The Table
- Mark Lauterbach
- Sep 11, 2008
- Series: Church Meeting
When Jesus departed, before he walked to the cross, he gave to the church two sacraments. One is for initiation -- baptism, an expression of faith for the new believer, a picture of their death, burial, and resurrection in Jesus. Baptism is once for all. The other is communion, the Lord's Supper. Jesus calls the church to remember the central fact and event of our redemption.
God began this idea in the Passover. Israel was given a yearly reminder of the redeeming work of Yahweh as they were brought out of slavery in Egypt. When God brought judgment on the firstborn in the land, e provided Israel with a substitute sacrifice -- a lamb, without blemsh. Those who sarificed the lamb and sprinkled the blood on their doors were protected. But there was a yearly reminder of this powerful redemption by blood.
Jesus is celebrating the passover with his disciples, but he now points them to bread and a cup that represent his body and blood. It is rich with imagery and meaning.
He took on flesh and blood for us and for our sins. His sacrifice is applied to us -- we partake of the bread and cup. We are brought into living union with Christ and live by faith in him every day -- and so we partake of the bread and drink of the cup. We partake together -- the Lord's Supper is a "we" statement, not a "me" statement.
Our desire is to see the people of Grace Church have biblically heightened expectations of the significance of the supper. It is a holy supper -- Christ is pictured and Christ is present as we meet as his people and his temple.