Communion Exhortation - Ecclesiastes 6:1-8:15

Text theme: Appearances to the contrary, God is just, and will bring justice to the world, so we must walk by faith, not sight, and evaluate men rightly.

This table doesn’t look like much, but God has appointed the humble and foolish things of this world to confound the wise. Our Lord Jesus established simple rituals to visualize our salvation. These days, Hollywood tries to preach its gospel by blowing us away with the latest computer generated graphics and moving soundtracks. But Jesus has us sprinkle some water, and eat and drink some innocuous bread and wine. Not very impressive. And the sacraments aren’t meant to be experientially impressive and moving, because they are pointing beyond themselves to Christ, and what He has done for us. We are washed, we are fed in His house.

So don’t let appearances fool you. Here is the living Lord, coming intimately close with His Church, of which you are a part. The movies are all external, and look great. But His humble bread and wine enter us and feed us. His baptism washes the inside of your cup.

This is true, b/c what looked like the greatest tragedy was really our greatest blessing: the cross, on Good Friday. There, amidst the greatest injustice, the righteousness of God was made clear. At the cross, the penalty for our sin is clear. And at the cross, the mercy and kindness of God is clear, in providing His Son to take the punishment for us.

So I commend at this Table, not funereal, self-righteous long faces, but enjoyment, because you have nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for the work of Christ will remain with you all the days of your life that God gives you.

Eat, drink, see the good in Christ’s labor, and be satisfied in Him.