Sermon Reflection: Series on First Corinthians - Sermon #8 "Food, Idols, and The Greater Good"

At first glance this past Sunday’s Scriptures look to not apply to our lives today. We do not have temples to idols after all. It was a real problem in Corinth. Often times, temple festivals were holidays and the feast was thrown for the city. People would come to these festivals and for some it was the only time they ate meat because of its expense.

In addition to this, temples were the civic organizations of the day. You might go down to the temple of Hera to network with other business leaders. There were some Corinthians who thought (wrongly) that there was nothing wrong with eating meat sacrificed to other gods since they knew there was one God.

Saint Paul points out that their “knowledge” has hardened their hearts to their brothers (1 Cor. 8:11). Some new Christians who were raised pagan could not divorce the idea of idolatry from eating meat. Saint Paul makes the point that a Christian must not just care about the reality of eating meat sacrificed to idols (on which their thinking is in error by the way) but also a Christian must think about how his actions affect his brothers and sisters. While 1 Cor. 8:13 makes is clear that we cannot cause someone else to lose salvation, we never want to push someone down the path to apostasy out of hardness of heart.

To listen to the sermon from Sunday please visit here…
https://soundcloud.com/lakewood-anglican/9-9-18-series-on-first-corinthians-sermon-8-the-greater-good

Holy Week: Maundy Thursday

Read: Mark 14:12-23

The Passover with the Disciples

12 And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 13 And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, 14 and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” 16 And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
17 And when it was evening, he came with the twelve. 18 And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” 19 They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?” 20 He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. 21 For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”
Institution of the Lord's Supper
22 And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

The Upper Room

The room in which Jesus and his disciples ate the Passover meal as his Last Supper is called both a “guest room” (Mark 14:14; Luke 22:11) and a “large upper room” (Mark 14:15; Luke 22:12). Most homes, whether large or small, typically had a room used to receive or entertain guests. Such rooms were located toward the front of the building so that guests need not enter the more private quarters of the home.

This particular guest room was a large room upstairs, likely with a view. From the description it seems Jesus’ meal was eaten in a large compound, perhaps similar to the mansions of wealthy people found in archaeological excavations in the southern part of the Old City of Jerusalem. These excavated mansions included large upper rooms decorated with frescoed walls and stuccoed ceilings and furnished with elegant tables and utensils.

A disputed church tradition dating to the fifth century AD places Jesus’ Last Supper in the Cenacle. This room is in a building located on the highest part of the hill that made up the southwest quarter of first-century Jerusalem. Today this location is called Mount Zion (not to be confused with the Mount Zion of David’s time) and is outside the Old City walls. A floor in this building, as well as a portion of its exterior southern wall, dates to Roman times, perhaps as early as the first century AD. Its “upper room,” a popular spot for pilgrims, is in the Gothic style and dates to a reconstruction in 1335. The same site is also associated with Pentecost and with David’s burial.
*Historical material from the ESV Study Bible Online

Meditation from Fr. Sean

Jesus and his disciples gather to celebrate Passover - the Feast Celebrating how God sent the angel of death to kill all the first-born children and livestock of the Egyptians in Exodus as a judgement and punishment for their enslavement of Israel. But the blood of a lamb was smeared on the door of the Jews and therefore the angel of death "passed over" them. (See Exodus 12 for more details.) Jesus takes this ancient rite of the Jews and completes it and refashions it. Rather than a lamb's body and blood he offers his own body and blood as the way to save those who believe in Him from death and eternal death - hell. This New Covenant's sign would be known as Holy Communion or The Lord's Supper. We celebrate it weekly to remember just how much Jesus loves us. The events of the following day would show that he meant what he said when he said, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). As we gather tonight at our Maundy Thursday Service at 7:30p.m. let us hold in mind all that this service means to us.

Let us Pray.
Almighty Father, whose most dear Son, on the night before he suffered, instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we may receive it in thankful remembrance of Jesus Christ our Savior, who in these holy mysteries gives us a pledge of eternal life; and who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Advent Meditation: Certainty of (and in) the End

By: Fr. Sean Templeton

How do I really set priorities in my life? What do I see as the necessary things? What are the important things? Who are the important people? How do I spend my time? How does my certainty in Jesus' return change my view of life? Is it close enough in my mind?

