This meal teaches us how to prepare for hardship. Recent years have seen unprecedented loss of freedoms in this land. From the increasing socialization of medicine and education and the economy to emergency orders, shut downs, and now medical mandates. Many people wonder what comes next. Many people who lived through the early 20th century will tell you that all of this seems eerily familiar. Totalitarianism is the politicization of everything – everything is in principle under the State.
And the obvious question that arises is: What should we do? What should we do to prepare? What should we do to resist? The Christian faith was made for these moments. It was made for times like this. How? Well, the first Christians lived in the Roman Empire, where pagan notions of freedom and justice reigned. And in just over 300 years, the empire was beginning to profess faith in Christ. How did that happen? It happened by Christians simply living as Christians. They gathered for worship faithfully, even when it was illegal. They were honest in their business dealings, and they worked hard to provide for their own families as well as any in the church who were hard up. They confessed their sins and forgave one another quickly. They kept their marriage vows, and they earnestly taught their children the faith. They were ready to do good and show mercy to all, to the sick and elderly, even their enemies.
But above all, they were ready to die for the faith, ready to lose anything and everything for the sake of Christ. Why? Because of the love of Christ proclaimed here at this table. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that God loved us and sent His Son for us. How can you prepare for what’s coming? Grow in this love. Meditate on this love. While were still enemies, Christ died for us. This love worships. This love works. This love forgives. This love dies. And this love can never die.
So come and welcome to Jesus Christ.
Photo by Gene Gallin on Unsplash
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