The Jesus Life: Eight Ways to Recover Authentic Christianity by Smith Stephen W

Author:Smith, Stephen W. [Smith, Stephen W.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: Rhythm, Stephen W. Smith, Feasts, Recover Life, Steve, Potter's Inn, Way, Jesus Life, Abundant Life
Publisher: David C. Cook
Published: 2012-03-31T16:00:00+00:00

2 Henri Nouwen, Life of the Beloved (New York: Crossroads, 1992), 45.

3 Nouwen, Life of the Beloved, 47–48.

4 German pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer discussed this important point in his classic Life Together.

5 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together (New York: HarperOne, 1954), 27.

8

THE WAY OF THE TABLE

Savoring a Sacred Mystery

Do this in remembrance of me.

—Jesus (Luke 22:19 NIV)

Jesus transformed time around a table that was laden with food into a place of encounter, connection, and epiphany. The thick wooden tables became the thin places of the soul where humanity could encounter God, connect with one another, and see life and truth as never before.

To be alive, we know that everyone has to eat and drink, but in Jesus’ way of living life, the table and mealtimes became communion, not just consumption. As we see Jesus sharing life around the table, we learn that the real food is something far more than calories and carbs. We become deeply satisfied with something that is far more than bread and realize the truth of Jesus’ statement: “It takes more than bread to stay alive.” We stay alive and enjoy life when we learn to treat the mealtime as more than a meal.

Jesus used the table and the times for meals as a primary and important means to connect with people. Mealtimes became the place for Jesus to share much of His teachings and insights about God and life and to relax with His friends. The table became a rich metaphor, the image of a satisfying life—not just a place to eat good Mediterranean food. In Jesus’ heart, the table points us to a gathering that is heavenly where we all have a place, where the table is set with plenty, and where a sense of belonging happens in the soul.

The bread, the cup—eating and drinking—became important in Jesus’ mind. In fact, He told His disciples that when taking the bread and the cup to “do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19 NIV). The word Jesus chose, anamnesis, “remembrance,” is where we get our word amnesia—meaning a loss of memory. In other words, Jesus wanted this meal to be something that they never, ever forgot. The intimacy, the conversation, the fellowship, the table, and the food—all were never to be forgotten. Why? Because it’s never really about the food; it’s about the life around the table that matters.

JESUS, MEALS, AND TRANSFORMATION

The table creates the space for the ever-hovering Spirit to brood and foster life in our midst; life, not just full stomachs. At the table, the food becomes the medium for the message of love, acceptance, and belonging.

Each of us has a place at God’s table. We are recognized, and we are missed if we are not present. Now that Gwen and I are living in our empty nest, our big, long table has empty chairs around it. Each chair was the place where Blake sat, where Jordan belonged, where Cameron showed up, and where Leighton, our youngest, felt a part of something bigger than himself.

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