Supper Time

Most elderly “folks” have told me, that as they age, their fondest memories, regardless of how far or how high they have gone in this world, memories of their early years at home.

I remember supper time, the large farm kitchen, with it's wood stove, fireplace and large eating table. Many times there was not much food but what was there, was blessed.

During WWII, my father was away, the entire time, working on defense “projects”... building barracks and even hangars for planes, in the war effort. He and his brothers were not in uniform, but in work clothes. His brothers worked in the shipyard.

My mother, with hired help, kept the farm going as did her aged father and other older relatives.

I remember, some ”supper times” only one bowl on the table... often potatoes, but my favorite, rice and tomatoes. My mother had a large pantry filled with canned tomatoes and other vegetables from the garden.

A few years ago, visiting at my beach house, one of my snooty aunts, remembering eating supper with her poor sister and the one big bowl, said, “do you still like rice and tomatoes?”

I have made it a practice to live frugally, never forgetting (the hole from which you were digged.) (Isaiah 51:1))

Jesus did not tell us to remember Him at Christmas, Thanksgiving, any other time, only, the grace and mercy found at His memorial table, the Lord's Supper (1 Corinthians 11, Isaiah 53) the wine, represented the shed blood of Christ, the bread, representing the stripes on His body, His atonement, on the cross, free gift to all who believe, the shedding of His blood for all sin, (past, present, future) His broken body for our healing. (all diseases, all infirmities) Knowing the true meaning, we can celebrate at this table worthily.

Every morning of my life , I celebrate, communion, in memorial but, on Sunday morning, at my communion, I cook some rice in a boiler, and then at lunch, mix tomatoes with the rice... a memorial to my humble beginnings, which I never want to forget.

Corinth, was a Greek city located on an isthmus of the Mediterranean. Stormy, rough waters, early ships were unloaded of their cargo on one side of the isthmus, the cargo transported across land to the other side. Until a canal was dug, because of the many sinkings, the vessels were dragged across to the other side. At this growing city, people from across Europe, arriving in Corinth, became a wild-traveler's city and much instability in the early Christian church located there. Their memorial service would often lead to excessive drinking so, Paul, in his letter to the church there, cautioned them about the unworthiness of the memorial to the Lord's atonement.

The Lord's supper, recurrent ordinance of the new testament church (initial ordinance, baptism) with joy, should be celebrated often. People have often asked me, how you recognize a Christian... so many pretenders. Always, without fail, those who love God's word. Those who read it, listen intently to it, can never get enough of it. I have encountered “card-signers” who tell me that they have never participated in a communion service. Shame, a disgrace to the word Christian. Very much like the girl who was baptized at First Baptist Church, Goldsboro, NC one Sunday night. Before the evening service did not stay for the service but went, instead, to an uptown movie theatre. Do you really think there was a change in her life? .

I know about transubstantiation, the beauty of the Catholic communion but, when Jesus initiated His memorial service He was alive, a man of flesh and blood, and I believe, He wants symbolic memorial.

At His table, we evaluate ourselves, are we living the best version of Him?

To the uninitiated, everything is obscure. Hundreds of times from the platform, this layman, not a minister, has descried the first visual image of my life, which I can remember. That ancestral country church, my mother on her knees, washing another woman's feet. The foot-washing service is the most beautiful part of God's memorial service.

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. (Psalm 116:15) The greatest memorial service on this earth is the celebration of the life of a believer. The greatest celebration of a believer, passing from physical to spiritual life is the great supper time of the church (bride) with Jesus Christ... and “whosoever will” may come.

Easter

In a few days, we will celebrate the second greatest event in the history of the world, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the day specified as Easter. Of course, the greatest event in the history of the world was the birth of Christ, a day specified as Christmas. Christmas was marked by a borrowed manger, Easter is marked by a borrowed tomb. He was rich yet for our sakes became poor, that we, through his poverty, might become rich. Most children know little about the meaning of Easter. The day has been castigated to rabbits laying eggs, bonnets and bouquets. Most church people, who claim the name of Christ, know little about the blessed meaning of the day.  Christians are good for captivating heathen holidays and festivals.  Easter originally came from the Pagan goddess Eostre. Like Christmas, which should be the holiest day of the year, it has become a holiday of browsing and brewing, shopping and selling, and Easter, gorging and gourmet. Church people see a table in the front of the church in which the words are carved, “In remembrance of me.” The only time we were instructed to celebrate his life, was the “blessed” event of his death. His death marked by mockery and mercilessness.

