The Lord's Dinner

A good summary of the Lord’s Supper is stated by the Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647) under Q. 96 What is the Lord’s Supper?

A. “The Lord’s Supper is a sacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to Christ’s appointment, His death is shewed forth; and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of His body and blood, with all His benefits, to their spiritual nourishment, and growth in grace.” Just as surely as we partake of the Table we receive grace and strength by the power of the Holy Spirit. There is no magic power in the bread and wine, we are partaking in covenant faith. God’s words about the efficacious nature of His sacrifice are apprehended by faith as we “eat” on Him as our Passover Lamb. There is mystery in the Lord’s Supper. There is mystery between a man and his wife when they come together in sexual union that strengthens their relationship with one another. How is it that a man is joined in a deeper way, not merely a physical way when he joins himself to a whore as Paul mentions. Shall Christ be made member of a harlot? There are invisible, deep, covenantal and highly spiritual/emotional lines that are made with our God. Paul calls it a mystery in Eph. 5 when he speaks of the marriage relationship like that of the relationship between Christ and His bride. And there is mystery involved when we renew fellowship and communion with our Savior-through eating and drinking. This is what we do when we want to grow in true fellowship and relationship with friends around the table, and esp. family. So it is with the Lord’s Table, we are growing up into the Head which is Christ together as one family.

Isaiah Miles B'Day Party--Father-Son camping trip

Columbia River Gorge

Vacation to OR coast!

Relationships

I think that the “reformed church” in general lacks a strong philosophy of how God grows people primarily, and that is through other people themselves in close interaction. That is putting it in a very general and basic sense but let me elaborate. At minimum, it is prioritizing the other person by spending ample amounts of time with them face to face, helping them connect the “dots of life.” We Americans have a hard time with this reality I think. Other cultures are superior in this regard. We just simply value projects and lectures etc., etc more than talking, listening, and struggling with others in their lives. It takes tons of time and we often might not respect the time it takes to do those things well. We grow though, not solely, but most significantly by a back and forth process of slow, organic, and mutual sharing of lives with others. This is a philosophy of ministry that has as its center the centrality of relationships. I can find no better grounding for this other than the triune God. I believe this is who God is and how He changes us—through incarnations of himself in others to us, and us to others. It is a personal ministry, in other words. This of course, is the grounding for any ministry. I see this with Jesus’ life with his disciples. If the rich will not have this kind of ministry of love and shepherding, because they feel like they don’t need it, then this ministry may be most effective in helping those that know they really need a physician. This is why I think opening up a counseling ministry in a poor area is a noble attempt at ministering the gospel to the community, to the "world." Is this not how many aggressive evangelical churches have powerfully effective ministries to those washed up on the shore of broken lives? I do think the “reformed” need to learn a thing or two from these Christians.

Douglas Wilson--on stout, good 'ol'fashioned Calvinistic theology on God's holiness

"Holiness is not manageable. Holiness does not come in a shrink-wrapped box. Holiness is not marketable. Holiness is not tame. Holiness is not sweetsy-nice. Holiness is not represented by kitschy figurines. Holiness is not smarmy. Holiness is not unctuous. Holiness is not domesticated. But worship a god who is housebroken to all your specifications, and what is the result? Depression, and a regular need for sedatives--better living through chemistry.

Holiness is wild. Holiness is three tornadoes in a row. Holiness is a series of black thunderheads coming in off the bay. Holiness is impolite. Holiness is darkness to make a sinful man tremble. Holiness beckons us to that darkness, where we do not meet ghouls and ghosts, but rather the righteousness of God. Holiness is a consuming fire. Holiness melts the world. And when we fear and worship a God like this, what is the result?

Gladness of heart." This is classic Calvinistic theology at its best. It's effect is peace and joy and not glowering at others. "Hard teaching makes soft people. Soft teaching makes hard people." Jim Wilson