Do you?

Sermon on 1 Samuel 30. See vss 22-25

1 Cor 10:17 - "For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread."

Last week I explained the requirement of baptism, in coming to this table, an outward thing. This week we look at the inward. “All those faithful to Christ according to your age and ability.”

David was careful to give the weak among his people their share of His plunder, His gifts. Jesus does the same in 1 Cor 10-11. If we are counted among His people, we should receive His gifts, whether we can afford wine, or not. We must share together, as one body in Christ, as long as we are faithful to Him.

Now, faithfulness is not determined only by how much we understand about Jesus. In Ps 22 David says that God made Him trust while nursing on his mother’s breasts. “From my mother’s womb you have been my God.” Faithfulness to discern the body of Christ is not passing a theology test. Discerning His body means not callously excluding God’s people from the supper, not disregarding but honoring and acknowledging His people. If we can’t partake until we fully discern and honor the body, then none of us may partake. No, we extend grace to those among us who don’t understand, yet. So, just b/c my 3 yr old doesn’t understand and express his faith as fully as I do doesn’t mean the Son of David keeps back his portion, b/c of his weakness. No, he needs the strength of this food to nourish his faith to fullness. Is he faithful according to his age and ability? Yes. Does he sin? Yes. Does he realize the full horror of sin and fully repent? No. Do you?

If we confess our own repentance is imperfect, and still come to the table, how can we keep our children from the table for not understanding as much as we think they should? The Lord’s requirement for coming to his table is baptism and faith according to our ability to understand. We ought not replace that requirement with a certain standard of mental understanding. God is merciful to give the weak and helpless what they cannot understand. He treats us as His before we can appreciate what that means. We are all children of the heavenly father.

8/30/09