Conclusion

Conclusion To conclude everything with this final word:

All things in this world are subordinate to a greater end. Let us therefore use them in such a way that we do not lose what is most important.

All the comforts a traveler experiences along his journey are subordinate to his destination. If his accommodations are poor—if his bed is hard—will he quarrel with his host? No. He thinks to himself, "I am on my way home; I shall have better when I arrive.

These things are but to carry me onward." So it is with all things below—they are but subordinate helps to something far greater. Shall we then make them the chief thing? Shall we treat them as ultimate, and subordinate everything else to them, as worldly men do—placing even religion beneath the interests of this life, and making all things out of order?

They do not "weep as though they wept not," but rather hear as though they heard not. They receive the sacrament as though they received it not. They pray as though they prayed not. They speak of sacred things, and even perform them, as though they did them not.

Yet in worldly things, they are swallowed up. This is Satan's subtle strategy: to make religion subordinate—to permit it only so far as it does not interfere with worldly advantage.

Thus, if a man may be religious and still retain the favor of some great person; if he may be religious and still prosper in the world— then he will. But if religion itself, and standing firm for truth, hinders

his ambitions, he casts it aside. He would rather be hollow-hearted than stand for a good cause. Why? Because he has not learned to subordinate lesser things to the chief end. He lacks grace and heavenly wisdom to teach him how to rightly rank the things of life— to discern what is supreme, and what merely serves the supreme end. And therefore, he mistakes by-things for the main thing, and the main for that which is secondary.

Indeed, no one is truly wise except the genuine Christian. He is wise for his soul, and he is wise for eternity. But what does this mean for the sacrament? To put all in one word:

Are these earthly things nothing more than perishing food—vain and empty treasures that we must soon leave behind? Will not this truth drive us to seek what is lasting—the food that endures to everlasting life? Shall we not labor to be more deeply rooted in Christ, to nourish communion with Him, that everlasting bond?

What is the sacrament, if not the nourishment of our souls? It is our heavenly manna—the bread that endures forever and causes us to endure forever. Christ, if we have Him, abides forever—and He causes us to abide forever as well.

Therefore, considering that all other things are vanity, I beseech you: let the reflection upon this truth be as "bitter herbs" that sharpen your appetite for the true Passover Lamb—Christ Himself. Oh, are all things vain? Shall I not labor, then, to gain my portion in Him who never dies—in Him who is my eternal Husband and Lord? Shall I not strive to deepen my interest in Him who contains all good things?

What if the whole earth should fail? If I have communion with Christ, I have all. If I am united to Christ, all that He has becomes

mine. It is my spiritual inheritance. "All things are yours, if you are Christ's" (1 Corinthians 3:21–23). If I have Christ, what can I lack?

Let this truth stir up in me a greater desire to come to the Lord's Table. Christ is the food of the soul. All other food loses its sweetness within moments, and its strength within a few days. But this food—

Christ crucified, Christ offering Himself to death, shedding His blood, giving His body for our salvation—this food sustains the soul unto eternal life. Through it we are strengthened in faith, confirmed in the assurance of God's everlasting favor. The sweetness, the power, the comfort of this heavenly nourishment never fade.

Therefore, since all else is food that perishes, let us labor for that which feeds us to eternal life. Then we shall profit rightly from the truth that all things are subject to change and decay.

A heathen man could recite this text—set the word "brethren" aside —a heathen could say, transit gloria mundi, "the glory of this world passes away." He sees it with his eyes and draws a reasonable conclusion: therefore, we ought not to be worldly-minded. By the light of nature alone, a man without religion may come to this truth, and so learn not to cling tightly to earthly things, knowing he must soon leave them.

Many pagans—Plutarch, Seneca, and others—spoke eloquently along these lines. They wrote many beautiful and wise sayings about the vanity of worldly things.

But the positive part, the vital truth—that when we perceive all earthly things to be vain and fading, we must then cling to something better—this belongs only to true religion. To know Christ, and the blessings we have in Christ; to know that in Him we possess all—this is unique to the Christian. He is the nourishment of our souls.

These truths belong to the gospel. Therefore, let us rise from the contemplation of vanity to the pursuit of substance. Let us press forward to lay hold of that which surpasses all else. If we have Christ, we have everything. And then we shall make a right use of all that has been spoken.

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