Reformation Sunday 2009

On this Reformation Sunday we are talking about Christ and what he intends for us to
understand and enjoy in partaking of the Lordʼs Supper/Communion/Eucharist. Christians differ
in their understanding and practice of the Lordʼs Supper. There is a range of approaches that
we could call Historical on one end and Mystical on the other. Among evangelicals, Zwingli and
Calvinʼs views are the most common.

Historical Mystical

Zwingli Calvin/ Luther Roman Catholic

Baptist/ Reformed “This is priestly actions/words
Evangelical ”real My transform elements into
“historical/ spiritual Body” Christʼs Body and Blood
memorial” presence”

Historical view - This approach was championed by an early Swiss Reformer named Ulrich
Zwingli. He would emphasize Christʼs insistence that we “do this in remembrance of me.” What
is done around the table is a commemoration of Christʼs death in the past and his future return.
In most evangelical and baptist churches this is the emphasis regarding the Lordʼs Supper.

Calvin/”real presence” view - Calvinʼs approach (which is our understanding of Scriptureʼs

teaching) was to view what we do at the table as a communion with Christ by faith. He has
offered (as we have seen in John 6) himself to his people. The way we grasp Christ and what
he is and has done for us on the cross and in his resurrection and ascension is by faith. We are
trusting that he is real and true and meets with us. This idea comes from 1 Corinthians 10:16:

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of

Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?

This word translated as “participation” is the word koinonia, the Greek word for fellowship. When
we take the bread and wine believing Jesus has died for our sins and lives for us, we are
actually fellowshipping with him in that moment. He is really present with us and our faith is
being fed, strengthened, and lifted up to heaven where Jesus is seated at Godʼs right hand.
This is definitely mystical but is intensely practical for building our faith, as we believe that what
he did on the Cross is now part of our lives and has brought us cleansing and fellowship with
God. Calvin was a man of many words but when it came to explaining the Lordʼs Supper he
had this to say: “I experience it better than I can explain it.” When he did attempt to explain it,
he spent most of his time quoting and unpacking John 6 and Jesusʼs words: I am the bread of
life.

As we look to Jesus in faith and gather in celebration at the Table, we are feeding our faith,
celebrating our unity, and proclaiming the Good News to ourselves and the world. We have
God the Father, the Son and the Spirit to thank for this beautiful means of experiencing his
grace.
This month we will begin to follow the order that we have been covering in our Renewed
Worship series. One way to understand what is going on in worship is to think in terms of
MOVEMENTS (like a symphony) and COMPONENTS

Movements Components Actions

Glory Call to Worship Call to Worship

Confession/Absolution Confess, Listen, Believe,

Receive Forgiveness

Wisdom Consecration Songs, Prayers, Scripture,

Preaching

Life Communion Lordʼs Table

Offering Tithes and Offerings

Commissioning Announcements,
Benediction

One thing that this flow of worship does for us is that it keeps us responsive to Godʼs
Word and Presence. It is no longer divided into Singing (active) and Preaching
(passive). All of this is a thankful interplay, a dance even, between God and his people
enjoying a day of Rest and Feasting. Our faith tradition (Protestant, Reformed,
Presbyterian) has tended to view worship in very intellectual terms (lecture hall with
singing) rather than a banquet hall that emphasizes the truth that God is gathering his
covenant family and is serving them with things that cleanse, confirm his promises, and
delight our senses and feed our faith. Each week we will experience all of these
components since they are Godʼs way of showing us his glory, filling us with his wisdom,
and sharing his life with us, in giving us Jesus the Bread of Life and then using us in his
mission through giving and sending us out as his emissaries to a world that he is
renewing.

Resources:

Lecture Hall or Banquet Hall PCA Conversations with Bill Boyd at http://
tinyurl.com/6o6ldf

John Calvin Institutes of the Christian Religion Book IV.5 (available free at
www.ccel.org)

Jeff Myers The Lordʼs Service Moscow, ID: Canon Press.