Many of our liturgical practices and beliefs rest upon a slander of God’s character. We say things about Him that are certainly true in the abstract, but in context they are completely out of whack. For example, in the course of Israel’s religious calendar, God appointed for them one fast day, the Day of Atonement. …
Head and Heart
The metaphor we use of head and heart is not really a scriptural metaphor, but we are referring to a profound scriptural truth when we use it. James points to the truth that this metaphor of ours is highlighting when he talks about hearing the word and doing the word. But there are certain lessons …
Peace to You
The various aspects of our worship service were shown forth in a type in the sacrificial system of the Old Testament. We come before God confessing our sins, which is the guilt offering, and we offer up the name of Jesus Christ, which cleanses all our guilt. Then our service corresponds to the ascension offering, …
Soli Deo Gloria!
During His earthly ministry Jesus scandalized the proper by sitting down and eating with sinners. Two thousand years later, He is still doing it. That is why He is here with us today, and why He is seated at this Table. I mean, look around you. Look at your own heart, and your own history. …
No Little People
As they walked along the road, one of the two disciples, named Cleopas, asked the Lord if He was a stranger. Do you not know what has gone on these past few days? What an ironic question – do you not know? The other disciple is unnamed, but was probably the wife of Cleopas, who …
You Are the Meal
We gather together here at the Table of the Lord in order that He might feed us. We do not gather here on the assumption that the bread and wine constitute some kind of theological puzzle, the meaning of which we must figure out before we are qualified to take it. This is a meal—nourishment. …
Companions of Christ
In their ignorance, the disciples on the road to Emmaus besought Jesus to do something which we should all be seeking to do in all knowledge. As they came toward their home, the Lord made as though He was going to continue on, leaving them there. But they constrained Him, it says, and sought for …
Identified Through the Bread
One of the reasons the Table of the Lord has been controversial among Christians from the very beginning is the fact that the Table, faithfully observed, reveals the secrets of men. Not only does the faithful observance of the Supper nourish and strengthen the faithful, it also reveals and identifies Judas. Judas identified Jesus with …
The Bread and Wine of Grace
As the Lord Jesus taught His disciples on the Emmaus road, He showed them many glorious things out of the Scriptures. But before He did this, He rebuked them with the words “fools and slow of heart to believe.” He then went on to show that the entire Old Testament was talking about Him. This …
What Faith Does
The Table of the Lord humbles the honest, comforts the distraught, forgives the repentant, nourishes the hungry, establishes the church, preaches the gospel, summons the world, and overwhelms the devil. And of course the Table as a mere set of physical objects does none of those things—any more than the Word of God, considered simply …