sacrament

Not a Sin Offering

The Roman Catholic error as regards the Lordâ€™s Supper is in seeing it as a reoccurrence of Christâ€™s sacrifice for sin. In that respect, they come to an altar, not a table. That view leads to treating these elements as a means of appeasing God. You take the Supper to avoid Godâ€™s anger. The problem with that take is that Jesus instituted this sacrament at a meal in the warmth of an upper room, not at the altar for burnt offerings.

In terms of Israelâ€™s sacrificial system, this isnâ€™t a sin offering before us, itâ€™s a peace offering. We donâ€™t take this sacrament to appease God, but because God has already been appeased. Christâ€™s blood covers your sin, so that you might enjoy a feast of His presence in His presence. This Sacrament isnâ€™t the means of atoning our sins, it is the blessing purchased by Christâ€™s atonement. Your sins have already been washed away, consumed in the fire, and now you are invited to sanctify and celebrate the name of Yahweh. In the peace offering, the worshipper partook of a portion of the offered animal. It was a shared meal of gratitude, not a ceremony to cover guilt.

But as a peace offering, we should ask what is it that is ascending to God? The answer is that weâ€™re told that in our worship we are to be living sacrifices (Rom. 1:1-2). Since in this Supper we hold forth the token of our union with Christ, it follows that in Christ, we are the offering, we are the sacrifice. In Christ the true Sin Offering our guilt is washed away, in Christ the true Peace Offering we ascend to the Father as a pleasing aroma. The glory displayed here is God delighting in us, as we delight in Him.

So come in faith and welcome to Jesus Christâ€¦

The Loudness of Baptism

Baptism is loud. It isnâ€™t a quiet thing. It doesnâ€™t use its indoor voice; in fact, it doesnâ€™t have an indoor voice. And what does baptism say? What is the substance of the holy ruckus it makes? It proclaims that Christ lived, and died, and rose again; and your baptism into Him means that you did too.

It doesnâ€™t whisper sweet-nothings about how good of a person you are, or how lucky God is that you chose him, or that youâ€™ve done anything spectacular. It doesnâ€™t speak coddling words to puff up your self-esteem. It doesnâ€™t get all mushy with sentimental sayings.

It shouts that you are dead. The Old Man is crucifiedâ€“â€“with all his twisted desires, all his selfish rage, all his pride, all his shame, all his guilt. Your baptism tells you, and the whole world, that when Christ died, you died in Him. And with the volume turned to full blast, it blares out like a megaphone that when Christ rose, you rose with Him to new life, and You are now seated with Him in His reign of peace. This is the promise that is declared by this sign of baptism, and this is the gift that you receive by faith.

Sacrament with Word

A good host whoâ€™s prepared an unfamiliar meal will explain the meal to the guestsâ€“â€“perhaps describing the seasoning used, or the cooking processâ€“â€“and give instructions for the best way to savor the new delicacy.

When Jesus instituted this meal, He gave the disciples both explanation and instruction. Jesus took familiar ingredientsâ€“â€“bread and wineâ€“â€“and familiar traditionsâ€“â€“the Passover mealâ€“â€“and He expanded them into meaningful bread and wine, and incarnate tradition.Â

He made the meal more than a mere meal. He turned it into a mystery. But then immediately explained the riddle. The meal wasnâ€™t meant to be a foggy mystery. We werenâ€™t left to guess as to what we do or why we do it. Hereâ€™s a meal, we get that. However, this meal does something. Which is what we mean when we call it a sacrament. This meal confirms a covenant.Â

But Wordless sacrament is just cultic ritual. Sacrament-less word is just philosophical gymnastics. One is like a promise without anything promised, the other is like a costly object dangled in front of us with no way to obtain it.

So Jesus accompanies Sacrament with Word, and Word with Sacrament. He gave us a meal which meant more than a meal, then tells us the greater meaning, and how to enjoy that deeper meaning. The bread and wine is Christâ€™s bodyâ€“â€“thereâ€™s the explanation. The meal is truly taken by remembering Christâ€“â€“thereâ€™s the instruction as to how we truly relish this covenant feast.

In short, the mystery of this meal is that Jesus gives us Himself, and we receive Him by faith. For in Jesus, the Word is made flesh, the sacrament is made plain. Jesus brings heaven down to earth, and brings man up to God.

So come in faith and welcome to Jesusâ€¦