In the Christian Church (Disciples of
Christ), we are a people of the “table”.
Each Sunday morning, as we gather
around the Lord’s Table, we begin with an invitation. It is an all-inclusive invitation from Jesus
himself to come and join him in a meal . . . a meal that represents and
symbolizes his gift of relationship between God and us, us and others. It is seen in the symbols that are shared . .
. the bread and the cup. It is explained
in the words that are spoken . . . “this is my body, broken for you” . . .
“this is my blood spilled.” This is the
invitation that is shared each week as we gather at the table of grace . . .
and, it is also the challenge that is issued each as a reminder of how we are
to follow Jesus.
The challenge comes in the
invitation. In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 22, verse 19: “And he took bread, gave thanks
and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do
this in remembrance of me.’” (NIV) Over in
I Corinthians, chapter 11, verse 29, we hear it again: “. . . and when he had given
thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in
remembrance of me.’” (NIV) Did you hear Jesus’ challenge? Did you hear the words?
“Do this
. . .”
The Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion is
not a “gimme” or “freebie” to make us feel good. It is far more than that. On the easy end it can be seen as an
opportunity or suggestion for us to consider what this act of reception means
to us . . . a reminder . . . a booster shot for another week . . . a gift. On the more difficult end it comes as a call
or challenge to a different way of living our lives . . . of following Jesus’
example and walking in his footsteps. In
the first we receive, in the second we respond.
The first is easy, the second—the challenge—is more difficult.
As we hear the words of Jesus this
morning in our scripture reading, we hear the overtures of what theologians and
clergy refer to as the Eucharist, or more commonly known by many as the Lord’s
Supper . . . Holy Communion. Here we
hear Jesus speak of being the bread . . . of being the blood . . . and, of the
promise it represents. The promise of eternal
life. This is spoken to all to hear . .
. the invitation is offered to everyone . . . and, in the end, it is up to each
individual as to whether or not he or she will receive and respond to the
offer. And, it all takes place around
the table and a simple loaf of bread and a cup of wine. Invitation and challenge.
In the movie, Places in the Heart, starring Sally Fields, there is a scene at the
end of the movie. It takes place in a
church on a Sunday morning as the community has gathered to worship. As the pastor is sharing the words of
institution and the communion elements are being passed through the
congregation, the camera pans the people gathered. In the panning we see those who are good and
bad, black and white, male and female, friend and foe, deceased and living . .
. sitting side by side, holding the trays for one another, sharing communion. It is a heavenly scene of what could be set
against the reality of what really is.
The movie is making a point . . . that this is how Jesus sees his
invitation . . . how he sees his challenge . . . that it is for all.
That is the basis of our invitation to
communion each week . . . that all are welcome.
And, each week we attempt to make clear that when we—that when Jesus
says, “all”, it means “all”. Maybe we
don’t really think about what it means when we say “all”, but it does mean that
it includes everyone. There is no
distinction or boundaries to keep anyone from accepting the invitation . . . no
issue of religious belief, education, income, gender, nationality, good or bad,
friend or foe . . . all are welcome. All
are invited to the gift and to the challenge.
Jesus states “all” because he wants to
reunite all of God’s children with God and one another. Jesus wants to restore the relationship
between God and God’s creation . . . including the relationships that people
have with one another. The root of this
invitation comes from love. It is a love
that Jesus demonstrated through the life that he lived, not just the words that
he spoke. This essence is embodied in
the bread and blood that Jesus speaks about . . . it is who he is, and it is
carried out to the ultimate act of love . . . the giving of one’s own life for
another. This is what he wants everyone
to embrace and live . . . what he invites us to consider . . . what he
challenges us to do.
As the followers of Jesus, each time we
are gathered around the table, we are invited and we are challenged. The invitation is to receive the “gift” of
love as offered through what the meal we received represents and symbolizes. The challenge is to do likewise. The challenge is not to go forth and invite
others to come join us at the table, though that is not a bad idea. No, the challenge is to go out into the world
and live as Jesus lived . . . to live a life of love. To live a life of love even to the point of
sacrificing ourselves for others.
Because of this, the Lord’s Supper—Holy
Communion—cannot simply be a ritual we observe each Sunday morning as a part of
our weekly worship. It cannot be
something that we go through the motions.
It is more than this. As we
gather at the table we remember, once again, what the meal embodies . . . the
gracious act of love that restores our relationship with God and one
another—that makes us one for forever.
We remember that the act symbolized is grounded in love . . . love that
is willing to sacrifice itself for the sake of another. And, we remember that it is a call . . . a
challenge . . . to go and do likewise in the lives that we live.
“Do this . . .” said Jesus, “. . . in
remembrance of me.”
This table and all that it represents
becomes the motivation for our lives as we go about living them on a daily
basis. It becomes the invitation . . .
the challenge . . . and, the template or mold for how we are to live a good and
faithful life. We do it because we
remember. We remember that it was done
for each and every one of us as the children of God. We remember because Jesus did it for us.
As you find your place around the table
this morning, may you receive and the live the gift because you truly
remember. Amen.
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