Give it All

Give it All:

Yesterday my home church observed the Lord’s Supper. In Protestant church circles the Lord’s Supper might be considered comparable to Communion in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions. One of the basic theological differences between Roman Catholic theology and Protestant theology is the understanding of the “nature” of the “elements” (viz. the bread and wine/juice) at the Lord’s Supper / communion.

What is meant by the “nature” of the elements is this: in the Roman Catholic tradition it is believed the elements (bread and wine) are transformed into the literal body and blood of Christ (search “transubstantiation”), while in Protestant traditions it is typically believed that the elements (bread and wine/juice) somehow exist along with Christ (search “consubstantiation”), but they are merely symbolic.

The “nature of the elements” is a major point of contention between Roman Catholic and Protestant theologians, but it seems that both camps are in error here. Why?

First of all, in John 17:23, Jesus prayed for the unity of His Bride in saying to the Father:

I am in them and You are in Me.

May they be made completely one,

so the world may know You have sent Me

and have loved them as You have loved Me.

Wherever contention, dissension, factions, and disunity exist there is no accord with Christ. It seems odd that churches everywhere, proclaiming the name of Jesus as LORD, highlight, feature, and herald their particular denominational “badge of honor” over something Jesus vehemently prayed for and gave Himself up for - the UNITY, purity, and testimony of His Bride.

It seems the source of discord among churches might be traced back to a simple misunderstanding. In Luke 22:19-20 we read something like this (depending on the translation), “And having taken the bread, and having given thanks, He broke it and gave to them, saying, ‘This is My body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.’”

Let’s look at a few of important details:

1) In verse 19, Jesus does not say that His body was broken (ἔκλασεν) for us, but rather that it is given (διδόμενον) for us. When we “break bread together” the “breaking” is for the purpose of sharing within the context of community. The emphasis here is not on the breaking of bread, but what Jesus willingly did with His life and body - “This is My body, which is given for you…”

2) In verse 20, Jesus tells His friends “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” In the same way that His body/life was freely and graciously given for us, Jesus demonstrates that His blood/life was about to be poured out for us at the Cross.

3) Jesus provides us with one imperative, “Do this in remembrance of Me.” Jesus in not instructing us to merely participate in a symbolic recreation of “The Last Supper.” The power of Christ is NOT manifest in our lives through symbolic ceremony, but rather through yieldedness and obedience. The most immediate verb to Jesus imperative, “Do this in remembrance of Me,” is διδόμενον, “to give.” Jesus was not instructing us to reenact the Lord’s Supper (i.e. liturgy). Jesus was not providing us with fuel for petty squabbles over insignificant theological doctrine (trans vs. consubstantiation). Rather, Jesus was imploring us to follow His divine example in GIVING ourselves freely to the Father’s will in order that the power of the Holy Spirit to be manifest in our lives, i.e. to GIVE up our entitlements, our autonomy, and our sin craving for independence, so that we might have life and have it abundantly.

The exclusive imperative is (διδόμενον) to GIVE. Since Jesus knew/knows that we are short-cut, “path of least resistance,” and sin-riddled folk, He made it abundantly clear regarding what He meant: GIVE yourselves up freely. Jesus then made it abundantly clear regarding the EXTENT to which we are to GIVE: “In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.’” Jesus held nothing back. Our LORD was literally (ἐκχυννόμενον) poured out for us at Calvary.

Jesus gave us simple (not easy) instructions. We have twisted and perverted them beyond recognition. Countless Christian communities across the globe participate in the Lord’s Supper or Communion every week, but how many of us truly obediently and faithfully follow Jesus’ clear imperative: “Do this in remembrance of me?”

Does participating in a symbolic reenactment produce yieldedness? Does eating a wafer and drinking some form of grape juice transform us? Does it transform our neighbors, coworkers, and families? Or does it seem more like a magical ceremony of passivity?

Oswald Chambers once said, “You cannot do anything for your salvation, but you must do something to manifest it. You must work out what God has worked in.” That “something” is give it all to and for Christ.

Symbols are subject to interpretation. Jesus’ commands are not. Jesus not only gave His life, but He willingly and freely poured it out for us. Jesus implores, commands, and requires we do the same - not out of some malicious or sadistic sense of revenge, but that we would not be deceived. In Matthew 6:24 we read, “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.’”

Ordinances, sacraments, and symbols are for insiders. Christianity was never meant to be an exclusive club for insiders. Genesis 12:3 gives us a clear insight into the heart, mind, and mission of God, “...and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

Has God called you into the flock? Then what good are symbols, ceremony, and sacraments? In 1 Samuel 5, King Saul thought symbol, ceremony, and sacrifice would appease God Almighty despite his (Saul’s) blatant disregard for the LORD’s command to wait patiently. We do the very same thing day-in and day-out. We offer up token sacrifices to God Almighty while passively participating in magical ceremonies - then we have the audacity to ask Him to bless our autonomy, disobedience, and rebellion.

God’s response to us is the same as it was to King Saul, “To obey is better than sacrifice… For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you...”

Jesus’ imperative is for us to GIVE so freely and willingly that we are POURED OUT for God. Anything less reveals that we have rejected the word of the LORD.

What about you? Will you GIVE it all? Will you willingly and freely allow your life to be POURED OUT as a drink offering to the LORD in thanks for what He has done? Or will you go on celebrating symbols and ceremonies that do nothing to either UNIFY the Bride of Christ or REVEAL Christ to a lost and broken world?

“Do this in remembrance of Me.”

Will you get lost in the symbol & ceremony or will you give it all?

Blessings,

-Kevin M. Kelley

aMostUnlikelyDisicple.com