Scripture

28 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, eat the very gates. 30 fTruly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 31 gHeaven and earth will pass away, but hmy words will not pass away.
No One Knows That Day or Hour
32 “But concerning that day or that hour, ino one knows, not even the angels in heaven, jnor the Son, kbut only the Father. 33 lBe on guard, mkeep awake.1 For you do not know when the time will come. (Mark 13:28-33)

 

Scripture Union Meditation

We should be convinced of the certainty of Jesus’ return, as certain as the budding of the fig tree announces summer. The signs of verses 5–23 will happen in the lifetime of those listening (30) and continue throughout history. They are not, however, to be taken as asserting that the coming is immediate. The phrase “is near, right at the door” (29) “must be taken to mean that the end is sure, not that the end can be plotted in time” (Larry Hurtado). The certainty is underlined further by the enduring nature of Jesus’ words (31).
Assurance must never breed complacency... (Scripture Union)

 

Reflections

If you are like me, you have what I like to call "fleeting moments of mortality." I suspect that I am not the only one. These are moments when you realize that you are a bit older today than yesterday. You think, "that ache is new" or "what did I do yesterday to bring this on"? I had one of those moments last week sitting at the doctor's office. There I sat. As the automated blood pressure cuff squeezed my arm periodically, I had around 5 minutes of silence to myself. 

At first I busied myself with the things on the wall: the diplomas of the doctor, the certifications from the state board. I looked at the years and could not help but to think about my first visit to the doctor regarding blood pressure. Then I got to thinking about my mortality. None of us live forever on this earth. I hope that I am not yet to the mid-point of my life, but what if I am closer to the end than the beginning? Am ignoring the certainty of the end? As Christians we trust in Jesus for the next life and - of course - this is warranted. After all, he promises "I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2). But then I got to thinking, "Am I really convinced of Jesus' return or is it some nice comfortably distant future event?" As I was thinking on this the doctor came and stopped that train of thought. This meditation brought me back to it.

Sometimes, the things of the Bible can seem so remote. It can seem like a distant reality at best, but in reality it is the imminent and present reality. Jesus asks us to "be alert" in the Mark passage above. What does that mean? How does that interrupt my daily routine? I think part of it is living more with the certainty of his presence and return than the "certainty" of daily life. How do we keep the right perspective?  This Advent I continue to strive to be alert to Jesus' reality of my mortality and Jesus' return in daily life. In short, I want to be certain of and in the end.  Will you join me?

Advent Meditation: Wrong Theology and Dealing with Pain

By: Fr. Sean Templeton

I am generally a happy guy. It is true that I and often dissatisfied and frustrated, but I think "good-natured" is a descriptor few would argue with. For some reason I have been more troubled this Advent than in year past. Perhaps there is more suffering around me in the parish this year? Perhaps I am just more aware. I want to share a meditation from the Scripture Union which is a site that I use from time-to-time in my prayer life. As an Advent discipline, I want to interact with these meditations on this blog with the hope it is also helpful to you.
This reflection is on Psalm 88 which begins:

I       cry out day and night before you.
2     Let my prayer come before you;
       incline your ear to my cry!
3     For my soul is full of troubles (Psalm 88)

Scripture Union Meditation

"Christians can interpret despair and hopelessness as a lack of faith, but if we expect people to be positive all of the time then their grief cannot be processed. Suppressing anguish only drives unresolved pain deeper. If Israel used this psalm in liturgy, we can also learn that crying and sitting in pain with a sufferer has a place in the worship of God. Instead of a taboo there is openness; instead of stigma, acceptance.
The psalmist’s despair is not simply self-pity. Although he accuses God of causing his suffering, he paradoxically knows him as the one who saves (1). His questions (10–12) suggest that he has not forgotten God’s character. He is the God of “wonders,” a word associated with his powerful acts of salvation in the Exodus (Exod. 15:11). He is the God of “[covenant] love” and “faithfulness” (Exod. 34:6,7; Deut. 32:4). The psalmist does not experience these things, yet he holds on to a knowledge of God attested by God’s people. He is left in darkness, yet he has not given up talking to him." (Scripture Union Meditation)

My Reflection

I have to say that I have had a lot of experience with people who think that grief should be suppressed. If I am honest, I can be one of the people who participates in this. In my experience part of this is due to the false idea that the meditation cites viz. that Christians should not be negative. But if I am honest, I find myself limited by my own inability to deal with lament or grief emotionally. I want to fix it things. I find others' grief overpowering and sometimes paralyzing. But I know as a Christian and - certainly as a priest - I have to mourn with those who mourn. How can I better do this?

I think the above meditation holds and answer. Bringing grief before God, I can use the Psalms to cry out to him on my own behalf and on behalf of others. I can realize that these things are over-powering and yet the burden is Jesus' not my own. And if I am routinely crying out to him and emptying my soul, perhaps I can be of better use to those around me. This Advent we all look to Jesus' return. How can we better help each other be honest in the pain we carry? Is it as simple as crying out to a God who cares? "Come Lord Jesus."