Dear Family at Christ Community,

   We have the privilege as God’s sons and daughters to celebrate the Lord’s Table together this Sunday. In preparation for this means of grace, consider Jesus’ response to the disciples question of their individual status and greatness in the kingdom from Matthew 18:

“And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

    Jesus is not calling them to display the attributes of a child (which could include whining, selfishness, and tantrums as well as positive aspects such as meekness, learning, and inquisitiveness; cf. Proverbs 22:15, 23:13, and 29:15); he is calling them to assume the humble, lowly status of a child who in that time and culture was expected to listen and obey in dependence upon their familial authorities. This expectation was for all children universally in the first century culture. Jesus answers the disciples’ question about status in the kingdom by turning what they thought upside down. He even presses them to work out first whether they are in the kingdom at all before they concern themselves with status. In fact, he commands them to assume the humble and lowly status of one who recognizes the true gravity of their need for, dependence on, and call to obedience to their Heavenly Father in Christ alone as the posture that allows them entrance into His kingdom. They were to repent of their desire to be great based on their own merits and deeds and receive the unmerited grace of God alone through faith alone in the finished work of Christ alone.

    We too are called to humble ourselves like this same child so as to enter the kingdom of heaven. It is with this posture that we should approach the Lord’s Table. Daniel M. Doriani in Matthew: Volume 2, Chapters 14-28 captures the heart with which we should both approach and leave the Table in light of Matthew 18 when he writes, “Far from asking, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom?” (Matt. 18:1), we should seek God’s unmerited love with childlike simplicity-leading with our need, not our merit….The gospel instills a humility that teaches us to despise no one and grant honor, respect, justice, and mercy to all.” As you come to receive the broken bread representing Christ’s body broken for you and the poured cup signifying Christ’s blood spilled to cover you in the new covenant, assess your status. Do you want recognition for what you have done or are doing? Do you desire to be distinguished from your other brothers and sisters in Christ so as to be seen as the greatest or at least greater than others? Or are you receiving the elements as a humble child who recognizes that your only true boast is God’s love for you displayed in the person and work of Jesus Christ through no merit of your own? Ask the Spirit to show you if you think there is anyone that is truly undeserving of this offered grace that you are unwilling to forgive even if Christ is willing to forgive them. If so, turn and become like a child who recognizes that you must receive and encourage those whom Christ is willing to forgive, because He received and forgave you. Receive the elements seeking to become more child-like in your humility as you are nourished in your faith by the bread and cup so as to be nourishing in Christ to others who are lost and found as you once were and now are.

In Christ,

Cameron