Good Morning Friends,
Being part of the dominant sociological structure, if we are such in the church, does mean that there is not more to experience in who we are as Christians. The reality is that many are working and living in a society that is not Christian. This is nothing new. Thankfully as a friend of mine says, “If you are not dead, it is not done.” We are to be salt and light in the world we live in. Amazingly God has our back. Jesus became the catalyst for this expansion of an upbuilding of people that includes not only our lives but the addition of what we can experience as a culture that loves. He took the symbol of the table and expanded the storyline with the inclusion of the women, children and outcastes as a way of moving the cultural needle. That work has been more powerful in some ways than the miracles of healing. It changes lives. Perhaps it is a miracle itself. This reality has changed the world. Well, parts of the world. For the work is not done. So, Are You Growing Closer To God At The Inclusive Table of Christ?
Scripture: Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.” So out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken.” Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.
Genesis 2:18-25 (NRSV)
Happy is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways. You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord. The Lord bless you from Zion. May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
Psalm 128 : 1-5 (NRSV)
But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests.
Luke 14:10 (NIV)
From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.” So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
Mark 7:24-30 (NRSV)
Sing, O barren one who did not bear; burst into song and shout, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate woman will be more than the children of her that is married, says the Lord. Enlarge the site of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left, and your descendants will possess the nations and will settle the desolate towns. Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; do not be discouraged, for you will not suffer disgrace; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the disgrace of your widowhood you will remember no more. For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called. For the Lord has called you like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, like the wife of a man’s youth when she is cast off, says your God. For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with great compassion I will gather you. In overflowing wrath for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you, says the Lord, your Redeemer. This is like the days of Noah to me: Just as I swore that the waters of Noah would never again go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you and will not rebuke you. For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:1-10 (NRSV)
When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who put on fine clothing and live in luxury are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” (And all the people who heard this, including the tax collectors, acknowledged the justice of God, because they had been baptized with John’s baptism. But by refusing to be baptized by him, the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves.)
Luke 7:24-30 (NRSV)
Message: The early church was made up first of Jews as a sect of the religion of the Jews. But Gentiles who studied religion found the teaching of Jesus to be very attractive and when the door was opened for them to follow the faith without adherence to strict dietary laws and circumcision, they came to accept the faith but with it came tensions for those who continued to follow the strict Mosaic law. Today’s scripture stories of Adam and Eve before there were Jews and Gentiles and of the Syro-Phoenician woman, a Greek and non-Jew are instructive on the nature of our condition as humans related to who belongs and who does not. Look at the story from Mark. The woman comes to Jesus, like so many, begging for her daughter to be exorcized of her unclean spirit. Jesus seems to be cruel, but He was probably mocking those who considered salvation to be only for the Jews: “Let the children first be fed, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” The Jews were accustomed to dehumanizing their Gentile neighbors but Jesus calls her a “Puppy”. The woman throws the joke right back at the Master: “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs, a sign of her persistence and faith.” The daughter is cured immediately. This scripture helps us to better understand the symbol of the table in the ministry of Christ beyond the image of communion but connected to it. And it demonstrates in a way just how radical Jesus was in the patriarchal and racist society in which he lived. Indeed, Jesus has commanded us to go to the whole world and preach the Gospel but to Jews first in the context of the plan. And this has been going on, with varying degrees of success, for almost two thousand years. But of those who hear the Gospel, perhaps the majority, either do not get it, or if they understand the pleas and commands of Christ, they refuse to accept it. The example of Paul is most instructive here for he was a Jew who preached to Gentiles. The problem is that leadership typically wants to exert its power by requiring others to follow traditional authority. It is a problem in some ways we face today as well. The church and indeed all of humanity have a long history of pandering to the wealthy and powerful by blessing them while betraying the poor. It is about power…who is in and who is out and who is at the table and who is not. Friends, the curtain separating us from the Holy of Holies has been ripped in two. The dividing wall between humans and the divine has been removed. Our power is now in Christ. What we need to understand is that this is not a utopian ideology. This is not an ethical demand. This is a statement of an accomplished fact. In Christ we are part of God’s family…. the one holy universal body of believers helping each other. And So, if we want to be part of the family, we need to be connected by faith to Jesus. And we need to reflect it in how we set the table.
And So, friends as we approach Valentines Day, the scripture of the day reminds us that it is not good for us to be alone, and it is not good for us to be all alike. Thankfully in Christ we have a place at the table. And sometimes it is surprising who witnesses to the cause of Christ and have been blessed with the power of the Holy Spirit. It is kind of intriguing because we never know who is going to show up at the table. So, in terms of cooking culture, it makes sense to turn down the heat of persecution but never be lukewarm when it comes to our perseverance to promote the purpose of peace in Christ. God’s intention from the creation of Adam and Eve is that humans be members of a single family. In fact, aside from Jesus all of us are adopted. And in this relationship, we are to grow closer to God by growing closer to his children and especially God’s son Jesus. Those who take the wise path will be vindicated and the wisdom of their choice will be made clear. Just as the wise builder is vindicated when the flood comes and his house stands firm, so the wise believer will be vindicated when they stand before God in his throne room and is welcomed into his heavenly Kingdom. Come into his kingdom. Make him the ruler of your life today, tomorrow and forever. That is the wise thing to do.
Pray we see beyond agendas as we come to the table of Christ. Pray Christ’s table is a place of connection and inclusion that is in the world but not of it. Pray that this table is a place of blessings shared and received. Pray that though the table might address our brokenness that it might also be a place of forgiveness. Pray that in our Christian hospitality that we make room for the fellowship of believers. Pray that we realize that no one is too small or unimportant. Pray we realize that we all play a unique part. Pray we realize that all are welcomed at the table of Christ. Pray we partake of the food that comforts us in the new covenant. Pray we serve one another in love. Pray we seek to be healthy. Pray that we receive a new life in the supernatural power of His Communion. Pray that we help shine a light on the way out of the melting pot and not fall into the frying pan in the process. Pray we season what is served with love.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 