Seven hundred years before his birth, the Prophet Isaiah told us about his death.  (Isaiah 53) Early in the morning, every day of my life, I remember what our Blessed Lord did for me on Calvary by having my time of communion when I eat a small piece of bread representing his body, broken for me, and have a small sip of wine representing his shed blood given for me in forgiveness of my sins. You see, I believe there is healing in the broken body of Our Lord represented by the bread and I know there is forgiveness in the blood of Our Lord represented by the wine. It is tragic indeed, that even at this time of year, this day of the year, so few Christians do not have this time of remembrance.

Recently, a pastor told me that his church routinely observed the Lord’s Supper during the week at a prayer service two or three times a year. With government checks, most needy people are starving to death for God’s care. I am convinced, most do not believe in prayer any more as shown by the few who go to a prayer service. So, one Sunday morning, he announced that they would have a communion service. He said, “Many there had never participated in a communion service and some not since baptism.” He said, “I have never seen so many tears. All of a sudden they realized what their salvation was all about.” This is the true meaning of Easter.

Recently, listening to the 11 o’clock church service on a local radio station, the pastor said, “ We were supposed to celebrate our Lord’s Supper this morning but the great juice we were going to use has spoiled so we will have to put it off.”  The question occurred to me, are the deacons and others so lazy and unconcerned with this wonderful observance that they cannot check the elements ahead of time? And, since it is a symbol, water or soda, or some other type juice could be used. Unlike the Catholics, where the Eucharist is celebrated, non-Catholics use a symbol. Since we are all priest, if we have the Holy Spirit of God possessing our body, we can celebrate the Lord’s Supper anywhere, anytime. The most blessed time of renewal you can spend, I think it should be done daily, is remembering what he did for us on Calvary asking for healing through his broken body and forgiveness through his shed blood.  This time of communion, commitment and prayer can keep you going when you want to quit, I say this especially to the disabled and the despondent. 

Eight hundred miles off the West Coast of Chili, in the pacific, is Easter Island.  I spent one week there many years ago simply because a plane went to the island one time a week.  Now if I had not been able to leave on that plane the following week, I would have done some crying, also.  After all, how many of these Moai statues can you study.  (Moai statues are monolithic human figures carved from rock and stand on the perimeter of the island.  They date between 1250 CE and 1500 CE.)  Most weigh around 75 tons and are about 30 feet high.  Almost all moai have oversized heads and it is still a mystery of their carving and transportation.  The people of Easter Island are beautiful and healthy, probably due to their seafood diet.  They wanted me to see their hospital, there was not one patient in the hospital.

I live in a remarkably beautiful part of the world, coastal eastern NC.  God was particularly good to the people of this area because we have tree and plant beauty unsurpassed anywhere else in the world.  It has been about 50 years since I have been able to see anything, but I can remember the colors of the azaleas, cut flowers, dogwoods, and other floral of the artistry of God. Few people mention the beauty to me because honestly, I think they see very little. Helen Keller in her 1904 book said, “ I have friends who go out and see flowers and birds, and returning home I ask them what they saw. Most say, “I didn’t see anything.”” As my friend Dr. Helen Robinson of University of Chicago said, “ I would give anything to walk from one room to another with out running into something.”

Next to life, your most valuable possession is your eyesight. Put some adhesive tape over your eyes, try living each day as do the blind, preparing your food, getting dressed to go somewhere, etc, just the simple things of life and then think what you miss by not being able to see the floral and fauna around you.  There is a children’s museum a short distance from my house, when I go out to my car, the most beautiful sound in the world, more beautiful then any symphony, are the voices of the laughter of those children. There are trees and bushes in my backyard and other places I hear birds, more beautiful than an earthly choir. The grape had to die to make the wine which we use in the resurrection celebration. The kernel of wheat had to die in order to make the bread we use in the celebration of the resurrection. Easter is a time for renewal, the putting seed in the ground for garden vegetables and garden flowers.

Christ died to give us an abundant life, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)  More then words, Christianity is a way of life, “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

Dr. Paul Tillich, Union Theological Seminary, one of the four most influential theologians of the 20th century said, “I hope for the day when everyone can speak again of God without embarrassment.”

