Alternative to 'The Passion': Ordinance of the Lord's Supper
Daniel Valles, editor of informedchristians.com  Updated: 3/28/4

With so many churches today being pressured into viewing or showing 'The Passion of Mel', what can churches do to prevent their believer's faith from being tainted by sight like Thomas (John 20:27-29) and the church of Corinth (2 Corinthians 5:7)?

Here is something that the Lord impressed me with last night, as the church I attend observed the ordinance of the Lord's Supper.  Why were we instructed to observe this holiest of ordinances?  Why was such awe, reverence, and gravity given to it?

Luke 22:19 "And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me."

1 Corinthians 11:25 "After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me."

Only two points
What were the #2 points that Christ wanted us to constantly remember about his death?  Was it the physical suffering, torture, humiliation, gore and guts like 'The Passion' portrays?  No!  Isaiah 53:11 says, "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities."  When God saw his Son dying for our sins, the His Word mentions that He saw the travail of his soul - not of his physical suffering.  He records that his soul travailed for our iniquities.  My sins, past, present, and future, put him on the cross.  Yes, the soldiers nailed Him to the cross, but my wretched sins drove Him out of love to the cross.  (Mt 20:28 - "Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.")  Isaiah 53:12 further details, "Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."  He poured out his soul and bare the sin of many - that was His true passion.

Hebrews 5-10 tell us how He came to become our High Priest.  Heb. 9:14 emphasizes that the blood of Christ is what "obtained eternal redemption for us"!  I like verse 12, because it emphasizes that He did it once! - not daily in a Mass!  Once for all - forever - eternal redemption!  Most of ch. 9 talks about what His blood did in covering our sins and transgressions!  No mention of his suffering, pain, gore, etc. - it dwells on that the blood of Christ was "better sacrifices than these" - the sacrifices of the Old Testament.  Vs. 22 of ch. 9 reminds us that "without shedding of blood is no remission"!

The Lord's Supper (which importantly took place before all of the pain, suffering, and gore) was instituted to remind us of the efficacy of the blood of Christ in atoning for our sins!

The second item which was symbolized by the Lord's Supper is that He gave up Himself (His body) as the sacrifice for our sin.

The two doctrines that Christ wanted us to remember about Him after He left, and to be remembered for all time, were:

	The atoning blood sacrifice
	The willful sacrifice out of love

Never did Christ tell His disciples to strengthen their faith by remembering the gore and guts of a crucifixion.  It was a means to an end.  A necessary instrument, but not worthy of adoration.

John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." [emphasis mine]

Notice it does not say that He "loved the world, and had His son whipped, beaten, mocked, scourged to a blood pulp...."

What Christ wanted us to remember was His Passion - His Love!

Even Isaiah 53, which foretells Christ's sacrifice, notes that He will suffer; but dwells on why He was going to suffer!

Old Testament example?
Two Psalms of David are unique in that they are subtitled as "...to bring to remembrance" Psalms 38 and Psalms 70.  In both of these Psalms, David prays to God and thanks and extols Him for His excellent salvation!

What can we do?
First of all, if your congregation is to the point of needing "sight-faith", then perhaps the "hearing-faith" has not been adequately fed, maintained, or emphasized.

Have a service wholly dedicated to explaining the ordinance and observance of the Lord's Supper.  Contrast His emphasis with the world's.

Always make clear to the believer the gravity that Christ placed on this ordinance.  The reverence which this is approached and observed is not to be taken lightly or flippantly. II Cor. 11:29-31 gives a severe warning to those who do not "discern" (make a distinction) between the things of the world, and the symbolism, importance, and meaning of this ordinance.

Remind, that the emphasis is not the cross, but what happened at the cross.

Sing
As I was mulling over these thoughts, I remembered that Scriptures include that they sang an hymn (Matthew 26:30, Mark 14:26) after the supper.  These hymns were not just randomly picked.  They were (historically) the paschal hymns of Psalms 113-118 and 136, which the Jews called the "great Hallel".  When you read through these chapters, you will quickly find the theme - God and His love.  The shear worthiness of praise due Him should pour from our lips when we observe the Lord's Supper.

When we look at how He - God incarnate - willingly came to give His Holy Blood as a substitution atonement for me - how can I be silent?  One thing that caught my ear regarding the Passion was the emotions that people left seeing the movie with.  Silence.  Was it awe, reverence, or adoration?...  Or was it the same feelings that Thomas had when Christ told him, "Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."

Psalms 113-118 and 136 excerpts

"The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.
Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,
Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!"
Psalm 11:4-6

"Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.
Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?
But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased."
Psalm 115:1-3

The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.
But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the LORD.
Psalm 115:17-18

I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.
Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.
Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.
Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.
Psalm 116:1-5

For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
Psalm 116:1-5

O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.
For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD
Psalm 117

...his mercy endureth for ever.
Psalm 118:1,2,3,4,29

Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:
This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.
I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.
The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.
Psalm 118:19-23

...for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psalm 136:1-26!
 

"[Jesus speaking] The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised."
Luke 4:18