I have often commented on the Lord’s Supper here as I believe it is an important practice which has fallen on hard times in our churches and has a significant place in pastoral ministry. It was, therefore, an honor and privilege to contribute to Tom Schreiner and Matt Crawford’s edited volume, The Lord’s Supper: Remembering …
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I have been perusing Anthony Thiselton’s new book, The Living Paul: An Introduction to the Apostle’s Life and Thought. I differ with him in various places (he is skeptical of Pauline authorship of Ephesians and the Pastorals for example), but I appreciate much of what he has to say. His brief chapter on communion was …
These themes I found valuable: – communion is a gift from God given because we need it – frequency – the tone of thankfulness and joyful triumph “The Lord, therefore, out of his great and ineffable love, has ordained and appointed for us a sacred supper in which he gives us his body and blood, …
“Communion with Christ and with the Saints” Isaac Watts Jesus invites His saintsTo meet around His board;Here pardoned rebels sit and holdCommunion with their Lord. For food He gives His flesh,He bids us drink His blood;Amazing favor, matchless graceOf our descending God! This holy bread and wineMaintains our fainting breath,By union with our Living Lord,And …
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I have previously commented here on the fact that we should come joyfully to the Lord’s table contrary to some practice and teaching we have received. Ray Ortlund recently posted this quote which nicely affirms this point as well. “We come as children to our Father’s table and to sit there with Jesus Christ, our …
“Holy Communion is intended surely for all those who love our Lord and Saviour in sincerity and truth. This Mystery cannot be ‘cornered’ by any denomination and reserved exclusively for the use of its own members. We are one in Christ, whether we like it or not, and whether we approve of the other denominational …
“We really show irreverence, we really dishonor Christ, when we refuse to believe that His Life, with its transforming and activating powers, can be resident in such people as ourselves.” (32) “It is obvious that the Christian life can be maintained without Holy Communion at all. Indeed, it is so maintained, for example, both by …
I have discussed at various other times the importance of the corporate element of our worship. This is also true in communion, as Phillips notes in these quotes: “Christians of every kind need to beware of pietistic individualism, and this no less true at the focal point of worship than at any other place in …
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Following on from yesterday’s post, Phillips in these quotes diagnosed (50+ years ago) a problem which is common in evangelical churches. I cite these quotes as a part of the call to reconsider our practice of communion so that we might appreciate anew the value of this practice which Christ Himself commanded, and which He …
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Yesterday I read J. B. Phillips little book from 1956, Appointment With God: Some Thoughts on Holy Communion. Phillips is best known for his interpretive translation of the New Testament. He was an Anglican priest so I knew I would have some differences with him on this topic, but I have appreciated his writing ability …