Anglicans to Rome

On Tuesday, October 20, 2009 Pope Benedict announced that the Catholic Church was making it easier for disenchanted Anglicans to enter the Catholic Church. The 77 million Anglican denomination, known in the United States as the Episcopal Church, the largest denomination in Africa, has been split by the impossible problem of female priests, homosexual pastors, homosexual bishops and gay marriage. Particularly in Africa, many Anglicans feel their denomination has gone the way of Sodom. The Pope is evidently making it easier for Anglicans to become Catholics. It is reported that the Pope taking this road is a matter of vocation, not enough Catholic priests. Perhaps Anglican ministers entering Catholicism will give more Catholic churches pastors. The great problem with many Catholics is that many of these Anglican ministers are married; nearly 100 in the United States who have become Catholic.

Another problem with the Anglicans is their attitude towards the communion table, and their lackadaisical attitude towards abortion. When Catholics read such statements as those made by Dr. Rev. Katherine Hancock Ragsdale, who received much publicity in her speech in Birmingham, Al on July 21, 2007 when she said that “abortion is a blessing”. We'll find little comfort in knowing this is the attitude of most Episcopalians. Even the Bishop of Canterbury, Rev. Williams, seems to have compromised entirely with the satanic Episcopal/Anglican concept of acceptance of the culture of death provided by abortion and the inconceivable attitude towards homosexual bishops and pastors. There are probably more gay marriages in the Episcopal organization than any other “church” group.

We wonder if the Catholic Pope will offer a shelter of refuge to Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, who can no longer stomach the liberality of the gay agenda in their denominations. There are certainly Protestants and even Baptists who seek a solid rock on which to cling and even stand in this time of denominational liberalism and modernism and the attacks of the world against the Christian Church.

The word is “transition”. Born again, blood bought Christians believe that we are already experiencing the reward of heaven through our redemption in Christ. We are joint heirs, already experiencing eternal life through the sacrifice of our blessed lord. One thing I can support in any non-Catholic going toward the Catholic Church, I cling to the belief that the crucifix (Christ on the cross) should be a valued part of the Christian experience. I am convinced that the empty cross often leads one to forget the actual atonement. Perhaps not as much as the Episcopalians, but most Protestant and even Baptist memberships are as negligent in preaching and teaching, sins ruin and Christ's redemption as a local civic club. In fact, you can find about as much joy of salvation in any gathering as you can the nouveau-raison “church” membership. With a Rick Warren or Joel Osteen gathering of laughing and clapping, drums and drama, bells and smells, the circus attitude, bringing the world into the church, is the chief cause that the world has lost its respect for the worthiness of the church, Christ's bride.

The Ecumenical movement, like the United Nations in all countries, has globalized denominations as much as nations. The mantra that all governments and all religions are basically the same has so lessened the worship attitude, the grace through faith of the redemption of our blessed Lord. Young people just look upon the church as a place of hypocrisy with all the sovereignty and deliverance of a “Santa” mythology. I can understand the hunger real Anglicans and others have for the veracity and values of sacred text (John 10:10).

As with American-Russian relations during the time of the Cold War, we supposedly celebrated détente. There were photo opportunities, smiles between enemies, flowers were tossed at one another, but the Cold War still existed. The war still exists between God's promises and Satan's phonies. The caricature of worship, the pretending of posterity and prophecy prevails in a vacuum of deceit. The child of God, born anew, a new creation in Christ, seeks homage with real believers not masqueraders.

Western Civilization and the religious history was greatly determined in 1571 at the Battle of Lepanto. It was at that battle that the Christian Church actually turned back Muslim forces. A new Battle of Lepanto, which probably will not be fought on the sea, is forming battle lines around us. It is time for Christians, regardless of denomination, to get “real”, to cleanse our ranks from all impostors: “Who is on the Lord's side, who will serve our King?”.

The fate of one's soul, the fate of God's church, is a matter of God's sovereignty. God does not need “hybrid churchgoers” to carry his cross. Christian discipleship is not an entrepreneurial concept. The nonsensical high church, low church, “we want God on our terms”, is the very sign post giving direction to the broad road that leads to destruction.

One of my friends, an accomplished musician, was asked to serve as organist at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church when their organist went on vacation. The pastor said, “When you play the hymns, we do not want to hear anything about blood”. I can tell you, as a doctor, life is in the blood. You can be sure from everything in God's Word that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin (Hebrews 9:22). Will the Anglicans and Catholics compromise the precious blood of Christ?