Lately our church decided to offer communion every Sunday. I thought I would really like that, but in fact, I have felt a weirdness of the whole dynamic. I want to feel something special or understand something more profoundly. Instead, I feel nothing. Know nothing more profound than a moment before. I feel like a caricature of faith. When I have a problem with the pastor's attitude toward me, it feels amplified when he gives me the "sacrament." Amplified lack of love, not unity, not mutual covenant.
I'll tell you what, Laura, if you just find one, even if it's not Messianic, as a believer you can see Jesus all through it. Try to attend a Passover supper, and you will see exactly how beautiful that last meal was. I've taken friends to Messianic Passover suppers, and they walked out of there in awe.
I have been to some. I think it depends, for me at least, on how the Passover celebration supper is delivered. At one supper, I felt very awkward and out of place.
my pastor did a series on communion and he had us do it weekly for about 3 months ; and we used to do it monthly. (i am messianic and feel we should do it once a year at Pesach.) It began to feel, to me, like an annoyance ! not special.
First I wanted to take a minute to thank Sergio for leading me into seeing scripture through Hebraic eyes. It has sharpened and broadened my understanding of Scripture.
When we read about the Early Church we see an assembling or congregation of people gathering. Their Jewish eyes were never closed in lieu of something new. It is a continuation from the old into the new. How are we to forget this?
Constantine did sell the world a different. church. One laced with the poison of the state. From then on, fractures within the Body have brought us to this point as Sergio so eloquently outlines.
We need people like Sergio and others to awaken us to our heritage. It has enriched my life in profound ways!
Laura, you would do well to obtain the CJB. You too will be enriched as I was!
So, is the new covenant just the grafting in of Gentiles to the root as new branches? I've been wondering what the new covenant is related to Christ/Messiah and grace, but maybe it is simply the inclusion of Gentiles?
Will have to get the CJB. I would use it. The Complete Jewish Bible seems to be where I am positioned anyway with using the Psalms for worship and praise in historical context and giving them back the priority they deserve.
Well, I finally figured out how to get access through the verification. But I still cannot comment on the essay, because it is not here, it is there. Ah well, it's a good essay.
Lately our church decided to offer communion every Sunday. I thought I would really like that, but in fact, I have felt a weirdness of the whole dynamic. I want to feel something special or understand something more profoundly. Instead, I feel nothing. Know nothing more profound than a moment before. I feel like a caricature of faith. When I have a problem with the pastor's attitude toward me, it feels amplified when he gives me the "sacrament." Amplified lack of love, not unity, not mutual covenant.
I'll tell you what, Laura, if you just find one, even if it's not Messianic, as a believer you can see Jesus all through it. Try to attend a Passover supper, and you will see exactly how beautiful that last meal was. I've taken friends to Messianic Passover suppers, and they walked out of there in awe.
I have been to some. I think it depends, for me at least, on how the Passover celebration supper is delivered. At one supper, I felt very awkward and out of place.
Oh, I can see that for sure.
my pastor did a series on communion and he had us do it weekly for about 3 months ; and we used to do it monthly. (i am messianic and feel we should do it once a year at Pesach.) It began to feel, to me, like an annoyance ! not special.
Same same.
Hello Sergio and Hello Laura.
First I wanted to take a minute to thank Sergio for leading me into seeing scripture through Hebraic eyes. It has sharpened and broadened my understanding of Scripture.
When we read about the Early Church we see an assembling or congregation of people gathering. Their Jewish eyes were never closed in lieu of something new. It is a continuation from the old into the new. How are we to forget this?
Constantine did sell the world a different. church. One laced with the poison of the state. From then on, fractures within the Body have brought us to this point as Sergio so eloquently outlines.
We need people like Sergio and others to awaken us to our heritage. It has enriched my life in profound ways!
Laura, you would do well to obtain the CJB. You too will be enriched as I was!
Thank you for the kind words, Scott 🙏
So, is the new covenant just the grafting in of Gentiles to the root as new branches? I've been wondering what the new covenant is related to Christ/Messiah and grace, but maybe it is simply the inclusion of Gentiles?
Read Jeremiah 31 and then let me know what you think of that. That might clarify a lot.
Will have to get the CJB. I would use it. The Complete Jewish Bible seems to be where I am positioned anyway with using the Psalms for worship and praise in historical context and giving them back the priority they deserve.
Shared. I am still wired to love a good sermon, to gather with the assembly, but I've been having a similar conversation with people unchurching.
Why would I comment on the Website? It has nothing to do with my Substack readership.
Well, I finally figured out how to get access through the verification. But I still cannot comment on the essay, because it is not here, it is there. Ah well, it's a good essay.
Try again, David.
You couldn't comment on the website? Let me take a look.