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THE TABLE OF THE LORD

Anglican Morning Devotion for 2 August 2021 Anno Domini A ministry of the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide “And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the LORD commanded Moses. 22And he put the table in the tent of the [...]

By admin|2021-08-03T19:55:50+00:00August 3rd, 2021|Blog|Comments Off

THE TABLE OF THE LORD Anglican Morning Devotion for 2 August 2021 Anno Domini A ministry of the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide “And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the LORD commanded Moses. 22And he put the table in the tent of the congregation, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the vail. 23And he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses. 24And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation, over against the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward. 25And he lighted the lamps before the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.” (Exodus 40:21-25; all scripture quoted is from the King James Version) Not many years ago, a Baptist minister and friend visited my church at St. Andrews. After looking around a bit, he commented, “I see that you are very much like the Roman Catholics.” When I asked, “Why?” He responded, “Well, you have an altar with a cross and two candles. I responded that we did not have an altar (as the Baptist love to call it) but a Lord’s Table. We do not sacrifice the Lord anew every so-called ‘Mass.’ Secondly, we have a cross above the Lord’s Table much like the cross your church has at the very top of its steeple. And we have a candle on the right (strong side) and left – the right side candle to illustrate the Gospel Light and the left side candle to illustrate the burning light of the Apostles.” Perhaps it was a streak of meanness that urged me to quote from Revelations concerning the churches: “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” (Revelation 2:5) I then responded that we STILL had our candlesticks. SILENCE. Due to the superstition of ‘transubstantiation’ (the elements of bread and wine are physically changed into the real body and blood of the Lord) we never refer to the Lord’s Table as an altar, and neither does the Book of common Prayer. We do believe in the Real Presence of our Lord at the Communion of His Table, but we believe that presence is a Spiritual Presence more profound that at any other time. I have seen the Lord’s Table decorated with cut flowers and other decorations, but nothing should be thereon but the elements and the Prayer Book or Bible. If flowers must be displayed, they will be displayed on a separate shelf (Retable) above the Lord’s Table. Moreover, the minister (Prayer Book term for officiant) does not stand behind the Table facing the congregants. That is reserved for the Lord’s Place. The Table is placed against the wall. This was another step directly in line with the liturgical policies of the continental Reformers, the final product of which is well summarized by a description of the Communion service at Strassburg after 1530 when Bucer’s influence became dominant. “So, mass, priest, and altar are replaced by Lord’s Supper, minister and Holy Table, and the westward replaces the eastward position of the celebrant.”1 (It is worth repeating that Bucer influenced Cranmer, and hence his new liturgy, more than any other continental reformer.) On the same theme, Calvin explains that God “has given us a table at which to feast, not an altar on which to offer sacrifice. He has not consecrated priests, but ministers to distribute the sacred banquet.” 2 A loving family sups together. Love is shared at the dinner hour, reminisces discussed, and instructions given by the Father of the home. We do not ‘take’ at the Lord’s Table, but ‘receive.’ The unleavened bread signifies the sinless body of Chris (for leaven represents sin). The wine represents His blood, and the Cup is truly filled with real, germinated wine since Passover occurs in Spring and there is not refrigeration available from grape harvest in Fall to spring. We are privileged to feel the Presence of the Risen Lord at the Table. If taken in the spirit of love, humility, and repentance, Holy Communion warms our hearts and makes us keenly aware of the cost of our salvation to a loving Savior just as it did for the two men on the Road to Emmaus: “And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.” (Luke 24:30-31) 1. FSPB, Introduction, p. vi, 2. Institutes; IV, xviii, 12, col. 1059.

Anglican Morning Devotion for 2 August 2021 Anno Domini A ministry of the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide “And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the LORD commanded Moses. 22And he put the table in the tent of the [...]

