The church (part three)

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 John 4:10).

A feature of virtually all Christian churches is the altar.  Altars are descended from the oldest places of worship.  From the earliest days of history, sin has been a problem that has plagued humanity.  Altars were used for offering sacrifices to God.  On the altar, animals bled out their lives and God accepted that blood in place of our own.  Those early altars prepared God’s people to understand what Jesus would do on the cross—shed His blood so that we can be forgiven.  Modern altars are no longer a place of death—when Christ gave His life for sinners, the blood of God’s own Son ended the need for any further sacrifices.  Now the altar is a symbol that represents God’s mercy towards repentant sinners. 

In most churches, the altar is located in a smaller area at the front of the worship space.  This alcove is reminiscent of the Tabernacle designed by God during the time of the Exodus. The Ark of the Covenant sat in a small, screened off area, known as the Most Holy Place.  The lid of the Ark was called the Mercy Seat, and it was here that God would appear in majestic glory to speak with Moses.  In modern churches, the altar has taken over the purpose of the Ark of the Covenant, the place of mercy where God converses with His people.  Our prayers are directed to God at the altar, and it is from this special area that Holy Scripture is read to the congregation.  We come before the altar to confess our sins, and from the Mercy Seat we hear the blessed words of forgiveness.  The altar and its environs are the place where God and His people speak to each other—this is why it is customary to bow when approaching the altar.

The altar serves one more related function—it is the place from which Communion is served.  Jesus instituted the Holy Supper at a dinner table; today He uses church altars all over the world to give us His body and blood through sacramental bread and wine.  When used in this way, the altar can properly be referred to as the Lord’s Table. 

The church altar has a long and important history, and it deserves our respectful conduct when approaching it.  It represents our connection to God, which has been made possible through the atoning death of His Son who is also our Savior.