The sun is 93 million miles away. It would be fair to say that the sun is distant. But for everyone who has eyes to see, the sun is very much present.
The Lord Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father. He is there, not here. As a true man, He is located in the heavenly places. And yet, God has established the kingdom of His Son in such a way that the radiance of the Son’s glory extends throughout that entire kingdom, which is done through the power of the Spirit.
That radiance of glory is not felt equally by all. If you were to bury a pebble in your garden and a seed in your garden right next to the pebble, you would get very different results from them. The seed contains life, and so can respond to the gift presented by the distant sun now present. The pebble contains no life, and is insensible to whether the sun is distant or present.
When the Word is preached to you, and when the bread and wine are presented to you, you are called to respond in faith to the felt presence of Christ. This is possible because the Spirit has quickened you—you are a seed, not a pebble. You are green shoot, struggling up through the soil, beginning a glorious journey for such a small plant. You are three inches tall and you plainly want to make a journey of 93 million miles.
The glory of grace is this—that distance is traveled, not by us, but rather by the sunlight. That gap is overcome by the power of the Spirit. The glory of grace is found in how it enlivens our lives here, how life is initially given and then turned into a life that is an abundant life. He comes to us, and we ascend toward Him.
So Christ is here. He is present. If you are alive in Him, you can feel the warmth, you can feel the strength, you can feel the glory.
So come, and welcome, to Jesus Christ.
Wow. Thanks.
Beautiful. Thank you.
This is excellent. Thank you
“that distance is traveled, not by us, but rather by the sunlight”
But my little PCA says we do travel some ways to it by virtue of the ability to comprehend the Supper’s meaning.
If you’re much of a kiddo — you’ve got a way’s to go to attain to the “active participation” they say this sacrament requires.
“So come, and welcome, to Jesus Christ” … unless, says my PCA, you don’t agree to be circumcised — wait, no, sorry … unless you don’t agree to take membership-joining vows they’ve constructed — yeah, that’s it.
You can attend faithfully for years, says the PCA.
You can show decent moral character, believe you are members together in Christ, want to obey the elders in all things Biblical — BUT please refrain from taking communion with PCA-ers unless and until you take those vows!
I’m genuinely glad your CREC diverges from that stand, pastor Wilson!