COMMUNION!

In the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites are the Luther memorials at Wittenberg, where the Protestant Reformation officially commenced. The Stadtkirche (Town Church) at Wittenberg is one such prominent site, and there I am at one of its doors. This Late Gothic church dates back to the 13th century. One of the treasures in this church is a painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472–1523) depicting the Lord’s Supper. The faces of Martin Luther and other Reformers are clearly recognized in the work, officiating and participating in the ordinance.

The subject of this painting is particularly striking for 16th century Christianity and especially for the Stadtkirche. Until the Reformation, in the Catholic tradition, only the bread was served to the public; the wine was withheld from the congregation, a position reaffirmed in the Catholic Council of Trent, 1545–1563. It was Luther who spearheaded the movement to restore to the people of God both the elements of the Lord’s Supper. And it was at the Stadtkirche at Wittenberg that, for the first time in over a millennium, believers in that part of the world partook of both the bread and the cup.

… the Lord Jesus
in the night in which
He was betrayed took bread;
and when He had given thanks,
He broke it, and said,
“This is My body,
which is for you;
do this in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way
He took the cup also,
after supper, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant
in My blood;
do this, as often as
you drink it,
in remembrance of Me.”
1 Corinthians 11:23–25

This was a dramatic statement by Luther and his cohort, overturning what had been church dogma for centuries. This was a fresh reading of the New Testament. This was a demonstration of the Reformers’ willingness to challenge what they saw was unscriptural. This was a return to biblical forms of worship and church practice. This was an act of submission to the Word of God and the Spirit of God: a restoration and re-institution in its proper form of an essential practice of the Christian church—the Lord’s Supper, established by our Lord Himself.

“Do this in remembrance of Me.”
For as often
as you eat this bread
and drink this cup,
you proclaim the Lord’s death
until He comes.
1 Corinthians 11:24, 26

This ancient ritual, an enacted sermon, gazes both back and forward. It is anamnestic (a recollection of the past): the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ that paid for our sins, that saves all who believe.

But God demonstrates
His own love toward us,
in that while
we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8

The Lord’s Supper is also proleptic (an anticipation of the future): the return of Jesus Christ, in Person, one day … soon.

For the Lord Himself
will descend from heaven
with a shout, …
and the dead in Christ
will rise first.
Then we who are alive
and remain will be caught up
together with them
in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air,
and so we shall always be
with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:16–17

And we who live between those two points in history, in the “already … but not yet”, celebrate—yes, celebrate, with zest and gusto!—the Lord’s Supper. With thankfulness for what our God has already done in Christ. With assurance of what He is going to do in Christ. Salvation has “begun”; salvation will soon be “complete”. The Lord’s Supper underscores our conviction of those wonderful truths.

Partake with joy!

DISCIPLESHIP!

The Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (Berlin State Library) contains one of the most extensive collections of the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. A friend and I were at that library a few months ago. (The picture is of a Bonhoeffer bust that was on display at there.)

The son of a prominent psychiatrist in Berlin, and uncle to the conductor, Christoph von Dohnányi, Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–1945) received his doctorate in theology at the age of 21. This German Lutheran pastor was strongly opposed to Nazism all along and was involved in establishing the Confessing Church, an alliance of resisting Christians. The Gestapo banned him, first from preaching, then from teaching, and finally from public speaking altogether. That, however, didn’t cause Bonhoeffer to balk or blink. In fact, he was part of a conspiracy involving several high-ranking military officers keen on overthrowing Hitler. For all his “insurrections”, including rendering aid to Jews in their escape from Germany, Bonhoeffer ended up at the concentration camp at Flossenbürg. There he was hanged by the direct order of Himmler, the ruthless head of the Gestapo, on April 9, 1945, just days before that camp was liberated by the Allied troops.

Few men of this century have understood better the inevitability of suffering than Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Bonhoeffer wrote this memorable line in his book The Cost of Discipleship: “When Christ calls a man, He bids him come … and die!”

In one of the preaching classes I’m teaching this semester, students are required to preach portions of the Gospel of Mark. I found it remarkable how that Gospel echoes the sentiment voiced by Bonhoeffer. “Come … and die,” bids Christ. In fact, all of Mark is a journey that begins at Galilee and ends in Jerusalem. A death march! And Christ calls …

“Follow me!”
Mark 1:14

An entire section of Mark, from 2:1 to 3:6 outlines the escalating opposition sure to accompany such a journey of discipleship. This does not promise to be an easy hike for us: the believer is not called in order to experience a painless and pressure-less and thorn-less and trauma-less ride to heaven. We are, instead, asked to be in the will of God, faithful and fearless, in the face of all opposition.

“For whoever does
the will of God,
he is My brother
and sister and mother.”
Mark 3:35

And for the follower, the disciple, of Christ, the requirements are clear.

