1.

THE ROLE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF SACRAMENTS (ordinances),

RITUALS & SYMBOLIC ACTS IN CHRISTIAN LIFE

In the Christian Church, a sacrament is a religious ceremony or ritual regarded as

imparting divine grace, such as baptism, the Eucharist and the anointing of the sick. In an
Ecclesiastical context, sacraments are a visible sign of an inward grace, especially one of the
solemn Christian rites considered to have been instituted by Jesus Christ to symbolize grace: the
sacraments of the Protestant churches are baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The rest are rituals and
symbols.

The word sacrament comes from the Latin sacramentum, which means an oath or a solemn vow.
In the mid-16th century, the Council of Trent defined a sacrament as “a visible sign of an
invisible grace.”

A. Sacraments in Christianity

For the Protestants (Baptists, Lutherans, Anglicans, and Reformed), there are generally two rites
called sacraments: Baptism & Communion. As for the Roman Catholic, there are seven
sacramental elements. They are: Baptism, Holy Communion, Confirmation,
Confession/Reconciliation, Anointing of the sick, Marriage/Matrimony, and Ordination.

Two Sacraments defined: Why do the Protestants practice only two sacraments? The PC has only
two sacraments because it is scriptural. Sometimes, it is called ordinances. Jesus commanded his
followers to share two ordinances: baptism and communion. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus tells the
disciples to baptize “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” and
according to Luke 22:19, Jesus’ final meal concludes with a command: “Do this in remembrance
of me.”

i. Baptism is a symbol of the birth of a new life in Christ. It is performed through water
immersion. In baptism, God’s saving grace, His very presence, enters into the human soul. The
person celebrating the sacrament (usually a priest) says 'I baptize you in the Name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit' while pouring water over the head of the person receiving
the sacrament (Reformed/RC) or dipping the person in water.

ii. Eucharist is also called the Lord’s Supper, which is a ritual commemoration of
Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples. Those who partake in the Eucharist, receive the real Body,
Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ in what appears to be bread and wine. During holy
communion, regular bread and wine are consecrated by the priest/pastor, through God's power,
when he repeats Jesus’ words, ‘This is My Body’ and ‘This is the chalice of My Blood.’

B. Rituals & Symbolic Acts in Christian Life

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For the Protestants, the last five ecclesiastical elements contained in the sacraments of Roman
Catholic church are called rituals and symbols. They are discussed as follows:

i. Confirmation - Confirmation provides a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which

helps the confirmed person witness to Christ and lead a mature Christian life. The rite of
confirmation involves the anointing with holy oil and the laying on of hands. CNI, CSI
practice this ritual.

ii. Confession - In confession, a person confesses his or her sins to a priest (for e.g., RC) in
the spirit of true repentance and receives forgiveness. The priest acts as a visible
representative of Christ, who forgives sins through Him by uttering the words of
absolution. In the Protestant circles, each believer confesses directly to the Lord Jesus.

iii. Anointing of the sick - Anointing of the sick offers the comfort of God’s grace to those
who are ill. The sacrament provides spiritual and sometimes physical healing, according
to God’s will, but also allows the sick person to join his or her sufferings to Christ and
prepare for death. The essential rite of this sacrament involves anointing with the oil of
the sick and prayer.

iv. Marriage or Matrimony - Matrimony joins a man and a woman together in a life-long
covenant of self-giving love. The two spouses give their consent to join together in
marriage as the church defines it and God gives special grace to the couple that they
may live out their vow.

v. Ordination - In this sacrament/ordinance, men and women are ordained as members of

the clergy as bishops (Episcopal churches), priests, and deacons through the Ordination
Council members laying hands and saying a prayer. These men and women are given the
grace to live out their lives in service to the Church and to God’s people. It is called
Holy Orders in the Roman Catholic Church.

The sacraments are rituals that teach, strengthen and express our faith. These rituals are
relevant to all areas and stages of life. The purpose of the sacraments is to make people holy, to
build up the body of Christ, and finally, to give worship to God; but being signs/symbols, they
also have a teaching function. The believers must now live it out.

