Riverside Community Church

The Kings Table - Communion

The Communion table is the King’s Table and we can rightly call this communion table, this Lord’s table, THE KING’S TABLE, because the Lord of Lords is also the King of Kings. Let’s take a journey together, back 3000 years in history and then forward 1000 years to when Christ establish this table and finally into eternity all centered on THE KING’S TABLE

 

But first a bible verse from 1 Corinthians 10:16.

The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

This is the 1 and only place where we see the word communion in regard to the Lord’s table and I want you to understand what communion means with respect to this table.

 

The word communion comes from the Greek word koinonia and it has a complex meaning. It can mean partnership, participation, fellowship - in other words, it is the joining of two or more into one.  It can also and more accurately mean the act of using something in common. ie: On a baseball team with only one bat you share that bat with the rest of the team, you have the one bat in common or you have communion with the other team members over the bat.

That’s why Paul continued in 1 Corinthians 10:17 by saying,

“For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

 

So when we have ‘communion’ together we are communing with each other over the bread and wine and with Jesus and His blood and body. We are communing together with the King at the King’s table.

 

Alright let’s go back 3000 years to the time of David when he had become king.

2 Samuel 9 (NIV)

David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”

Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba. They summoned him to appear before David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?”

“At your service,” he replied.

The king asked, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?”

Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame in both feet.”

“Where is he?” the king asked.

Ziba answered, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.”

So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel.

When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor.

David said, “Mephibosheth!” “At your service,” he replied.

“Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.”

… So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons.

13 And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet.

 

Mephibosheth was no great ornament to a royal table, yet he had a continual invitation from King David to be there. David could see in his face the features of his dear friend Jonathan. Like Mephibosheth we may cry unto the King of Glory, “[Lord], who am I that You should favor me the way you do?” We are like Mephibosheth, crippled, sinners. But the Lord brings us close to Himself, inviting us to His table because He sees in our faces the image of His dearly-loved Son. The Lord looks at His people as though He was looking at Jesus Himself and He loves us for Jesus’ sake. Our deformities and weaknesses do not rob us of their privileges. Lameness cannot destroy sonship. So like King David inviting Mephibosheth to his King’s table, so too God invites you to come to the King’s Table to commune with each other and with Jesus Christ over these 2 common elements we use together, the bread and the wine.

Communion –The Kings Table

 

To the king’s table YOU ARE INVITED

COME        -all who are tired

Come                  -all who are pushing through

Come                           -all who are hopeful

YOU ARE INVITED

Come          -all who are filled with regret

Come                  -all whose health is failing

Come                           -all who have great joy

YOU ARE INVITED

Come          -all whose relationships are torn

Come                  -all who feel alone

Come                           -all who are exhausted and out of breath

Come                                   -even to those at perfect peace

YOU ARE INVITED

Be filled with living bread

Be quenched with pure water

Be loved

Be welcomed

Be forgiven

Be yourself

YOU ARE INVITED            JUST COME      COME TO THE KINGS TABLE

 

Let’s go forward some 1000 years to an upper room where 12 men + Jesus recline at a table, the original King’s table. Later there would be a sign over the head of Jesus soon after that would include the words “The King…”. These 12 men were the first to experience ‘communion’ with Jesus Christ.     It wasn’t until later they realized what had actually occurred.

 

Luke 22 NIV

14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

 

The disciples, there they were with the King of heaven at His table and they didn’t know it, their eyes were veiled, they didn’t know they would be communing with the King by sharing two common elements, bread & wine, establishing the church’s first communion, the Lord’s table, the King’s Table.

 

Jesus said “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you …

Christ was eager to commune with the disciples as He is to commune with you, to share in common with you the bread and wine. Imagine that; The King says to you COME to His table and eagerly awaits to commune with you.

 

Jesus was accused of being a friend of sinners because He ate with them

and we too come as sinners, like the crippled Mephibosheth, to the Kings table

But we are forgiven, through the blood, through faith in this King Jesus.

If you have never declared your faith in Christ and asked for forgiveness then do so today.

The simple message of this King’s table is COME, COMMUNE, REMEMBER THE KING.

 

We have looked back 3000 years at Mephibosheth, 2000 years ago at the first King’s Communion Table now let’s look into eternity at another table

 

Revelation 19

 6Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

“Hallelujah!
    For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and be glad
    and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
    and his bride has made herself ready.
8 Fine linen, bright and clean,
    was given her to wear.”

9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

 

I want you to imagine a scene with me…a scene of beauty and wonder and grace. The King of heaven and earth has prepared a wedding feast for us. The table has been prepared, the Son has taken His place, and it is you and I, the church, who have been invited, like His bride to sit and dine and commune. As we look around the table we see one another, each of us loved by God, and here by invitation.

He has prepared a feast before us. We are asked to eat with the King of Glory!

 

Eating in the presence of God is hinted at by Jesus when He said, “I tell you that I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” And we too shall be there at the King’s table. What communion that will be.

 

Until then we can have a special communion at the King’s table each time we partake together over the cup and bread.

And guess what? Whenever we take ’communion’ or commune at the ‘King’s table’. Jesus, the King, is here. Jesus said

Where 2 or 3 are gathered in My name there am I in the midst of them

And I am with you always.            The King is present. Praise God.