“If anyone wishes
to come after Me,
let him deny himself,
and take up his cross,
and follow Me.”
Mark 8:34

Mark’s Gospel takes pains to point us to the Savior who modeled this sacrificial life, as He, in servant fashion, paid for our sins.

“Whoever wishes to
become great among you
shall be your servant ….
For even the Son of Man
did not come to be served,
but to serve, and to
give His life
a ransom for many.”
Mark 10:43, 45

To our God, therefore, we owe all.

“Render to Caesar
the things that are Caesar’s
[that bear his image],
and to God
the things that are God’s
[that bear His image].
Mark 12:17

Our all.

“And you shall love
the Lord your God
with all your heart,
and with all your soul,
and with all your mind,
and with all your strength.”
Mark 12:30

And soon thereafter, in Mark, a poor widow gives to God all that she had, while another woman acknowledges the inestimable value of Christ by pouring out her all at Jesus feet (Mark 12:41–44; 14:1–9).

What will we disciples do? When Christ calls a man, a woman, He bids them come … and die!

WORKS!

Getreidegasse no. 9, in Salzburg, is where the Mozart family lived from 1747 to 1773. Wolfgang Amadeus, the most notable of that clan, was born here on January 27, 1756: Mozarts Geburtshaus. Today those rooms house the Mozart Museum, maintained and managed by the Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum (International Mozart Foundation). Among the fascinating exhibits are Mozart’s violins, his clavichord, his pianoforte, numerous portraits, and the correspondence of the Mozart family. But what caught my attention was the massive pile of that eminent maestro’s works: every note he had inscribed was there—nicely bound, impressively stacked, securely protected. Every note. (All of which aforementioned notes can now also be located online here.) But an online assemblage of notes, while perhaps more useful, is not as impressive as the 6+ feet-tall anthology of his compositions. Sacred music, theatrical pieces, orchestral works, songs, concertos, chamber music, piano music, and on and on …. Prodigious. Prolific. Plentiful. That was one productive dude! And all in 35 years of life in the 18th century.

No question Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Amadeus (Theophilus) Mozart was one of a kind. No doubt his musical genius is not the common intellectual heft that most of us bear. Rarely, if ever, will that kind of productivity (and artistic quality) be matched. Nevertheless, that stack of volumes made me think.

I could not help but wonder what the assessment of the Divine Accountant auditing my earthly works would be when I stand before Him one day.

So then each one of us will give
an account of himself to God.
Romans 14:12

While there is no condemnation for those who have placed their trust in Christ as Savior, this accounting before God will be a necessary process for the disbursement of rewards, the Bible declares.

For we must all appear before
the judgment seat of Christ,
so that each one may be
recompensed for his deeds
in the body,
according to what he has done,
whether good or bad.
2 Corinthians 5:10

What those rewards will be, I care not to speculate. That there is some sort of testing and affirmation of the quality of our work on earth, it seems clear.

… the fire itself will test
the quality of each one’s work.
If any one’s work
which he has built on
[the foundation of Christ] remains,
he will receive a reward.
1 Corinthians 3:13

Perhaps the most joyful words subsequent to that inspection will be those from the parable Jesus taught. Will we hear Him say …

“Well done, good and faithful slave.
You were faithful with a few things,
I will put you in charge
of many things;
enter into the joy of your master.”
Matthew 25:23

This concept of rewards is, of course, not designed to induce mercenary motives in us. In fact, the good works we perform are those that God Himself prepared for us to undertake.

For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus
for good works,
which God prepared beforehand
so that we would walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10

And they are performed solely in the power of Christ through the Spirit. As Paul affirmed:

I have been crucified with Christ;
and it is no longer I who live,
but Christ lives in me.
Galatians 2:20

Nothing, therefore, to boast about in “our” works. Nonetheless, they are an incentive to serve God diligently and devotedly.

With good will render service,
as to the Lord, and not to men,
knowing that whatever
good thing each one does,
this he will receive back
from the Lord ….
Ephesians 6:7

May we be faithful!

STEADFAST!

From the days of King Henry VIII until 1837, St. James’s Palace in London was the official residence of the British monarch. Today, St. James’s continues to be a functional palace, the station of the Royal Court. The palace is not accessible to the public, but the main entrance off Pall Mall is. And therein lies the fascination of St. James’s. You see, while guards from the Queen’s Household Division—the country’s most elite and historically significant units that undertake ceremonial and protective functions directly associated with the Head of State—can be seen at three other official buildings, St. James’s is where they are the most approachable. You can see the changing of the guards, with its intricate and formalized rituals up close. You can even walk right up to the guards. Many do. I did.

Unlike most others, I didn’t make faces at those guards while posing for photos, or try to get them to smile or speak. (OK, I did say “Hi!” to the guy.) Short of making physical contact, for which you are liable to get arrested, you can try all you want to elicit a response. But you know what? No matter what you attempt to engage them in, those sentries on duty won’t even turn a hair or utter a word or even acknowledge your presence. If they weren’t blinking, they might as well have been borrowed for the guard shift from Madame Tussaud’s. Immovable. Unshakeable. Steadfast.

