Category: Communion Meditation

Jawbone Hill is a memorial place. Everytime the people of Israel saw that place they would remember God’s acts for them. This table is also a memorial. It is a memorial meal. In bread, we learn that God was broken for us, and in wine, we learn that He was poured out for us. But we do not simply learn of his death in this meal. We learn also of his resurrection at this table. This is not the table of the hopeless, but the table of the hopeful. In bread, Christ is our unity. In wine, Christ is our firstfruits; our joy. This memorial reminds us and reminds our Lord that Sabbath rest is accomplished.

We often throw the word “sacrament” around, but what is a sacrament? A sacrament is a sacred rite; a means that communicates something to the partaker.  But not only does it communicate something, it also seals something. The Lord’s Supper is a sacrament, because it seals and confirms the grace of the gospel in us.

By eating and drinking we are being reminded of God’s covenant with us. Just as the rainbow reminded God of his covenant with his people, so this table reminds God of his covenant loyalty toward us.

And because of its rich significance, Paul calls the baptized to come in a spirit of thanksgiving. This sacrament is a taste of redemption accomplished and applied, and so it is for you. In this meal you receive God’s grace to live faithfully in this garden, in this land, and in this world.

This pattern of word and sacrament has always been a fundamental feature of the Reformational tradition. Of course, the Reformers were following the biblical model of word and bread and wine. The word is spoken, and then our response to the word is to eat and drink. There is certain incompleteness when only word is offered. In many ways, a word-only people lead to an action-less people. But when there is word (training, equipping) and action (eating and drinking), then the gospel is more visible. We are not merely a people who hear, but a people who do. In this sense, having heard the word of the Lord, we now eat and drink of the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ.

In C.S. Lewis’ The Magician’s Nephew there is a revealing scene when Uncle Andrew like everyone else heard Aslan sing, but unlike most of the others he disliked the song of Aslan, the great lion king of Narnia. Lewis writes that the “longer and more beautiful the Lion sang, the harder Uncle Andrew tried to make himself believe that he could hear nothing but roaring.”[1] Thi is very much like the character of the Philistines. They knew the danger of avoiding Samson’s offer, but yet they continued to follow their own path and listen to their false god. This table is not for those who wish to follow their own strength or who choose their own paths. The paths of the righteous lead you this holy fellowship. So, come and taste of the meal Christ prepares for us in his new world.

The world often tempts us, threatens us, tries to woo us back, or makes us afraid. A faithful bride runs to her husband for protection, security, and calling. We must not fear those who can only kill us (Matt 10:28). We are to remain in the simplicity that is in Christ, not moved by worldliness, nor the devil himself.[1]We are a people called out for a mission and at this table Yahweh feeds us and prepares us to conquer the world. Today he calls all baptized young and old, warriors of Yahweh to eat and drink in his presence.

In a recent article on the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien, the author writes that for Tolkien food was at the center of life at the Shire. He observes that “…the importance of what happens around these meals is what makes the sacrifice of war worthwhile and that lets the reader know there is something worth fighting about.”  In the Scriptures, the shepherd prepares a table for his people. In the Scriptures, the resurrected Jesus eats with his disciples. In the Scriptures, when the disciples eat with Jesus their eyes are opened and they see more clearly their mission. In bread and wine the community is united and strengthened for battle. In the church’s sacred meal Yahweh’s family is emboldened to fight Mordor.

This table is reconciliation. It is reconciliation between God and man, but also reconciliation between man and man. Manoah and his wife prepared a meal for the angel of Yahweh, but the angel said that they needed a sacrifice. Today, we can have a meal with the greater Samson, Jesus Christ, because he has become our sacrifice. Come and feast. The King will be out host this day for reconciliation has been made.

We sit down and relax and enjoy each other’s company because Jesus has endured the awful shame of the cross. He finished his priestly task, so that we might sit with Him and feast in his presence by eating bread and drinking wine. We drink wine because the great priest has endured in our place the penalty we deserved. Come and drink and taste the peace Christ gives us at this table. This is our Sabbath rest.

In the song of Deborah we read: “So let all Your enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goes forth in his might.” This is a song of victory; a song we declare as we come to this table. Only those who walked through the Red Sea with Yahweh can now find rest in His Son, who is our victor. Come, all you who are weary and heavy laden and God will give you rest.

Those who are bread, eat bread. Those who are part of this body, eat the body broken. Just as Paul sought the reconciliation of the Corinthians, we too seek continually unity in the body. There is no greater way to demonstrate this unity than by sharing a common meal. This table is for the reconciled and those who seek reconciliation.