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Communion meditation for November 16:
At one point in our sermon text, Jesus is asked about how many people are being saved, and Jesus immediately begins to speak about doors being closed. It's clear from what follows that the doors are the doors of a banquet hall, and that Jesus is talking about guests being admitted and refused.
Now, we might want to say, Jesus, you've missed the question. We asked you about salvation, and you start talking about a banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It seems that Jesus has changed the subject.
But He hasn't. And if we think He has, then we need to learn something more about what salvation involves. We think that being saved means having a certain kind of experience, or believing certain things are true. Those things have their place. But salvation also means the formation of a new humanity, a humanity that is characterized by festivity, joy, and gladness in the presence of God. For an individual, being saved involves being incorporated into that festive community.
Here at this table, we are not merely celebrating salvation as something that appears somewhere else. This meal is the embodiment of salvation. This is not a perfect embodiment of salvation; we haven't yet arrived at the final and ultimate feast. But this is a true embodiment of salvation, as we gather with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, all the prophets, and, above all, with Jesus our Risen Lord, to eat and drink in the kingdom of heaven.
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Sunday, November 16, 2003 at 07:04 AM
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