[Pastor Ralph]

Q4. Why is the Lord's Table such a time of intimate fellowship with Jesus? In your experience with having meals with friends, what makes the difference between a casual, forgettable meal, and one which is rich with memories? How can this insight make your experience of the Lord's Table more meaningful?

[pickledilly]

Jesus had invited his closest friends to share an intimate final supper with Him. And He has extended an invitation to those of His Body (who are being fashioned into His own Bride, "from His side" so to speak) to feast and join Him in close personal fellowship. It's a special occasion in the midst of the everyday to sit down with Him for a little while, to remember, and to look forward. It's a time to recommit to the relationship we have together.

The most enjoyable meals for me have been those unhurried times of sharing food and conversation. It may be in meeting a new person with whom there's an instant connection where things just "click". Or most often, it is time with friends or family that I already love dearly. The best time is when no one is rushed and everyone just lingers around the table after the meal to laugh together, to recall favorite memories/stories, talk over current happenings in our lives, or make plans for the future.

Our modern-day celebrations of the Lord's Supper aren't designed to take up much time, but we can approach that time with a leisurely attitude. Welcome Him in and let your heart linger. Sit down right next to Him. Think about why you love Him. As you take in the "food" He's labored over, reflect on what He's sacrificed for you and how to live your life because of it. Enjoy His embrace of forgiveness. Remember how He's pulled you through so many tough times, and express your gratitude. Delight with Him over the joy of your future together. And listen as His Spirit whispers, "Even when you were nothing but a slave to sin, I died for you. I've adopted you as my own and we're family. I won't ever leave you or forsake you. I'm preparing a wonderful home for you to come and live with me! Just keep on keepin' on and hang in there!" Treasure this unique and special time with your Beloved Friend. I don't think the Lord's Supper can ever be ordinary or forgettable again.

[heavenlymann]

Pastor Ralph, on May 18 2006, 11:09 PM, said:

Q4. Why is the Lord's Table such a time of intimate fellowship with Jesus? In your experience with having meals with friends, what makes the difference between a casual, forgettable meal, and one which is rich with memories? How can this insight make your experience of the Lord's Table more meaningful?

Jesus, The Almighty God, inviting me to an intimate fellowship with Him?? Who am I?? that He would even consider me? But to an intimate closeness such as this?? It boggles my mind!

[Jezemeg]

I, too, am staggered that Jesus would invite me to share in the New Covenant. However, I accept His invitation eagerly. The question is asked how does this compare with a dinner with friends both a casual, forgettable mean and one that is rich in memories. Any dinner is an opportunity to learn of others, to share in parts of their lives, to celebrate achievements, to commisserate where there is apparent failure. At the end of the meal there is a difference, we each depart and usually continue with our lives, maybe recalling certain events at times, but it rarely has a life changing impact.

When partaking in the Lord's Supper however, each is reminded of his/her place as a member of God's family, and of his/her part in the given commission, that of spreading the Gospel to all. Lives have been changed by partaking. God is so Awesome

[Stan]

Q4. Why is the Lord's Table such a time of intimate fellowship with Jesus? In your experience with having meals with friends, what makes the difference between a casual, forgettable meal, and one which is rich with memories? How can this insight make your experience of the Lord's Table more meaningful?

Because it is a time of remberence, a time given to look back,reflect on all the good thing that Christ has done for us and to give Him thanks for those blessings. He not only died for our sin,but said I go to prepare a place for you and if I go I will come again and receive you unto me that where I am there you may be also. He blesses us daily in one more day with faimly and friend that we can or should lead some one to Him. We should also reflect on our own heart are they right with God and in relationship with Jesus if not we need to confess that fault and recieve forgiveness, then we are ready to sit down at the Lord's table and recieve Him in the cup and bread.

The differance in the meals with friends is the closeness that you feel for them. We can share meals with anyone,but to have a close personnal relationship with themis what creates memories that are kept in the heart to meditate on at time of reflection.

