd for their motives, saying “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.” Jesus goes on to deliver the famous Bread of Life discourse in which He tries to hammer home the reality and implications of His divinity.

              It’s really easy for us to sit back 2000 years later and judge those people who missed the true point of the miracles Jesus performed. But don’t we behave the same way?  If you’re brutally honest with yourself, there’s likely been countless times when you sought Jesus for what He could do for you. I can admit that I have done this time after time. Simply put, we seek to be glorified by the Creator rather than to glorify and worship the Creator. I’m reminded of question one of the Westminster Shorter Catechism. It reads as follows:

Question: What is man’s chief end?

Answer: Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.

Take just a few moment’s and let that answer wash over you.

              Now back to some Palm Sunday thoughts. While entering the city in John 12, Jesus is proclaimed as a true King and greeted like royalty with the branches of Palm trees.  Yet, just a few days later this same crowd that greeted Christ so joyously will come to scorn and mock Him. Once again, isn’t this just like how we act as Christians? When things are going our way, we praise Christ and give Him the glory that he so rightly deserves. However, I often find that my praises for God in the good moments are still tinted with an arrogant, self-righteousness. As if I was the true cause of the good things that came my way. We are too hesitant to give God ALL the glory and credit. We want to hold on to the notion that we are in some way responsible for our successes in this life. We just can’t seem to shake the desire for at least some control over our lives. And this is just in the peak seasons in our lives!

              When things go wrong in our lives, we often instantaneously turn from the Palm Sunday crowd to the Good Friday crowd and denigrate our King.  It’s scary how quickly this transition can take place. Some of us may be in this state right now with all the uncertainty floating around due to the COVID-19 virus. We may get angry at God and pelt Him with endless questions. Why did this happen? Is this a punishment for our unfaithfulness. When is this going to end? Will life ever be the same again?  It’s times like these where we must rest on the promises of God and the sacrifices His son made for us in laying down His life in the unfolding of the Holy Week story.  When you feel the urge to morph from the Palm Sunday crowd into the Good Friday crowd, pray that God would give you peace and allow you to find contentment in Him.

              Last summer, I was present for a sermon by Pastor Mark Proctor on a passage from the Book of Habakkuk. I feel the passage used that day is applicable to us in the valleys us life when we are tempted to become the jeering crowd on the road to Calvary. Habakkuk 3:17-19 states, “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”

Fellow Christians, let us remember always that God is the King in the valley as well on the peak. He is our rock and our redeemer and will save us from the fires of Hell – if only we shall believe in Him.

In Christ,

Kendal May

A New Normal

           

             I hope you are having a blessed and fruitful Sunday no matter where you are or what your situation may be at the moment. I was able to tune in to multiple live-streamed worship services this morning. I wanted to take just a moment to thank all the pastors and musicians who worked so diligently to make sure these online services were available. If you are reading this and participated in running service this morning, thank you! The fourth commandment still applies in times of pandemic. I was glad to be able to join with so many in the worship of our almighty God and in doing so, keeping our Sabbath day holy.

              It’s been a surreal couple of weeks, no question. From thinking of the Coronavirus as a distant, far-off threat to shelter in place orders being decreed, we’ve seen a lot in the last 14 days. Most of us alive have never experienced such an uncertain environment. You might have to go all the way back to the Great Depression or World War II to find an era that featured more uncertainty than the times we are currently living in.

              It’s interesting that the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States during the Lenten season.  Unfortunately for my brothers and sisters in Christ who don’t observe Lent, we were all forced into the tradition of giving something up for Lent this year. Remember, God is sovereign. Is he trying to tell us something about Lent? – Just kidding!  Whether it is sports, concerts, working out, or going to the local coffee shop, we’ve all had to do without something we really enjoy.

              I usually talk to my dad back in Indiana on the phone a few times a week. On our call today, we lamented the loss of baseball and the NCAA basketball tournament. We quickly realized that our loss of sports is a drop in the bucket compared to what some others are experiencing. Dad mentioned how he realized over the past couple weeks how much time he really spends watching sports. He went on to explain that he filled his new-found time void with Scripture reading, watching Mass, and praying the Rosary. I’ve experienced a similar scenario as I’ve found more time for landscaping and finishing books that have been sitting on the shelf for ages. We all want things to get back to normal – and we’ll get there soon enough! But this conversation got me to thinking. What if when things get back to normal, normal looks just a little bit different? What if there is a new normal?

·       What if we reestablished our homes as ground-zero for the Christian life?

·       What is we resolved to catechize our children rather than relying solely on youth ministers?

·       What if we spent less time with our electronic distractions and spent more time in the Word as a family and having meaningful conversation?

