Uprooting Our Idolatries

To introduce this topic I mention again that idolatry is part of every person's life, every community's life and every nation's life. In fact, the whole human race is involved in a struggle between worship of the living God and worship of dead idols. Worship is natural to the human condition. In the beginning man turned his worship away from God to a god-substitute by changing the truth about God into a lie and resorting to the worship of the creaturely. 

Christians cannot imagine that they are exempt from the ravages of idolatry (see 1 Cor 7.14; Col 3.5; 1 John 5.21). 

Idolatry involves putting our TRUST in something that is created which can never bear the load of our full trust. 

Only the Creator of all things seen and unseen is worthy of our trust.

How can our idolatries be uprooted?

First they are uprooted in principle by the powerful grace of the gospel to effect salvation 'to every one who has faith' (RSV)(Rom 1.16). For in the gospel of salvation is revealed how God 'rightwises' by faith 'first and last' (NIV, 1.17). Idolatry is dealt a mighty blow by the salvation of God as we read in 1 Thess 1.9 where members of a young church are commended for their turning to God from idols to serve 'the living and true God'. The sin of idolatry pervades the OT and also to a lesser extent the NT but more directed to Gentile believers.

The Grace of Repentance

Idolatries can't be completely uprooted in this life but they can be weakened and subverted by the grace of repentance. We repent when we first become Christians (Acts 2.38; 11.18) but repentance is a life-long practice which isn't just about specific sins but also about the idolatries that lie behind our sins.

The first part of repentance is receiving a word from the Lord about the nature of our idolatry. This revelation itself begins to break the power of the idolatry IF we accept it as the word of truth exposing our condition.

We all go to dentists and feel them poking and prodding around in our mouths to see if they can uncover decay. We hope against hope that they won't find the decay--at least, as a younger person that was always my wish--but unless the tooth decay is brought into the light, it will cause pain and suffering in the future.

Sometimes, the Holy Spirit can be likened to the divine dentist probing the health of our spiritual being to see 'if there be some wicked way in me' (Ps 139.23-24).

Second, we allow ourselves to see how our idolatry is ruining our lives before God. It robs us of greater intimacy with God when our hearts are whoring after other gods. We may come into God's manifest presence but our hearts are far from him (Isa 29.13; Mark 7.6).

Third, allow the Lord to give a true lamenting for our sins, a godly sorrow that works repentance (II Cor 7.10). Repentance is typified in the publican in Luke 18 who says while beating his breast, 'God be merciful to me a sinner' (Lu 18.13).

[4] Preparation For The Holy Communion

Participation in the Holy Communion (also known as The Eucharist, The Lord's Supper) is the sacrament offered in the service of Holy Communion. Anglicans gather around Word and Sacrament, two highlights of their churchly service to God.

The Nature of The Holy Communion

The Holy Communion is a contentious subject within Anglicanism (as it is in the broader Church itself) although to be an Anglican no one is required to accept a certain doctrine/practice concerning Holy Communion.

How the sacrament is viewed carries with it certain practices: for example, for an Anglo-Catholic who subscribes to the belief that the words of institution bring about a changing of the Communion elements into the actual body and blood of Christ, bowing or genuflecting to the aumbry (a small, lockable safe on the wall of the sanctuary) which holds the reserved sacrament (bread that has been blessed) is common.

Evangelicals, on the other hand, would rarely reserve the sacrament and do not usually bow to the reserved sacrament or the sacrament as newly consecrated, though practices will vary from person to person.

Anglicans regard the Communion as a sacrament, as a means of grace (and not just an ordinance or command Jesus gave us to remember his death). Some would say that the sacrament 'works' regardless of the heart of the recipient while others (notably Evangelicals) would contend that it conveys grace only through the medium of faith.

Preparation

This Preparation section §20-21 refers to each congregant taking time to prepare him/herself to take the Lord's Supper in response to Paul's call to 'eat in a worthy manner' (1 Cor 11.27-32). It's important that this latter phrase is emphasised because some have erred in not going forward because of believing that they are not worthy; but the Apostle's words have nothing to do with being worthy inherently but of partaking in a worthy fashion.

All Christians can only partake at His Table on the basis of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ AND because of His present advocacy on our behalf at the Father's right hand!

