Hadrian's Wall
Originally scheduled for
November 20
Tourists in the northern part of Great Britain may discover
the existence of Hadrian's Wall. This is a Roman era fortification
begun in A.D. 122. It stretches across the length of Great Britain,
and consists of a wall buttressed by fortified towers every mile or
so. It served a number of purposes:
·
First,
it was a fortification. The Roman Empire could not match the number
of soldiers in the native tribes to the North. The wall help
compensate for that.
·
As was
the custom of the time, the fortification would include gateways at
which officials would collect import and export taxes and other
customs duty as well.
·
Perhaps its most important use was this: it provided the definitive
marker between civilization and the barbarians. If you lived on the
south side, you are civilized. On the north side, nothing but
barbarians. At least, that's how the Romans saw it.
The modern equivalents to Hadrian's Wall are still with us.
Fortifications are rather out of fashion at the moment, being
subject to precision munitions. But we still maintain structures at
which we collect customs and process immigration. It is not likely
that this will disappear soon.
One thing which is almost certain to endure until the Lord's
return, however, we still mark boundaries. We still have the need to
separate people into their particular groups.
Communion is just such a marker.
·
By it
Christian proclaims himself to be a member of the church, a fellow
Christian. It says he has crossed the invisible line from sinner to
saved.
·
By it
a Christian also proclaims Jesus Christ. Joining the church is not
like joining a country club. The admission requirements are much
lower, and the benefits far greater.
·
By it
the Christian proclaims hope. To take communion is to explicitly
proclaim that you have the hope of the resurrection of the dead. You
have that hope because Christ has returned from the grave.
Communion is the boundary marker of the church. Think carefully;
examine yourself. Your actions may proclaim you to be on the
Christian side of the marker; does your life make the same
proclamation?
