Jesus’ Presence

Before Jesus ascended, he said, “behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). We sometimes wish that we were able to see the Lord Jesus in the days of his flesh, to walk with him through the fields, and to hear him teach. Yet it is possible for Jesus to be with his people in a very real sense. While in the flesh he was as it were “the prisoner of an hour and place”. Only when he was no longer present as a man among men and women could his presence be manifested to all people in every place through the power of the Holy Spirit. That was the reason Jesus said that it was "expedient" for him to go away (John 16:7). Now, as we open our hearts to him, he will come and live in us. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

Bread
The Lord's Supper is effective–it does something. This is curious language to most of us. We understand how we do something, take the bread and break it and the cup and drink it, but we may not see how God does anything. We do not come to the table to simply learn something with our minds: we come to meet God. God does something.  He communes with His people.  God and His people meet here and something happens. The weight of His presence is sensed because of the joy of forgiveness of sin.  He is here.  He is with us!  Break the bread of life today and rejoice!

Cup
God is doing something in our midst as we celebrate. Here we touch eternity. Here God gives love, forgiveness, acceptance and we receive. God acted in the Old Testament, and the result at times was a Red Sea parting, fire consuming a burning bush, or fire coming down from heaven consuming a sacrifice.  He also had a pillar of His glory that would move.  When ever God acts, whether then, or now, we are in awe and we adore.  In the Lord's Supper Jesus acts.  He eats with us.  We are like Mephibosheth and He is like David the King.  We deserve to be put to death, but he bids us come, and eat and drink.  God is dining with us, we are also doing something.  We are meeting God.