7/1/14- Who May Partake in the Sacrament

We hold that baptism applies as much to the children of the faithful as to those who are of age and discretion, and so we condemn the error of the Anabaptists, who deny that children should be baptized before they have faith and understanding. But we hold that the Supper of the Lord is only for those who are of the household of faith and can try and examine themselves both in their faith and their duty to their neighbors. Those who eat and drink at that holy table without faith, or without peace and goodwill to their brethren, eat unworthily. This is the reason why ministers in our Kirk make public and individual examination of those who are to be admitted to the table of the Lord Jesus. (Scots Confession 23)

27So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 

The promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off to all whom the Lord your God will call.  (Acts 2:39)

Let the little children come to me and forbid them not. (Lk. 18:16)  For whoever welcomes a little child welcomes me...(Matthew 18:5)

Thoughts: Children are welcome.  In the Old Testament this was shown in circumcision- that they were a part of the household of faith- and that God;'s grace rested on children even before they could respond.  In the New Testament Jesus reminded his disciples who would only welcome adults that children should be welcomed to him as well.  Baptism is for men and women, and it is for children of the faithful as well as adults.  Baptism is the great equalizer between the poor and the rich, slave and free.  It is the great equalizer in age as well- for the grace of God that claims us is not simply up to us- but it is a calling of God.  
    Communion is a sustaining of those who have been initiated in baptism.  It is not for those who do not believe or are not able to understand/discern the Lord's body and blood (1 Cor. 11:29).
Baptism is an initiation, communion is a sustaining rite.  

Prayer: Lord, thank you that your grace calls us and sustains us.  Thank you that when we did not understand fully, you understood and poured your grace on us.  

6/29/14- Right Administration of the Sacraments

That sacraments be rightly ministered, we judge two things requisite: the one, that they be ministered by lawful ministers, whom we affirm to be only they that are appointed to the preaching of the word, or into whose mouths God has put some sermon of exhortation, they being men lawfully chosen thereto by some kirk. The other, that they be ministered in such elements, and in such sort, as God has appointed; else, we affirm that they cease to be right sacraments of Christ Jesus.

... For Christ Jesus said, Take, eat, etc. Do ye this in remembrance of me.[1] By which words and charge he sanctified bread and wine, to be the sacrament of his body and blood, to the end that the one should be eaten, and that all should drink of the other; and not that they should be kept to be worshipped, and honoured as God... stealing from the people the one part of the sacrament: to wit, the blessed cup.

Moreover, that the sacraments be rightly used, it is required that the end and cause why the sacraments were instituted be understood and observed, as well of the minister, as the receivers. For if the opinion be changed in the receiver, the right use ceases: which is most evident by the rejection of the sacrifices; as also if the teacher plainly teaches false doctrine, which were odious and abominable before God (albeit they were his own ordinances), because that wicked men use them to another end than God has ordained.  (Scots Confession Chapter 22)

23For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 27So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord(1 Corinthians 11:23-27)

Thoughts: In Knox's day the sacraments were seen as the main portion of the Roman Catholic Church.  Thus excommunication (taking away of the sacrament) was seen as a sign the person excommunicated would not be able to make the journey to heaven.  In this time of change, everything was up for evaluation.  Some, like the Anabaptists, were saying they did not need the sacraments at all (the Evangelical Church still says this).  The Anabaptists also did away with ordained ministers.  Zwingli, whose followers later united with the Calvinists, was saying the sacraments were only a sign but not a true seal or a sacrament per se- with no extra benefit than remembering the actions of Christ and fulfilling Christ's command to "do this in remembrance of me."  But Knox followed his teacher Calvin in saying that there was a spiritual benefit to the supper- a spiritual but not a physical presence of Christ.  All this seems foreign to secular or even modern theological ears.  Yet, many a person has experienced the presence of God- something special in baptism or the Lord's Supper.
      To make sure it is done right, right teaching should be given about it so that it is not done superstitiously but with heart-mind-soul united in focus.  Thus a trained minister should perform the rite so that no one is distracted by the one leading the service.  Knox also carefully guarded that nothing extra be added to make the sacrament more special- special oil, ornaments, etc.  The sacrament is made special not by our adding anything but by the plain presence of Christ.  This is definitely a Reformed emphasis.  Many Presbyterians, when they go to the Holy Land and see the sites ornaments with gold, tapestry, and candles think that such ornamentation takes away from the site.  They would rather see the walls of the cave Jesus was born in, or the walls of the Holy Sepulchre.  Our ornamentation- though well intentioned- may actually detract from the holy moment. 

Prayer: Lord, may my focus be on you in baptism and communion.  May we handle holy things in holy ways that please you. 

6/5/12- Learning from Scotland

⁶ This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look;ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.  But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Thoughts: Several have asked me what was most meaningful about the trip to Scotland.  Perhaps it is seeing the ancient paths there and the clear need to reform the church.
   In Iona we visited the ancient monastery of St. Columba who boldly brought Christianity to Scotland and could be credited with renewing a faltering Christianity on the continent of Europe in the late 500s.

    Throughout Scotland, there are monuments to John Knox who boldly brought Christianity back to Scotland- where it had shrunk into an immoral nominalism.  For example, Knox's early opponent, Cardinal Beaton, had 30 illegitimate children, his own army, and the church was a top-down shell of what it was. Knox's reformation is one reason the Scottish speak English instead of French today, that the church is Protestant instead of Catholic, and that the literacy rate went up to 97% of the people (Knox established parish schools so that they could read the Bible).

    Then there is the Church of Scotland today.  There is a church in every neighborhood- and while people nominally believe, their morals and devotion have decayed to a shadow of its former self.  We saw many churches that had been torn down, turned into museums, restaurants, and civic centers.  There is no  doubt in my mind that America's churches are headed down the same road if we do not turn back to the ancient paths. 

   Columba and Knox were bold in their beliefs, bold in their sharing.  They were not afraid of their opponents- though they were sometimes discouraged.  They did not re-imagine God, but they went back to the ancient paths of the scriptures- believing them with intellectual integrity and earnest obedience.  That is our call today as well.  

Prayer: Lord, show me your ancient paths- give me grace, strength, and mercy to walk in them.  

(Knox left; 

Columba right)