He built a table...someone was building a cross.

This coming Sunday is the second in the advent season and it is also The Lord's Table at Friendship Alliance Church.  As we prepare ourselves I offer a poem that came to me a few years back as I worshiped Jesus at the alter and Table in our sanctuary.

He built a table

With tears in his eyes

Each drop a memory

Strong caring hands had taught him how

Warm loving eyes had cheered him on

On the table he engraved his signature

The last of all

The servant of all

And somewhere, someone was building a cross.

He looked at the table

With tears in his eyes

Joy mingled with sorrow

An old friend bearing the tools of active humility

Friends obliviously feasting while feet he cleansed 

At the table he lived out the inscription

The last of all

The servant of all

And somewhere, someone prepared the cross.

I gaze upon a table

With tears in my eyes

Sorrow and joy intertwined

An old friend bearing His Body, His Blood

Constant His presence, permanent His care

At the table I become His endorsement

The last of all

The servant of all

Yoked through his passion proffered on His cross.

Steve Scarrow

April 27, 2006

Reflections on Matthew 25

Reflections on Matthew 25

Some random unorganized (yet) thoughts….

It’s all red…Jesus words.  No commentary, just Jesus teaching on what the Kingdom of Heaven will be like in that day.  That is, the Day of Judgment.  All three pericopes are actually part of one continuous teaching.  I am to live my life now exactly as I would in “that day”.  I don’t think Jesus denies the fact of growth in our lives, but He calls us to “live ready”.

Jesus calls us to risk all we have been given (our lives) to multiply the King’s “investment” on this earth.  It does not matter how many talents…even the one talent is worth about $600,000 in today’s currency.  What matters is the investment, and investment always includes risk.  After all, even the wicked servant is told that if he had taken it to the “men at the table” (the original meaning of the root word for banker in Greek) that he would have achieved interest (the word in Greek means offspring).  So, the Great Commission, as we have wrongly named it, is really the bottom line basic expectation of a Follower of Jesus…in other words, spiritual offspring (the making of another disciple).  That’s where we are supposed to start.  This is what the righteous do.  If I am righteous I will do this.  How many different ways can I say it???

Here is a Kingdom definition of wicked…One who hoards his life for himself, and never takes the risk of loving like Jesus loves.  One who hoards her life for herself, and never takes the risk of loving like Jesus loves.

“The least of my brothers…” as I study it is becoming clear to me that Jesus was not just referring to treating Jewish people well, or his followers.  I think that He was referring to the human race and to those who are most despised among us.  When we smile, love, hug, give a word of encouragement, feed, clothe, etc. these people we are doing it as unto our Lord Jesus Christ.  That’s what righteous people do.  We love because we have been given a trust and we are going to risk it all.  Righteousness finds its’ motivation in hearing over and over again the words of Jesus, “your sins are forgiven”.  The wicked do good deeds, but they do it for themselves, hoarding away the gift of life, all for self.

Will there be surprises on Judgment Day?