The Garden of Gethsemane

 

    The Lord's Table is a where we go to remember what happened to Jesus on the cross.  It started with the Passover dinner and ended with victory over death, but the middle was horrible.  Jesus who never sinned died in a way that was kept for the worst criminals.  It was brutal and it lasted for hours, but it was his choice.  He chose obedience to God and love for you over his own comfort.

    Today you get to partake in the Lord's supper because Jesus gave you the way to calvary.   It is the best kept secret because it is so obvious.  You only have to believe, repent, and follow Jesus.  Salvation is easy, following Jesus requires giving up comfort.  

    Jesus had a great last meal with a lot of meaning and unseen impact with his apostles.  After dinner the 11 that remained went on a walk with Jesus.  Judas had already left to betray Jesus.  Jesus knew what he was up to, but the apostles never suspected their friend of deceit.  They went for a walk in the Garden of Gethsemane.  This Garden now represents the quiet place you go to pray.  Jesus prayed for strength, resist temptation, and for a change of plan.  Then he accepted what needed to be done and faced it.

    This walk in the garden was him facing what was about to happen.  He needed strength and time with God, so he went to be alone to pray.  The apostles were near and were to keep watch and pray.  The only difference is that they were not away of the urgency, so they kept falling asleep.  It was late and they had full bellies.  The excitement was over and their bodies were relaxing.  However, Jesus did know.  He knew the temptations they would be facing in the next few hours.

    Jesus was in anguish.  He did not want to endure what he knew he had to face.  He prayed so fervently that his sweat had blood in it.  He knew he had to face it alone.  He knew that his friends would scatter to save their own lives.  He knew Peter would deny him, but he was willing to face it to be obedient to God.  It is the ultimate act of love.  He also forgave the 11 before it happened because it didn't come from a place of evil, but fear.  In the end they would all turn to him in faith.  Judas was cursed because he rejected Jesus' authority.

Matthew 10:37-39, 26:36-46, Luke 9:23-27, 22:14-46, 1 Corinthians 1:18-19, & Colossians 2:11-14

Invitation to God's Table

 

    God's Table represents salvation, fellowship, and grace given to those who accept the invitation to come to His table for communion.  It is facing Jesus at the table that you come to spiritual truth.  It is where you go when you are ready to get spiritually fed.  It means you have accepted the truth and are willing to do make the changes in your life to follow Jesus.

    Everyone is invited to come to God's table, but only a few accept the invitation.  It has always been your choice to accept the invitation of salvation.  It is your choice to believe the truth and accept redemption.  It is your choice to turn from your sins to follow Jesus.  

    When you do you become a part of God's family.  You are a part of His church even if you do not go to church.  You need to be with other believers who follow Jesus to become strong, have communion, and celebrate the Lord's Supper in remembrance of Jesus's sacrifice.  It is coming together at God's Table where you find spiritual nourishment.  

    Come to God's table prepared to celebrate pure love.  You need to fear God to love him properly.  It is not human driven fear. It is the kind of fear that is aware of what God could do, but holds back. It is knowing what is promised to come and knowing it will happen one day.  It is fear based on respect for God and the power He holds.  

    It cost you nothing to get the invitation to God's Table.  It is a blessing to be accept the invitation.  Salvation is free to anyone who wants it.  It is walking in faith that will cost you.  You get to come sit and eat at God's table for free.  When you leave the table to follow Jesus you will be ready to go out in obedience.  You trust God to handle the conflicts in the world, but you are prepared to do your part to make the world ready for Jesus' return.  

Psalm 23, Matthew 22:1-14, Luke 14:15-24, John 6:35-40, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, & Revelations 3:20-22

Lord's Table

 

    God has always made the boundaries and expectation clear for His people.  He gives you every opportunity to have a close relationship with Him.  It is the kind of relationship that can fill every void.  It provides safety, security, and love.  He also teaches how to live life with Him in the good and bad times.  

    Jesus is real.  He made everything you want and need real.  He is the only way to God.  He is the one that teaches you how to have a real relationship with God.  He brings you to God's table and tells you to partake.  It is sacred, but you get to be a part of it as a child of God.  If you are not a child of God, then do not come to the table until your relationship with God has been made right or you bring judgment upon yourself.

    Coming to the table implies that you are ready to face God.  It means you are humble enough to declare that you need Him.  It is a time to remember what Jesus did for you, but also what he is doing for you now.  Remember the purpose of it all so that you focus on the eternal instead of the right now distractions.  Looking back is humbling.  Looking forward prepares you for what is to come.  

    The Lord's Table is meant to be preparation. It is where you go to face yourself in comparison to Jesus.  Do you keep yourself pure and holy?  You live a clean lifestyle to be pleasing to God not virtuous to the world.  God wants His children to be righteous.  The Holy Spirit is with you to help you stay worthy to be in God's presence.  You are blessed to be invited to sit at the Lord's Table.

Matthew 1:23, 26:26-30, Mark 14:22-26, Luke 22:14-20, 1 Corinthians 10:14-22, 11:23-30, Colossians 2:16-19, & Revelations 19:6-9

The Last Supper

 

    It is Thursday in Holy Week.  Jesus and his apostles have had a great week so far.  They were relaxing and having dinner.  Jesus' apostles were completely unaware that in a matter of hours the great week would turn into a nightmare.  

    Jerusalem was celebrating the liberation from Egypt (Passover).  The lamb was the central animal of the celebration since the Hebrews had sacrificed a lamb and put it's blood on the door frames, so the angel of death would pass over their homes.  The lamb had to die to protect God's people.  The irony is Jesus became that pure white lamb.  He is the only one worthy or capable of being the sacrifice to give you the opportunity to be saved from the chains of sin and all it's consequences.

