The Tale of Two Tables

Introduction

Part of southern baptist life is that we have many ministries and entities in the convention. One of them is NAMB and they have a project for church planters called SEND. Send trains, connects, and get’s money to church plants so they can be successful. America, especially Florida with it’s population growth needs more churches! I pray for those planting churches and I pray for men who go into legacy churches like ours who are build up on faithful works.

The Send people asked what is the best way to build inter-generational connections in your church. They wisdom of the fathers and the youthfulness of the sons. We need each other we are the body of Christ. I answered have meals with each other. Going over to someones home for a meal really connects us to each other, we host meals all the time and it’s a chance for us to get to know each other! This is really us imitating our Lord he went into the homes of sinners and ate with them.

I heard a song recently by John Mark McMillan, the writer of the Song “How He Loves us” it has the line

He is jealous for me Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy

He has another Song called Carbon Ribs and it has this line:

Cause I'm a dead man now

With a ghost who lives

Within the confines of These carbon ribs

And one day when I'm free

I will sit The cripple at your table The cripple by your side

The cripple at your table The cripple by your side

And I sit beside you

This life is temporary but one day you and I our faith will be made sight and one day the broken and falleness of who we are the people crippled by sin and death will sit at his table.

Big Idea: You are welcome at the Lord’s table.

Text

Mark 6:30–44 ESV

30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. 35 And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. 36 Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” 38 And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. 41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.

Christ’s Compassion for the people 3 Things

The word used in the NT here for compassion is only Applied to Jesus in the NT he is this unique compassion for us.

(v30-31)The disciples were tired after ministry, Jesus wanted to give them rest and amongst this moment People were running to Jesus.

(v33) People were coming from everywhere to meet Jesus in the desolate place (Note this is the power of Christ people from all corners will go any length to be with their Lord)

Rest to come as compassion

Jesus sees the needs of his disciples and gives them rest, he know their needs, he knows your as well. Serve him in mighty ways, but know that in Christ you have your rest. One thing that people do is they seek to please people instead of serve them. God calls us to serve not to please, these men went to serve God by loving man. If you are caught in people pleasing or fearing. Ask Christ how to serve them instead and Jesus will give you rest.

Compassion as teaching/word

The next way he has compassion for the people is that he ministers them the word of God. Mark 6:34

Mark 6:34 ESV

34 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

Jesus sees us and knows that we are like sheep who need a Shepard. He loves them by giving them the word of God.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

When you read God’s word, when you study it you are by the power of the Holy Spirit experiencing the presence of God. His very thoughts are in front of you, Jesus himself is in the room while you experience his word. As we are here this morning as you hear the word expounded you are experiencing Christ’s compassion for you.

Application:

Protect your time in the word, read/listen the word as a family, men this one is on your shoulders. For our church promote the word pray for our sunday school teachers as they study, our deacons as they pour over it, and for me. The more you give me time to love God’s word the more you will experience His compassion.

Feeding as compassion and a link to OT in the wilderness

The Two Suppers

The tale of two tables

Herod's table is a table of death, Jesus's table is one of life.

Let’s look at the tables:

Herod’s Table only the select few we welcome Mark 6:21

Mark 6:21 ESV

21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.

Herod’s Table is all about Him

Herod’s table about showing off as kings would

Herod’s Table requires someone else’s death

Application: Herod's table is still one of death today.

Our Culture wants you to pony up to it’s demands, they want you to not be like John, just shut up and go along. Only some of us are invited in, we need to get the invites at all cost. This measuring up is killing you and all around you. The food at Satan’s table is picture worthy but it’s all delicious poison.

Let’s look at Christ’s Table

All are welcome Mark 6:40

Mark 6:40 ESV

40 So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties.

Christ’s Table is costly

Mark 6:37 ESV

37 But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?”

Christ’s Table is dependent on the father Mark 6:41

Mark 6:41 ESV

41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all.

Christ’s Table overflows Mark 6:43

Mark 6:43 ESV

43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish.

Edwards said this:

“Christ is the greatest Friend of His church, and that which is commemorated in the Lord’s Supper is the greatest manifestation of His love, the greatest act of kindness that ever was in any instance, infinitely exceeding all acts of kindness done by man one to another. It was the greatest display of divine goodness and grace that ever was.” - Edwards

At Christ’s table there is life. Just like when these families partook in the bread he was present with them. When we partake he is spiritually present with us.

How to approach the supper

Negative examples from Herod:

You can see how the world enjoys the fruits of God in Herod’s party in the previous section and see that, that ins’t permissible to you and I

The presence of the Devil

Mark 6:27 ESV

27 And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison

Remember the Devil is the murderer from the beginning! Satan hates life he wants you dead! We can see at this negative event the death of another so Herod’s wife might live comfortably. She wanted him dead to revel in her sin, she was a Jezabel. The devil will try to hinder the Lord’s supper because it proclaims the death and Resurrection of Jesus! It shows your faith in Christ. He will try to hinder you from the supper, from partaking in the faith building act of partaking it, trying to make it about something else!

