Tuesday, January 24, 2012

"You (all) Proclaim the Lord's Death ... "

To understand our regular observance of the Lord's Supper it is important to pay attention to words used and their meaning.  Simple words often have important implications.

In 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 the Apostle Paul gave us the earliest written record of what Jesus said at the Last Supper.  He handed on the tradition that had been given to him, that Jesus spoke about the bread as his body, the cup as the new covenant in his blood, and asked that they do this "in remembrance of me."  Then Paul added an explanation in verse 26 in which two very important words appear: "For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes."

The first word that claims our attention is "proclaim," a word often used with words like "proclaim Christ," or "proclaim the good news."  It refers to the act of preaching.  Here Paul speaks about proclaiming the Lord's death, an action that he stressed in the first and second chapters of this letter.  The word also includes the idea of celebrating, commending, or openly praising.

By simply communing, therefore, we all are preachers of the good news that Jesus died for us.  It is a Visible Word, a Seen Sermon.  The pronoun, "you" is plural.  It isn't just the preacher, or a presiding elder that does it -- you all preach this sermon.  And all are needed.  When one or more are absent the Visible Word is diminished to that extent.

It is done with others.  The Lord's Supper was not meant to be an individual, private exercise.  Our gathering together is necessary for the Lord's Supper to be what it is meant to be.  When we come together we serve notice to the world that the death of Christ is real in our lives, that it impacts our lives in some mysterious yet very real way.  Our gathering and observing the Lord's Supper is evidence of the continuing power of the death and resurrection of Christ.  In this act we tell the world about the death of Christ.

The grammatical form of the word "proclaim" (present active indicative) means that it is a continuing action.  Thus, Paul adds a second important word or phrase when he writes, "until he comes."  It has the implication of doing something repeatedly until the goal is reached.  It presents the picture of a group of people who are persistent against all odds, faithful in all circumstances, and determined that come hell or high water they are going to see this through to the end.

Later in 1 Corinthians 15:58 Paul summarizes all of this by saying, "Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord."  Let us, therefore, continue in this good work of proclaiming the Lord's death until he comes.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

We Need a Drummer

A communion meditation by Judy Sobba at Twin Oaks Christian Church, Eugene, on January 1, 2012.

One side of our church's reader board recently had what some would consider a strange statement.  Our son Scott, a pastor, saw it recently and chuckled.  He thought it was funny.  It says simply, "We need a drummer."  He understood it and so do our members but I wonder what non-members think of it?  There are church signs all over town that make perfect sense, but this one says, "we need a drummer."  Of course, it refers to our praise band whose regular drummer is at home in Portland while the University is on vacation.

Mike and Susan and I were talking about this and it started us thinking.  Yes!  We do need a drummer.

What does a drummer do?  Keeps the beat so we can stay together when we sing or dance.  Keeps us going when we tire, like a military drummer.  Marching bands, when running around the field, if they can hear the drummer, will end up in the correct place, while keeping the beat the whole time.  Drummers, along with the drum major leading a parade, inspire us.

Now it is a New Year, a new start, a blank page.  But every day of every year, we need a drummer, our own personal, spiritual drummer.

We have a drummer, of course, and he is Jesus Christ.  His word helps us find the "beat in our lives," if we listen.  He keeps us going when we tire.  He keeps us moving together as Christians toward a common goal -- salvation.  He leads us in this troubled world and in our lives so that we don't get lost in all of our running around.  As Psalm 18:3 says, "I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; and so shall I be saved from my enemies."

We will follow our drummer, our Lord Jesus Christ.  We will listen to his word.  We will find the beat and rhythm for our lives.  We will worship, study, work, and pray with others to move together in faith.  Even if we scatter in all direction at times, like the University of Oregon marching band, the steady beat of God's Word can keep us from getting lost.  We only need to listen carefully, pray with faith, act with sincerity and honesty, and trust that God is leading us.

May we listen and pray now as we recall that when Jesus lived on this earth, he gave his apostles continual guidance and reassurance and then, on the night before he died, he said, "Take this bread and eat it for this is my body," and "take this cup and drink.  Do this in remembrance of me."  And so the beat goes on!