§20 A selection of sentences of Scripture (five are given as examples) may be used at this point (e.g., Matt 11.28; Jn 6.35; Jn 13.34; Mark 11.25; Jn 3.16) and any other suitable scriptures.

§21 Prayer of Preparation

This prayer is justly famous from the prayer books of 1548, 1549 and 1552, and then in the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) of 1662. It is also known as the Prayer of Humble Access. It is thoroughly reformed in its emphases on the Mercy of God and our trust in that mercy rather than our own goodness.

The notion of eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Jesus is based on John 6.53-68 but as Jesus pointed out his words were 'spirit and life' (i.e., spiritual life). We don't eat the actual flesh and drink the actual blood of Jesus but our feeding on Him is done 'in our hearts by faith with thanksgiving' (APBA, 1995, p. 142). A spiritual feeding on His words is what is meant.

We do not presume

to come to your table, merciful Lord,

trusting in our own righteousness,

but in your manifold and great mercies.

We are not worthy

so much as to gather up the crumbs under your table.

But you are the same Lord,

whose nature is always to have mercy.

Grant us therefore, gracious Lord,

so to eat the flesh of your dear Son Jesus Christ, 

and to drink his blood,

that we may evermore dwell in him,

and he in us. Amen.

Some doubt whether Jn 6 has any reference to the Holy Communion at all (and they may be right). The subject of John 6 is clearly about Jesus as the Bread of Life (Jn 6.35) and his superiority to the 'manna in the wilderness' (Jn 6.30-35). In the context of the whole Gospel account a contrast between the old Mosaic covenant time and the New Covenant's coming with Jesus is common (See Jn 1.17; 26; 51; 2.6, 20-21; 3.14; etc). The call to his hearers is to believe on Him (Jn 6.29).

 

The whole of §20-§21 has been designated as '[o]ptions which would normally be omitted' which is interesting because I've never been in an Anglican Holy Communion service using the APBA which has omitted this section! The reason I've drawn attention to this omission is that many Anglicans would believe I think that personal preparation for the Lord's Supper is very important.

[3] The Prayers of the People

This third section of Holy Communion is introduced with the words said by the lay reader/minister:

Let us pray for the world and for the Church.

In most Anglican churches I've been in the prayers are prayed by a congregational member because these prayers are 'the prayers of the people'. Sometimes the pray-er will even stand at the back of the church or in the aisle a little towards the front to emphasise the fact that these prayers come from the congregation. The prayers are supplicatory in nature.

Various formats can be used and numbers of formats are given in the Prayer Book and other appropriate sources can also be used. Usually after each area of prayer is finished, the pray-er will say some like, 

Father, hear our prayer

[with the congregation responding with something like]

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Prayer may then begin with  

Almighty God, your Son Jesus Christ has promised that you

will hear us when we ask in faith: receive the prayers we offer.

Four typical areas for prayer are: For the nations; for the Church; for those in need [often allowing a time of silence for private supplications for those in need]; and thanksgiving for the faithful departed. The latter category may seem strange for non-Anglicans but it is a time to remember those we have loved/who have loved her and influenced us for good but whom we see no more. The tenor of the prayer falls within the scope of Hebrews 12, the great crowd of witnesses who encourage us by their example to run the race with perseverance looking to Jesus (Heb 12.1-2).

Often the pray-ers may finish with:

Accept our prayers through Jesus Christ our Lord, who taught us to pray,

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed by your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial*

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours

now and for ever. Amen

If you come from a tradition unused to publicly saying the Lord's Prayer you will notice the modernisation of the Prayer in this version. Additionally, you find a different translation in the fourth last line* and a different word order in second last line. (If a baptism, funeral or even wedding is held where people outside the church attend however, then the older, more familiar form of the Lord's prayer is often said.)

The change in the fourth last line* seems to be related to the difficulties many have with the idea of God 'leading us into temptation'. However, the new translation is still problematic because trials are part of this present life, just ask the apostle Paul!

A preferable rendering of these lines is: 'Do not allow us to fall into temptation but** deliver us from evil'. John Calvin (following Augustine of Hippo) says that the sense of the line is: That we may not be led into temptation, deliver us from evil. That is, the emphasis is on the second phrase, 'but deliver us from evil'. Deliver us from evil so that we may not be led into temptation.

