As a house church network, the table is a special place, both for family meals of belonging, and for deep conversations in the living room where we meet as a family. As the early church was taking their meals together gladly and daily, this had a rich meaning for us as a family of Christ-followers to remember that our mission flows from our belonging. Even in creation God made us first in His image – we embody His character and nature as well as enjoy the deepest intimacy of our lives with Him, our Creator – and second to rule. Our actions flow from our identity, our purpose from our belonging. In Christ we are the household of God being built together as a spiritual dwelling of God, so the “table” part came pretty quickly.
It was the first word that eluded us for a while… “King’s table?” “Christ’s table?” “Shepherd’s table?” Finally, we were worshiping with a friend’s house church network and the other word that has been so rich in our experience with Christ came through. For all of us who have been redeemed, His name as Redeemer sings of His transforming work in us, taking us from worthless to priceless by His redeeming work through Christ on the cross, the forgiveness of our sins. The filth and guilt paid in full gives us a freedom to follow Him as He restores the image of God in us again and allows us to join Him as He does the work in the lives of others. In the midst of worship, after having hands laid on us as we were prayed over, the two names came together – Redemption’s Table.
When the prodigal son finally woke up, came to himself, realized the depths of his own stupidity in choosing life outside of his dad’s house, the emptiness of the world and its false promises, he purposed to get as close to his father as he possibly could. He knew he could never have sonship again, he had blown that, wasted and defiled the sacred gift; he was no longer worthy of that honor. He knew he would only plead to clean the toilets of his dad’s servants, and even then knew it would be great mercy if his father let him back on the property. But as his father saw his son, he ran to him and covered his head with kisses. As the son told his father about his unworthiness and tried to plead for a servant’s position, his father didn’t even let him finish. A robe was placed on him, a ring on his finger, and sandals on his feet. That day, that very same day, the son was brought to his father’s table as his son, feasting in his father’s joy and abundance and love.
That is our story. Undeserving, no right to expect this extravagant privilege, yet our Father’s salvation, purchased for us by our older brother’s blood, has made a place for us, not just in His kingdom, not just saved from hell, it has made a place for us at the table in the Father’s house as His sons and daughters. “Indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Christ Jesus.” Everything we are and everything we do as Christ’s people flows from this one central reality – we are His because He saved us. That’s why we serve, that’s why we preach and share Jesus, labor in His fields for harvest, and battle the enemy at every point as we follow Christ in seeking and saving the lost and raising His people to maturity all for His glory and His renown. Thank you, Father, for the wonder of a seat at redemption’s table with our name on it.
It was the first word that eluded us for a while… “King’s table?” “Christ’s table?” “Shepherd’s table?” Finally, we were worshiping with a friend’s house church network and the other word that has been so rich in our experience with Christ came through. For all of us who have been redeemed, His name as Redeemer sings of His transforming work in us, taking us from worthless to priceless by His redeeming work through Christ on the cross, the forgiveness of our sins. The filth and guilt paid in full gives us a freedom to follow Him as He restores the image of God in us again and allows us to join Him as He does the work in the lives of others. In the midst of worship, after having hands laid on us as we were prayed over, the two names came together – Redemption’s Table.
When the prodigal son finally woke up, came to himself, realized the depths of his own stupidity in choosing life outside of his dad’s house, the emptiness of the world and its false promises, he purposed to get as close to his father as he possibly could. He knew he could never have sonship again, he had blown that, wasted and defiled the sacred gift; he was no longer worthy of that honor. He knew he would only plead to clean the toilets of his dad’s servants, and even then knew it would be great mercy if his father let him back on the property. But as his father saw his son, he ran to him and covered his head with kisses. As the son told his father about his unworthiness and tried to plead for a servant’s position, his father didn’t even let him finish. A robe was placed on him, a ring on his finger, and sandals on his feet. That day, that very same day, the son was brought to his father’s table as his son, feasting in his father’s joy and abundance and love.
That is our story. Undeserving, no right to expect this extravagant privilege, yet our Father’s salvation, purchased for us by our older brother’s blood, has made a place for us, not just in His kingdom, not just saved from hell, it has made a place for us at the table in the Father’s house as His sons and daughters. “Indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Christ Jesus.” Everything we are and everything we do as Christ’s people flows from this one central reality – we are His because He saved us. That’s why we serve, that’s why we preach and share Jesus, labor in His fields for harvest, and battle the enemy at every point as we follow Christ in seeking and saving the lost and raising His people to maturity all for His glory and His renown. Thank you, Father, for the wonder of a seat at redemption’s table with our name on it.