Israel whined when they thought...
Illustration
Israel whined when they thought God would let them die of thirst. Moses must have rolled his eyes when he took their complaints to the Lord. Whiners have usually lost perspective about what's important. Amy Lowell, an extremely self-absorbed U.S. poet, illustrated this malady in spades. She was in London just as WWI broke out. She was late for an appointment, hindered by the crowds in the street, and indignant at the police for not helping her. As she returned to her hotel, she vocalized the whine to end all whines: "Don't they know I'm Amy Lowell? And it was this month that my book of poems was coming out here! What attention will it get with this going on? What has happened to England? Why doesn't she simply stop the war?"
Romans 5:1-11
For Christians living in the first century, sharing the Lord's Supper was a very special event. Before the meal, they would have a love feast. It was like a potluck dinner, but during the dinner they would sing hymns, hear testimonies, say prayers, and receive a sermon. After the love feast, those not yet baptized would be taken out for special instruction while the remaining baptized Christians received the Sacrament.
Church historians tell us that it was through the sharing of this experience that these Christians would be drawn closer to God. In a world hostile to the Christian, they would find comfort, strength, and peace. Does communion still bring comfort, strength, and peace today? Do modern Christians feel closer to the Lord when they participate in communion? Perhaps some do, and some don't. Or has communion become just another ritual -- something we do because we have to, or because circumstances make us? Communion can still be a time of renewal where comfort, strength, and peace with God is found. The truth is: communion is what we allow it to be.
Romans 5:1-11
For Christians living in the first century, sharing the Lord's Supper was a very special event. Before the meal, they would have a love feast. It was like a potluck dinner, but during the dinner they would sing hymns, hear testimonies, say prayers, and receive a sermon. After the love feast, those not yet baptized would be taken out for special instruction while the remaining baptized Christians received the Sacrament.
Church historians tell us that it was through the sharing of this experience that these Christians would be drawn closer to God. In a world hostile to the Christian, they would find comfort, strength, and peace. Does communion still bring comfort, strength, and peace today? Do modern Christians feel closer to the Lord when they participate in communion? Perhaps some do, and some don't. Or has communion become just another ritual -- something we do because we have to, or because circumstances make us? Communion can still be a time of renewal where comfort, strength, and peace with God is found. The truth is: communion is what we allow it to be.
