The Our Table Folks

One of the great mysteries of the church has to do with the Sacrament we call the Lord's Supper, or Holy Communion. There are certainly some differences in the meaning of the bread and wine.  Some say it is actually the body and blood of Jesus.  Others say that it is a symbol of the body of Christ, or a means of grace.  There are denominations which offer the Sacrament every time there is a worship service and there are others where the infrequency requires announcing it ahead of time.  There is a lot to unwrap every time the church gathers around the Table.   

The great mystery; however, is not about what it means, but the way His Table becomes our Table.  His Table is open to everyone.  The invitation is to "whosoever."  His Table is uncluttered with restrictive guidelines.  Our Table is full of them.   Those places with an our Table mentality allow only the confirmed to approach the Table.  Some of the our Table folks say any participant must be a member of the church that has set the Table. Young children and sinners should stay away.  For the our Table folks, the Supper is only for the saints and saints is defined not by the Bible, but by the decrees of the church.   

When we prepare the Table, we do it for the Christ.  Some who are yesterday's lost sinners and today's sinners saved by grace may serve the Sacrament, but it is a moment when human hands become the hands of Jesus.  Anyone who serves must know that it His Table.  Turning people aside is something we never see Him doing in the Scripture.  It is not His nature.  His nature is to love, to forgive, and to accept.  One of the great mysteries of the church is why the our Table folks speak of Him being at the head of the Table.