The Big Event is The Holy Mystery
Today is Super Bowl Sunday and no doubt there will be millions of people across the world watching this mega event. Today church we are also celebrating a Mega Event. We call this Mega Event The Holy Mystery, communion, Lord’s Supper, Eucharist, and The Great Thanksgiving.
Let us today consider 6 things present at the Table for us today we will learn it is a mega event.
1. At The Table is the Presence of Thanksgiving (Being Thankful)
A. The early Christians offered Thanksgiving.
46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in
Their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and
enjoying the favor of all the people.
B. Thankful because one of the mighty Acts of God is to Create.
C. Thankful because of God’s Mighty Acts to establish Covenant with us.
D. Thankful because We can experience the real presence of Salvation.
2. At The Table is the Presence of Communion in the church.
This is a mega concept we are all common we symbolically take not as one
but as a community.
A. 1 Corinthians 10:17explains, because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.
B. This means we are nourished by the One we call the Bread of Life
John 6:35Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go
hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
3. At the table is the Presence of Remembrance
A. (It is a mega event because we will never forget Christ’s Might Acts)
"Do this in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24-25
4. At The Table is the Presence of Sacrifice. That is a mega event.
A. Hebrews 9:26 makes clear that "he has appeared once
for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself."
B. Christ’s atoning life, death, and resurrection make divine grace available to us.
C. We also present ourselves as sacrifice in union with Christ
(Romans 12:1; In the Great Thanksgiving, the church prays:
"We offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us . . ." (UMH; page 14)
5. At The Table is the Presence of the action of the Holy Spirit, yet another big event.
A. The Holy Spirits work is described in .
John 14:26But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
B. In Hymnal we want endowed with action
we ask "Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here,
and on these gifts of bread and wine."
C. The church asks God to "make them be for us the body and blood of
Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ (that is activity),
redeemed by his blood.
D. By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world . . ." (UMH; page 14) Yes we have a job
6. At the Table is the Presence of eschatology (Its over) nature, meaning that it has to do with the end of history, the outcome of God’s purpose for the world- Wow this is a mega event.
A. "Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again"
(UMH; page 14).
B. Christ himself looked forward to this occasion and promised the disciples,
"Matthew 26:29I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on
until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom."
C. We are anticipating the heavenly banquet celebrating God’s victory
over sin, evil, and death ,
"Write: `Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’ "
And he added, "These are the true words of God." Rev 19:9
D. Remember Mephibosheth, Mephibosheth ate at David’sA table like one
of the king’s sons. 13And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always
ate at the king’s table, and he was crippled in both feet.
In conclusion, today we will all have the opportunity to celebrate the mega event. At the Table is the presence of Thanksgiving, the presence of communion in the church, the presence of remembrance, the presence of sacrifice, the presence of activity of the holy Spirit, and finally present at the Table is God’s purpose for the world and the end of history called eschatology. Come and feast at the Table of our Lord and experience the presence of our Christ. Amen.
