Tag: commemorate

Half Mast

Half Mast

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Carl Pollard

We have an American flag in the front yard of our church building here at Scottsville. Sadly, I’ve noticed lately that is has been flying at half mast more often than not. It is a common practice to fly the flag at half mast after a tragedy occurs. Our world has always been filled with evil, but the method of acting on evil impulses has just changed over time. Why is the flag always at half mast? Because evil people continue to do what they have always done. Hurt others. 

Despite our political differences, we should all be able to agree on these facts: Shooting up a school is evil. Taking an innocent life is the epitome of wickedness. And yet we get distracted by the politics of the situation and fail to see who is truly responsible. Satan has a firm grip on our world, and if we don’t do something to bring people out of his hold, bad things will continue to happen to good people. 

We shouldn’t be surprised at the state of our country. We have removed God from every place, and a godless country will only ever be evil. If we truly want to fix the problems that are constantly happening, we need to start by bringing others to Christ. Parents need to raise their children in Christ and stop making excuses for bad behavior. Mankind is naturally inclined to wickedness. Genesis 6:5 says, “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” The further we move away from God, the closer we get to continual evil. 

Our flag has been at half mast far too often. I’m tired of hearing about all the innocent lives that are lost due to wicked people. Let’s put the politics aside and start focusing on the real issue. People are obsessed with following their own desires (James 1:15), and Satan loves to cheer us on. Only evil people would do what has been done lately, so let’s start teaching the love of Christ to a lost and dying world. There’s only One who can remove our wickedness, and now more than ever we need to proclaim Him! 

Thinking Through The Alphabet During The Lord’s Supper

Thinking Through The Alphabet During The Lord’s Supper

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Monday’s Column: Neal At The Cross

Neal Pollard

Every Sunday (Acts 20:7), we take time during our worship to “observe the Lord’s Supper” (1 Cor. 11:23-29). What that looks like and what we do during this special time has changed over time and in different cultures. What appears to have been more interactive in the time of the early church is today more individual and introspective. Paul instructed churches like the one in Corinth to correct abuses (1 Cor. 11:17-22; 30-34). God seems concerned that we focus on His Son’s sacrifice for our sins. Examining self seems to indicate looking carefully into the heart (1 Cor. 11:28). 

What we do and how we do it is very personal and subjective (Read More Here). Surely, our mind will turn in both morbid and merry directions during that time. Considering the cross, we will alternate between conviction and celebration. Years ago, Wendell Winkler suggested something practical that can help us keep focus on this “feast” as we worship. He suggested thinking through the alphabet, then gave us a few examples. Every Sunday for decades, I have been building those words in my mind. Each word carries with it related thoughts. They carry my mind back to that fateful day, make me think of my current way of life, and cause me to look ahead to the end. 

Obviously, I do not get very far in my list. I do not always start with “A.” I vary my approach, but this has proven very helpful to my keeping my mind on the Lord during the Lord’s Supper. Those precious moments each week are not to be frivolously and mindlessly spent, but what you do is individual to yourself. But, perhaps this will prove helpful to you. Here is an incomplete list of words I think about during the Lord’s Supper:

A–Abuse, Alone, Anxiety, Atonement, Adversary, Abandoned, Anger, Anointed, Able
B–Battered, Blood, Beaten, Blessings, Brave, Burden, Bruised, Brave, Body
C–Christ, Cruelty, Cowards, Callous, Cursing, Criminals, Caring, Crowd
D–Denial, Disciples, Dread, Death, Devil, Darkness, Doubt
E–Eternity, Evil, Everlasting Life, Everyone, Elect
F–Faults, Faith, Faithful, Factual, Father, Foreknowledge, Flogged, Future
G–Grace, Guilt, Gladness, Gift, Gethsemane, Gloom, Grave
H–Heaven, Hell, Hill, Hope, Heart, Hanging, Hurting, Hours 
I–Iniquity, Injustice, Isaiah 53, Inscription, Irritation, Important, Innocent, Insurrection
J–Joy, Jesus (Man), Justice, Jews, Jealousy, John, Judas
K–Kindness, Knowledge, Kiss, Key, Killed, King
L–Love, Load, Life, Lamb, Lashes, Lifted Up 
M–Master, Mercy, Murder, Myrrh, Mingled, Mary, Mother, Memorial
N–Newness, Nails, Naked, Near (John 19:20)
O–Only Son, Obedient, Open, Offering, Objective, Others
P–Pilate, Peter, Power, Pure, Paschal, Pharisees, Planned
Q–Questions, Quake, Qualms, Quotations, Quest (Luk3 19:10)
R–Rebellion, Railing, Righteous, Romans, Resurrection
S–Spiritual, Shame, Scapegoat And Slain, Seven Sayings, Speechless, Slaughter, Savior
T–Thirsty, Torture, Thankful, Tired, Temple, Trembling, Thieves
U–Unavoidable, Ugly, Unbelievers, Utterance, Ultimate, Upright
V–Vicarious, Victory, Vicious, Vail, Vilified, Vindication, Vulnerable
W–Wood, Woe, Weary, Wail, Wine, Women, Worship
X–Excruciating, Extreme, Expiate, Examine, Execution
Y–Young, Yearning, Yelling, Yield
Z–Zeal, Zenith, Zealots 