2. WORSHIP, WITNESS AND MISION

In Christian worship and preaching, there are three primary aspects, they are: worship, witness,
and mission. They will be discussed as follows.

a. Worship

As discussed earlier, Christian worship is the central act of the people of God in response to his
majestic and loving rule. It serves as a witness and invitation to the nations. In Christian worship,

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the worship leader and preacher incorporates the following – planning, leading, focusing,
singing, and creating an impact on the worshippers.

* Planning – prepares the Worship with All Worshipers both members and others in mind
* Leading - Guide the Worshipers into God’s Presence
* Focusing - Create a deep focus and attention on God
* Singing - Ignite worship with sustained singing
* Creating an Impact on the worshipers – You and I as worship leaders, one must play the role
with energy and vitality. Besides telling worshipers that they are in the presence of God, lead
the congregation carefully, pastorally, and expectantly. Focus their whole being—body, soul,
mind, and spirit—on the person of Jesus with the use of sustained singing that frees their spirit
and learning the Word that inspires the hearers. And do it in a way that matches their culture
and situations.

b. Witness as Worship

Witnessing is definitely a form of worship adoration. Witnessing is resulting worship, or a result

of worship. Witnessing is telling someone about Jesus, about someone who has experienced
Jesus. Salvation is the first experience of worshiping God. What follows the saving event of
one’s life which results in calling to worship and evangelism. This is recorded in the Great
Commission. Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven
and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have
commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew
28:1820). Worship & witness are to our articulation of God’s greatness. Psalm 96 is text dealing
with worship and witness. This understanding of witness takes us to the mission, which is of
God.

c. Christian Mission

The mission is used as an expression for what worship is. It is a term that is supposed to capture
the nature of worship. The term “mission of God (Latin - missio Dei)” plays a foundational role
in the Church and it forms the understanding and use of the term “mission.” We understand the
nature of mission in the following ways:

i. Mission of God

The term “mission of God (Latin = missio Dei)” plays a foundational role in the life of the
Church. It is the expression of the Church – the Body of Christ - which is used to set a
foundational groundwork. In our understanding of the missio Dei, the main principle is the
movement within the Triune God, i.e., between the Father, the Son and the Spirit. The mission of
God is made present in the Word of God, as Jesus Christ, in the power of the Spirit. God’s saving
purpose is for the world, this is the mission of God.

ii. Mission of the Church

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The connection between the church and the mission of God is mainly understood in our Christian
interpretation as that of the means of grace. This is the connecting point, and the “fundamental
expression” of the mission of God. God is made present in the Word of God, Jesus Christ, in the
power of the Spirit, and the church becomes part of this in its participation in the means of grace.
The church is constituted in the gathering around the means of grace. The church becomes
intrinsically connected to the mission of God in Christ, and in that connection, the church carries
out its mission, which is here defined as “witness and service.”

iii. Worship and mission

As seen earlier, we must understand the nature of mission. It is necessary to see the relationship
between worship and mission. In this way, the impact of worship is the interpretation of the
Christ event which is showed forth, and seen. And in so doing, the nature of the missio Dei is
revealed. By that revelation, the objective of worship and mission is fulfilled. This is the
responsibility of the worshippers.

3. WORSHIP AND SACRAMENTS IN DIFFERENT CHRISTIAN

TRADITIONS

Sacraments are by definition a sacred part of Christian life and worship. Learn the
meaning and practices of various sacraments from the denominations of Christian faith. So, what
follows is a study of the sacraments that are used in different Christian traditions namely -
Roman Catholic, Orthodox/Eastern, Protestant, Pentecostal/Independent, Indigenous and
Contextual, Ecumenical.

i. Roman Catholic (Catholicism)

