7-11-2019

Good Morning All,

     Luke 13:29; “And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God.”

    The power of the table; it can be a most feared thing.  Perhaps, there was a time when you wanted to sit at a lunchroom table with a group of other kids.  Maybe you were the new kid in school or just one of a number of seemingly faceless bodies.  Perhaps you even asked, “Can I sit here?”  Then you waited for the answer, fearing the outcome.  You feared the cry of “no, way; go away from here; you don’t belong here!”  The pain could be overwhelming; the rejection and humiliation stung as if you were slapped in the face.  No room at the table for you; go sit somewhere else, by yourself, and eat your meal in loneliness and seclusion.  Just once wouldn’t it be nice to have heard, “sit right here!!  We’ve been waiting for you!”  What a joyous time that would be!  Someone to talk to; someone to share the meal with, maybe a laugh or two, a smile, an acknowledgment of existence, an affirmation of your value as a person would make the day a little brighter and more cheerful.  The power of the table is an amazing.

    Jesus knew the power of the table.  He used it all the time.  Theologians and the like will call it fellowship but it really boils down to the same thing we felt in school, wanted or rejected.  This is what Jesus has done this for us; he made a place for us at the table with God.  When we were full of sin, we could not sit at God’s table; our sin made us to offensive and repulsive.  Yet God did not want us to be shunned; he wanted us at his table.  So Jesus came to pay the cost of our sins so that, through Jesus, we are worthy to sit at God’s table.  Through Jesus, God is saying, “sit right here!  I’ve been waiting for you!  We have so much to share!”  You and I get to sit at the table of God’s grace and receive all the lavish gifts that God gives to us.  We have the assurance of our salvation; we have the assurance of our sins being forgiven; we have the assurance of coming to our heavenly Father in prayer seeking his favor, peace and pardon.  We have the knowledge that we can never be separated from God’s love by anything in all of creation.  We have the comfort of knowing that as a redeemed baptized child of God we do not need to fear, the devil, death or the powers of this world.  We belong to God, we sit at his table; we need not fear.  That is what we have.

    You probably know someone who needs to hear about sitting at God’s table.  You probably know someone who feels despised and rejected by this world.  You probably know someone who needs to hear about Jesus.  The next time you get a chance; invite them to your table.  It can start out as a table that reflects God’s table.  It can be a place where they can experience God’s love coming through you.  It can be a place where forgiveness begins and healing starts.  The power of the table has been given to us to bring others who are lost into God’s holy family.  Share your table when you can.

Gracious Lord, you bring us to your table to be in your holy family and to receive your magnificent gifts.  Heal us by your presence; make us whole with your grace.  Help us to bring those who are hurting to your table of grace.  Help us to extend your peace throughout the world.  In your precious name we pray, amen!

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret