Table Talk

This Table Talk is intended for use at a family meal preceding or following the participation of parents and children together in the congregation's celebration of Holy Communion.

According to the pattern of the Old Testament Passover meal, a child asks questions, a parent or older child answers (Exodus 12:24-27). Parents will decide which questions to use on each such occasion. In time a family may develop its own form of questioning and response.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the night when he was delivered up, took the bread, gave thanks, and gave it to his disciples and said, "Receive this, eat it. This is my body which is given for you. Do this to remember me."

In the same way he, took also took the cup, after the meal, gave thanks and gave it to them and said, "Receive this and drink of it, all of you. This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of your sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, to remember me."

It is the family meal of our congregation and the whole church. God our Father gathers us, his children, around his table. The food he serves for this meal is the Body and the Blood of his Son, Jesus Christ, "The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

What is this "Body" and "Blood" Jesus tells us to eat and drink?

Long ago, when God was ready to bring his people out of Egypt, he told them to kill a lamb by spilling its life-blood out of its body, and to eat its meat. The dying of the lamb, God promised, would save them from dying. This was the Feast of the Passover. God's people celebrated it every spring.

Our New Testament meal tells another story -- how God at Passover time asked Jesus, his Son, to be the Lamb of Sacrifice for the sins of his people by offering his own life on the cross. Out of love for his Father and us, Jesus did just that. Now he gives us the body and blood of his dying to eat as the Lamb-food of our life.

What do we remember when we eat the Lord's Supper?

Eating the Passover was an occasion for the families of God's people to "remember" and relive a grand story, also for their children. They told again how God had brought them out of the Red Sea in Egypt, how he named and still kept them as his beloved "son" and "servant" to this day. Our New Testament eating and drinking fills this full with the story of Jesus, so that we becomne part of both. "Do this to remember me," he says. With shame and yet joy we come to the cross where God sacrificed his own son to deliver us from slavery to sin and death. We stand at the open tomb, marveling how God turned that awful event into triumph of Jesus' resurrection and life for us.

Why do we eat bread and drink wine?

Bread and wine were part of the Passover, along with the lamb. When Jesus brought us into the New Testament, he took the bread and wine of the former meal, gave thanks as always, and made this earthly food his way of giving us his Body to eat and his Blood to drink.

What is God saying to us when we eat his Supper?

God is saying, "See how I have loved you, my child! Even when you fell into sin and shame, I did not give up on you. I want you to know me, your heavenly Father, and love and trust me as Jesus did, for then you too will gladly serve me in everything you do. I promise to be with you always, give you whatever you need, forgive you when you go astray, and save you from every trouble. If ever you feel worthless or ashamed, hear and remember what I tell you: You are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you! Even when things seem to go very wrong, trust me to make it work out well for you. For you are mine, and I want you in my house and kingdom forever!"

What difference does it make, that we eat this Supper?

The Lord's Supper is the smallest of meals, but what God says and promises by it is big indeed! If we hear and believe him, our whole life becomes new and free. We learn to receive all we are and have as God's gift, and to use it for him with holy joy and thanksgiving. We put our bodies and minds to work for God, without being lazy or afraid of doing too much. We trust God and do his will, even when what we feel like doing is the very opposite. We learn to notice and reject the voice of sin and the devil. We can confess our wrong and be forgiven, instead of lying and hiding from God. We learn to give as God gives, with no fear of being losers. We love to hear God's Word in the company of his people, to sing his praise together, and to talk with God in prayer. We wait in hope for the day when our life on earth is finished, and we sit down with Jesus at the new feast of his Father's kingdom in heaven.

Prayer

Holy Father, we thank you that in this Supper you bring us back again to the cross of Jesus, your Son, and make his death the food of our life.

Open our hearts so that we, your children, may give you thanks for every gift, including this meal on our table. Teach us to trust you when troubles come. Enrich us with vision and energy for the work you give us each day, so everything we do may serve and please you. Free us from the fear of being hurt, for only so can we truly love, forgive, and help one all others, and shine with your light in our world.

Keep us in the hope of your promises until our life on this earth is finished, and receive us then with Jesus into your heavenly glory. Amen.

The family may then pray together The Lord's Prayer.