**The translation of Greek 'alla' in the text should be but not 'and' because the Greek word means but or moreover and in this context transitions to the main point, see here.

Walking in Love

In Philippians 2.12-13 the apostle Paul counsels the church to 'work out your own salvation with fear and trembling FOR God is at work in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure'. God is at work in us; therefore, we can work out what He has already done within.

Ephesians 5.1-2 sets out an important aspect of the conduct of the Christian: walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us (repeated in 5.25 to husbands). In 5.1-2 we are called to be 'imitators of  God' (!): to be like our parent seeing we are his children. We, who have been loved beforehand (even when we were enemies of God, Rom 5.10) are called to walk in LOVE. ('Walk' means 'to conduct your lives' [according to the will of God].)

Walk In Love

Love is pervasive in both Testaments of the Holy Scriptures. Israel from Moses onwards had the written law which was summarised by Jesus as loving God with all their heart (Deut 6.1-5) and loving neighbours as those like themselves (Lev 19.8).

A nuance which we miss in the original Hebrew is that the same phrase occurs in both OT passages ve' ahavta ('and you shall love'); we miss the point because we don't know that Jesus was relying on a rabbinic rule called 'a comparison of equals' (see Lois Tverberg's site) to place these two passages side by side as he does. Apparently the rule can be applied if the duplicate phrase does not often occur. I don't think Jesus made this connection before anyone else--in Luke 10. 27 a lawyer quotes the two commandments together--but what is clear is that love of God and of neighbour is important for the walk of the Christian (e.g., Rom 12.9-21; 13.8-10). Jesus goes so far as to say, on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets (Matt 22.40).

How do we love our neighbour?

How then do we love our neighbour? Tverberg answers this question in terms of the Golden Rule: 'do unto others as you would have them do to you' (Matt 7.12). Another answer she gives is the adoption of the negative version of the Rule: 'don't do to others what you wouldn't want others to do to you'. With children certainly the negative version is perhaps more effective!

I also appreciate CS Lewis' comment on love: 'Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained' which Tverberg also gives because he expresses so well the core of love, the 'steady wish for the good of the one loved'.

Who is my neighbour? How can I be a neighbour?

Jesus was asked 'who is my neighbour' by a lawyer in Luke 10.29. We shouldn't miss the point that this lawyer wanted to 'justify himself' by asking the question. And we shouldn't miss the fact that Jesus did not answer his question directly.

Love acts mercifully and compassionately, and Jesus knowing that answers the question, How can I be a neighbour to someone I meet?

This lawyer clearly just wanted to have a verbal joust but Jesus went straight for the heart of the matter. He threw his hearers off-balance completely by introducing a hated Samaritan into the parable. This despised Samaritan acts in mercy towards a Jew who has been beaten up by robbers and left for dead. The Jew is his sworn enemy but he acts in the spirit of Jesus' understanding of Lev 19.18 whereas two other Jews have passed by their Jewish countryman and left him to fend for himself.

It would appear that Lev 19.18 teaches Israel that it was not to seek revenge on a kinsman or friend and that Jesus appears to be extending that understanding to include all those that we met by our wayside regardless of their race, station or creed.

Preaching the Word of the Gospel

I want to pause from outlining the Anglican Service of Holy Communion and examine the question of the preaching the Gospel in this service. Sometimes it can be too easy for preachers to re-tell a bible story and with that re-telling intersperse a number of moral exhortations.

However entertaining this action may be, it is not preaching the gospel.

It is presenting a moralistic discourse with lots of ethical crumbs which don't add up to the solid food of the whole Word of God. Ethical urgings are just a form of law after all.

Nor by that comment am I disparaging the law. 'The law is holy and the commandment is holy, righteous and good' (Rom 7.12). To be opposed to the Law is to fall into the error of antinomianism (anti-, nomos [law]). But keeping the law cannot save us. The law simply arouses our sinful desires (Rom 7.5).

Hence, although the law is part of the Word of God unless the gospel of free grace (Eph 2.8, 9) is also preached the congregation will go away believing that it should rely on its own strength to remedy its shortcomings. When that happens, a tragedy has occurred. In other cases, more humble hearts come to believe that there is no hope for them because they simply can't fulfil what the law demands.

