What Is Our Primary Calling?

What Is Our Primary Calling?

Mark 3:14 And he [Jesus] ordained twelve, that they may be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, …

Jesus chose his disciples not to send him to preach or to give them right away the authority to drive out demons but his first concern was for them TO BE WITH HIM. This is their “Primary Calling” as well as to all of us whom God has chosen in this generation. (D.S. John Manalo and Dr. Rivera, “Lesson 1: Personal Transformation and Our Primary Calling,”  United Methodist Church–Disciples Of Christ (UMC-DOC) Downloading Seminar Manual, p. 5.)

And so our primary calling as Christian disciples is to be with Christ: how do we go about doing that? Personal daily devotions with journaling? Being part of a small group? Going to church? Being involved in church activities and ministries? Are not all of these our own efforts, our own works? Does this not imply that we fulfill our primary calling to be with Christ by our own works?

Even though many people readily assume that "being with Jesus" merely means that we either do our daily devotions, attend a small group, go to church and be involved in "ministries", if our primary calling as disciples of Christ is to be with him, then as disciples of Christ should practice constant communion (that is receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion at least once a week) because as disciples of Christ we must always remember Christ according to how he himself said we should remember him and because our Lord Jesus is truly and really present in the Sacrament of Holy Communion, constant communion fulfills our primary calling to be with Christ constantly.

We CanNOT Reach God by Our Own Efforts

Luke 18:9-14 Jesus also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.'

"But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

The UMC-DOC Downloading Manual rightly warns against a program focused and event oriented attitude which seems so prevalent in attempts at discipleship. People usually miss the point of doing daily devotions with journalling, small groups and church attendance that they think that these activities in themselves will bring us closer to God, closer to Christ. Discipleship should not be treated as a “church program”, or devotions, small group or church activities as “events” wherein God is automatically “there”.

Does "being with God" merely mean that we do our daily devotions? Pharisees were known for their intense devotions, and their “journalling” resulted in what is now known as the Talmud, and yet that did not ensure they were “being with God”.  Attending a small group? Surely where two or three are gathered in God’s name, God is there. Pharisees also did that, their small groups were known as “chaburoth”, but their small group fellowships did not really ensure they were“being with God”. What about going to church and be involved in "ministries"? Pharisees did these also, always at the Synagogue and Temple, involved in all the activities of the Jewish faith, yet they definitely were not “being with God”.

How then can we assume that merely doing devotions, being part of a small group, going to church and being active will enable us to “be with Christ” (not that there is anything wrong with these things, mind)?

1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.”

Luke 6:46 [Jesus said,] “Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?”

1 Corinthians 7:19 For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.

No matter how much time one “sacrifices to God” setting time apart for daily devotions, small group, church activities and ministries, if one is not obeying Christ’s commands then its all for nought.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

If by “being with Christ” you MERELY mean doing daily devotions, doing your homework/journal, doing church activities and ministries, then you are doing it wrong. That is why the UMC-DOC Downloading Manual warns against seeing discipleship as a program of events.

Obeying the Commands of Our Lord Jesus Christ

John 14:23-24a Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. One who does not love me will not obey my teaching.”

If then "being with Jesus" does NOT merely mean that we either do our daily devotions, attend a small group, go to church “activities and ministries”, how then do we fulfill our primary calling as disciples of Christ is to be with him?  Christ tells us to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Disciples then should be taught to obey whatever Christ commanded. And Christ commanded that we should remember him through the breaking of bread and the cup of blessing.

That this is his command, appears from the words of the text, "Do this in remembrance of me:" … Perhaps you will say, "God does not command me to do this as often as I can:" That is, the words "as often as you can," are not added in this particular place. What then? Are we not to obey every command of God as often as we can? (John Wesley)

It follows that if we are not obliged to obey Christ’s command to remember him as often as we can through the Eucharist, then neither are we obliged to always love one another or to love our enemies always, nor are we obliged to love God with all our hearts, soul, and might always.

One could respond by saying, “Oh, I always remember Christ! The Lord’s Supper is just one of the many means I remember Christ, that is why I do not always have to eat and drink the Lord’s Supper because I already always remember him by various other means every day.”

Yes, that may be the case, that you remember Christ constantly by YOUR chosen means. Yet, consider what one is really saying: by saying that one’s own chosen means of remembering Christ is more relevant (and therefore better at regular and constant practice) than Christ’s chosen means for remembering him (which t best is only to be occasionally done) is like saying that one’s own will is more relevant than Christ’s will for us. In short, not Christ’s will be done, but our will be done.

But let us remember the main POINT of being a disciple: not our will be done, but God’s will be done. As disciples of Christ we must remember Christ according to how he himself said we should remember him, through consecrated bread and consecrated wine. This is the will of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Furthermore, there is one major-MAJOR advantage that the Holy Eucharist has which the other means of grace has (whether instituted or personal) do NOT have: immediate personal contact with Christ.

Keeping In Touch With Christ, As In REALLY Touching Him!

Article XVIII—Of the Lord's Supper

The Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another, but rather is a sacrament of our redemption by Christ's death; insomuch that, to such as rightly, worthily, and with faith receive the same, the bread which we break is a partaking of the body of Christ; and likewise the cup of blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christ.

The most important reason why disciples of Christ we should practice constant communion is because our Lord Jesus is truly and really present in the Sacrament of Holy Communion, constant communion fulfills our primary calling to be with Christ constantly.

