6/18/13 Right Administration of the Sacraments

15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:15,16)

27 So 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. 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.
(1 Corinthians 11:27-30)

Thoughts: Many Reformers spoke of the right administration of the sacraments as a sign or mark of the true church.  The word "sacramentum" means mystery.  The classic definition-given by Augustine of Hippo is "a visible sign of God's invisible grace."  
    There are two extreme beliefs about the sacraments.  One is that the sacraments are magical or miraculous and then the other is that there is nothing special that occurs in or with them at all.  In the latter we would take part in them only as a command.  But there is a balance between the supernatural and the legalistic natural.  The balance is recognizing the spiritual presence of Christ that occurs when he promises to be there- as we remember him and as we go and baptize others.
     In Europe before World War II many abused the sacraments- and it was simply a ritual that everyone did- almost like a magic charm or a social norm.  It meant so little.  Barth pointed out that while Hitler and Stalin were certainly not good professing Christians they both had been baptized. The passage above from 1 Corinthians is a warning to such people who would use the sacraments for their own promotion. But while people can utterly turn from God and His ways, this does not define or limit the means of grace. Someone may abuse the love of a parent or friend- or the gifts of a parent or friend- but this does not mean that the love of that parent or friend was wrong, unreal or unacceptable. So, many abuse God's love and grace- and the signs of that love and grace- His sacraments.
     There is also something missing in our Christian life when we do not take the sacraments seriously.  The ongoing participation in the sacraments shows itself in our witnessing baptisms, remembering our own baptisms, and taking part in the Lord's Supper.  The cyber church cannot have cyber communion.  The feel of fellowship, the taste of the bread and cup are empty and meaningless for those who do not practice the sacraments together.  In a much smaller way, it is like watching a man eat a meal versus actually smelling, tasting and taking in the meal. Sacraments are meant to be done together- with the whole local church.  In some ways sacraments define church.  In fact- baptism by oneself is just a bath.  Communion by oneself is just eating bread and drinking a little fruit of the vine.  Jesus promised where two or three are gathered in His name- there He is in the midst of them.  The sacraments are meant to be done together- ideally in worship and in a place of worship.   

Prayer: Help me, Lord, to savor the mystery of your invisible presence symbolized and elicited by the visible signs of your love.