The Table

I’m not sure what sort of carpentry Jesus did. Since he is the Son of God, you just sort of think about him being born knowing how to do everything, right? You can picture Him walking into Joseph’s shop as a 2-year old saying, “Daddy, I help!” and then building an intricate model house or something.

But Jesus was a man. He had to learn things like everybody else. I’m sure he hit his thumb with a hammer, and I’m sure he didn’t always saw straight lines. Maybe he wasn’t even a very good carpenter, I don’t know.

But he did have one specialty, one thing he was really good at making that he left as a legacy. A table.

The center of our life together as Christians is not a sermon. It is not a song. It is not an altar. The center of our life together is a table. The table of the Lord. Holy Communion. The Eucharist. The body and the blood. The sacrament that was given to us by our Lord Himself, with the gentle command, “Do this in remembrance of me.”

Jesus didn’t want us to remember him at a bloody altar of sacrifice. He wanted us to remember Him at a table.

There is a lot that happens at the table. Family dinners. Business deals. First dates. Old friends catching up. Lives being shared. And hopefully, some really good food.

And as we know, the table of the Lord signifies the profound truth that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.

At this table, we remember the One who was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities. We remember the One who knew no sin and yet became sin. We remember the body that was broken, and the blood that was shed as a ransom for many. We remember that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. We remember the crucified and resurrected Christ. This table stands as a symbol of the grace that is available to those who are in Christ.

And yet this table is more than just a symbol. Now, I don’t believe that the elements literally become the body and blood of Jesus. But there is a mystery beyond the metaphor.

In his book Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer says it this way – “Ever since Jesus Christ sat at table with his disciples, the table fellowship has been blessed by his presence.”

At this table there is forgiveness. At this table there is a renewed relationship with our Maker. At this table there is shalom. At this table there is mercy. At this table – there is eternal life.

The table is a statement about how we relate to God. There is a vertical dimension to it. But that is not all…

This table has a lot to say about how we relate to each other as human beings, as children of God. This table is the centerpiece of a new way of life, a new fellowship that is IN CHRIST.

So what does it mean for those who find themselves sitting next to each other, and across from each other at this table? How does this table change the way we live?

A couple years ago I went to my church's men's retreat. There were a lot of team activities on the agenda that year, so all the guys were separated into groups. Each team was identified by a color, and each person on the team had a bandana of that color. The games we played and the group discussions we had were great. But I found it interesting how the teams sort of naturally grouped together, even in non-activity times. The red team hung out together, as did the blue and the yellow. And there was of course nothing wrong with this. But it just struck me how quickly people form groups and identify themselves with those groups.

It’s as if we are hard-wired to separate – like there’s something in us that needs to put up walls. And there are a lot of different reasons for that. Some of them aren't all bad. Common experiences, common tastes in music or art, etc. In a sense, these things bring people together, but it is often at the exclusion of others.

And think of all the things that separate human beings from other human beings. Race, color, nationality, language, political views, culture, economic status... The list goes on an on. We identify ourselves with a particular way, and then often give minds over to this notion of US verses THEM.

Philip Yancey says, “Grace dies when it becomes US versus THEM.”

But at the table of the Lord, we find reconciliation. Listen to these words of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:

"For Christ himself has made peace between us Jews and you Gentiles by making us all one people. He has broken down the wall of hostility that used to separate us. By his death he ended the whole system of Jewish law that excluded the Gentiles. His purpose was to make peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new person from the two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. He has brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and to us Jews who were near. Now all of us, both Jews and Gentiles, may come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family."

The cross, and consequently the table, not only reconciles us to God, but also to each other. Walls come down. In this passage, Paul speaks of the divide between Jews and Gentiles that was abolished in Jesus Christ – that He made us all one people.

I just get this picture of Jesus stretching His arms out on the cross – taking one group with his left hand and the other with his right and bringing them together and saying, “Peace, be still.”

One translation refers to this as the New Humanity. One body. One people. A dwelling place for God.

Rob Bell says it this way: “God is retelling each of our stories in Jesus.” We have a new primary identity. A new “bloodline” – the blood of Jesus. And what we have in common is greater than what separates us.

Later in chapter four, Paul says, “Always keep yourself united in the Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace. We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future. There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and there is only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us.”

The table is a place where relationships are mended. In Matthew 5, Jesus said, "So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.”

Reconciliation is a big deal to God. He’s in the business of tearing down walls.

And when those walls that separate us come down, what do we find?

There is Greek word that I think best describes it: "koinonia." It means fellowship, where the sharing of lives takes place. At the table, we have true fellowship with each other. Our lives are “redemptively entangled."

Bonhoeffer says, “Christian brotherhood is not an ideal which we must realize; it is rather a reality created by God in Christ in which we may participate.”