And these souls are not far from seeing the kingdom of God's grace because it only remains for them to hear the gospel of grace. The preaching of the gospel of grace is sweet nectar to fallen sinners because what we cannot do Christ has already done (Gal 2.13) in his death and resurrection. But then we have to ask,  
                                                                  so what is the gospel?
      Different Gospel Definitions?
One gospel issue that makes things difficult given that when one reads the first three gospel accounts and then the Pauline letters it's not hard to see that the former speak more about 'the gospel of the Kingdom' (e.g., Mk 1.14-15) of Heaven/God and the latter about gospel of salvation (Eph 1.13) understood as justification (e.g., Rom 3.21-26; 4.25) of the ungodly (Rom 4.5).

More variety than even the above can be found in the New Testament. For example, the fourth gospel account only mentions the Kingdom 5 times but more especially highlights 'eternal life' (e.g., Jn 3.16). Hence, even among the gospel accounts differences occur. And we could go on to talk about other NT books that raise issues about the writer's view of the gospel (e.g., James).

     The Gospel Message and Its Redemptive Effects
One evangelical error about the gospel that they are accused of making according to some writers is that what evangelicals define as the gospel is not really the gospel at all but the plan of salvation! As one blogger puts it: 'the gospel and personal salvation are not the same thing.  And that the gospel isn’t a “plan” as much as it is a Person'.

Now in one respect this blogger is correct. The gospel is embodied in the person of Jesus but to stop there is not to fully resolve the issue between the message and its salvific effects.

     An Attempt at Resolution
First, I think a resolution of some of the confusions about the different approaches by the NT writers is to remember that all the presentations are focussed on the Person of Jesus the Christ and Saviour as has been said. When we speak of the Gospel we are talking about the Gospel concerning Jesus Christ for the Gospel doesn't have any content unless one realises that it's good news about Jesus the One born in Bethlehem.

But in addition to that focus, Jesus' coming was/is good news because His incarnation was the climax of all the Old Testament hopes for salvation. Luke in particular emphasises this salvation theme through the songs of Mary (Lu 1.46-55), Zechariah (Lu 1.67-79), and Simeon (Lu 2.29-32). Also the angels' words to the shepherds (Lu 2.10-11) and the words of John the Baptist (Lu 3.4-6) mention this salvation theme. This salvation show the faithfulness of the God of Israel.

In Luke (4.18f) Jesus preaches in the synagogue that the hope-filled words of Isaiah's prophecy (Isa 61.1) are now fulfilled in his arrival! This focus on Jesus the Saviour continues throughout Luke's gospel account. And of course, Jesus' very name means 'God saves'.

All this says that we shouldn't become hung up on exaggerating the distinction between the gospel and its effects (salvation) because the gospel as salvation is embodied in Christ as the 'saviour of the world' (Jn 4.42); the two go together like love and marriage once did.

[2] The Ministry of The Word

The next major section in the Anglican Holy Communion service is titled, The Ministry of the Word. For evangelicals in particular, this section is the highlight of the service because the Church in this section hears the Word of God read.

On a personal note, in the first Anglican service I attended it was this section of the service that amazed and delighted me. Before that service, I had honestly believed that Anglicans could not be classed as biblical Christians at all but as Romanists (Roman Catholics) who rarely if ever opened their bibles. However, I was confronted with four Scripture readings done with such reverence and solemnity that I hadn't heard delivered in such a way before. And this was in a high Anglican service with crossing and genuflecting!

Of course, I had heard the Scriptures read in former churches but usually just one passage and often that would be truncated. (Nevertheless, I now know that my background furnished me with a knowledge and appreciation for the Scriptures for which I am very grateful. Unfortunately, many Anglicans don't know their Scripture very well but that also applies to non-Conformist worshippers too.)

In services that adhere closely to the Prayer Books, the four readings are set out in a Lectionary which is a booklet produced each year detailing readings laid down for every day of the respective year.

Mark the Evangelist

Anglicans along with Roman Catholics and others, use a 3-year cycle of readings based on allocating a year to one of the synoptic gospels: so that year A is Matthew, year B is Mark, year C is Luke. The present year (2012) is year B so the gospel readings primarily come from Mark. Using the lectionary it is possible to become thoroughly immersed in the scripture as week after week, month after month and year after year the readings are given.