    Jesus and his apostles were in a home celebrating the Passover meal which is now called the Last Supper.  There is so much significance in it.  It was not an accident that Jesus chose that night to do something new and revolutionary to change religious culture.  He took the bread and had it represent his body.  He took the wine and had it represent his blood.  Together it represents fulfillment and the new covenant being made with God.

    If you believe in Jesus, proclaim your faith, repent from your sins, and start following Jesus then you are what we call today a Christian.  The name back then was "The Way".  Christian was a slanderous word applied to believers of "The Way" and they took as a badge of honor changing the title for God's children.

    The point of the Lords Supper is the same as the Passover.  It is to be done in remembrance of Jesus' sacrifice.  It is a reminder to rid yourself of sin and follow Jesus purely.  It is a reminder of what Jesus endured so you could have freedom.  It is a sacred assembly that remembers the covenant God made and Jesus paid out of love.  It is not just a ritual.  It hold great meaning and purpose.

Matthew 26:17-30, Mark 14:12-26, Luke 22:7-30, John 1:29-34, 15:1-8, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, & 1 John 1:1-7

Jesus' Sacrifice

 

    Jesus came into this world knowing the purpose.  He lived a fully human life.  He made close relationships.  He got hungry and thirsty.  He got tired.  He needed time alone and time with people.  He experienced life like everyone else except the fact that He was God.  He came out of love to be the last sacrifice.  He is the only worthy sacrifice.  

    Jesus tried to prepare his apostles several times for what would happen to him without being too graphic.  He knew what he was walking into and did it willingly.  He final act to prepare them for his departure was the Last Supper or Lord's Table.  

    It is the love behind Jesus' sacrifice that is so powerful in your life.  His love stirs passion within you to face or do anything to be closer to Him.  His love provides unity with other followers.  Unity in Jesus provides fellowship.  Together you draw each other closer to Jesus.

    If you are a Christian, then you have the Holy Spirit living within you.  When you are with other people who walk in faith the Holy Spirit works within you to connect you and empower you to produce fruit.  He gives you a calm to face the unknown.  He gives you what you need to fulfill your part of the Great Commission.  

    Jesus is the sacrifice that provides you the opportunity to have salvation.  He was wounded, so you can see the truth.  He gave all of himself so you can have a relationship with God.  If you accept the gift of salvation, then it should change your life.  You should be compelled to live differently.  Knowing the truth should have you turn from your personal wickedness to a life of personal loving service for Jesus.    

Isaiah 53:4-6, Mark 10:41-45, Romans 5:6-11, 2 Corinthians 5:11--15, Hebrews 9:27-28, & Revelations 5:11-12

God's Sacrifice

 

    In the Christian world we talk about Jesus' sacrifice that provides you the opportunity to have a relationship with God, but do you ever hear about the sacrifice that God made.  God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are eternal.  They have always been together.  However, when God sent Jesus into this world to live a human life, He was separated from His son in a way.  He had to watch His son suffer because of His love for you.

    If you accept the gift of salvation, then you are most blessed.  You do not need a priest of anyone to intercede for you.  You have a direct line to God through prayer and time in His Word.  He is not indifferent to you.  He does not forget about you.  His love is faithful even if you may get distracted.  

    God's love enriches your life by becoming His adopted child.  You get to have a real relationship with your creator.  The sacrifice that He made so you are able to experience this reveals the depths of His love.  He got Jesus back, but nothing will ever erase that time of separation or what it signifies.  His sacrifice enables you to be restored from your sins.  It enabled a new covenant between man and God.

    God's sacrifice allows you to have fellowship with God.  You get to celebrate this fellowship and worship by coming together with other followers of Jesus at the Lord's table.  Different denominations call it different things, but it is the Lord's Supper, Communion, or Eucharist.  It is important that you partake in an honorable manner to respect the sacrifice made for your salvation.

    You need to respond to the sacrifice made for you.  You may reject it and will face the consequences one day.  You may live a sacrificial lifestyle.  It may drive you to service.  Basically you accept God's gift and it changes your life forever.  You come to the table in remembrance and to make sure you stay in a state of putting God first.  It all start with believing, committing, praying, and living out your faith.  

Leviticus 23:5-32, John 3:16-17, Romans 5:6-11, Hebrews 10:8-10, 1 Peter 2:21-25, & 1 John 4:9-10

How to use God's Word

 

    The Bible is the sword of the spirit.  It is God's Word.  It is a powerful offensive weapon in spiritual warfare.  You use God's Word as the sword when you read with focus and purpose, memorize scriptures, and learn the context for the scriptures.  Pray over the scriptures you read and how to use them in conversation.

    Satan knows God's Word.  He knows how to twist and manipulate them to steer people away from God.  You have to pray for the truth as you read.  It may require you going back and forth, but do not rely on other people's opinions or judgments.  They could be wrong and it could cost you not to find the truth.

    You God's Word to learn God's Character and how to follow Jesus.  The more you lean into the truth the less likely you will be confused, be tempted, or sin.  You are more likely to to find manipulation and lies offensive.  Memorizing and praying over scriptures will help you with anxiety and feeling overwhelmed by the world.

    The power of the sword should affect you and not only be a weapon for your enemies.  It should pierce your heart when you allow sin into your life.  It should be a form of correction, repentance, and facing reality.  It exposes false beliefs.  It should change your heart to love in a way that you want to the world to know Jesus and find salvation too.  It should give you strength to do what is right over what is easy.  It helps you live out your salvation.  

Joshua 1:6-9, Psalm 23, 61:1-4, 119:9-16, Proverbs 3:5-6, Matthew 4:1-11, Ephesians 6:10-18, Philippians 4:6-7, & Hebrews 4:12-13