When the World Laughs

Our Christianity has the appearance of being an adjunct or an appendix to the rest of our lives, rather than the main theme and driving force of our existence. We seem to have a real horror of being different. Hence all our attempts and endevours to popularise the church and make it appeal to people. we seem to be trying to tell people that joining a church will not make them so very different after all.

The world expects Christians to be different and looks to him for something different, and therein shows an insight into his life that regular church-goers often miss. The churches organize whist-drives, bazaars, dramas, fetes and that sort of thing so as to attract people. We are becoming about as wily as the devil himself, but we really very bad at it; all our attempts are hopeless failures and the world laughs at us. Now, when the world persecutes the church, she is performing her real mission, but when the world laughs at her, she has lost her soul. And the world today is laughing at the church, laughing at her and her attempts to be nice and to make people feel at home. My friends, if you feel at home in any church without believing in Jesus as your personal saviour then that church is no church at all, but a place of entertainment or a social club. For the truth of Christianity and the preaching of the Gospel should make the church intolerable and uncomfortable to all except those who believe, and even they should go away feeling chastened and humbled.

Martin Lloyd-Jones, March 20th 1927. From a sermon on Hebrews 13:14

As we prepare for Sunday, are we putting more effort into making the truth known in our towns and cities, or into making sure we get a good crowd of people who feel like we are respectable members of their society? The above quote is not to say that guests are unwelcome at church, (obviously!) but that they shouldn't be comfortable, it shouldn't be like going to a coffee shop with their friends. Something of the almighty and eternal must be bought to be bare on their consciences, something of the unique hope in Christ, or we have failed. If communion, or baptism, or church membership or anything that marks a line between church and world teaches us anything, it is that, in the best way possible, there is no real belonging to a church, until you believe, and when you believe, everything changes.

What is Communion all about?

This Sunday evening at Trinity we'll be celebrating Communion together. I was recently challenged to help the young people in our Teen Group understand and appreciate the significance of the Lord's Supper, and why it should be such a joyful, sorrowful, challenging time for us. Wayne Grudem shares seven things that Communion is supposed to teach us of and remind us of:

1) Communion teaches us about the death of Christ. The bread and juice are object lessons that show us the broken body and shed blood of Jesus. This is why when we take part in Communion we are proclaiming the fact that Jesus died for us.

2) Communion teaches us about our participation in the benefits of Christ’s death. When we reach out our hand for the bread and juice, we’re saying that the benefits of Christ’s death are for us.

3) Communion teaches us about spiritual nourishment. Just as food nourishes our body, so communion nourishes our spirit. Spiritual refreshment only comes through Jesus. Remember in John 6 He said that we must eat His flesh and drink His blood? This is part of what He is talking about. Communion helps us to remember and celebrate the fact that Jesus has died for us, and that refreshes us.

4) Communion teaches us about the unity of believers. Paul says in 1 Cor 10:17 that we who share communion together are one body, though we are many. When we come together to celebrate this we remember that Jesus has not only died for me, given benefits for me, and nourished me, but also the person sitting next to me.

5) Communion is Jesus affirming His love for me. Jesus invites you, personally to come to eat and celebrate, because Jesus loves you, personally.

6) Communion is Jesus affirming that all the blessings of salvation are reserved for me. The invitation he gives is also an invitation to enjoy the blessings of salvation. Remember we said we reach out for them because we need them? Well communion reminds us that Jesus gives them to us!

7) Finally, in communion, we affirm our faith in Christ. As we take the bread and juice we’re saying, ‘Jesus, I need you, I need your broken body and shed blood if I am to be saved.’ We remember that our sins were the reason Jesus had to die, and we proclaim that He died willingly for us. Sorrow, joy and thanksgiving are mingled together as we celebrate communion.