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Communion Meditations (2022)

 

Good Manners

Originally scheduled for May 8

"Whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you;

(Luke 10:8 NASB)

 

This passage comes from the middle of some instructions Jesus gave to his disciples when he sent out the seventy to preach the gospel. It may seem rather commonsensical; it certainly is good manners.

            First, it shows contentment. If you want to know why this is important to someone who is taking the gospel to the world, imagine Oscar the Grouch as an evangelist. Oscar is the opposite of contentment; he is always unhappy about everything. This makes for good juvenile humor, but doesn’t do much for the Christian’s disposition.

            Next, it is a mark of the fundamental equality of all Christians. If you make no complaints about what they put in front of you to eat, but rather just eat it like your mother told you, it is a measure of what you think of your fellow human beings. It’s equality; what’s good enough for them is good enough for you.

            Finally, it is a mark of humility. Much has been written about the nature of humility in our Christian achieves it. A simple way to look at it is this: self-honesty. You’re not trying to convince your audience that you are something special, but rather that Jesus Christ is something special indeed.

 

Although we are not all evangelists, we are all invited to the Lord’s Supper. Our eating habits may be informed by this verse.

            Contentment. This is relatively easy if you think about all you have to be content about. After all, you are a sinner, saved by grace. Be content.

            Equality. “All are one in Christ Jesus.” All of us get invited to the same meal served at the same time. There is no special form of communion for the extra special people.

Humility. Being a sinner saved by grace is nothing to boast about. Save the boasting for the Savior.

 

So how does this affect us as we take the Lord’s Supper?

Take it, recognizing who you really are — a sinner saved by grace and glad to be such.

Take it in fellowship with your fellow sinners, with the childlike faith so becoming to those who believe.Even if you don’t understand the theology behind it, you can take it in childlike faith, knowing that this is what you Lord has commanded.

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