Tirade

I gave one of my tirades in Bible Class today. Why? The church who owns the building we rent for services is preparing for their big holiday stuff next weekend, and they are turning the church building into Bethlehem and environs. I wouldn't mind if it were just the hall, hallways, and classrooms, but when the sanctuary also starts getting changed, I get grumpy. It's their church and they can do what they want and we have to work around it . . . just makes things hard. But what I pointed out is that when you don't have the sacraments, this is what happens - something rushes in to fill the vacuum. Therefore, how do you celebrate Christmas or Easter? How do you remember? How do you put yourself in the story? You have to act it out. You have to try to put yourself there. But we don't have to do that! The sacraments are what unite us to Christ and make us participants in the story. We don't have to try to go to Bethlehem when Jesus comes to us in His body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins. So at Christmas, there is no better way to remember and celebrate than receiving the Lord's Supper. That is where heaven and earth meet. You cannot get closer to him than that. So, I'm not against plays or pageants if you want to do them (just leave the sanctuary alone, please!), but to borrow some words from the apostle Peter, we have something more sure! Let us rejoice to receive Him there.