Unashamedly Christian

I went for a bike ride (mountain bike, not motor bike!) with my buddy Joshua on Thursday. He gave me a call on Wednesday asking if I was interested in going for a ride on Thursday – um that’s a hard one, yes! Tony (Joshua’s dad) gave us a lift to the top of this really great track and we were off. Starting with 7-km of downhill riding – we got up to 60-km/h – down a dirt track, we then did another 27-km on other forestry tracks.

After coming through a rough section Joshua’s rear derailer’s guide wheel came off – we spent a while looking for it, but the parts of the guide wheel are small so we didn’t have much chance of finding them, plus it was getting dark. So, what do you do when things like this happen? Well, you ask your best friend to help! And that’s what we did, we had a prayer and started looking again and within five minutes we’d found all the parts and were on our way again – praise the Lord!

Only problem was that it was now dark and we still had 5-km to go – well, that’s no problem when you have a head-torch in your Camelbak lol. It was fun riding in the dark, though a bit challenging as we were on a rough track, which ends in a right-of-way going through a farm. It’s fine when it’s dry but we’ve had a whole lot of rain this winter, and the ground was a bog, mud was spraying up all over us as we came flying down the hill. At the bottom of the hill is a small creek which had risen from the rain, and we came down the hill and straight into the creek – wet shoes and pants! After that it was just a relaxed 2-km ride on a dirt road to Joshua’s place. It was great to have a decent ride, as I haven’t had one since summer!

I was reading over at Joshua Harris’s blog. And he asked a few questions about baptism and the Lord’s Supper. So here is my answer to his questions!

1. I accepted Jesus as my Lord when I was around 10 years old. But I was baptised six months ago – at 19 years old. Even though I had accepted Jesus as my Saviour at 10, I feel that baptism is something very serious, a commitment to a life of service to the Master and seeking holiness in my life (only through God’s grace!). To me (from my study of the Bible) God says to count the cost, just as no one would marry at 10, so baptism is a life decision similar to marriage – and it’s a vow I never (with the power of an indwelling Christ) will break!

2. The Bible teaches baptism by immersion, Jesus was our example in this – and also there is no record of the disciples doing otherwise. I was baptised by immersion; which symbolises death to the old life with being fully submerged, and then a new life – as a Christian – when raised from the water. Baptism is a joyous time (just as a marriage is), I was baptised in a lake, with many people there to witness my commitment, and share in my joy – and boy, was there joy! After I came up from the water I felt the Holy Spirit’s presence, and such total peace – I was crying for joy at God’s goodness and His matchless love for me! Before my baptism I spent a few months studying the Bible and cementing my understanding of key Biblical truths. So, when I was baptised, I understood what I believed was true – not because I had been told it, but because I had studied it – and the commitment to following God that I was making.

3. We celebrate the Lord’s supper once a quarter. Starting with the ordnance of humility, where we wash one another’s feet (brothers with brothers, and sisters with sisters). It starts with us forming pairs, then praying together – for unity in Christ, strength in our lives, and a spirit of humility and service to one another. We then wash each other’s feet. After everyone is done we sing a hymn of consecration and praise, then all shake hands (or embrace, it depends on how the Spirit leads). Foot washing is done outside the sanctuary (either in the hall, or outside). We then go inside and partake of the Lords Supper – bread first, then the wine (and it’s non-alcoholic grape juice!). This is done with the one leading out reading from the Bible the record of the Lord’s Supper. Then the bread (flat bread with no yeast, as that represents sin) is passed out, prayed over and eaten quietly with everyone reflecting on the sacrifice made on the cross, and recommitting their lives to God. This is repeated for the grape juice – and I know for me as I drink I am overwhelmed with the realisation of the infinite sacrifice Jesus made on the cross, and thank Him for His blood shed on the cross that has washed away my sins (thank you Lord!). I think I should add that the bread and wine (grape juice) are understood from the Bible to be symbols of the flesh and blood of our Saviour, NOT the actual flesh and blood!

4. Soul searching leading up to the service is very important. If I have anything between myself and God – or between myself and a brother/sister – I make it right. Not that this shouldn’t be done all the time, it’s just that preparation for the Lord’s Supper gets me thinking and searching my soul! I believe that celebrating communion is an opportunity for me to be refreshed (as Jesus said to Peter when he was washing the disciples feet, “he who is has been fully washed needs only to be partially washed”), to recommit my life into God’s hands, to reflect on the infinite price Jesus paid on the cross for MY SINS, and also to recommit to unity among the body of Christ – and specifically our church family.

In conclusion, for me the Lord’s Supper is an essential for growth in grace and unity. As Jesus said in Luke 22:19, ” This do in remembrance of me” The centre of the Lord’s Supper must be Jesus Christ, the only one who was able to pay the price of God’s wrath for sin – the result of breaking His Holy Law. The only one in whom is Salvation is found – full, free, and unmerited on our part – oh, what matchless love! What a Saviour we have!