Family Dinner

Family Dinners Recall Memories

This is one of my favorite parts of family dinners- sitting back an.d telling stories of years past. I love to hear the stories of my parents and their lives growing up and tell stories to the kids in our family about me and my cousins.

These memories keep us grounded and remind us that we are part of a much bigger story than just ourselves. These memories tie us to a larger work and make us aware of the people and the situations that influence us to this day. These memories are touch points for our lives.

When Jesus instituted Communion he explicitly stated that he was making a touch point for us as his followers and that he expects us to recall his work on the cross when we do this. In Luke 22:19 “And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.””

He says do this remembrance of me, church; touch this church; revisit this church- for this is the most important thing for you, church; without this nothing else matters church

You see, friends, when we stand on the remembrance of Jesus’ death and resurrection it will plot our future.

Family Dinners Make Memories

Family Dinners Revitalize Community

1 Corinthians 11:23–30 “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 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.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.”

Let’s face it, family dinners are not really about the food. I have some things that I love at the family table. Growing up my cousin and I used to fight over one of my family members mac and cheese; no one makes better rolls than my nanny; and there are legends about my grandmother’s coconut cake- but the food is really not the things- if my cousin didn’t make mac and cheese it would still be special.

Why? Because its about the people and the relationships- not the food.

This is Paul’s critique of the church in Corinth- they were focused on the wrong thing! They were worried about filling their bellies and their own selfish needs- not looking at the real meaning of the meal- our relationships with one another and with God.

Friends this is not about juice and crackers today- it is about the thing that holds us together; the work of Christ in us.

Let’s not focus on the wrong things today; Communion is a built in moment in the life of the church for us to quiet ourselves and examine where we are with Jesus; with the church; and with other believers.

Family Dinners Extend the Table

The family table is a living thing in some ways. It is always reshaping and changing. I bet your family dinner table looks a little different each holiday. Maybe there is someone new, or maybe there is someone missing. Maybe theres a long distance relative in town, or someone had to work the holiday shift. Or maybe everyone is just another year older or in a different season in life.

I love the story of the 5 loaves and the 2 fish because it shows us that Jesus extends the table. When it comes time to eat he takes this simple meal, gives a simple instruction and everyone is filled with good food. There is no prescreening, no exceptions, and no excuses- he just extends the table. If you were there to find Jesus you were welcome at the table to eat.

Communion should remind us that we serve a table extending God.

And because we serve a table extending God we should be a table extended people.

Communion reminds us that because Jesus’ body was broken and his blood was spilled all are welcome at the table of God.

We must extend the body and blood

Have you ever been to a restaurant and someone on the other end of the table is hogging the bread? This happens to us almost every time we go out to dinner as a family.

Here in just a few minutes we are going to travel across the street to dedicate our new facility and I think this is my greatest prayer for the property across the street- that it would be a tangible way that our congregation would extend the table of Jesus.

rev 19:6-9