Koinonia is a gift. It does not originate with us. It is granted to us by a loving Father who has poured out His love upon us.

Think of how you have benefited from the blessings of fellowship and community. We all have stories. And these stories remind us of how much we need each other.

This table reminds us of our dependence on each other, and our obligation to each other.

Again, Bonhoeffer – “The table fellowship of Christians implies obligation. It is OUR daily bread that we eat, not my own. We share our bread. Thus we are firmly bound to one another not only in the Spirit but in our whole physical being… Not until one person desires to keep his own bread for himself does hunger ensue.”

Recently, I was thinking about where it says that Jesus had compassion on the multitudes, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then in the scene of Peter’s restoration, Jesus says to him, “Feed my sheep. Feed my lambs.” He knew he was leaving, and he wanted his compassion and care to be lived out through his followers.

We see this even before he was crucified. In John 13, Jesus says, “Dear children, how brief are these moments before I must go away and leave you! Then, though you search for me, you cannot come to me… So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

The table is a gift of fellowship that was purchased at a great cost to Jesus. It is where we belong. And it is consequently a witness to the world around us…

Now, as we gather around this table, everything is perfect, right? No domestic disputes. No food fights. Just one big happy family, right?

Jesus Christ may have torn down the wall of separation, but we still sometimes have difficulty getting along with each other. Is that a fair assessment?

Everyone is different. Different needs. Different opinions. Different hang-ups.

And here’s the thing – Jesus set this table. And that means we don’t get to decide who belongs and who doesn’t. We don’t even necessarily get to decide who we sit next to and across from.

But remember this: who was Jesus fond of eating with? As Brennan Manning says, “Jesus ate with ragamuffins.” He ate with “sinners.” And that was such a radical thing to do, because to sit down at table with someone signified acceptance and brotherhood.

And what about now, 2000 years later? Who do you think he would eat with today?

Am I willing to eat with “sinners?” And can I enjoy it like he did?

The table is a space for grace. Here we find that God is merciful and gracious to us. We don’t have to be afraid. We confess our sins to God, he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And we must also be prepared to confess our sins to each other. And that takes an atmosphere of grace.

In his book What’s So Amazing About Grace, Philip Yancey gives this exhortation:
“All of us need grace-healed eyes to see the potential in others for the same grace that God has so lavishly bestowed on us.”

We can extend grace because we have received it. And if we ever forget how destitute we are – how dependant we are on the mercy of God – we will be lifted up in pride, and look down on others.

Remember the parable Jesus told about the Pharisee and the tax collector? The Pharisee lifted up an eloquent prayer of thanks to God, which included thanks that he wasn't like the tax collector. He was better than such scum. But the tax collector couldn't even lift his face, and prayed, "Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner." And Jesus said that he was actually the one who went away right with God - not the Pharisee who seemed to have it all together.

Now, perceived sinfulness is not the only reason that people look down on other people. There are all sorts of things that make some people feel superior to others. A lot of these things have to do with social or economic status. Now we’re talking about walls again.

But at the table of the Lord, we find a new, counterintuitive, Kingdom-centered set of social values.

Now, have you ever noticed how the Kingdom of God sometimes just seems upside down and backwards? It’s not at all according to the way the world sees things, and not even necessarily according to common sense. The first shall be last. Turn the other cheek. Go the extra mile. Become like a child.

The Beatitudes immediately come to mind. Listen to the rearranged priorities in this list in Luke 6:

"Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, "God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is given to you. God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. God blesses you who weep now, for the time will come when you will laugh with joy. God blesses you who are hated and excluded and mocked and cursed because you are identified with me, the Son of Man. "When that happens, rejoice! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were also treated that way by your ancestors. "What sorrows await you who are rich, for you have your only happiness now. What sorrows await you who are satisfied and prosperous now, for a time of awful hunger is before you. What sorrows await you who laugh carelessly, for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow. What sorrows await you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets."

This is completely counterintuitive. In a commentary on this passage, Michael Wilcock says, “In the life of God’s people, it will be seen first of all a remarkable reversal of values. The people of God will prize what the world calls pitiable and suspect what the world thinks desirable.”

I think God likes the underdog. I mean, he is always taking an unlikely hero and doing great things through them. Moses. David. Gideon. Peter. Paul.

And this is because he gets the glory for it. But I think his propensity toward those who are helpless also shows his heart of compassion. The poor, marginalized, oppressed and downtrodden are high on his agenda.

In The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning says, “A living God can and does make his presence felt… Such an experience is pure grace to the poor, the children and the sinners, the privileged types in the Gospel of grace.”

You see, at the foot of the cross, and at the table – EVERYONE IS EQUAL. We are all the same. There is no privileged class, no VIPs. If anything, it’s the poor and destitute that are the VIPs.

