A few weeks back Keri and I along with Brittany and Ethan traveled up to Washington, PA to visit with Keri’s parents and to bring back a pick-up truck for Aaron. While there we decided (read I decided) to go to Sarris’, our favorite homemade chocolate shop. There is no where that I know of that compares to the smooth mild milk chocolate that they produce. Anyway, while we were at Sarris’ I came across their Easter section of shaped chocolates and was taken back by what I saw. Along with the traditional Easter Bunny and Easter Eggs of every size there were other items for consumption, but the one that really made me wince was the chocolate Last Supper. While I do not find the Leonardo da Vinci painting especially sacred, I for some reason was offended by this edible version. Of all the things you can mold chocolate into why the Last Supper scene? Nothing new here, but I feel that we have, like Christmas, rendered Easter a consumer product. And although he is a “sweet” savior he also is our judge. Check out the passage below and notice how the Holy Spirit describes the Son of God.
Hebrews 10:29-31 (NIV) How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his people." 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
While molding The Last Supper into chocolate is in my opinion “poor taste” what we do with His name and how we represent Him in our daily life is more important. I know for one that I am guilty of using the name of God and Jesus lightly in conversation and in joking around. I have been graced by God with His patience and I do not want to test the length of it any longer so I have decided to change how I represent Him in my speech and actions. Why not consider doing the same starting with this Easter and maybe the world will notice the change and if we are blessed maybe, just maybe they will ask us why we believe and do the things we do. What an opportunity!!!
Happy Easter
Roger, over and out!
5 comments:
I hadn't seen that before, but I had seen chocolate crosses and thought that was just plain wrong. The cross was an instrument of torture, and people are making a edible candy version of it? As much as I like chocolate (and those of you who know me know that I do) you couldn't pay me enough to buy a chocolate cross or one of those things Roger described in his blog. What's this world coming to, anyway?
I don’t feel as appalled by this as I thought I would be. As I look at the picture I am not at first affected by what its made of, but of what it is. I see first a representation of the Savior having a last meal with his friends and trying to prepare them for the horror to follow. Although I couldn’t take a bite out of it because of the reverence it holds for me, I think of Paul when he said in Phil 1:17-19:
“17 Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me. 18 But that doesn't matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice.” And so I think, perhaps this is where we get a chance to profess our faith to someone not in “the way”. Peter says in 1 Peter 3:15-16
“15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”
So when RogBro says “What an opportunity!”, I say “Roger that!”
Thanks for the blog Roger, I didn't know you had done such things,(thank you for recognizing it and having the courage to come forward and change for the better) I to have been guilty of similar in the past as I am sure others have. There are other things done through emulation of example that I am not happy with in myself or others. It is work to correct ones self and change old (bad) habits. I know God is not happy when people make money off that which is holy priceless. Rebel is becoming a wiser man. This world hasn't changed much in 2000 thousand years.
Gentleness and respect, yes that is like a smooth salve in a world sandpaper.
Say, chocolate has medicinal purposes and that piece of chocolate could help lower my blood pressure and is full of flavonoids antioxidants in other words it’s good for me and you in moderation if you don't get to much sugar. If you don’t become a chocoholic and I don’t know of any. I would eat it before it spoils but I would not encourage such a moment being represented on such a temporary medium as chocolate.
Seriously nothing made by the hand of man is truly holy.
and no one is holyer than thou, holy means hole and when you are holy you will not become holyer than anyone else.
Does chocolate grow on vines, could it be used as . . . never mind, I don’t want to go there. I am having a good day! and I know what all that means now. It is all part of the earth and it will not enter Heaven. thank you for all of it, yes thank you for the thorns to, it all has a reson and nothing created by God was created in vain.
I can't believe I ate the wwwhhhole thing.
I think Clifford makes an excellent point. I just can't see how the company that makes this chocolate bar is glorifying God. As we are not to take His name in vain, I also believe that we are not to take his image in vain. This example is no better than ebaying off a pancake that has the face of Jesus on it.
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