Rev. Walt Wellborn
I just love listening to Francis Chan. His love for our Savior and his constant quest to build a better relationship between himself and our Heavenly Father expresses itself in every word that he speaks. Would that I could preach like Francis Chan.
Recently, Mr. Chan has come under criticism for saying that he believes that the reformed church has replaced the table of our Lord with the pulpit. I can see why he would feel that way, although maybe not for the same reasons. And I am not sure that it is the pulpit that has replaced the table. But I do feel that the table has been relegated to something that means so much less than the purpose for which it was intended.
I’m a Disciples of Christ pastor. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) makes the table a center point of our worship and a cornerstone in our faith. We celebrate the Lord’s Table every time we gather to worship. It is not something we do when it is convenient or because it is a certain day of the month. I am not saying that to diminish what other denominations may do. It is not my privilege or responsibility to speak into the worship of others. What I am saying, is that celebrating the Lord’s Table is a crucial part of who we are as followers of Christ and the table a constant reminder to us of the manifest love of our savior for each of us. It is essential to our focus.
Christianity is not a club, but sometimes we want to treat it like it is. Christianity is all about taking the relationship that we have with our Lord Jesus Christ and sharing it with others, lifting them up to our God so that that they, too, can have that relationship. It is not about building a barrier between ourselves and other people, preventing them from sharing in our worship experience. It is not about shaming them because they don’t meet our expectations for coming to the table. It is not about denying them a seat because of some affiliation or other obligation.
Jesus did not put any restrictions on that first table. Before He even started, He washed the disciple’s feet. He did not ask them if their feet were dirty. He knew their feet were dirty. He did not ask them if their hearts were clean. He knew their hearts were unclean. All He did was take out the basin and the towel and wash their feet and when Peter objected, Christ taught Peter that it was okay to come before God, dirty and beaten, because Jesus was there to clean him up. All of him. And Jesus stands there ready to clean us up as well, to stand in the gap for us with our dirty feet and unclean hearts.
Sitting at this table of sinners, Christ teaches a lesson of remembrance. He doesn’t forbid anyone from partaking. Even Judas is welcome at the table, not to mention Peter (who is about to deny him three times), Thomas with all of his doubts, and Matthew the Tax Collector.
I know that my view of the Table may be somewhat unique, but I see it not only as a time for self-reflection and renewal, but also as a tool to reach out into our communities; to let them know that they are welcome at the table of our Lord no matter what their current beliefs, their current faith or their current state of mind. It is a way for us, using the light of our Lord, to reach into their souls and touch their lives of those who are broken, of those who are beaten down, of those who thirst for the answers that only Christ can provide. We can only do this if we acknowledge that the only reason that we have a place at the table is because of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is by his invitation and not by any man’s invitation.
There are many Christians that disagree with this concept. They want to hold communion close to them and keep the light to themselves. I will not sit in judgement of that. That is not my place. But as for me, I believe that our call is to bring light to the world and welcome everyone to the table. Our call is to share all that Christ offers us with everyone else we touch. Let us come to the table in remembrance of our Lord and let us also grab a few hands and bring people with us. After all, what’s a little bread and wine between friends. Probably everything.
I agree completely that anyone should be welcome at the communion table, and I am so happy when I see parents helping their young children help themselves to the bread and cup. How different from when I grew up in an Indiana Disciples of Christ church. Then it was understood that children did not participate in communion until they had been baptized, and baptism didn’t happen until they were old enough to understand exactly what taking Jesus as Lord and Savior meant. I remember also unbaptized adult visitors knew they should not partake, but looking back, I wonder if an invitation to the table had been extended, might that have been a step toward converting them to Christianity? We should also have invited the Jewish man who dropped in on us every now and then. Maybe he would have visited more often.