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Saturday Thoughts on the Lord’s Supper, Ritual vs. Habitual
By Dan | July 12, 2008
Tomorrow we go to the Lord’s Supper here at Messiah.
It happens at least every two weeks here. As a pastor, sometimes I receive the Lord’s Supper a couple of times in a single day. And sometimes, like all people I think, there’ s a temptation to rush the experience and let my mind and spirit drift, to not give my whole self over to this. To let it become habitual vs. ritual.
Notice these two terms. Habitual and Ritual, or habit and rite. There are many things we do over and over in the church. Some people say this is simply boring. Some people argue that each worship should look almost nothing like the one before it. Well, I love variety and I like it when those designing worship change things some, especially as they seek to emphasize a point throughout a worship service, but I also like ritual.
When I say ritual, what I mean is something that I do over and over, but that is more than a habit. There’s meaning in the action and the words, and that meaning is deep and profound. I receive the Lord’s Supper regularly here, but it’s not just a habit- like the order in which I do things after I wake up. Those are habits that I could change around and it wouldn’t much matter. The Lord’s Supper is more than a habit. It is something I do regularly because of it’s great value.
Think about it, every time you receive the Lord’s Supper you are connected to Jesus Christ himself, to his passion on the cross, and to his forgiveness. This is more than a symbol. It is an event. And the event in which we participate regularly brings us that power regularly. I wouldn’t give that up for the world.
On the night Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper (Matt. 26:26-35), he knew the disciples would fail him mightily, yet he knew that the Lord’s Supper was precisely what they needed then too. Jesus knows I will fail him mightily this week too, but it’s precisely becuase of this that he delivers to himself to me through the rite of the Lord’s Supper.
No, I will not give up these rites. And when I notice myself slipping into habit, I will pull myself back and give myself wholely to these treasures which the Lord leaves to us, his disciples.
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July 12th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Amen
With this wonderful gift from God, why do many look so sad when they leave the alter? I can’t help but smile and thank God once again for this beautiful gift.
July 14th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Nicely said, Dan!