We may truly and really be in contact with our loved ones through the phone or through the internet (Skype, Facebook, etc.), but talking to your loved ones through chat is not the same as actually holding their hands. In short, while their presence via Skype or FB may be so very immediate as to seem as if they were really there, their presence is but virtual, not real. True, chatting online can be so meaningful to those who are separated by long disctances, yet who would choose online chatting with one’s friends and loved ones if one has the immediate opportunity to really with them in person?

While all the other means do truly establish communication with Christ, these do so only in the same sense a phone call or text message does or internet chatting. Personal devotions or small groups do have the immediate presence of Christ, but Christ’s real and true presence is found in the Holy Eucharist. This is exactly what the doctrine of the United Methodist Church is—we Methodists are supposed to believe in the real presence. In other words, THE LORD’S SUPPER IS NOT MERELY A SYMBOL!

Article of Religion 18 clearly states that “the bread which we break is a partaking [i.e., eating] of the body of Christ; and likewise the cup of blessing is a partaking [i.e., drinking] of the blood of Christ”. There is no getting away from this!  In the Holy Eucharist, we are actually eating Christ’s flesh and actually drinking Christ’s blood.

Of course, we do NOT believe in the doctrine of Transubstantiation, wherein the nature (or substance) of bread and wine are changed into the nature/substance of Christ's body and blood and stops being bread and wine. We Methodists believe that in the Eucharist, the bread remains 100% bread and the wine 100% wine, yet at the same time they are 100% Christ's body and 100% Christ's blood. No transubstantiation has taken place, nor are the elements 50% bread/wine and 50% flesh/blood as is taught in the doctrine of Consubstantiation. Yes, how this is possible is a mystery (a holy mystery, in fact), yet it is true nonetheless, just as true as light being simultaneously particle and wave.

And yet some would object that our Lord Jesus is truly and really present in the Sacrament of Holy Communion, citing the third part of Article 18, “The body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten in the Supper, only after a heavenly and spiritual manner.” And we Methodists agree that the consecrated bread is Christ’s spiritual body and the consecrated wine is Christ’s spiritual blood. This does not make Christ’s flesh and blood in the Eucharist any less real or literal. In fact, this part of the article actually reinforces the doctrine of the real presence of Christ’s flesh and blood in the Holy Eucharist.

1 Corinthians 15:42-44 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

And so, the body and blood of Christ present in the Eucharist is Christ’s resurrected body and blood. What is present is not dead flesh and dead blood, but living flesh and living blood. At the same time, Christ’s resurrected body is not merely a spirit, i.e., a ghost, but a living and breathing being that can actually eat.

Luke 24:38-43  And he said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?  See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a ghost/spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.

And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece of broiled fish [and a honeycomb], and he took it and ate before them.

If the living, resurrected Christ, whose resurrected body is now a spiritual body, and yet is still is not a mere disembodied spirit but can still eat food, then this same resurrected Christ can give his spiritual body and blood as food that can really and literally be eaten. And if in the sacrament of the Eucharist we can really eat Christ’s flesh and drink his blood, then we can actually touch the living, resurrected Christ in the sacrament of Holy Communion!

What Is Our Primary Calling? To Really Be With Christ!

So one can see that although many people readily assume that "being with Jesus" merely means that we either do our daily devotions, attend a small group, go to church and be involved in "ministries", if our primary calling as disciples of Christ is to be with him, then as disciples of Christ should practice constant communion for two main reasons. First, as disciples of Christ we must always remember Christ according to how he himself said we should remember him. But most importantly, because our Lord Jesus is truly and really present in the Sacrament of Holy Communion, constant communion fulfills our primary calling to be with Christ constantly.

Personal devotions, journalling, small group, church activities and ministries do allow us to a) cultivate our relationship with Christ, b) abide in Christ in a way that produces fruit, c) make Christ the center of our lives, d) receive instruction from Christ daily, and e) establish a pattern that is reproducible. But only in a limited sense, just as phone calls, texts, memos, and internet chatting are limited in their potential to cultivate communication and relationships. Sooner or later, phone-pals must meet, texting give way to actual talking face to face, and internet chatting to actual dating and courtship.

In the same way, personal devotions, journaling, small group, and extra-church activities and ministries are intended to lead us to REALLY BE WITH CHRIST, as in truly with him in the Holy Eucharist. If any of these do not lead to a regular reception of Holy Communion, then they are worse than useless. Small group is done at least weekly—so too then should Holy Communion be received at least weekly. Personal devotions ideally ought to be done daily—so too then the ideal frequency of Holy Communion be also daily. In fact, if anything else should be gone, the Holy Eucharist MUST remain.

But, then again, SO WHAT? Why is the Lord’s Supper so very important? Because through the bread we break and partake of we become the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:16) and through the cup of blessing we bless we receive remission of sins, that is, not only the forgiveness of our sins, but the eradicating of our sins as well. To have the Holy Eucharist once a month is like saying we are the body of Christ only once a month, and we receive remission of sins only once a month. While prayer can suffice to receive forgiveness of our sins, only through the blood of Christ can our sins be in remission.

No pastoral act is more central to the care of souls than the Supper where the resurrected Christ himself is present at the table. If all acts of pastoral care were stopped except Eucharist, the work of pastoral care would remain vital and significant. – Thomas C. Oden, Ministry Through Word and Sacrament (New York: Crossroad, 1989), p. 154.

The Holy Eucharist is sufficient in itself for nurture, outreach, witness and evangelism because Christ is there, really and truly present for us to touch, for us to taste the goodness of our God.