·       What if we treated others with the same compassion and charity that we have shown others during this pandemic?

·       What if we allowed Christ to be the center of our lives and followed him without reservation or hesitation?

·       What if we rested in what He has already accomplished for us on the cross?

·       What if we indulged the ordinary means of Grace – His living, breathing Word in the Holy Scriptures and His true presence in the Lord’s Supper?

What if?

 Just something to think about.

In Christ,

Kendal May

The Forgotten Churches

            As another week comes to a close, I hope this writing finds you well! If you are one who celebrates the season of Lent, I hope you had a great Ash Wednesday.  I was hoping to attend an Ash Wednesday service, but came down with a brief illness that kept me from getting out and doing much. Don’t worry, I am feeling much better now! Luckily, I’ve managed to avoid significant illness this winter. Hopefully, I didn’t just jinx myself.

              While I was sick and confined to my couch, I took a look through a two-volume history set which outlines the history and places in my hometown. If you don’t know, I grew up in a small town of about 1,600 in Southwest Indiana. Not a stoplight in sight! The book has a section dedicated to the town’s churches. Currently, there are only two Churches located in Haubstadt – my own Catholic parish that I grew up in and a very small Pentecostal congregation. To my surprise, the book taught me about several other congregations that once dotted the landscape throughout the area. I can only imagine that these congregations were very small, but it led me to wonder what happened to them and the factors that led to their shuttering. In most of the cases, it seems that after the Church closed, the buildings fell into disrepair and were eventually razed with only the cemetery remaining. How sad that once-vibrant houses of God were reduced to a pile of rubble! The memories of these venues which oversaw the faithful administration of Word and Sacrament along with numerous weddings and other joyous occasions have all but faded into the rolling Southern Indiana hills. This scenario is not unique to Haubstadt and has undoubtedly played out across our great nation.

              At some point in the latter half of the 20^th century, the trend within the Church shifted from smaller congregations to larger ones. As such, the so- called megachurch movement was born. There was undoubtedly a plethora of reasons for this shift – each having their own merits, I’m sure.  There were great preachers, outstanding children’s ministry, and great coffee! All of these things are great, especially the coffee!  Without a doubt, God has been at work and changed countless lives through the ministries of these large Churches. As the body of Christ, we should be extremely grateful for this fact. These Churches have their place and will continue to be an important part of God's kingdom.

              But is the tide swinging back towards the emergence of smaller congregations? To aid in my research, I ran another Twitter poll – admittedly, this is a comically small sample size.  48% of respondents indicated their attend a Church with 100-500 members. 44% indicated their congregation is home to less than 100 members. The remaining 8% responded their congregation had between 500 and 1,000 members. Seems like the tide may indeed be turning. Experts in the field agree with me, often arguing the small Churches and even micro houses Churches are the future of corporate worship.

              In my admittedly biased opinion, I am definitely rooting for the re-emergence of the type of small congregations that once stood as beacons of the Gospel in my own hometown.  I have a few reasons for this opinion that I will outline below.

·       Smaller congregations require increased participation amongst the laity with regards to congregational activity. In a large Church, it’s easy for a lay person to come to Church, consume content, and then leave. In short, it can become difficult to get involved and become an active participant in worship and your walk with Christ. In a small congregation, it’s possible to become an active participant in the operation of the service or other congregational ministries every week.  In fact, it's often necessary for each member to pull their weight. There’s just nowhere to hide! This promotes faithfulness in worship attendance, which brings me to my next point.

·       Smaller congregations promote accountability.  When you are involved in a smaller congregation, attendance issues are much more easily noted. Again, there is nowhere to hide. It is much easier for your brothers and sisters in Christ to speak truth into your life if they know you and your story. Not to mention, Church discipline is also much more practical in a smaller setting. There’s simply an intimacy and comfort level that cannot be replicated in a larger Church setting.

·       In smaller congregations, your pastor can actually be your shepherd. I’m a firm believer that one should attend a Church at which the pastor knows your name. In the smaller settings I’ve been in, I’ve been able to cultivate wonderful friendship with my pastors. These relationships have been immensely beneficial to me and have helped to keep me on the narrow path!

·       Smaller congregations foster a culture of Christ that is transcendent among generations. It’s no secret that our society today is more transient than it has ever been. It’s easy to pack up and move to another city, state, or region of the country. But these small Churches often have a sense of pride and hardiness that is passed down from generation to generation. Children that grow up in these settings see the work their elders put into their local congregation and aspire to do the same when they grow up. And when they do, they will pass that same ethic and desire for Christ and His Church on to their children. A sense of ownership develops over time. This is what the local Church is all about! This is how Christianity can and will thrive in the post-Christian times we are now living in!

