We Have Been Invited

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” Revelation 7:9-10 NASB

God values each and every one of the approximately 7.5 billion people and the roughly 7,000 languages in the world. In fact, Scripture teaches in the book of Revelation us that someday the kingdom of heaven will be filled with people from every spoken and signed language on earth, praising God! Hallelujah! What an awe inspiring amazing picture! 

The kingdom of heaven is vast and diverse. And our call as followers of Christ on earth is to be reflections of the kingdom of God. Our daily lives are those reflections, they are to be a testimony to God’s goodness and faithfulness to our families, neighbours, friends, coworkers and really anyone God puts in our path! 

That’s the beauty of sharing your table! It’s in our nature to want to share stories and memories with those around us. Doing this helps us see how far we’ve come.  When we take communion together, we have the opportunity to rejoice in the life we have through Jesus. That celebratory act connects us more deeply than anything else as a body of believers. Communion is just as much a celebration as it is a solemn act of remembrance. 

1 Corinthians 10:16-17 NASB Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread.

Communion helps us recognize that we’re bonded together through Jesus, and He’s why we each have a place in the kingdom.

Luke 13:29-30 NASB And they will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last.

When we participate in communion as a community, we’re able to reflect on all that God has brought us through while also pointing each other to the eternal freedom, hope and joy that Jesus Christ life and sacrifice brings!

To sit down at the table of His kingdom is to rub elbows with someone from a completely different upbringing who maybe grew up attending church but not knowing Jesus,  or a friend who has not set foot inside God’s churches yet. 

Our call, as followers of Christ, is to share the Gospel with others. That looks like meeting people where they are and introducing them to God who speaks all languages, who understands each worry, who receives our repentance with grace and forgiveness not accusations and condemnation. 

That is a table I want to sit at!  

The kingdom of God isn’t just for “those people” it’s also for people in our communities and neighborhoods. It’s for people from broken homes, for those who are grieving and for those who’ve been rejected. As followers of Christ, we have the privilege of reminding people that we have been created in the image of God and pointing them to His great invitation of salvation. 

Think about the last time you gathered around a table and shared a meal with those close to you, or maybe what first comes to mind is the time you were at a fast food place and the person at the table next to you started up a conversation.  

The table is a reflection of God’s kingdom, reminding us that we each have a place, and that it’s God’s design for us to sit, share meals, pray and worship Him together.

Luke 22:28-32 NASB and Jesus spoke… “You are those who have stood by Me in My trials; and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I, Jesus, have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, will strengthen your brothers.”

Scripture contains God’s invitation for us to join the table. His plan for salvation, love, truth and goodness spills over every page of the Bible. Many of us already know that we’ve been invited to participate in a story bigger than ourselves.

God’s prepared a beautiful feast. Christ is seated at the table, inviting all to sit and dine with Him. Those who’ve been given the Word and received it are called to be Jesus’ ambassadors to deliver the invitations. We get to invite people to the table and point them to the Host of the grandest dinner party in history! That is the Lord’s amazing grace, we are forgiven, redeemed and commissioned! 

The kingdom of heaven is for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord and accepts His invitation. 

We have been invited.

When we discover the life we have in Jesus, when we experience His love, forgiveness, redemption, acceptance, and the purpose that He injects into our lives, we cannot keep it to ourselves. When our hearts begin to burn as we spend time with Jesus at the table, and when we believe that Jesus, being God, gave His life for us and rose from the dead, we cannot keep it to ourselves!

Something interesting is going to happen when we tell others about Him: Jesus will make Himself present, and His peace will fill us.  When we need courage, just ask Him and Holy Spirit will give it.  If you think you have nothing to say, just remember that before Jesus you were dead, and now you have eternal life. That is your story, and that is your testimony!

Choose to walk day by day following and jointing with Jesus Christ as you serve others on this journey of faith. Decide to spend time at the table with God and open the chair to others, inviting them to His table.