The Catholic Church acknowledges seven sacraments. Though they are discussed earlier, we
may briefly study them again.
• Baptism
In baptism, God’s saving grace, His very presence, enters into the human soul. The person
celebrating the sacrament (usually a priest) says 'I baptize you in the Name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit' while pouring water over the head of the person receiving
the sacrament or dipping the person in water. For Catholics, baptism is the sacrament of
salvation and the door to all other sacraments.
• Eucharist
Those who partake in the Eucharist receive the real Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus
Christ in what appears to be bread and wine. During Mass, regular bread and wine are
consecrated by the priest, through God's power, when he repeats Jesus's words, 'This is My
Body' and 'This is the chalice of My Blood.'
• Confirmation

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Confirmation provides a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which helps the confirmed
Catholic witness to Christ and lead a mature Christian life. The rite of confirmation, usually
performed by a bishop, involves the anointing with chrism (holy oil), the laying on of hands,
and the words 'Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.'
• Reconciliation/Confession
In reconciliation, which is also called 'confession' or 'penance,' a Catholic confesses his or her
sins to a priest in the spirit of true repentance and receives forgiveness. The priest acts as a
visible representative of Christ, who forgives sins through Him when he says the words of
absolution: 'I absolve you of your sins in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy
Spirit.'
• Anointing of the sick
Anointing of the sick offers the comfort of God's grace to those who are ill. The sacrament
provides spiritual and sometimes physical healing, according to God's will, but also allows the
sick person to join his or her sufferings to Christ and prepare for death. The essential rite of
this sacrament involves anointing with the oil of the sick and prayer.
• Marriage or Matrimony
Matrimony joins a man and a woman together in a life-long covenant of self-giving love. The
two spouses give their consent to join together in marriage as the church defines it and God
gives special grace to the couple that they may be united as one and live out their vow.
• Holy orders
In holy orders, men are ordained as members of the clergy as bishops, priests, and deacons
through a bishop laying hands and saying a prayer. These men are given the grace to live out
their lives in service to the Church and to God’s people.

ii. Orthodox/Eastern Church

There are seven sacraments of the Orthodox or Eastern Church which are similar to the Roman
Catholic Church as examined above.

* The Eucharist - same as the R.C.

* Baptism - same as the R.C.

* Chrismation
The Sacrament of Chrismation (Confirmation) immediately follows baptism and is never delayed
until a later age. As the ministry of Christ was enlivened by the Spirit, and the preaching of the
Apostles strengthened by the Spirit, so is the life of each Orthodox Christian sanctified by the
Holy Spirit. Chrismation, which is often referred to as one's personal Pentecost, is the Sacrament
which imparts the Spirit in a special way.

* Confession
As members of the Church, we have responsibilities to one another and, of course, to God. When
we sin, our relationship to God and to others is distorted. Sin is ultimately alienation from God,
from our fellow human beings, and from our own true self which is created in God's image and

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likeness. In a confession setting of the OC, the priest is viewed not as a judge, but as a physician
and guide. It is an ancient Orthodox practice for every Christian to have a spiritual father to
whom one turns for spiritual advice and counsel. Confession can take place on any number of
occasions. The frequency is left to the discretion of the individual. In the event of serious sin,
however, confession is a necessary preparation for Holy Communion.

* Marriage - same as R.C. * Holy Orders

The practice of Holy Orders is similar as R.C. Following the custom of the Apostolic Church,
there are three major orders each of which requires a special ordination. These are Bishop, who
is viewed as a successor of the Apostles, Priest and Deacon, who act in the name of the Bishop.
Each order is distinguished by its pastoral responsibilities. Only a Bishop may ordain. Often,
other titles and offices are associated with the three orders. The Orthodox Church permits men to
marry before they are ordained. Since the sixth century, Bishops have been chosen from the
celibate clergy.
* Anointing of the Sick (Holy Unction): same as the R.C.

iii. Sacraments in the Protestant Church:

