The Lord’s Supper
Dear friends,
What does a person have to do in order to be saved? Saved from what? Here we begin to wrestle with the truth of the Word as defining the central issues of our life. Jesus put it plainly: “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” We are faced with the truth that the most important decision we make in life is not our career, education, marriage partner, but what concerns our relationship with God. Preparing for eternity is not a fool’s errand, but the most significant decision we will ever make. The OT prophets plaintive question: “Why will you perish O Israel?” echoes down the corridors of time into our own head.
Can we ever be good enough to receive God’s approval? I would think Paul the Apostle had a good shot at earning salvation as seen at the beginning of Philippians 3, but he ends up after adding up his good works and says they are all rubbish. In fact, he calls himself near the end of his life – “the foremost of sinners.” Whoa – wait a minute, how can such a good man have such low self esteem in relation to the Lord? Is there a jewel of wisdom here we must not skip over?
Work with me through Psalm 14, John 3:1-8 and 1 Timothy 1:12-17. Examine the relationship between God’s holiness, our sin, and Christ’s redemption. God the Father sends God the Son by the power of God the Spirit to bring us out of darkness into light.
As we take Communion this Sunday we can take it with joy when we know that our whole life is bound up in the purpose of Christ’s life: “I have come into the world not to judge the world, but to save it.”
See you Sunday,
Lee
