Grace in Bread

2 Timothy 1:8-10

"Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, 10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel"

This is a table of grace. Let us consider what that means a moment. Grace is not a spiritual gas or substance that we can bottle up and distribute. That isn’t what is happening with these cups of wine. Neither is grace something you can have by yourself at all, because grace is a relational quality. For grace to be present there must be at least two people. Grace is favoring someone, especially when they don’t deserve it. Grace acknowledges a ruptured relationship, and makes a way back to favor. This table does that. We see in the broken bread and poured out wine, that God was so offended by our sin that it called for the sacrifice of the God-man Jesus Christ. We see in the same bread and wine, a way back to God’s favor. We believe and so receive bread, union with Jesus forever. He has abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light.

10/21/12