The New!

The New!

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

Luke 22:19‭-‬20 NIV

The Inspiration:

The events around the Easter season gives us pause and make us wonder: what was going through the mind of Jesus as he sat at table, knowing full well what was ahead? Jesus knew what lay ahead: the pain, betrayal, the cross, the rejection by God, but He also knew about the resurrection and the coming glory. This is why the bible talks about Jesus, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despised its shame, and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father. That is the journey that lay before Jesus as he sat at table with his disciples to eat. It is very interesting to note that even Judas sat at the table to eat of this last supper with Jesus before he went to the cross. He had already sold his soul to the devil, and obtained 30 pieces of silver from the Pharisees to betray Jesus, yet he sat down and ate with Jesus and the others. 

The Contention:

I need to be careful about keeping up with the motions, whilst there is no power. Holding on to a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof is dangerous. Jesus came to the end of his earthly ministry, and he did it with a meal with all who had worked at his side for almost 3 and a half years. At the table, he laid it out quite clearly that all who partake of this meal in the future identity with his body and blood. How do I do this? By living as He lived, speaking as He spoke, relating as He did with others around me. I cannot claim to be a child of God and people will not notice the outward signs of my interaction and relationship with God. Through the table of Christ, I take on his passion for lost souls and seek to introduce them to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ too. I sit at the table to remind myself of the love that brought Christ to the cross, and then extend that same love to the lost. 

The Conclusion:

This table does not leave room for hypocrisy, deceit or eye-service. It is a table that must be a regular reminder of Jesus' expectations from me. His body was willingly given to me; He didn't force Himself on me. By the cup, he signified a new covenant, whereby man now had a new path of access into the riches of the mercy of God. By the bread and wine, I have an invitation into the heart of God, where all the pains I should have suffered where taken off me by Christ, and the full penalty for sin duly paid and settled. I now eat at that table, not carelessly, but with gratitude. I eat at that table with the full knowledge of who I am now in and through Christ, and like Christ did, I keep an eye on the eternal, whilst also impacting the earthly. I walk in the new covenant: the blood of Jesus has made new life possible, and I trust that Jesus in me is the hope of glory. That is the message of this season. God's time of favour is here.