The Feast of Salvation

DAILY BYTE

Yesterday we looked at the archetypal story of Adam & Eve, which describes the alienation, brokenness and blame that ensues whenever God’s loving limits are rejected. This has been true for us collectively as the human race; and it’s also been true for each of us as individuals. Thinking we know best, we’ve tried to do things our own way, rejecting the limits that God, so lovingly and graciously, has set for us.

Thankfully, this is not the end of the story. For even as we rejected our human limitations to try to become like God, so God, in Christ, was accepting human limitations to become like us. Jesus came to show us what it means to be fully human, and what it means to live in trusting relationship with God.

Make no mistake, life for him was difficult, filled with much struggle and suffering. But the difference with Jesus is that in spite of the difficulties of his life he never stopped trusting God. So that even the tragedy of his life cut short in its prime didn’t diminish who he was, but heightened it, adding to the sumptuous feast of the kingdom in which he invites us all to share.

It’s the great feast of Salvation, that comes to its climax in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. A feast that reminds us of the feast of Eden that was lost and spoiled through our sin, but which now restores us to a ‘second innocence’ whereby we can commune with God once more. Vulnerable – yes. Weak – yes. Frail & fallen – yes. Naked – yes. Yet unafraid.

Whenever the people of God gather at the table of the Lord to share in Holy Communion, this great feast of Salvation is celebrated again. What a beautiful and powerful reminder that the life of Christ has been given to deal decisively with the hunger caused by our rebellion and the desolate emptiness caused by our sin. That Jesus feeds us with his very self, so that we might be nourished and sustained in the very depths of our being, in order to live the kind of transformed lives that can bring hope and meaning to the world.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Thank you Gracious God that our rebellion and disobedience do not mark the end of our story, but that there is a further chapter of grace that you have written in the life, death and resurrection of your Son, Jesus. Thank you that through his life and love, poured out so freely and selflessly, a new feasting table has been set where we all can come once again and take our place, and be nourished deep within. Help us to feed on him in our hearts by faith, not just on those special days when we gather with your people to share in Holy Communion, but every day. And may the great feast of salvation strengthen and sustain us for doing your work within the world. Amen

SCRIPTURE READING

Matthew 26:27-29

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’

Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.’