The Open Table of Jesus

Here at Redeemer we centre everything around Jesus. It’s in the name… Redeemer Central. We are a Jesus-centred community! We believe Jesus is perfect theology.

What does that mean? Well, we believe Jesus is the lens through which we see God — in fact he is the image of the invisible God — Jesus is the face of God. And through connection and communion with Jesus we experience life and a radical acceptance into God’s family. And there is no better metaphor for belonging and family than sitting around a table. And so we practice a meal together every time we gather — eucharist/communion — the meal of Jesus… the meal that Jesus had with his disciples at the last supper and left for his followers.

At this meal — which we practice every Sunday — we remember. “do this in remembrance of me”… We remember Jesus loving sacrifice on a roman cross for his enemies — for you and me — we remember his body broken for us as we eat this bread… and his blood shed for us as we drink this wine.

But this meal is more that simply a remembrance. It is a mystery. Because — somehow — through this meal Jesus is present. As we take this grace we can meet Jesus afresh and be filled and restored. This meal is a celebration. It is a feast. It is medicine for the soul. The resurrected Christ is present at the table, right now in a very particular yet mysterious way. If you are looking for answers today God doesn’t give us answers… he gives us something better. He gives us himself - bigger than our pain, beyond our explanations, closer than our breath. His presence in a very real way is in this meal today. We can experience his presence as we eat and proclaim he is Lord.

This is not our table, this is Jesus Table. We aren’t the ones who are inviting you—Christ invites you. He makes the guest list, not us. This is a table open for all — and we mean all. Nobody is left out here. The invitation is for all who want to come and experience the welcome and acceptance of the love and grace of God through Jesus. God has made room for everyone to take a seat at his table. And so — as we sing — Jesus invites you to come to his table. The only qualifier is that you come humbly (soft and open) and hungry. Hungry to meet Jesus… perhaps even to meet him here for the first time.