Again, this is simply my opinion. However, I am so glad to see smaller Churches beginning to spring up again. If you have memories of a smaller Church you attended, I’d love to hear them in the comments section below.

In Christ,

Kendal May

Frequency of the Lord's Supper

           Happy Wednesday evening from rainy, dreary Tennessee. I’m going to have to invest in a canoe to get me to and from work if this weather pattern persists. Since it’s storming out, this is as good a time as any to bring you a new blog post. Also, I just noticed that this will be my 25^th blog post since I started this project back in May of 2019. Although I don’t know exactly who reads this blog regularly, the stats show that a number of you do. I am grateful for each of you that has read the blog over the past several months. You truly keep me going.

              For my 25^th post, I want to harken back to the title of my blog – Word and Sacrament. I haven’t touched on Sacraments much here in my last few posts. I’d like to talk a little bit about the frequency in which the Lord’s Supper is observed in our Churches.

              If you’re reading this blog, I likely do not need to explain to you what the Lord’s Supper is. However, you may not know that there are a number of conflicting views on what the Lord’s Supper is, what it represents, and the exact manner in which Christ is made manifest to us in the Sacrament.  There are four major views on the Lord’s Supper held today by mainstream Christians. I will not go into these in detail in this post. If there is enough interest, I can write a future post outlining each potential in greater detail. For now, here is a brief description of the four views:

Transubstantiation – This view is held by Roman Catholics. In this view, the bread and wine literally become the physical body and blood of Christ.

Consubstantiation – This view is held today by most Lutherans. Consubstantiation holds that that Christ is “in, with, and under” the elements of bread and wine. However, in this view, the bread and wine do not become the literal body and blood of Christ.

Memorialist – Sometimes referred to as Zwinglianism, this view is espoused by most Baptists, Non-Denominational Christians, and Pentecostals. In the memorial view, it is taught that the Lord’s Supper is a mere memorial of Christ’s death and resurrection. The memorialist view denies that Christ is in any way present in the Lord’s Supper.

True Presence – The final view is the one held by most Reformed Christians. The True Presence indicates that Christ is present in the Lord’s Supper, but only in a spiritual, non-physical manner.

              It should not be surprising, given the varying doctrines, that there is substantial disagreement about the frequency in which the Lord’s Supper is to be celebrated. There is substantial disagreement not only between different denominations but also in different congregations within same denomination. I ran a quick Twitter poll this morning asking people to select the frequency in which their congregation observes the Lord’s Supper. The four choices included the following:

·       Weekly

·       Monthly

·       Quarterly

·       Other

The poll will still be running until tomorrow morning, so there is still time to vote for your choice! Thus far, 40 Tweeters have responded to the poll. I interact with people of varying denomination backgrounds on Twitter, so I am hoping that this poll is representative of Christianity as a whole. The results are as follows:

·    47.5% of respondents indicated their congregation celebrates the Lord’s Supper on a weekly basis.

·        35.0% of respondents said their congregation observes the Supper monthly.

·       Only 7.5% responded quarterly.

·   The remaining 10.0% of those who answered the poll indicated that they utilized a frequency other that weekly, monthly, or quarterly.

The poll results were not particularly surprising to me. Over the past several years, there has been a significant number of Churches moving towards weekly reception of the Lord’s Supper. This was the case in the PCA (Presbyterian Church in America) congregation that I attended. I’ve been attending my current Baptist Church for about 5 months and have only partaken in the Lord’s Supper once. So which frequency is correct? Let’s go to Scripture to check for guidance.

Scripture actually doesn’t specify a frequency in which the Lord’s supper should be celebrated.  1 Corinthians 11:26 offers the following guidance: “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” If I’ve never mentioned it before, 1 Corinthians is my favorite book of the Bible.

As most of you know, I was reared within the Roman Catholic tradition. In Catholicism, it is the practice of the current day for the laity to commune at each and every Mass. However, I’ve recently learned from listening to Dr. David Anders on EWTN radio that this has not always been the case within Catholicism. In the early days of the Catholicism, it was customary for the laity to partake of the Lord’s Supper only once a year. This example further lends credence to the notion that there is no right or wrong answer for the frequency of observance of the Supper.

Although we’ve established that there is no mandated frequency, I am a proponent of observing the Lord’s Supper on a weekly basis. Without getting into too much detail, I’ll also divulge that I believe that Christ is truly present in the Lord’s Supper in a way that is beyond our understanding. My reasoning for desiring weekly reception is based on the very words of Jesus Christ. In John 6: 53-57, Jesus tells his disciples: “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.  For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.  Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.” In light of Jesus’s words for us in this passage, I want the Supper as often as I can get it! The words of Jesus have the power to bring us to eternal life and the Lord’s Supper is God’s word and promise presented to us in tangible form. Sign me up to receive the Grace in the Supper weekly!

