Taste and smell history
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to go to the Ohio Historical Society's preservation office and warehouse where historical artifacts not in the museum are stored. My purpose was to view some of the Civil War battle flags from Ohio regiments.
At one point in the tour, our guide opened a sealed case probably 10 feet wide and 8 feet tall that held 10-15 of the flags in a climate controlled chamber. When he opened the doors the smell of woods fires and the sulfur of gunpowder, still left in the fabric after nearly 145 years permeated the air. I was smelling history.
Every Sunday churches around the world have the opportunity to taste history. Each time we take the bread and wine, Christ's body and blood, we taste history...the history of God's rich mercy and love extended to people through every generation. We're reenacting a small, a very small, a miniscule portion of the Jewish Passover celebration which recalls God's amazing freedom fighting to get his people out of Egypt. Jesus, on the night of his betrayal, celebrated the Passover with his friends and took the middle of the three pieces of unleavened bread, breaking it as the head of the household does in the Passover seder, and distributed to his disciples saying, "Take and eat. This is my body broken for you." After supper, the gospels record, Jesus took the cup of wine, the cup of redemption, and after giving thanks (Blessed are you Lord God of the universe because you give us the fruit of the vine) gave it to his disciples saying, "Take and drink. This is my blood shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin." Redemption.
Every Sunday, we get to taste history as I got to smell American history. What an honor.
At one point in the tour, our guide opened a sealed case probably 10 feet wide and 8 feet tall that held 10-15 of the flags in a climate controlled chamber. When he opened the doors the smell of woods fires and the sulfur of gunpowder, still left in the fabric after nearly 145 years permeated the air. I was smelling history.
Every Sunday churches around the world have the opportunity to taste history. Each time we take the bread and wine, Christ's body and blood, we taste history...the history of God's rich mercy and love extended to people through every generation. We're reenacting a small, a very small, a miniscule portion of the Jewish Passover celebration which recalls God's amazing freedom fighting to get his people out of Egypt. Jesus, on the night of his betrayal, celebrated the Passover with his friends and took the middle of the three pieces of unleavened bread, breaking it as the head of the household does in the Passover seder, and distributed to his disciples saying, "Take and eat. This is my body broken for you." After supper, the gospels record, Jesus took the cup of wine, the cup of redemption, and after giving thanks (Blessed are you Lord God of the universe because you give us the fruit of the vine) gave it to his disciples saying, "Take and drink. This is my blood shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin." Redemption.
Every Sunday, we get to taste history as I got to smell American history. What an honor.
posted by Mike Weaver at 8:28 AM
1 Comments:
Yes it is. I wonder if we take it for granted. I mean as humans, like it will always be like this in church. I mean we have all of this stuff, places to go things to see. are we taking it for granted like maybe our wife, our freedom our very own life. as if we have all of the time in the world. I guess what I am saying is I know we don't and I am ready to answer the call.
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