“People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the Kingdom of God.” ~Luke 13:29

Jesus is talking about heaven when he says Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets will be around the table. John’s Revelation tells us that heaven will be the ultimate gathering of “every nation, tribe, people, and language,” the ultimate feast around our Lord’s banquet table.

At communion time on Sundays, we get a small heavenly glimpse of that great eschatological feast. We come together around our Savior’s table. In the eating of the bread and the drinking of the cup, we connect not only to our Lord, but to every person in history — past, present, and future — who’s been saved by the blood of the Lamb. We’re united as one.

Different people. Different ages. Different cultures. Different languages. Different backgrounds. Different viewpoints. Different habits. Different genders. Different zip codes. Different jobs. Different haircuts. Different beliefs. Different likes and dislikes.

Same sin. Same need. Same Lord. Same baptism. Same forgiveness. Same salvation. Same commitment. Same table. Same loaf. Same cup. Same Body. Same Spirit. Same hope. Same faith. Same God and Father of us all who is over all and through all and in all.

Our communion meals point us to the heavenly meal. It gives us a peek. A holy glimpse. We spend most of our communion time in quiet introspection, reflecting on things that happened in the past. I believe our Christ intends that we spend our communion time in joyful expectation about what’s coming in the future. The way we eat and drink and share the Lord’s Supper must be shaped and practiced more and more by our great anticipation of that day when all of God’s children will be home, gathered around our Father’s table.

Peace,

Allan