Two Ordinances - Genesis 2:1; Mark 16:16; 1 Corinthians 11:23

 

Sermon - Two Ordinances
Genesis 2:1; Mark 16:16; 1 Corinthians 11:23

Dear ones who long for rest!
Today, two ordinances of rest are set before us:

1.      The ordinance of Baptism

2.     The ordinance of the Lord’s Supper

These two are sacred practices given to us to grant spiritual rest.

1.      Baptism – refers to spiritual cleansing, not to the daily physical bath we take.

2.     The Lord’s Supper – refers to partaking of the Lord’s body and blood, not our daily food.

Purpose:

·        Just as the body bathes for external cleanliness, baptism is for the cleansing of the soul.

·        Just as daily food strengthens the body, the Lord’s Supper strengthens the inner person.

The necessity of bodily cleanliness is equal to the necessity of spiritual cleanliness. The necessity of bodily food is equal to the necessity of spiritual nourishment. Both are essential and must not be neglected.

1. Baptism:

Bodily bathing removes dirt and gives physical comfort and rest.
But baptism, as a spiritual cleansing, brings greater benefits:

1.      Cleansing from sin – The sins attached to the soul are washed away.

2.     Religious purification – Whatever religious background one comes from, baptism removes those ritual impurities and makes them spiritually clean.

3.     Forgiveness of past sins – All previously committed sins are forgiven and cleansed.

4.     Separation from former religious customs – Worship practices and rituals tied to the old life are removed.

5.     Abandonment of former doctrines – Previous beliefs and ideologies are erased.

Thus, baptism is greater than bodily bathing, which can only purify the flesh but not the soul.

Over the last 20 years, though bodily bathing has cleansed external impurities, it has not removed:

1.      Idolatrous worship

2.     Ritual customs

3.     Erroneous doctrines

4.     Sinful living

But through this new baptism of the new faith, all these four vanish. Baptism enables:

·        , entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven

Through this baptism, eleven blessings are received:

1.      Spiritual cleansing – Removal of sin.

2.     Religious transformation – Leaving old rituals behind.

3.     Forgiveness of sins – Complete remission of all past sin.

4.     Separation from old worship – Turning away from old customs.

5.     New understanding – Release from past doctrines.

6.     Entry into the Christian Church – Inclusion in the body of believers.

7.      Spiritual kinship with millions of Christians – Worldwide fellowship with the Church.

8.     Heavenly fellowship – Union with the saints in glory.

9.     Becoming a child of Christ – Belonging to Him from this day forward.

10.   Becoming a disciple of the Lord – As He said, “Those who believe and are baptized will be saved.”

11.    Receiving the grace of salvation – A fortune greater than all worldly wealth.

This also instills the virtue of faith in the baptized person. Through that faith, the baptized believer remains firm till the end. But if faith is lost, both baptism and salvation are also lost.

Thus, faith and baptism are both seals of salvation.

Whoever is now receiving or has already received baptism must be careful to guard these 11 blessings and receive even greater gifts from the Lord.

2. Sacrament: Baptism is once for all.
But the Lord’s Supper is received many times. The Lord said that one must be born again. Only those who are born again are eligible to inherit and enter the kingdom of heaven. Baptism is like a birth experience. Just as a person is born only once, so also baptism is only once. A person who is born can eat many times. In the same way, after baptism, one may eat and drink repeatedly. The Lutherans partake once every three months, Church Mission members once a week, Baptists once a month, and in America, only once a year (on Easter Sunday). The reason they do it yearly is to preserve the reverence, fear, and devotion toward the Lord's Supper.

However, nowhere in the Bible is it written that the sacrament should be taken at fixed time intervals. If it is taken too frequently like regular food, it may become common and lose its sanctity. Therefore, whenever the sacrament is taken, it should be received with devotion, humility, thanksgiving, and tears—remembering the Lord's body and blood.

The Bible records two statements of the Lord regarding this:

1. “Do this in remembrance of Me.”
2. “Take and eat.”

Some people say, “It’s only about remembrance, not about eating,” and argue that the bread and wine are just symbolic. But if those two (remembrance and partaking) are not both present, then the bread and wine become ordinary food. The Lord said, “Whatever you do to the least of My brothers, you have done to Me.” So if you do something for the Lord, it’s for Him; if you do it for His brethren, it’s also for Him. Based on this word, one must have faith that the Lord's body is in the bread and His blood is in the wine.

Based on how the church is structured, the sacrament may be taken once every three months, once a month, or once a week. Depending on the spiritual prompting, believers may call the pastor and request to partake in the sacrament if they feel led.

If the pastor is not available or unable to come, one may still earnestly long for it and pray:
“Lord, I am hungry for Your body and blood that You have commanded us to remember and partake through the hands of Your servant. But since the pastor is unavailable now, and because You Yourself instituted this sacrament, please come and give it to me.”

Then the Lord, like a pastor, may come dressed in white and say, “This is My body broken for you; take and eat,” and “This is My blood shed for you,” and give it as the pastor would.

1. The wine symbolizes life.
2. The blood does not refer to the physical blood that was shed on the cross but to the spiritual life that brings growth and glorification. In the glorified body, there is glorified blood. Blood = Life.

Therefore, those who believe in divine visions will surely experience this. Once, during the establishment of BM, while a sacrament service was taking place in the Lutheran church, Ayyagaru went but was denied the sacrament. Though they told him not to attend, Ayyagaru sat at the table and prayed, “Lord, since this church is not giving it to me, please come and give it Yourself.”

Then, as the Samaritan woman drew water, the meaning of that vision had not yet been explained by the Lord. While the entire church was partaking of the sacrament, people were seated on either side of him. A white-covered table appeared in front, and the Lord came wearing a white robe. He spoke as the pastor would and gave the sacrament directly to Ayyagaru. The pastor gave it to the congregation, but Ayyagaru did not approach the table, and the congregation wondered why. But the Lord Himself gave him the sacrament, and in the same way, He will give it to you.

As holy gatherings increase, visions will also increase. In these visions, the Lord Himself gives baptism and sacrament to the soul. For the body, the pastor must give. May the truths I have shared be revealed in your understanding. Amen.

Sermon by Father.M. Devadasu Ayyagaru dated September 22, 1957