After three years, the whole process starts again with slight variations.

And John? John's account is so highly esteemed in the episcopal traditions that it is included every year.

The Ministry of the Word section has 7 subsections:

§12. Old Testament Reading
         A reader from the congregation will go to the front and read a passage from the Old Testament as it is set down for the day. The particular church's newsletter or 'pew sheet' will usually give the readings. Bibles are usually provided for parishioners to follow the reading should they wish.

In reading from the Old Testament the Christian Church is confessing its dependence upon the Scriptures that Jesus used and said 'testified of me'. We often quote 2 Tim 3.16 but forget perhaps that the Scripture mentioned in that verse is primarily the Old Testament Scriptures.
      
The foundations for the New Testament Scriptures are found in the Old Testament.

After each reading of scripture excluding psalm and gospel, the reader says:

Hear the Word of the Lord or (This is the Word of the Lord)*

Thanks be to God

§13. A Psalm (may also be sung; or a hymn or anthem may be sung)
         The psalms have always been described as the hymn book of the Church.
In one of the churches I attended the congregation would sing the Psalm using standard tunes that have been handed down over centuries. It's quite tricky learning how to sing them because the psalms in English are not written in a way that they can be sung easily. However, the psalms are all found in the Prayer Book of 1978 (AAPB) with markings to allow them to be sung. This style of singing, I understand, is unique to Anglicanism.

However, in many churches today, the psalm is usually said responsively with the leader or with two sides of the congregation. Hebrew poetry which is what the psalms are, lend themselves to this treatment.

§14. A New Testament Reading (other than the gospels)
       Often called the 'Epistle' because excluding the gospel account, the Acts and Revelation, only letters (epistles) remain.

§15. A Hymn is sung
        The lay reader will often say, 'We will sing hymn number ### to welcome the gospel'. This expression of 'welcome' marks the fact that gospel is the centre of Anglican worship.
      
Much emphasis is placed on the reading of the gospel account in Anglican services. For example, for the other readings, the congregation sits but for the gospel reading, unless the church is very 'low', the congregation stands. The standing up is to mark the fact that the gospel is important because it tells us directly about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus our Lord.
      
Moreover, the gospel is often 'processed' meaning that the reading is not done in the pulpit or at the reading lectern but down in the body of the congregation. The procession will involve the crucifer (one carrying the cross), acolytes (two parishioners holding candles), lay reader and priest. However, other combinations are also used.

§16. The Gospel is read

To begin the reader says, The Lord be with you
[people respond] And also with you.

The reader says, The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to . . . [ch . . verse.] 
Glory to you Lord Jesus Christ

          Gospel passage is then read carefully with due reverence.

Reader finishes with, This is the Gospel of the Lord,

[people respond] praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

§17. The Sermon is preached

         Sermon is often based directly on the gospel reading just given. But it may also be on the Old Testament or epistle reading as well. Some preachers try to draw together elements from the other readings. Some will preach on something unrelated to the readings. Sermons vary in length with the evangelical preachers tending to go longer (20-25 mins) than others. This practice is in line with their beliefs. They believe the preaching of the Word converts the soul and is needed in the church as much as outside of it.

After the sermon, silence may follow. At one time, Anglican services were known for their silences. Once one came into the church proper, one learned to treat the space as a place for silence. Unfortunately, not so much today I fear. Silence after the ministry of the Word allows us to catch our breath and meditate even if only for a few minutes on what the Lord might be saying to us.

Click here to read one of the reputedly greatest sermons ever preached. You'll be surprised how long again it was preached and how short it is (and the preacher wasn't even an Anglican!).

§18. Nicene Creed (or Apostles' Creed)

Lay Reader says: Let us together affirm the faith of the Church

and then follows the congregational saying of one of the creeds, usually the Nicene but on other occasions the Apostles' Creed.

Note: You may be considering that this layout up to now would make for a long service but I timed the service to this point this morning and found it was just 35 minutes. However, this time would vary depending on the length of the sermon.

*Choices among different 'calls' to the congregation at this point can probably be related to churchmanship. Liberals would be happier with the more ambiguous 'hear the Word of the Lord' than with the forthright 'This is the Word of the Lord' which would suit evangelicals and conservatives more especially.