The Protestant Church is more than 500 years old. October 31, 2017 marked the 500th
anniversary of the Protestant Reformation (led by Martin Luther in Germany), which is an
important date in the history of the Protestant Churches around the world.
But the question is: Why do we have only two sacraments? The short answer is because
Jesus commanded his followers to share two sacraments: baptism and communion. In Matthew
28:19, Jesus tells the disciples to baptize “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit,” and according to Luke 22:19, Jesus’ final meal concludes with a command: “Do
this in remembrance of me.” For the explanation of baptism and communion, see the notes
given.
The other five rituals such as: marriage, confirmation, confession, Anointing of the sick,
and ordination as practiced in the Roman Catholic Church are considered as ordinances by the
Protestant churches, especially in the Baptist circles.
What is ordinance? Ordinance is an authoritative order of the church. This is a term used
in the religious circles for observance of the rite or rituals such as marriage and ordination. (For a
detailed discussion of the five rituals or ordinances, compare (cf.) the notes given above).

iv. Sacraments in the Pentecostal Churches

Pentecostals observe two main Sacraments and one unofficial one in the eyes of other Protestant
and even Catholic denominations. They are as follows: - baptism (usually performed on Easter
Sunday for old and new Christ-followers alike) and partaking in communion (also called the
Eucharist or the Lord’s Supper in other churches). (For the definition of baptism & communion,
see the notes given above).

The third sacrament usually only found in Pentecostal churches is something fellow believers
call “the baptism of the Holy Spirit,” taking reference to the apostles speaking in foreign tongues

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in Acts 2 on the Day of Pentecost (hence the name). Upon baptism and partaking in a personal
confirmation of faith, new and old members alike are expected to be able to burst into
spontaneous frenzy while shouting and praising God loudly.

v. Indigenous and Contextual Expressions

By concept, indigenization is a process of translating Christian message to a particular native

cultures and people so that the Christian faith would grow in that local context. The local and
native expression of Christian faith is the goal of indigenization.1
Indigenization demands local expressing of worship in which we need to “take into account
the pattern in which people worshipped and transform it to abide by the teachings and the life of
Christ.”2 The local expression finds its meaning in contextual expressions. Therefore, in the
context of Indian missions, indigenization should mean to develop indigenous theology that
helps the Christians in India to practice the Christian mission with indigenous resources in an
Indian way of worship and witness so that the people of India would understand Christian
message.

vi. Ecumenical Liturgy (Lima Liturgy)

The ‘Lima Liturgy’ is a Eucharistic (Holy Communion) service expressing, in one possible
liturgical form, the ecclesiological convergence on the eucharist reached in the Faith and Order
text Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry (BEM). It is so named because it was first used at the Faith
and Order Plenary Commission meeting in Lima, Peru in 1982 - the meeting which approved
BEM for transmission to the churches for official response.3
According to the indications given in the BEM document, the Christian liturgy should be
regularly celebrated, at least every Lord's Day and on feast days. This Eucharistic celebration
will include the proclamation of the Word of God and the communion of the members of the
Body of Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit (E31). The Eucharistic liturgy thus consists of
three parts.
First, there is the introductory part that unites the people of God in confession,
supplication and praise (confession of sins, litany of the Kyrie, and the Gloria).
The second part, the liturgy of the Word, begins with a prayer of preparation. It includes
the three proclamations: of a prophet (first lesson), an apostle (second lesson), and Christ (the
Gospel). Then the voice of the Church is heard in the sermon, making the eternal word
contemporary and living. The sermon is followed by silent meditation. The faith of the Church is
then summarized in the Creed and all human needs presented to God in the intercession.
The third part, the liturgy of the eucharist, consists essentially of the great eucharistic
prayer, preceded by a short preparation and followed by the Lord's Prayer, the sign of peace, and
communion. We shall return to these elements in more detail.
1 See Potana Venkateswara Rao, “New Wineskins: A Study on Indigenous Christian Missions Theory,” Indian
Journal of Research, Volume: 3, Issue: 8, August 2014.
2 Rao, “New Wineskins….”
3 “The Eucharistic liturgy of Lima” at https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/documents/the-eucharistic-liturgy-
oflima (May 15, 2021).