Believers, too, are also called to be as steadfast, in the face of all external trouble, turmoil, and tumult. Of the upright and righteous, it is said:

He will not fear evil tidings;
His heart is steadfast,
trusting in the LORD.
Psalm 112:7

No, not even the wiles of the evil one, should cause consternation.

Though Satan should buffet,
Though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded
my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood
for my soul.
Horatio G. Spafford, 1873

And it is this salvation accomplished, yielding the hope and assurance of an eternity with Christ, that lends to us steadfastness.

This hope we have
as an anchor of the soul,
a hope both sure and steadfast.
Hebrews 6:19

Rooted in Christ, we remain immovable, firm, and secure.

Therefore as you have received
Christ Jesus the Lord,
so walk in Him,
having been firmly rooted
and now being built up in Him
and established in your faith ….
Colossians 2:6–7

And this steadfastness and rootedness—this walk of faith in the Lord—is the font of immeasurable peace.

The steadfast of mind
You will keep in perfect peace,
Because he trusts in You.
Isaiah 26:3

For this God is our refuge.

He only is my rock
and my salvation,
my stronghold;
I shall not be greatly shaken.
Psalm 62:2

Of course, this steadfastness is not torpid stagnation, nor this rootedness irresolute paralysis. It is an active immovability! Steadfast and immovable against all counterinfluences, and steadfast in, and immovable from, the work of the Lord.

… thanks be to God,
who gives us the victory through
our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brethren,
be steadfast, immovable,
always abounding
in the work of the Lord,
knowing that your toil
is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:57–58

Not in vain, for this steadfast and immovable labor will be rewarded one day. Christ promised:

“Behold, I am coming quickly,
and My reward is with Me,
to render to everyone
according to what he has done.”
Revelation 22:12

Stand fast. Steadfast!

CONTROL!

Sometime ago, I had the (ahem!) delight of driving on the Bundesautobahn (BAB) (Federal Motorway)—aka the Autobahn—in Germany. Driving a rental Mercedes to traipse round that country—twice!—remains one of the high points of my recent European sojourn.

The German autobahns are historically important for being the world’s first restricted-access, high-speed road network, opening in 1935 with an artery connecting Frankfurt to Darmstadt. With a total network length of about 7,500 miles, the BAB is the third longest in the world, behind the Interstate Highway System of the USA and the National Trunk Highway System of China. But unique—and fascinating for many!—is the fact that these German highways are the few of the public road systems in the world that do not have speed limits for cars and motorbikes.

Hence the photograph. But honestly, we weren’t going fast enough! Puttering along at a humble 128 mph, we were outzipped by intemperate Porsches and licentious Ferraris. Incidentally, a recent study by the German Interior Ministry demonstrated that the accident records of such roads were comparable with those of roads with speed limits. Be that as it may, 128 mph was good enough for me; beyond that, I lost my nerve. There was a tangible feeling that things were out of control around those speeds—at least for me.

I’m content with knowing that the earth (with me on it) is hurtling around the sun at about 67,000 mph. I am not compelled to floor the gas pedal of my car in addition. And at those speeds we are completely out of control. We can’t do a thing about our planetary motion. Our translocations in time and space are way beyond our ken and absolutely beyond our governance!

But not for God. Thankfully, He is in control.

In Him we live and move and exist ….
Acts 17:28

We subsist in Him, and God’s providence—His continual involvement with His creation— maintains all things in existence.

He is before all things,
and in Him
all things hold together.
Colossians 1:17

There is nothing outside the control of God’s sovereignty.

The LORD has established
His throne in the heavens,
and His sovereignty rules over all.
Psalm 103:19

Even the affairs of mankind.

The mind of a person
plans his way,
but the LORD directs his steps.
Proverbs 16:9

Everything moves to fulfill His will.

He works all things
after the counsel of His will.
Ephesians 1:11

God’s council, none can overturn; His purposes, none can thwart.

For the LORD of hosts
has planned,
and who can frustrate it?
And as for His
stretched-out hand,
who can turn it back?
Isaiah 14:27

Indeed, without finitude to His power, without the limitations of time, space, or extent of any kind …

The counsel of the LORD
stands forever.
Psalms 33:11

He is the Pantocrator, the Almighty.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,”
says the Lord God,
“who is and who was
and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Revelation 1:8

What a relief! When we lose our grip on things (often), when our frailties and incapacities threaten to overwhelm (daily), when we come face to face with our mortality (without fail, soon), there is One on the throne! And He is for us, for His children, believers in Christ Jesus.

If God is for us,
who is against us?
Romans 8:31

Praise God! The Almighty is in control!

For from Him and through Him
and to Him are all things.
To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
Romans 11:36

And “Amen!”