Have You Ever Been Excluded From Anything?

 Have you ever been excluded from anything?  

The Last Supper- John August Swanson

Perhaps as a child you longed to be a member of the “in crowd”, like I did.  Or maybe you were excluded from a gathering of friends or family, or you were thought to be ineligible for a job.  We probably have all been excluded from something in our lives, and rejection can leave a deep and long lasting scar that we may not be aware of.

In this powerful painting of the last supper, we see Jesus with his arm around one of the disciples, probably John.  John may have been the only disciple who realized how much Jesus loved him, mentioning it several times in his gospel.  Do you realize how much Jesus loves you?

Who invites us, again and again, to return to his table, excluding NOBODY?  Jesus…the man who often dined with society's outcasts. Why does he invite us again and again?  Does it have something to do with love?

If you can join us around the table this Sunday, you will hear new words and also read traditional words. We will hear together just why we are ALL invited again and again.  The message may astound you, and it will certainly bless you. 

To prepare, you may want to pray one of our scripture passages for this week. It summarizes what we do in communion and includes some strong words from Paul about its importance:

1 Corinthians 11:23-26  msg

Let me go over with you again exactly what goes on in the Lord’s Supper and why it is so centrally important. I received my instructions from the Master himself and passed them on to you. The Master, Jesus, on the night of his betrayal, took bread. Having given thanks, he broke it and said,

This is my body, broken for you.
Do this to remember me.

After supper, he did the same thing with the cup:

This cup is my blood, my new covenant with you.
Each time you drink this cup, remember me.

What you must solemnly realize is that every time you eat this bread and every time you drink this cup, you reenact in your words and actions the death of the Master. You will be drawn back to this meal again and again until the Master returns. You must never let familiarity breed contempt.