I
assume I’m addressing believers now who are mature. Draw your own conclusions:
When we drink the cup of blessing, aren’t we taking into ourselves the blood,
the very life, of Christ? And isn’t it the same with the loaf of bread we break
and eat? Don’t we take into ourselves the body, the very life, of Christ? Because
there is one loaf, our many-ness becomes one-ness—Christ doesn’t become
fragmented in us. Rather, we become unified in him. We don’t reduce Christ to
what we are; he raises us to what he is. That’s basically what happened even in
old Israel—those who ate the sacrifices offered on God’s altar entered into
God’s action at the altar.
Do
you see the difference? Sacrifices offered to idols are offered to nothing, for
what’s the idol but a nothing? Or worse than nothing, a minus, a demon! I don’t
want you to become part of something that reduces you to less than yourself.
And you can’t have it both ways, banqueting with the Master one day and
slumming with demons the next. Besides, the Master won’t put up with it. He
wants us—all or nothing. Do you
think you can get off with anything less? –
The Message –
* * * * *
* * * *
We’ve
heard the term “creating God in our own
image”. We all do it. It’s like the pull of gravity. And, we’re all subject
to the laws of nature. Human nature, too...
It’s
most evident by the hermeneutic gymnastics we use to justify our lives. We don’t
approach God’s word anticipating benefit. We ignore God’s word in the
expectation that it will simply get in the way of things. And…if we even bother…we
are prepared to explain how God’s word “doesn’t
mean what it says”.
Paul says when (we) see people reducing God to something they can use
or control, get out of their company as fast as (we) can.
Paul
also provides a key to get out of this rut. The picture of the Eucharist is a
picture of God joining us. He joins us to “lift
us up” to Himself, not lower Himself to our level. Even more…everybody who faithfully
partakes of the Lords’ Supper experiences the same thing.
So,
don’t simply run “from” those folks
who create God in their own image If we do, we simply find ourselves alone. Run
“to” those who are journeying toward
the image of God. In the company of these saints we will find power and truth.
But,
how do we know who we should “run to?” Here’s another key: Find the people who
refuse to live the Christian life at the lowest common denominator. Find the
ones who aren’t willing to pollute their lives with extraneous things that, while
not sinful, are not helping our journey toward God.
Hmmm.
I’ve got some work to do.
Live boldly out there today…
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