By admin|2021-08-03T19:54:50+00:00August 3rd, 2021|Blog|Comments Off on THE TABLE OF THE LORD Anglican Morning Devotion for 2 August 2021 Anno Domini A ministry of the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide “And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the LORD commanded Moses. 22And he put the table in the tent of the congregation, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the vail. 23And he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses. 24And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation, over against the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward. 25And he lighted the lamps before the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.” (Exodus 40:21-25; all scripture quoted is from the King James Version) Not many years ago, a Baptist minister and friend visited my church at St. Andrews. After looking around a bit, he commented, “I see that you are very much like the Roman Catholics.” When I asked, “Why?” He responded, “Well, you have an altar with a cross and two candles. I responded that we did not have an altar (as the Baptist love to call it) but a Lord’s Table. We do not sacrifice the Lord anew every so-called ‘Mass.’ Secondly, we have a cross above the Lord’s Table much like the cross your church has at the very top of its steeple. And we have a candle on the right (strong side) and left – the right side candle to illustrate the Gospel Light and the left side candle to illustrate the burning light of the Apostles.” Perhaps it was a streak of meanness that urged me to quote from Revelations concerning the churches: “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” (Revelation 2:5) I then responded that we STILL had our candlesticks. SILENCE. Due to the superstition of ‘transubstantiation’ (the elements of bread and wine are physically changed into the real body and blood of the Lord) we never refer to the Lord’s Table as an altar, and neither does the Book of common Prayer. We do believe in the Real Presence of our Lord at the Communion of His Table, but we believe that presence is a Spiritual Presence more profound that at any other time. I have seen the Lord’s Table decorated with cut flowers and other decorations, but nothing should be thereon but the elements and the Prayer Book or Bible. If flowers must be displayed, they will be displayed on a separate shelf (Retable) above the Lord’s Table. Moreover, the minister (Prayer Book term for officiant) does not stand behind the Table facing the congregants. That is reserved for the Lord’s Place. The Table is placed against the wall. This was another step directly in line with the liturgical policies of the continental Reformers, the final product of which is well summarized by a description of the Communion service at Strassburg after 1530 when Bucer’s influence became dominant. “So, mass, priest, and altar are replaced by Lord’s Supper, minister and Holy Table, and the westward replaces the eastward position of the celebrant.”1 (It is worth repeating that Bucer influenced Cranmer, and hence his new liturgy, more than any other continental reformer.) On the same theme, Calvin explains that God “has given us a table at which to feast, not an altar on which to offer sacrifice. He has not consecrated priests, but ministers to distribute the sacred banquet.” 2 A loving family sups together. Love is shared at the dinner hour, reminisces discussed, and instructions given by the Father of the home. We do not ‘take’ at the Lord’s Table, but ‘receive.’ The unleavened bread signifies the sinless body of Chris (for leaven represents sin). The wine represents His blood, and the Cup is truly filled with real, germinated wine since Passover occurs in Spring and there is not refrigeration available from grape harvest in Fall to spring. We are privileged to feel the Presence of the Risen Lord at the Table. If taken in the spirit of love, humility, and repentance, Holy Communion warms our hearts and makes us keenly aware of the cost of our salvation to a loving Savior just as it did for the two men on the Road to Emmaus: “And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.” (Luke 24:30-31) 1. FSPB, Introduction, p. vi, 2. Institutes; IV, xviii, 12, col. 1059.

THREE LOST POSSESSIONS

Anglican Morning Devotion for 1 August 2021 Anno Domini A ministry of the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?” (Luke 15:4; all [...]

By admin|2021-08-02T13:38:46+00:00August 2nd, 2021|Blog|Comments Off

COLLECT FOR NINTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

Anglican Morning Devotion for 31 July 2021 Anno Domini, a ministry of the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide The Collect. GRANT to us, Lord, we beseech thee, the spirit to think and do always such things as are right; that we, who cannot do any thing that is good without thee, may by thee be enabled to [...]

By admin|2021-08-02T13:31:41+00:00August 2nd, 2021|Blog|Comments Off

ONLY BEGOTTEN

Anglican Morning Devotion for 30 July 2021 Anno Domini A ministry of the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide “He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were [...]

By admin|2021-08-02T13:30:05+00:00August 2nd, 2021|Blog|Comments Off

SEVEN CROWNS

Anglican Morning Devotion for 29 July 2021 Anno Domini The Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide “Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. 28And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. 29And when they had platted a crown of thorns, [...]

By admin|2021-08-02T13:28:06+00:00August 2nd, 2021|Blog|Comments Off

SLEEPING BEAUTY

Anglican Morning Devotion for 28 July 2021 Anno Domini A ministry of the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and [...]

By admin|2021-07-28T17:22:10+00:00July 28th, 2021|Blog|Comments Off

THERE’S WITHIN MY HEART A MELODY

THERE’S WITHIN MY HEART A MELODY, 27 July 2021 Anno Domini, the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide 9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty. 10 But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the [...]

By admin|2021-07-28T12:25:57+00:00July 28th, 2021|Blog|Comments Off

ONE WITH THE SON

Anglican Morning Devotion for 27 July 2021 Anno Domini A ministry of the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may [...]

By admin|2021-07-28T12:24:27+00:00July 28th, 2021|Blog|Comments Off

BEETHOVEN’S LATTER WINE

Anglican Morning Devotion for 25 July 2021 Anno Domini A ministry of the Anglican Orthodox communion Worldwide Symphony No. 9 (Ludwig van Beethoven) Story by Bp. Jerry Ogles “And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2And both Jesus was called, and his [...]

By admin|2021-07-26T20:38:34+00:00July 26th, 2021|Blog|Comments Off