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4. PREACHING: biblical and theological foundations

Preaching is declaring God’s truth in Jesus, to the praise of his name. Preaching has both biblical
and theological foundations, which will be examined under three headings, namely: Theology
and significance of preaching; the importance of preaching in the ministry of the church and use
of Scriptures in Sermons/preaching

a. Theology and significance of preaching

The theology of preaching begins with the premise that it is a commission—a charge. As Paul
stated boldly, it is the task of the minister of the gospel to “preach the Word, … in season and out
of season” (2 Tim. 4:2). Paul begins with the humble acknowledgment that preaching is not a
human invention but a gracious creation of God and a central part of His revealed will for the
church.

Preaching signifies the exaltation of God by declaring what He says in the Bible. It is a little
different from teaching because teaching is the explanation of Scripture. Looking at Scripture,
breaking down what it means, interpreting and applying it would be teaching. However,
preaching has to do with soul-searching, spiritual growth, healing and salvation.

The theology of preaching has two distinct but interrelated aspects. First, God has chosen to
speak—and His Word is powerful, creative, and effective. Second, God calls humans to be
surrogate voices in speaking His Word to others. Because of the Holy Spirit, the latter can have
the same result as the former.

b.The importance of preaching in the ministry of the church

The preacher’s task is important because, by using God’s word, he/she proclaims good tidings
about Jesus Christ. Jesus described the nature of his work when in Luke 4:18 he quoted from
Isaiah 61:1-3. He declared that his work was to preach good tidings to the poor, to heal the
broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, to give recovery of sight to the blind, and to set at
liberty those who are oppressed. It promises to give beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning,
and a source of joy and praise for the broken spirit. This is what the ministry of the church is all
about.

c. Use of Scriptures in Sermons/preaching

All over the world, every Sunday someone enters the pulpit, reads from the Bible, and preaches a
sermon. The impression is conveyed or the claim is made that the sermon is based upon the
biblical text. It is a widely-shared assumption that the task of the Christian pulpit is to proclaim
the message of the Scriptures. When we do preaching, the following steps are undertaken:
* Read the scriptures,
* Explain the scriptures,
* Apply the scriptures,

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* Correlate the scriptures, and
* Illustrate with the scriptures
* Read the Scriptures. It is the Bible, and only the Bible, which bears witness to events which
brought the church into being and in which the church finds its meaning and mission.
Preaching is only one avenue of access to the Bible by the readers (audience).

* Explain the scriptures. There are those who draw a hard distinction between preaching and
teaching. But this cannot be backed up by scripture. In the same verse Paul charges Timothy to
preach the word (2 Tim. 4:2), he bids him to do so with “complete patience and teaching.” In
this sense, preaching and teaching go together. To preach the word requires teaching the word.
So we should not be hesitant about having heavy doses of explanation in our preaching.

* Apply the scriptures. Faithful preaching should not only show the congregation what the text
means; it should also show them how it works. It should answer the question, “So what?” At its
bare minimum, preaching should involve explanation and exhortation. We should call upon the
hearer to shape their thinking and behavior by the word of God (James 1:22).

* Correlate the scriptures. Correlation is a connection. It is needed to reinforce the meaning of

one passage by demonstrating that it is consistent with what scripture teaches in other places.
One can use “The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge” or “Bible Quiz.” It is a big book of
crossreferences. It is used to clarify cross-references to shed light on the text.

* Illustrate with the Scriptures. Illustration helps the Word that is preached. Illustration is giving
of relevant examples to the topic. Homileticians warn aspiring preachers to craft illustrations
from life, rather than using illustration books. Understand the reasoning behind this advice. If
we get one of two good advices from the wealth of Bible knowledge, then will suffice.
Illustrations can be found in Scriptures itself. This will further educate the congregation.