We are in a liturgical battle. There have been so-called worship wars between professing Christians about what songs and styles to sing, but the greater worship war is more clearly between two liturgical scandals: either parades of drag queens down main street or a stream of disciples down the center aisle for communion in flesh and blood.
Our neighbor city of Arlington had their first Pride parade last Saturday, with religious blessing by a woman episcopal deacon who is married to another woman. There was a presentation from Planned Parenthood, drag story time and dances. It is gross, and is a sign of God’s judgment.
What we as Christians offer in return is not “nice,” not traditional, not conservative. What we offer as alternative is gross: we eat Jesus flesh and drink His blood.
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. (John 6:53–56, ESV)
Many who heard Jesus use this language walked away from Him. The disciples who stayed called it “hard saying” (John 6:60). Paul referred to the central doctrine of our beliefs, the crucifixion of Christ, as a scandal and offense (1 Corinthians 1:23).
Ironically, what we know to be natural (Romans 1:26-27) is rejected by natural men (so called in 1 Corinthians 2:14); it takes the power and presence of God’s Spirit to rejoice at the Lord’s Supper. The bread and the wine are signs of God’s judgment, but for our salvation.