A More-Holy Version!

Monday afternoon, September 17, 2007
Yesterday, I received an email from Danny Payne, a friend of mine from Reynolds, that resounded with truth, the truth that I wish everyone could know. I am placing a portion of it here in my perspective for you to read, and I am doing so because I think there are things in it that will impact your life. Take your time and read it carefully:
“In most of the Protestant churches, we make the remembrance of the Last Supper a little ‘more holy’ than Jesus by substituting grape juice for the wine. I guess we think that Jesus didn't get it right the first time!! We are in the end our own worst enemy, in that we can't take the most awesome gift ever given, as just that, a gift. We insult the Father by trying to pay for it in some sort of way, only to frustrate ourselves. I once heard this joke: What is the difference between a statistician and a mathematician? If you place a scantily dressed, well endowed woman on one end of a football field, and you place both the statistician and mathematician on the opposite end and ask each the question, ‘How long will it take you to get to the other end of the football field, if you go ten yards, then half that distance, then half that distance, etc., etc.?’ The mathematician will tell you that you'll never get there; the statistician will tell you that you'll get close enough for all practical purposes!! I compare the legalist to the statistician, in that the legalist, I can only presume, thinks his focus on the law will get him close enough for all practical purposes. Fortunately, for me anyway, God will not grade me on the curve; I have Christ's awesome work to thank for that.”
What incredible insight! I know of very few (very few!) Protestant churches that give the Eucharist (The Lord’s Supper) a place of even minor importance (How often does your church celebrate the Eucharist?); consequently, most have no real clue to its significance. To be sure, virtually every Protestant church (yes, there are exceptions) uses grape juice instead of wine and the reason is obvious: in the minds of many Protestants, the use of alcohol is sinful; consequently, in a effort to make the celebration truly “holy” grape juice is used, rather than wine. Listen up: JESUS DID IT CORRECTLY THE FIRST TIME and He used honest-to-goodness wine, the kind that is fermented—the kind that contains alcohol! Oh, yes, I almost forgot: some do not use wine in the Eucharist because it might (probably will, or so they think!) cause the alcoholics in the congregation to begin drinking again! Bologna! Have you forgotten what Jesus said about the wine of the Eucharist? May I remind you? Thanks! “This IS My blood of the Covenant . . .” If you think using wine in the Eucharist is sinful OR if you think it will cause the alcoholics in the congregation to begin drinking again, then I assume you also think the wine of the Eucharist is a mere symbol, and if that is what you think, well, you are really missing-out on something incredibly wonderful.
This watered-down version of the Eucharist reminds me of the statistician in Danny’s “joke”—it is close enough for all practical purposes; however, may I remind you that Christianity ain’t about hand grenades or horse shoes—close enough is to miss the entire party!! The fact is you never will appreciate the Eucharist, UNLESS you stop trying to make things holy and submit to the One who is Holy!
If you don’t do anything else, DEMAND that your church begin celebrating the Eucharist every time the Word is proclaimed! I can only tell you that the Eucharist is more powerful than any sermon I have ever heard and I have heard a few powerful ones!
Just thought I would let you in on what He told Danny!