Communion exhortation - 10/15/07

Our communion exhortation today is Psalm 128, as applied to Jesus.
How blessed the man who fears the Lord. This man is Jesus, who fully obeyed God, and so is fully blessed, and the one through whom we are blessed. He has eaten the labor of His hands and is satisfied. His wife, the Bride, the Church is a fruitful vine in the midst of His house, bearing fruit, bearing children to the Lord of the house. We are those children, gathered like olive plants around the Lord’s Table. This is how the Father blesses His Son. This is how we see ourselves in God’s story. God’s adopted children, given a place at His table. Out of Christ’s obedient labor and sacrifice He provides for His children. When we are young and immature, we aren’t even aware of the sacrifice that goes into this. As we mature, we learn more about the cross: the physical pain, the injustice, the Son being forsaken by His Father. We hear these words, and have some idea, but part of maturity is knowing that we remain children, not yet fully understanding the full labor that made this Supper possible.

Word, Water, Bread, Wine. The gifts of God, for the children of God. We invite all those who are baptized and not under the discipline of Christ’s Church, to commune with Him at His table.