Listen to the harsh rebuke of James:

"My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim that you have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people more than others? For instance, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in shabby clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, "You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor" -- well, doesn't this discrimination show that you are guided by wrong motives? Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn't God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren't they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him? And yet, you insult the poor man! Isn't it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? Aren't they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear? Yes indeed, it is good when you truly obey our Lord's royal command found in the Scriptures: "Love your neighbor as yourself." But if you pay special attention to the rich, you are committing a sin, for you are guilty of breaking that law."

I read a prayer once from a 10-year old boy in Philadelphia that I found interesting: “Dear God, please make all the poor people rich and all the rich people poor. Then bring us all back to medium so we will take better care of each other. Amen.”

We are commanded to care for each other. And the table reminds us of that.
In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul says, “It's not the Lord's Supper you are concerned about when you come together. For I am told that some of you hurry to eat your own meal without sharing with others. As a result, some go hungry while others get drunk. What? Is this really true? Don't you have your own homes for eating and drinking? Or do you really want to disgrace the church of God and shame the poor? What am I supposed to say about these things? Do you want me to praise you? Well, I certainly do not!”

1 John 3:17 says, “If anyone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help – how can God’s love be in that person?”

In 1 Timothy 6:17-19, Paul says, “Tell those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which will soon be gone. But their trust should be in the living God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and should give generously to those in need, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given them. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may take hold of real life.”

God has a lot to say about how we treat the poor.

Now, watching Scrooge give the prize turkey to the Cratchit family in A Christmas Carol can stir up all sorts of warm fuzzies about helping the poor. But as you may know, real life is not necessarily as warm and fuzzy. Any interaction between people, especially where there is money involved, has the potential of going south really quick. It’s hard. It’s messy. It’s life.

But remember the words of Jesus – “Whatever you have done to the least of these, you have done it unto me.”

Bonhoeffer says, “The exclusion of the weak and insignificant, the seemingly useless people, from a Christian community may actually mean the exclusion of Christ; in the poor brother Christ is knocking at the door.”

This table is a place of safety for those who are on the margins, forgotten by society. At this table, everyone is welcome.

In Luke 14, we read of an interesting interaction between Jesus and the Pharisees."

"One Sabbath day Jesus was in the home of a leader of the Pharisees... When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: "If you are invited to a wedding feast, don't always head for the best seat. What if someone more respected than you has also been invited? The host will say, 'Let this person sit here instead.' Then you will be embarrassed and will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table! "Do this instead -- sit at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, 'Friend, we have a better place than this for you!' Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored." Then he turned to his host. "When you put on a luncheon or a dinner," he said, "don't invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will repay you by inviting you back. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the godly, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you."

This is the kind of table Jesus has set. This is the kind of party he has planned.

So what does this table mean for those outside the fellowship – for the world outside our windows?

I once heard Tony Campolo say, “The church is the only organization that exists for the benefit of its non-members.”

Tim Keller says it this way – “The church is a counter-cultural community for the common good.”

You see, this table is not just a place where we gather to receive and share.
It’s not just a “holy huddle.” It is a reminder of what we are called to be and do.

Oswald Chambers has this to say, “Quit praying about yourself and be spent for others as the bondslave of Jesus. That is the meaning of being made broken bread and poured out wine in reality.”

Rob Bell talks about this in his book Jesus Wants to Save Christians. What if when Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me,” he wasn’t only talking about a ritual? What if the “do this” was a whole way of life?

When we come to this table, we partake of the body of Christ. And we remember that we ARE the body of Christ. And the servant is not greater than his master. His body was broken and his blood was poured out. And like Chambers says, we too are broken and poured out for the world that God so loves, which may not be all that receptive.

And this is the real challenge that we find at the table. We all know the Psalm that says, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” What if those enemies are the ones we are called to love? What if Jesus says, “I have prepared a place for them too.”

When Jesus was on the cross, he said, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they're doing.”

This is the table of the Lord. A table where there is room for enemies. A table where Paul and Stephen can sit down together as brothers. Where Philemon and Onesimus come as family. Where Irish Catholics and Protestants dine. Where white and black South Africans laugh together. Where Palestinians and Israelis make peace. And maybe some Red Sox fans and some Yankee fans even mend their differences too.

This is the table of the Lord.

And this table is itself a shadow of another table – of a feast – not one of remembrance, but one of celebration. Where people from every tribe, tongue and nation gather together for a party – a wedding. This is the marriage supper of the Lamb.

And Jesus will wipe away every tear. And he will make all things new.

And until then, we come to this table in anticipation of that great day. And we tell the story of Jesus, which has become our story. And we remember that we have been reconciled to God, and we to each other.

And at this table, we share the bread of life.