Self Service:

Mark 6:21 ESV

21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.

The heart of the matter was directly contradictory. Herod’s eating and feast was one of self-service. If you partake for self service, hoping to gain something from this act of faith you’re in sin. Communion isn’t some magic spell, God is not a divine gumball machine and communion is the quarter. The communion table is not a place to find fulfillment or manipulate God if this is your heart don’t partake, you run a risk of life and injury if you do.

Lustful, Reckless, Non-contemplative, and Sinful heart

Lustful Heart

Mark 6:22 ESV

22 For when Herodias’s daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.”

Mark 6:24 ESV

24 And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.”

Herod had commited the act of incest in the eyes of the Jews and now he was feast while watching a young women dance. He had a heart of lust for his own niece/step-daughter. The word for please could be understand to mean to give great pleasure.

You then next see the mindset of Herod, he was so pleased that it made him reckless and he made this acts based on fleeting feelings and not on faith or reason. He didn’t think his actions through and he murdered a prophet of God.

Beware of forgetfulness:

Herod had protected John the Baptist in the first Mark 6:20

Mark 6:20 ESV

20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly.

He went to the feast and forgot the promises of God.

If you come to the table without keeping in mind the acts of Christ for you, you put yourself at risk.

Wrap up

When you come to the table this is a supreme act of faith

Jonathan Edwards American Puritan Pastor would say this:

“Those who contemptuously treat those symbols of the body of Christ slain and His blood shed, why, they make themselves guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, that is, of murdering Him.”

Beware of taking it recklessly, beware of taking the Supper poorly, beware of the mind you have going into taking the supper. God knows your heart better then you do.

Positive examples from the crowds

the crowd came to the table because they knew Jesus

Mark 6:33 ESV

33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.

If you know Jesus you are welcome to this table, The Lord set’s it through his church at his table. It doesn’t matter who you are all in faith are welcome to this table. We know that their were 5000 men, it was in likelihood 15-20 thousand people. We don’t know the details, but we know it was men, women, and children. We can safely guess it didn’t depend on your station or background all who believe are welcome to this table. If you do not believe you are welcome to watch us this morning. You are welcome to learn and love the Lord as we do, you are welcome to see our faith in action.

One people unified

Mark 6:39–40 ESV

39 Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties.

We as one family of believers, like the many families that were present declare that we obey and love Christ as we take his supper. While salvation is a invidual act, you alone must choose this day who you shall serve, we are a body of many parts. When our king calls we obey, He provides for us a family, he brings us into the family of God. We show all the nations when we take part in this supper that we are one family in and through Christ Jesus. We delcare that we are part of God’s plan and show that to the world. When you take part you are not alone, Christ died for us all, he made us all a family.

We may differ or look different, but in Christ we are one, his sacrifice makes us one unified family.

The obedience of the people

Mark 6:39 ESV

39 Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass.

Jesus tells us to

1 Corinthians 11:25–26 ESV

25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

We are to do this act of faithful often. The history of why Baptist do this once a month comes from Calvinist Baptist Puritans in the 1600’s and they would do this monthly, many would do it in the evening so as to do it the same as Jesus did as it was done at the passover feast!

We by doing this are showing that we are obedient to our King. He calls us to do it, and so we do. We by taking part of the supper proclaim our status as members of the new covenant!

The weak in Faith/all welcome

We see the crowd come we don’t know how they stood with the Lord, maybe some had no doubts, maybe some are just trying to hold on to his goodness!

If you have come today beaten and bruised in your faith, know that Christ is with you as you partake the supper, he came to this world in compassion for you and I. This supper reflects that compassion he has for you. You may say I just don’t have the faith of him or her, but by taking the supper today you are proclaiming the death and Resurrection of Jesus. You are demonstrating faith. Let your soul be nourished by the actions of Christ as you obey him. This small act is one that demonstrate to the world who God is.

I wanted to add this for us all. As you take this bread and cup this morning, we are remembering the act of Christ, but also I want you to know that Christ is present with us right now. He is present while we take the elements, he himself is strengthening you even if you feel weak of faith.

You may think you have a mustard seed faith, maybe you think it won’t grow, but this act demonstrates that you are a place that the birds come and rest. So as you partake receive your rest in the strength of Jesus this morning, he is truly with you as you do it.

The provision of Life through Christ

The Sheep found

Mark 6:34 ESV

34 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

We were lost but now we are found! Our Shepherd comes to bring us to the fold of God.

He provides the bread

Mark 6:37 ESV

37 But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?”

Mark 6:41 ESV

41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all.

Just as he provides the Bread Jesus provides us life through his sacrifice

He is our satisfaction

Mark 6:42 ESV

42 And they all ate and were satisfied.

Jesus is enough you don’t need to chase anything else

He provides more then we could ever need

Mark 6:43 ESV

43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish.

His blessings are more then you could ever imagine!