Eight Lord's Day after Pentecost
Christ the King Family,
Perhaps the greatest privilege we have as the people of God is to be welcomed to commune with God at the Lord’s Table. It is our practice at Christ the King Church to “pass the peace” while we pass the cup of peace (the wine) during communion.
As we have continued to grow as a congregation, we have run into some practical difficulties in the way we currently pass the peace. Recently, a number of people have missed communion wine due to the general bustle during the passing of the peace. While the deacons do a wonderful job making sure everyone is served bread and wine, the amount of bustle amongst the pews has resulted in people missing communion wine. Because of this, starting this Sunday, I am asking the congregation to remain seated during the distribution of the wine at communion. We will also sing a hymn during this time like we do during the distribution of the bread. We will continue to pass the peace during this time, but we will do so by remaining seated and passing the peace of Christ to those who are seated near you.
This practical issue leads naturally into some theological issues that inform us why the seated posture is most appropriate in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.
First, we pass the peace after the distribution of the wine because we enjoy peace based on the blood of Christ. As Paul wrote to the Colossians, “19 For in Christ all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” We can pass the peace to one another because we are partakers of the cup of peace. To “pass the peace” and not partake from the cup of peace misses what the Lord’s Supper represents.
This leads to the second thing we find in the scriptures about our privilege to come to the Lord’s Table. Near the end of the gospels, Jesus observes the Passover with his disciples when he institutes the Lord’s Supper. The gospels note that Jesus “reclined at table with the twelve.” (Matt. 26:20; Mk. 14:18; Luke 21:14). The reclined posture is significant.
In the Old Covenant, the individuals who had the greatest amount of access to God’s presence were the priests. While all Israelites could come to the Tabernacle/Temple to bring sacrifice, only the priests could actually enter into the Holy Place. However, the priests were servants in God’s house. (Heb 3:1-6) Servants stand to serve a king, they don’t recline at the king’s table. Indeed the language used to describe the service of the priests and levites at the Tabernacle is associated with standing before the Lord (e.g. Deuteronomy 18:7). In short, priests stood to serve God in the Tabernacle, they weren’t permitted to sit.
Thirdly, priests did not drink wine in God’s presence. They had access to the “showbread” that was placed in the north side of the Holy Place, but at no point did priests drink wine in their service to the Lord. Leviticus 10 states, “8 And the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying, 9 “Drink no wine or strong drink, you or your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations.” In the Bible, wine is associated with kingship and rule. Jesus, as the king of kings, turns water into wine. (John 2) The wise king who rules well is not ruled by wine (Proverbs 23).
Thus, when Jesus reclines at table with his disciples and instituted the New Covenant in his blood, some very significant things are going on. Because Jesus is both priest and king (after the order of Melchizedek), he not only serves in God’s house (as a priest), but he is also a royal son who reclines with his friends and counselors at the royal table. Indeed before celebrating the Passover, Jesus tells his disciples, “15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends”
We are friends of Jesus. And as his friends, he invites us to the royal banquet where we have the honor and privilege of sitting at the table of the King of Kings! This is what we do each Lord’s Day when we break the bread together and share in the cup together!
I pray that you all have a great rest of the week and I look forward to worshiping with you all on Sunday.
In Christ,
Pastor Hansen
Perhaps the greatest privilege we have as the people of God is to be welcomed to commune with God at the Lord’s Table. It is our practice at Christ the King Church to “pass the peace” while we pass the cup of peace (the wine) during communion.
As we have continued to grow as a congregation, we have run into some practical difficulties in the way we currently pass the peace. Recently, a number of people have missed communion wine due to the general bustle during the passing of the peace. While the deacons do a wonderful job making sure everyone is served bread and wine, the amount of bustle amongst the pews has resulted in people missing communion wine. Because of this, starting this Sunday, I am asking the congregation to remain seated during the distribution of the wine at communion. We will also sing a hymn during this time like we do during the distribution of the bread. We will continue to pass the peace during this time, but we will do so by remaining seated and passing the peace of Christ to those who are seated near you.
This practical issue leads naturally into some theological issues that inform us why the seated posture is most appropriate in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.
First, we pass the peace after the distribution of the wine because we enjoy peace based on the blood of Christ. As Paul wrote to the Colossians, “19 For in Christ all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” We can pass the peace to one another because we are partakers of the cup of peace. To “pass the peace” and not partake from the cup of peace misses what the Lord’s Supper represents.
This leads to the second thing we find in the scriptures about our privilege to come to the Lord’s Table. Near the end of the gospels, Jesus observes the Passover with his disciples when he institutes the Lord’s Supper. The gospels note that Jesus “reclined at table with the twelve.” (Matt. 26:20; Mk. 14:18; Luke 21:14). The reclined posture is significant.
In the Old Covenant, the individuals who had the greatest amount of access to God’s presence were the priests. While all Israelites could come to the Tabernacle/Temple to bring sacrifice, only the priests could actually enter into the Holy Place. However, the priests were servants in God’s house. (Heb 3:1-6) Servants stand to serve a king, they don’t recline at the king’s table. Indeed the language used to describe the service of the priests and levites at the Tabernacle is associated with standing before the Lord (e.g. Deuteronomy 18:7). In short, priests stood to serve God in the Tabernacle, they weren’t permitted to sit.
Thirdly, priests did not drink wine in God’s presence. They had access to the “showbread” that was placed in the north side of the Holy Place, but at no point did priests drink wine in their service to the Lord. Leviticus 10 states, “8 And the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying, 9 “Drink no wine or strong drink, you or your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations.” In the Bible, wine is associated with kingship and rule. Jesus, as the king of kings, turns water into wine. (John 2) The wise king who rules well is not ruled by wine (Proverbs 23).
Thus, when Jesus reclines at table with his disciples and instituted the New Covenant in his blood, some very significant things are going on. Because Jesus is both priest and king (after the order of Melchizedek), he not only serves in God’s house (as a priest), but he is also a royal son who reclines with his friends and counselors at the royal table. Indeed before celebrating the Passover, Jesus tells his disciples, “15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends”
We are friends of Jesus. And as his friends, he invites us to the royal banquet where we have the honor and privilege of sitting at the table of the King of Kings! This is what we do each Lord’s Day when we break the bread together and share in the cup together!
I pray that you all have a great rest of the week and I look forward to worshiping with you all on Sunday.
In Christ,
Pastor Hansen
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