At the Table
“The bread represented his body, i.e., his abiding presence, promised to the disciples on the eve of his crucifixion; and the words become a pledge of the real presence of Jesus wherever and whenever his followers celebrate the Supper.”- Wessel and Strauss
“Jesus accepted that He would be abandoned and left alone so that you and I would never be abandoned or left alone.”-Daniel L. Akin
“The original Last Supper is attended by traitors and cowards; it is a table not of merit but of grace!” -James R. Edwards
“The essential evil in the world and the essential atonement for the evil in the world are present at the table of the Lord’s Supper- whenever it is celebrated.” -James R. Edwards
In the regular celebration of communion, it is far to easy for muscle memory to take over. Muscle memory is when your body does something without needing to think about it actively. It could be something as simple as tying your shoe or as complex as a dance routine but, there is a point where your body has an activity so memorized that you can check out mentally. Recognizing the danger of muscle memory taking over in taking communion is important but the more vital issue is how to make it meaningful. As I prepared the message and spent time thinking on Mark’s account of the inaugural ‘Last Supper,’ I could help but once more be filled with wonderment. How can it be that you and I get to do something which Jesus did with the disciples? What an amazing reality! Jesus present with us at the table. The theological layering of this text is so deep and rich. The more we sit with all that is here the more we should marvel at the plan of God in providing our salvation. We are a faithless people, but we serve an unimaginably faithful Savior. In participating in communion, we always ought take time to reflect on our sinfulness, but not so that our celebration of communion is a sad ordeal. We take stock of our sin and sinfulness so that our hearts would be flooded anew with the redemption offered to us in Christ. I do not ever deserve to have Jesus give His body for me or pour out His life for me. I do not ever deserve to have Jesus present in my life. Mine should be the shame and isolation of sin. Mine should be the questioning and foolish declarations of faithfulness in my own power. But Jesus is here. He will bear my shame. He will endure the isolation of sin and the abandonment of all around Him. He will give to the faithless His body. He will pour out His life to give me mine. He will open for me a way to live for Him that allows me to die and find His life at work. Peter’s declaration is a disciple’s declaration- “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” It is just upside down. Because Jesus has died for me, I will live for Him. As we prepare to receive communion this coming Sunday in worship, I hope you will have more than a muscle memory moment. It is my hope that you will on purpose celebrate that moment when the evil in you met the atonement for evil and evil was overcome. Come ransomed one let us remember and celebrate all that Jesus has done for us!
Blog Bonus: Old Testament passages that help us read Mark 14:12-31
Exodus 12
Psalm 41:9
Isaiah 53:12
Exodus 24
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Psalm 115, 116, 117, 118
Zechariah 12:10-13:9