“Do This In Remembrance”

“Do This In Remembrance”

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Thursday’s Column: Captain’s Blog

Carl Pollard

The Lord’s Supper comes once a week. Often I find myself wishing that we could spend more time dwelling on the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. But Sunday morning isn’t the only time that we can think about our Savior. In fact, if we spend more time throughout the week thinking about it, the time during the Lord’s Supper can mean so much more. 

In this article I want to encourage each Christian to start thinking about Christ and His sacrifice before Sunday comes this week. You’d be amazed at the difference it makes. These few verses and hymns are a beautiful reminder of what Christ went through on our behalf. Our sins are washed away through the powerful blood given by God’s Son!

Isaiah 53:3, “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces. he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” 

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Isaiah 53:4, “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.”

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Isaiah 53:5, “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That you, my God, would die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That you, my God, would die for me?

I pray that this weekend we all see the importance of having the right mindset going into worship on Sunday. I pray that as a church we recognize the unity and fellowship we have in Christ. May we never take the cross for granted! 

Proclaiming the Lord’s Death Until He Comes

Proclaiming the Lord’s Death Until He Comes

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Friday’s Column: Brent’s Bent

Brent Pollard

Though worship consists of five elements that worshipers may or may not participate in during every assembly of the saints, the one aspect of worship receiving the most attention on Sunday, at least, is the Lord’s Supper (aka Communion or Eucharist). One might say this is because the observance of the Lord’s Supper is exclusive to Sunday, or should be. However, I think we forget that giving of our means was commanded on every Sunday as well (1 Corinthians 16.1-2). So, it is not the relative rarity of this action compared to singing, prayer, and Bible study, making it precious to us. Instead, it is the purpose and meaning of the Lord’s Supper. 

The Lord’s Supper is an item of worship that is horizontal and vertical in its scope; it is something done to demonstrate our relationship with God and our fellow Christian. Though not as often referenced concerning the Lord’s Supper as 1 Corinthians 11.23ff, Paul highlights the communal aspect of the Lord’s Supper in chapter 10. He states that we cannot partake of the elements of the Lord’s Supper with our Lord and likewise eat and drink at the table of “demons” (10.21).  

Contextually, Paul’s words refer to the issue of dining in a pagan venue, even while professing that pagan gods are not real. The Corinthian Christians could not engage in activity, implying they shared the same faith with pagans. Even if they knew that those gods were not real, they created misunderstanding among the pagans and other Christians. So, while we commemorate our Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection with the Lord’s Supper, we share in the same hope and devotion towards the same.  

Yet there is another characteristic of the Lord’s Supper, making it precious to us. The Lord’s Supper provides us with the opportunity to evangelize. Paul states that this memorial feast is one we will keep until our Lord returns (1 Corinthians 11.26). And the very fact that we engage ourselves in its observance proclaims “the Lord’s death.”  

I am mindful of the opportunity presented by the Passover to fathers in their children’s instruction (Exodus 12.24-27). When the children asked, “Why do we observe this rite?” the fathers could explain the Passover and God’s deliverance of the children of Israel. So likewise, the child or visitor may ask, “Why do you observe the Lord’s Supper?” Or “Why do you observe the Lord’s Supper weekly?” In response to these questions, we can proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  

Despite being viewed as the “centerpiece” of the Sunday assembly, it seems odd how swiftly some congregations seem to fly through their observance of the Lord’s Supper. As it is a door to evangelism, one would think we should linger longer therein. Not only would the time of special communion be extended, but it could serve to plant seeds in good soil, which, if watered by Bible study, will enable God to provide an increase.  

So, next Sunday, as we observe the Lord’s Supper, let us remember everything making it a memorable feast, including personal introspection (1 Corinthians 11.29-31). We will demonstrate our fellowship with our brethren and the Lord. And we can use the time evangelistically. Therefore, let us provide non-Christians an opportunity to learn about the Gospel as we partake of the bread and drink the cup.