Do In Remembrance Of Me

Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”   Luke 22:19 KJV

These words of Jesus sometimes cause me to wonder if everyone at the table realize that this is more than a remembrance ritual or a memorial service. I often wonder if everyone who eats of his body and drinks of his blood realize that they are actually receiving the body of Christ into themselves.

He comes to abide in us through this Sacrament. As we eat and drink we become one in and with the living Christ. When we receive this Sacrament, we receive the living God. Jesus is not dead. He is alive. May he live in and through you so that others may also know of his loving sacrifice for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Tree of Life

Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

                                                                     Genesis 2:8-9, 15-17 NIV

There you have it! God planted trees in the garden so that the first people would have food to eat that they might be nourished and live. In the middle of this garden he planted both the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. One tree brings life and the other, the one that ensures knowledge of good and evil, brings death. He warned Adam and Eve not to eat from that latter or they would surely die. What would you do? Would you eat from the tree of life or from the tree that makes you like a god to know good from evil? Adam and Eve ate from the tree that they were told not to eat from; but, apparently neglected to eat from the tree of life which they were allowed to eat from.

After Adam and Eve ate from the tree that brings death, God kicked them out of Eden so that they could not eat from the tree that brings life. The gate to paradise was closed and fierce looking cherubim were set there to guard paradise. The good news, the awesome news, is that when Jesus died on the cross, the gates were flung wide open for all who would believe in him. We have access to the Kingdom of God! We have access to the tree of life! Will we eat the fruit of the tree that brings life? 

Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) He is life. He is our only way to eternal life. We can enter the Kingdom of God into our Father's eternal presence only through him.

Jesus also said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” (John 6:53-58)

Jesus is our tree of life. Would we turn up our noses at the food that Jesus provides and partake of those things which will only bring us death? I pray not.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Is The Stranger Welcome?

And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Luke 15:2

I grew up in an area steeped in the Finnish-American culture. Finns like to feed people. One never went for coffee anywhere without having the table heaped with goodies, if not a full meal. My mother was an awesome hostess. She was a great cook. She often invited friends and strangers into our home. She and my dad would meet strangers as they wandered the countryside. She would invite them to come and visit. When they came, she would welcome them like they were royalty.

Whenever I travel, I try to find a place to worship; a house of God where my brothers and sisters in Christ will welcome me as well as all strangers. There is usually a multitude of choices. Maybe because of the culture I grew up in, I am acutely aware of whether or not I am really welcome to eat at the Lord's Table. Many congregations do not provide this meal to nourish the traveler or stranger. Others make it painfully obvious that strangers are not welcome at their table. They appear to be afraid that our sins are too great to allow us to partake of the food which will nourish our souls. They would keep us from the very Body of Christ that was given for our salvation.

May God help us to welcome both neighbor and stranger to receive the good gifts that God has provided us in His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J