The Communion Table - Sermon Outline

1 COR 11:23-30

We are called to
1. PARTAKE
2. PROCLAIM

The Table Is
1. COMMEMORATION of His Death
2. CELEBRATION of His Life
3. CONFESSION of His Glory

1. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TABLE
     A. COVENANT IN HIS BLOOD
     B. COMMUNION OF HIS BODY
    C. CONSOLATION THRU HIS PROMISE

2. SERIOUSNESS OF THE TABLE
     A. UNITY OF THE SACRAMENT - "THIS" BREAD... CUP.
     B. SANCTITY OF THE SACRAMENT - BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST
    C. GRAVITY OF THE SACRAMENT - DISCERNMENT IS EXPECTED, UNWORTHILY PARTICIPATING MEANS DAMNATION

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Is it not cruel for God to kill His Son in place of us?

The doctrine of atonement is a stumbling block for some who feel that it not only exemplifies cruelty but also does away with human responsibility. The issue abounds with various questions and attempts to solution.

Questions:
1. If God knew that man would sin and fall, why did He create man?
2. Why doesn't God, if He exists, intervene and stop evil; why just be Judge but not be Governor with proper police security system that minimises the possibility of transgression?
3. How can the death of one particular man atone for the sins of many particular men?
4. Isn't it not cruel to punish an innocent man for the sins of others so that they go free?

Answers that challenge the Christian doctrine:
1. God does not require sacrifice in order to forgive, He can forgive by sovereign authority.
2. Every man must bear his own guilt so that he has a sense of responsibility and possess a genuine reason to pursue good and turn from evil.

Biblical Responses:
1. God's knowledge of human Fall is historical and not potential at par with His knowledge of the creation of man.
2. God is both Governor and Judge but humans live in a status of wilful rebellion and enmity against His rulership but with a choice to surrender or be judged.
3. The death of Jesus can atone for every man's sins because Jesus is the Source of all creation and Head of all things.
4. God is One and the sacrifice of Christ the One God was voluntary self-giving of Love.

1. God's sovereignty doesn't imply the denial of injustice by arbitrary pardoning, in which case the element of injustice is allowed to subsist rather than removed from the moral world. The crucifixion put an end to all rebellion by allowing the Judge Himself to die to rise again as Author of the new Creation with the power to destroy all things that do not submit to Him. The crucifixion and resurrection portray the victory of God over all chaos wrought by evil and injustice in the moral universe.
2. This is not contradicted by the doctrine of confession, repentance, and new life.

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Philosophy of Medicine Vs Medical Philosophies

It's proper to understand the difference between "Philosphy of..." and "...philosophies". For instance, philosophy of religion refers to the philosophical study of the epistemological, metaphysical, and ethical aspects of the phenomenon and concept of religion, including questions raised by it; whereas a religious philosophy is a particular philosophical viewpoint of a particular religious tradition--examples include samkhya, yoga, advaita, shunyavada. There are religious philosophies in the same manner that there are secular philosophies. While the start point of the former is revelation, tradition, or faith, the start point of the latter is reason. Following are some examples of the above distinctions:

1. Philosophy of Religion - Existence of God, Essence of Divinity, Death and Afterlife, Knowlege of God, etc.
Religious Philosophy - Calvinist Epistemology, Advaita, Yoga, Zen

2. Theology of Religion - Essence of Religion, Goal of Religion, Salvation
Religious Theology - Catholic Theology, Hindu Doctrine of Rebirth, Sikh Theology
Secular Theology - Panentheism, Deism, Existential Theology, Political Theology

3. Philosophy of Science - Epistemology of Scientific Method, Matter and Mind, Definition of Life
Scientific Philosophy - Darwinism, Utopianism, Scientism

4. Philosophy of Medicine - Epistemology of Medical Research, Mind and Matter, Ethics of Medical Practice
Medical Philosophy- Allopathy, Homeopathy, Taoist Medical Philosophy, Chi Philosophy, Ayurvedic Philosophy, Yoga

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Mother's Day Acrostic

MOLDED - in her womb (Psalm 139:13)

OPENED EYES - (received) on her knees (Job 3:12; Gen.30:3)

TAUGHT - under her eyes (Prov.1:8; 31:25-30)

HELD - (affection/comfort) in her arms (Psalm 131:2)

ENCOURAGED - by her lips (1Sam.1:24-28)

RESPECTED - by her treatment (John 2:5)

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