The Pageantry of Paganism 1Kings 18: Kings 5:1-19 These two stories illustrate at least one common point:

The Pageantry of Paganism “Pageant” and “pageantry” are defined as, “a mere show: pretense… an ostentatious display… a spectacle… an empty display” (Webster’s New Collegiate Dict.) Whereas “pagan” is defined as, among other things, “one who has little or no religion and who delights in sensual pleasures and material goods” (IBID).

The Pageantry of Paganism Thus carnally-minded and sensually-based man seems to have a tendency to desire, and therefore to make, a show of his religion / religious service; to expect, and therefore to make, some grand spectacle of it. Unsatisfied with “the purity and simplicity of devotion to Christ” (2Cor.11:3), carnal and sensual people seemingly feel the need to make worship “special” with glittering, laser-lit, smoke- filled, orchestrated and costumed spectacles specifically designed to appeal to man’s senses rather than God’s spirit.

The Pageantry of Paganism Does any of this sound familiar?  Like Naaman expecting (and desiring?) something spectacular instead of a simple “washing” in the Jordan River? 2Kings 5:11-13  Like the Prophets of Baal calling, leaping, crying out, and cutting themselves in such dramatic ways? 1Kings 18:26-29  Like what’s going on all over the country, and to some degree, the world, today in the name of “religion”?  The intentions may be good and noble, but when we “exceed what is written” (1Cor.4:6), we worship our own sensual selves rather than God, Phil.3:19.

The Pageantry of Paganism Please consider the following:  Each Lord’s Day is “special” as it is set apart by the Scriptures from the other days of the week for sanctified purposes, Acts 2; 20:7; 1Cor.11:18 > 16:2.  But no one Sunday is “more special” than another for the simple reason that no passage indicates such.  N.T. Christians worship every Sunday by praying, singing praises, proclaiming the Word, and commemorating the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We do so because there is simply no command, example, or pattern in the N.T. to make one Sunday more “special” than another. (Acts 12:4 not withstanding)

The Pageantry of Paganism Let’s look at 1Cor.11:20-34:  The Corinthians were “not” gathering to eat the Lord’s Supper- though they should have been, cf. vv > 23ff.  Paul instructs them in the teaching of the Lord on the matter, vv  But how does the Supper “proclaim the Lord’s death,” which occurred on Friday, if partaken on Sunday, v.26? He was proved to be the Son of God, not by His death specifically, Matt.26:38; but by His resurrection, Rom.1:4. The value of His death to us was only attained through His resurrection, 1Pet.1:3. Therefore, on Sunday, the day of His resurrection (cf. Mark 16:1-2ff), the Lord’s Supper commemorates and celebrates the application of His blood by resurrection!

The Pageantry of Paganism Let’s look at 1Cor.11:20-34:  The examination of self (v.28) in partaking has to do with the “manner” in which the emblems are partaken, v.27, not the worthiness of the individual partaking. Remember, the Corinthians had made the Supper about them rather than Christ, vv If this examination had to do with worthiness, should any of the Corinthians been partaking, cf. 1Cor.1-10? Worthiness instead has to do with the manner of partaking: “discerning/judging the body (of the Lord) rightly” instead of making the Supper about us, v.29.

The Pageantry of Paganism Let’s look at 1Cor.11:20-34:  This perversion of the Supper (and worship in general) to our own sensual appetites produces spiritual weakness, sickness, and death, v.30.  “But if we judged,” v.31a; judged here is diakrino- to evaluate as in 14:29; it refers to the intentions, purpose, and manner in which the Supper is partaken.  “We should not be judged,” v.31b; judged here is krino- to condemn, as in John 7:51; they had been condemned (krino) in vv because they had not properly evaluated (diakrino) their purposes and manner of partaking the Supper.

The Pageantry of Paganism Let’s look at 1Cor.11:20-34:  This judgment (condemnation) against them was given to prevent their eternal condemnation, v.32. So you tell me: Do these things really matter? The Corinthians are being corrected with regard to their selfish desires to make the Supper, and by extension, worship, about them that they might not lose their souls over it!  They were told to “wait for one another” because the Supper is a mutual sharing of the congregation with the blood and body of Christ, v.33 > 10:  Fulfill your fleshly desires at home, and keep the Supper and worship spiritual, and about Him, not us, v.34!

The Pageantry of Paganism Conclusions: The prophets of Baal and Naaman well illustrate the mindset of the Pageantry of Paganism. But we are no better than they when we seek to make worship and religious service pleasing to our sensual and fleshly desires by “going beyond that what is written” 1Cor.4:6. The Lord’s Supper is a simple, sweet commemoration of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Partaking of it in the right way and for the right reasons has spiritual benefits to us, just as doing it in the wrong way or for the wrong reasons has detrimental effects.