Ephesians 5:1-2 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
We are instructed, “…walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us.”
Christ is the sacrifice. Christ is the One who gives up Himself to see to the needs, burdens and cares of others.
Will you practice generosity this week? It might be justice….. intervention…. brother-keeping (being a brother’s keeper), physical care, consideration of others… comfort..., and sometimes, it’s confrontation…being a guide, a friend, a help. They all stem from the Lord’s provision of a meal.
Our redemption involves learning how to become a gracious, generous expression for good in our homes, workplaces, neighborhoods and communities…. The Table is the Lord’s feeding aimed at providing enabling help by the Spirit’s working to not merely look to our own interests but the interests of others. The Table summons us to life-change, to transformation in our homes and in our community. This is Christ's gracious work.
Who is admitted to the Lord's Supper? It is my privilege as a minister of Christ to invite all Christians—those in Christ, who are in good and regular standing with His people, the church, to come to the Lord’s Table.
This means two things. First, it means you have been baptized and are a professing member of His church, under the care of elders or a church’s leadership, either here or in another Christ preaching church—for that to be the case, you and they have spoken together and there’s knowledge of your credible profession of faith in Christ Jesus alone. Second, as you have confessed Christ, you are trusting in Him, that is, you are living humbly before God—to be sure, you are not free from sin, but you are seeking to do His will. If so, come today and receive nourishment.
It is my solemn duty as a minister of Christ to warn those who are not trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation, who are not baptized, who are not members under the care of the local church, or who are living in unrepentant sin; such are not to come to the table and partake unworthily, not discerning the Lord’s body, and so eat and drink condemnation to themselves. The Bible tells us we are to examine ourselves. In summary, let us come, as we’ve been taught just now-----to receive nourishment for our faith and our daily life together. We know that apart from Christ we are without hope; we come resting and trusting in Him for His life, death and resurrection. We partake to grow in the grace of Christ.
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