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Sermon for Sunday, September 6, 2009


“Listen to the Table”

Matthew 26:26-29; I John 4:9-10

Do you know any table that talks?  We have at least three tables in our home that talk. They can tell some real stories. Now, you know that they don’t say words like we do, but they do say something about us and to us. In our guest room there is a table that belonged to my grandfather Thompson. It is well over a hundred and fifty years old now. My grandfather would be 132 years old now and it belonged to his father. This table was hand made and in many ways it looks handmade and has stains on it that belonged to family I never knew. But this table talks. I tells me that I have a history. It tells me of my past. It connects me with a generation of people that give me a linkage to my roots.

In our breakfast area there is another talking table. The table has very little age. It will not be an antique. One day we will probably give it away to one of our children or to Goodwill. It has a plain light stain top with white legs and four chairs. It is where we have most of our family meals when we are together. The newspaper is read and coffee is consumed as well as Kathy’s devotional time and other functions other than eating. When it talks it says, “Have a seat, make yourself at home, reach across the table to get what you want. Tell me about your day at work, at home, wherever. Don’t worry if you spill food and knock over a glass of water. I clean up well. Bounty loves me!” It is a comfortable table.

Then travel to our dining room. There is another table and it speaks another word. Kathy’s parents gave the table to us. When it talks, it says that you are company and we are so glad you are here. Try not to spill anything if you can, but do make yourself at home. You can almost hear it says, “I’m the best in the house. I am an antique. I’m special. Your presence is special. Be at your best when you’re around me.”

But of course, they don’t talk and yet they send messages loud and clear. Lots of inanimate objects do that. They cannot utter a word, but they send messages. In their own way they do talk.

There is another table that is common to all of us and it is right here before us. It is the table we call the Lord’s Table. And like some other tables, this table talks. What might it be saying to us?

To some of you it might be saying, “Oh boy, there will be a short sermon today!” Or it could be saying, “Oh no, things will take longer today and we’ll be late getting to the Brick Oven, Smokey Pig, Ruby Tuesday’s, grandma’s you name it.  And still for some of you it might not say anything at all, but even silence communicates---just like when someone does not speak to you---they still communicate---of all the things this table could be saying to you, nothing could be more tragic than for it to say nothing at all.

Let me share with you what word I hear this table speaking this morning in the hopes that you might hear it say something to you.

What I hear louder and clearer than ever are the words: “God cared enough for you to send His Son to suffer and die on a cross.”  My former pastor, John Claypool, says that truth came home to him on a deacon’s retreat when each person in the group passed the elements to the person next to him. They took the loaf and said to the person on their left, “This is the Body of Christ which was broken for you.”  Then they took the cup and passed it around in the same way, saying, “This is the blood of Christ, poured out for you.”  John said that all of a sudden, he was overwhelmed by the thought, “This is how much God values each and every one of us.” He cared enough to send His son Jesus into the world to suffer and die on a cross.

The Table becomes a tangible reminder of God’s evaluation of every person. The bread and the cup are powerful declarations that each person is important enough to God to merit the suffering of Christ.

Does that amaze you as much as it does me?  Look around you, here are all kinds of persons in this room, some you know, some you don’t, some you like, some you don’t, some who fascinate you, some for whom you have no feelings at all. And yet this Table says to each and everyone of use God cared enough for that person to send His Son Jesus to suffer and die on a cross.

It is a word that needs to be heard loudly and clearly because when I am honest about how I tend to regard some people, and then set that alongside of the way God feels about people, I am startled at the difference.

This judgment of God – that makes every person worth the sufferings of Christ – has always been part of the scandal of the Christian faith. Nothing is more “unnatural” than for us to love and value people who are not like we are or who do not think the way we think.

We’re much more loving with persons who are in the same class, same appearance, same race as we are. Those are the ones with value in our eyes.

And then this table talks. It tells us of God’s way of looking at people and it knocks all of our categories of value and worth into pieces.

This table tells us of the mighty suffering of Jesus; his body was broken, his blood was spilled and every person in this room was valuable enough to justify that suffering.

Let this table speak to you this morning and hear it say:

“God’s love was revealed among us in this way; God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son into the world to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.” I John 4:9-10

Every table talks. This one we call the Lord’s Table is no different. And now as we prepare to share this meal, I ask you to listen and let it speak to you and if necessary, to redeem you.

Contact Us

Address
First Baptist Church, Ashland
800 Thompson Street
Ashland, VA 23005

Phone
(804) 798-9014

Fax
(804) 798-9043

E-mail
fbcashland@verizon.net

Sunday Worship

  8:30 a.m. -  Worship Service
  9:45 a.m. -  Sunday School
11:00 a.m. -  Worship Service