Beloved in Christ,
Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I am very happy in addressing you all through the messenger. During the previous month God gave us health, shelter, food and saved us from all evil activities. So, we have to thank God faithfully. I extend my sincere thanks to Rev. Samji Achen who conducted the services in my absence. Also I remember Rev. Johny Andews, the previous vicar and his services in Ahmadi church.
In the month of August we think about the “Sacraments”. First of all let us consider what is meant by Sacramental Principle. Whenever we wish to express any thought or feeling, we use some material medium. In this life spirituality is always being expressed by material means. This is what is called Sacramental Principle. Commonly the definition we use for Sacrament is an outward sign and an inward grace through which God works invisibly in us. The primary meaning of the Sacrament is that God gives us outward sign and we are assured of His inward working in our souls.
We are mainly concerned with the Evangelical Sacraments that are mentioned in the Gospels. The Sacraments ordained by our Lord are Baptism and Holy Communion. Very often Baptism and Holy communion are referred to as Sacraments necessary for our salvation.
Through the Sacraments we realize our fellowship with the church. There are three things bound up together in every Sacrament. There are certain things we do. There are certain other things the church is doing and thirdly what God does in giving us His grace and answering us with all His gifts.
The Holy communion that church has repeated, proclaims the solemn act of Christian obedience to the command. ” As often as ye eat this bread and drink the cup, ye proclaim the lord’s death till He comes”. It is a memorial of His death to ourselves. Cross of Christ is at the heart of our faith. The Holy communion is the memorial of the passion before God. So this service is an epitome of a sacrifice of praise and thanks giving. We the church of South India call it Eucharist (Thanks giving). “Unless ye eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood , ye can have no life in you” (John 6: 53).
Baptism is the sacrament of our entering in to the Christian Fellowship and therefore is never repeated. Baptism is the badge that distinguishes Christians from the outside world. Secondly, it is the act of the church, welcoming the new member in to the fellowship. Thirdly Baptism is the act of God. Through this Sacrament, God gives the sign of Grace.
We the church of South India arrange for the confirmation. It must be regarded as part of Baptism. It is referred to as layman’s ordination. The confirmed member has a priestly office in the church. He represents God to the world and the world to God.
May God bless you all
Yours in Christ,
Rev. C.C. Sabu
