It was so good to be in church today. Since we were snowed in last week, it had been two weeks since we were in church. It was truly good to be in God's house today.
And I was very happy to find that the Exodus series is not over. This morning's sermon was from Exodus 12:43-51, where God gives instructions about who should be included in observing the Passover. Our pastor pointed out that there is a correspondence between circumcision and the Passover and baptism and the Lord's Supper.
God commanded that all of Israel should celebrate the Passover, and the church today celebrates the Passover in its reality. The central theme of these sacraments is the redemptive work of God through sacrifice. The Passover was to be a feast that never stops--for all generations. So in the Lord's Supper, we celebrate Christ, the substance of the Passover. Israel's release from Egypt was but a shadow of our being released from our sin, the true Exodus.
Our pastor noted that sojourners and hired, uncircumcised servants were excluded from participating in the Passover. People do not have a right to the Passover simply because they are present. This is why our elders guard the table. God has established a standard regarding those who may come. The pattern of Exodus 12, which sets forth restrictions regarding who may participate in the Passover, is the pattern for our church. Baptism and a profession of faith are necessary before one can take part in the Lord's Supper. He pointed out, though, that when a person meets the requirements, he or she should no longer be regarded as a sojourner. We should not be apologetic for practicing closed communion; to have closed communion is not to exclude--it is to make inclusion more significant and meaningful.
3 comments:
Did he say close or closed communion, Annette? There is a difference. I'm not exactly what the difference is. I remember reading about it some time ago. And by close, I mean it as opposite of far.
This sermon would be a good one for either preparatory services (the week prior, for those of you who don't know what that is), or a communion sermon itself. The URC church I attend celebrated the supper today, and he used Lords Days 5 & 6, along with a passage in one of the minor prophets (I can't remember which one offhand. I don't have the bulletin here with me).
Thanks for this, Annette! What was his sermon on in the evening?\
Dave
Dave,
He said "closed" communion. And the afternoon sermon was very good as well; it was from Lord's Day 51.
The question always is asked to us, "What do you do with the sermon that was just preached? Do you take it with you and discuss it? Or do you just listen to it and leave it in the pew?" And you do the former, Annette. I do the same thing, by posting excerpts to a few yahoo discussion forums.
Ah! He preached on the second-to-last petition of the Lord's Prayer (Forgive us our debts).
Dave
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