Table Privilege

Privilege might seem like a obsessively modern term. We discuss it in terms of social leverage, financial, educational, gender and racial divides. But the divide is more ancient than modern.  Take the story of the cross: Jospeh of Arimathea and the woman who followed Jesus.  

All of the gospels tell Joseph's tale, a rich man, a powerful man religiously, socially and politically.  When it comes to privilege, he had it all.  All the gospels tell the women's tale as well. When it comes to privilege, they had less: less money, less power, less standing in their community, and less political influence. 

Yet they all wanted the same thing: Jesus’ body.  United in this common desire to honor their Rabbi, they were brave.  Joseph was afraid of declaring himself yet goes to Pilate and asks for the body of Jesus.  The women watched all the disciples/apostles but John flee, yet stand at the foot of the cross as mute witnesses to their own Lord’s death.    United in their common desire to honor their Rabbi, they honor his corpse. Joseph takes the Lord’s body and brings the it to his own unused tomb. (Would that I ever had the opportunity to let Jesus take my place of honor.) The women follow him from afar to see where they can come after the Sabbath to bring their spices and prepare his body for burial.  

In Jesus each of us bring all that we have-energy, time, money, standing-to the table as a gift. In our desire to honor the body of our Lord, we stand united at the table of communion. His table permits no divide: one Lord, one meal, one body. Thank God for the privilege of celebrating at His table. 

Helene

PS.  Interested in more of these devotionals?  I'd love for you to subscribe and I will send you a FREE PDF/Ebook with 12 short communion devotionals each one perfect for savoring with a cup of coffee on Sunday morning! 

Baptism: An Appeal for Mercy

Baptism is one of many Bible topics that suffers from a particular kind of blindness. 

It happens most frequently to important topics.  Once long ago a teacher, an honest and dedicated person, summarized that important topic in one specific way.  He taught that to his followers.  It became a rallying cry, then a way of differentiating themselves from everyone else.  Was the teacher wrong? Not necessarily.  Perhaps not at all.  Yet these pithy ways of explaining complex topics are like a door-one that either opens up clarity into the text or one that closes the door to searching out the Word.     

I want open doors into the Word. I think you do too.  So the only thing is to lay aside what I think I know and go straight to the Bible and ask God some direct questions.  You may be as surprised by the answers as I was. 

'Twas the Day after Easter

'Twas the day after Easter and the plastic grass is semi-glued to the candy.  Halves of plastic eggs are lurking in the yard ready to pulverize bare feet and become shrapnel for the push mower. Tummy aches and leftover sugar highs are making parents more miserable than the kids.  Tiny suits and dresses hang in closest and photos are sent out to develop.

'Twas the day after Easter and millions of people brim with the joy of the Lord.  They rejoice in the love of Christ's sacrifice, they revel in the morning arrival at the tomb; they shout with the millions on high, "He is risen! Christ is risen indeed!"  But Monday has arrived.  Spring break is over and it's time to go back to work, back to school.  It's time to return to the mundane and leave our spiritual high behind. 

Following Jesus in Baptism

I read every comment on this blog.  Melissa does too. To be fair, however, they don't usually change the way I think about some major theological issue. One day though it did.  Shannon Morris, Melissa's mom, made a comment here that inspired this entire series and changed the way I think about obedience. The phrase she used was, "Follow Jesus in baptism."