Because of Who You Are!

Come To The Table!

This morning, we start our theme for the new year entitled, “Come to the Table.”

This is an invitation from our Lord Jesus to join him in many things.

Yes, we understand the eating component of the table

There are great times around tables in restaurants, homes and coffee shops.

Life is lived experienced around the family table.

Choices and balances are weighed out there.

Especially in the middle Eastern culture. The table is very important.

Might that be why it is so greatly attacked and disappearing in our western culture.

This theme is going to take us to a lot of different scriptures this year and a much greater understanding of what Jesus is calling us to. And what it means to be involved around the table or the things of the Kingdom of God.

Our Scriptures that I believe the Lord has given to me for the year is . But let’s look at them this morning in a little bigger scope of the scriptures around them.

Luke 22:14–20 NKJV

14 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.

Luke 22:14

Luke 22:

Jesus is getting ready to lay down his life for his friends. For us and for the world.

He knows what he is about to face. And he has had the disciples set up a place for the passover meal.

And now he has gathered around that passover meal with them.

and look at verses 14 and 15

Luke 22:14–15 NKJV

14 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;

We see that in the midst of his worst moment in his human life he wants to sit down and eat with his friends.

In fact, he says that it is with a fervent desire that I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer.

I think that we miss something, many times that Jesus had said about us, but which this scene brings out powerfully.

We Are Friends With Christ.

John 15:15 NKJV

15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

Jesus invites us to his table because we are his friends.

This marks a huge difference between the Old and New Testaments.

In the Old, we are the servants of the Living God.

Servants do not eat at the table.

But in the New Testament, we are no longer servants, but friends.

We are invited to the table as friends.

Friend = one who is loved, beloved and dear. One who is another self, a dear one or as in family, the nearest and dearest.

The table is a place where love is expressed.

Jesus invites us to his table today to express his love towards us.

It would seem that Jesus was comforted by this meal around this table.

He was about to be arrested and killed.

He needed his friends. He needed to spend time with them. He needed to make sure that they were okay, and that would be okay, but he also recieved something from their company.

He wanted to see their faces again before he suffered.

He wanted to hear their voices again - their laughter, their conversation (even though they didn’t get it it all)

There is a special comfort when we are among friends.

They care for us, are concerned about us and know how to reach us in our pain and stress.

And he wanted to say goodbye to them.

yes, he would see them again.

Yes, he would spend time with them again.

But never again like these last three years.

Things were forever going to change.

Look what he says again over in verse 15 - with fervent desire, I have waited for this moment around this table, because I will not do this again until we are all in another place. Heaven around Father’s throne.

When we travel - I always call my boys.

If it’s just me, I call my wife

If something happens that brings about a change, I want to make sure that I have said and done what needed to be said and done. No loose strings.

This is what the table was all about.

As friends with Christ, we share things in common with him

There are conversations that we can have that we cannot have with others

parables - Jesus said not everyone would get them. But that his disciples should

He who has ears to hear, let him hear. My sheep know my voice.

We Are Partakers In Christ

Isn’t it amazing that the at the table that Jesus greatly desired to be at with his disciples wasn’t just the table of death - for to them it took on a new meaning.

Yes it was the table of celebration as it related to passover, but now it became the table of remembrance.

Here is the bread - my body

Here is the cup - my blood

Now do this in remembrance of me.

Going back to my statement earlier that this experience was going to change forever for these men and Jesus says, I will not eat of this again until we are in the Kingdom together, Jesus now institutes a new table. The table of the Lord’s Supper.

The table of communion. Something that only friends can do. Commune.

And Jesus invites us to this table, as oft as we would like to remind us that we have a part in him.

This group of disciples didn’t get it yet. But they would after his death and resurrection.

Do we get it today?

To answer that question, I ask another question.

Are you just living for Christ? Or are you living In Christ? There is a huge difference between the two.

Living for something is living to achieve something. Living in something is having already achieved it.

And there are so many christians trying to attain Christ. Trying and struggling to be like him, say all the right things

be good people or attaining to some sort of level or spirituality.

But the deal is done. Jesus has completed it. We don’t have to attain to be like Christ, we just need to allow him to live through us as we live in him.

This is why he takes the bread and the cup and says, this is me.

Every time we take of the communion table, we are making a statement, “This is what Christ did for us.” And as I eat and drink these elements, I am joining myself to this mans’s sacrifice, but also his resurrection and victory. I am partaking of him so that I can live in him. And because he lives in me, I can assuredly say, that this is who I am and what I expect out of my life as a Christian.

We are partakers in him.

We are one with him.

And because of that, he invites us to the table to talk, plan, and strategize the business of the kingdom.

Becoming a board member for Life Mission’s business.

I was invited to be at the table to discuss it’s ins and outs, it’s successes and struggles. And give input.

Vision casting takes place around the table.

plans for success and victory are drawn up there.

Kinnects - Uncle Rob - invented in an airport

In talking about vision being cast around the table, turn over with me to

Luke 14:25–35 NKJV

25 Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— 29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. 34 “Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Luke 14:25-

This is table talk. This is planning at it’s best.

We Are Committed to Christ?

And the question that Jesus needed to see was were they committed to Christ.

Would they be okay when things went crazy over the next few hours.

Look at the topics that are dealt with around this table.

One who would betray.

One who would deny.

Who would be the greatest.

What’s Jesus really doing here? He is dealing with their failures so that they could succeed.

Jesus is that King going to war. And around this table he is forming his battle plan.

Does he have the warriors that he needs?

Will this thing succeed, because he is counting on them?

Because after all, this is a battle with eternity in the balance.

Serve Communion

Where is your commitment to Christ today brother and sister?

The table will show you.

Jesus knows the battle that you are facing.

And he isn’t going to hold anything back. He wants you to be honest with your shortcomings, so that you can see your victory.

And so he calls you to the table today, this morning to say,

This is going to affect you. What are you going to do about it.

This is limiting your ability to defeat the enemy, when are you going to take care of it?

This is causing defeat in your life, when will you finally get tired of it and allow me to work you through it?

How will you react to those things.

This is what made the communion table a special place for the disciples.

At this point, it’s just imagery. This is my blood, this is my body given for you

But after his death and resurrection it was powerful. This is your victory

This is your power

This is your ability to overcome

Do this in remembrance of me.

Prayer

Take Communion

Come to the Table.

Let Jesus call you his friend today

See that you are in him and partaking of him

Allow a deeper commitment to him to form in your life.

AMEN!!!