One of the main reasons for my love of 1 Corinthians is Paul’s lengthy discourse on the treatment of the Supper. In his letter to the Church at Corinth, Paul sets about to correct errors that have reached him regarding the improper handling of the Lord’s Supper. In the midst of Chapter 11, Paul issues this stern warning to the Corinthians: “Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.  For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.”

It’s clear that Paul takes the Lord’s Supper with great seriousness and expects his fellow Christians to follow suit. Paul’s words, written by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, seem to indicate that the Lord’s Supper should be celebrated with both regularity and reverence.  There are also passages found in the Acts of the Apostles that suggest the Supper played a large role in early Church gatherings.

Let me reiterate that this is just a personal preference I hold. I am certainly not intending to belittle anyone that would rather save the Supper for special occasions or observe it with less frequency. Someone who takes the Supper less frequently than I do is no less of a Christian than I am! But for me, if the Lord’s Supper is what Jesus and Paul say it is, then how could I afford not to partake of the Lord’s Supper at every opportunity?

I’d love to hear others’ thoughts on this matter. Please feel free to leave a comment below outlining your position on the frequency of the Lord’s Supper.

In Christ,

Kendal May

Getting Outside Your Tradition

              Happy Monday evening! Hopefully, your week has started off on the right path. My girlfriend is off in the Caribbean playing music with her band. That means my dog and I have the whole week to ourselves (I really miss Sarah, though!). However, it has given me some time to dive into a few of the books sitting on the shelf in my home office.

              As a Christmas gift, Sarah gifted me with a copy of “The Pilgrim’s Progress” by John Bunyan. Not growing up in the Evangelical world, I had never heard of this book. Apparently, it’s the second best selling religious book behind the Bible. You learn something new every day! I’ve made good progress (pun intended!) on this book. It’s a wonderful allegory of the Christian life and should be required reading for those seeking a deeper understanding of the faith.

              In addition to The Pilgrim’s Progress, there is a litany of other literature sitting on my shelf unread.  However, there is one behemoth on the shelf that towered above the rest. It’s a controversial book of literature that I have been working through with periods of (long) interruptions for the better part of two years. The book is none other than John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion. Calvin’s magnum opus is widely considered to be one of the greatest systematic theologies ever composed.

              I’ll start by saying that I wasn’t raised in the Reformed tradition. I was raised in a devout Roman Catholic community and only heard Calvin’s name in history class. I’ll also say that I don’t currently attend a Reformed Church. I had worshiped for a time in a PCA congregation, which I thoroughly enjoyed. However, these days I attend a Baptist Church with seemingly no Reformed leanings.

So, why then, would I read Calvin?

              Simply put, I believe there is a lot to be gained by reading literature from authors that are outside of one’s own religious tradition. Even if one disagrees with Calvin’s notion of double predestination, there is still a wealth of knowledge to be gleaned from his writing on the nature of the Trinity and the Sacraments (just a few of many examples). I’ve learned so much from Calvin about the nature of God and how the persons of the Trinity relate to one another. I would have completely missed out on the enlightenment had I simply dismissed Calvin as “that predestination guy”.

              For those that aren’t aware, I’m very active on Twitter and have found Christian Twitter to be an excellent source of encouragement and learning. Follow me on Twitter @WordSacBlog! On Twitter, I follow fellow Tweeters from various denominational backgrounds. I follow many in the Presbyterian and Reformed tradition, Lutherans, Anglicans, Baptists, Catholics, and even a few Eastern Orthodox. I love learning about each of these traditions and have been encouraged by their adherents. It’s amazing to gain so many fresh perspectives on theological issues and spiritual practices all in one place. Isn’t the Internet amazing?

              Outside of Twitter, I also enjoy religious radio and television.  I’m very fond of watching and listening to EWTN, which is the Catholic television network. This network has brought me to a much greater understanding of the faith tradition I grew up in. I also enjoy listening to Moody radio during my evening commute. These two entities are diametrically opposed, but I have certainly found encouragement in both stations.

              So, as you seek the wisdom of God in your life, don’t hesitate to jump outside of your native faith tradition. Keep an open mind – it won’t kill you; I promise! By avoiding other traditions, you are missing out on a wealth of information that may be very beneficial and encouraging to you.  Be sure to comment below about instances in which stepping outside the bounds of your tradition was encouraging for you.

In Christ,

Kendal May