The time to come to the Lord's table and take part in His meal show be a time of reflection and meditation when we realize what Christ has done for us. We should enjoy the relationship that we have with Him when we answered the call to come just as we are. To be washed in the blood cleansed by the power of the Lamb slain from the begining of time. A relationship of joy,peace,patience,love from a saviour that is there and all we have to do is believe and accept the grace of a loving God.

[Lisa Rupert]

Q4. Why is the Lord's Table such a time of intimate fellowship with Jesus? In your experience with having meals with friends, what makes the difference between a casual, forgettable meal, and one which is rich with memories? How can this insight make your experience of the Lord's Table more meaningful?
THE LORD'S TABLE IS AN INTIMATE FELLOWSHIP BECAUSE IT IS A TIME OF THANKSGIVING, A TIME TO REMEMBER AND TO SHARE, A TIME TO ENJOY AND A TIME TO LOOK FORWARD TO THE WONDERS THAT ARE ABOUT TO HAPPEN. IT IS A DAY OF REMEMBERANCE. A FINAL REMINDER OF THE TIMES THEY SHARED TOGETHER AS ONE FAMILY. A DAY THAT WILL HOLD TRUE IN THE HEARTS FOREVER.

[Helenmm]

Why is the Lord's Table such a time of intimate fellowship with Jesus? In your experience with having meals with friends, what makes the difference between a casual, forgettable meal, and one which is rich with memories? How can this insight make your experience of the Lord's Table more meaningful?

Being invited to share a meal with someone is a wonderful experience. It establishes you as someone of value in their lives. It's an honour. This in itself makes the meal memorable and special. It assumes trust between parties, so that you canbe yourself, and also make a valid contribution tothe fellowship. Sensitivity is involved. The memorable meals are those where honour is given all around, to each person present a time to have their say, where people openly appreciate each other and are excited about being together and hearing each other's news. Perhaps it's a rare occasion for these to be together, and therefore celebration is in the air. Perhaps there is something to celebrate and the people have been called together for this purpose, in which case the meal is never forgotten, eg a wedding, graduation etc. But individually, it's probably the personal connection with another, the renewing or development of intimacy, that makes the meal memorable.

The Lord's table is certainly celebration, including the speeches that address the partaking of the bodyand blood of Jesus Himself. It represents a growth in intimacy through commitment, (much like a marriage vow). It is an opportunity to fellowship with other believers and be excited together about the celebration. It is certainly about honour - honouring Jesus, and restoring and building successful relationships with each other. It's about building a vibrant organism, the body of the Lord's bride. It's about identifying with that body and committing to it, to Him. How blessed are, to have this opportunity to be of the family of God!

[PCHRIS]

Q4. Why is the Lord's Table such a time of intimate fellowship with Jesus? In your experience with having meals with friends, what makes the difference between a casual, forgettable meal, and one which is rich with memories? How can this insight make your experience of the Lord's Table more meaningful?

It's a time of reflection, confession, and refreshing my relationship with Christ. Knowing what Christ went thru for me! Each one of us He died for.

In having a meal with friends, even though I love them dearly, I can't see if any one of them would lay their life down for me or anyone. I dont mean to be cynical but Christ, my friend, laid down his life w/o questioning, w/o complaining, willingly gave His life for me, all of us.

This takes my experience even deeper, even more meaningful that even sometimes i feel unworthy to be in His presence. God chose me and He has a deep and meaningful life for me in Him.

Praise God

[Eudora]

Q4. Why is the Lord's Table such a time of intimate fellowship with Jesus?

Because of the fellowship, we get to intimately share a renewing of our hearts with Him. We are re- committing ourselves to continuing our walk with Him, to be in His presence, communing with our inner spirit. We are clearing our temple of anything that might be standing in between us and Him and we can sweep out the old chaff so that He can burn it from our hearts, never to be heard of again.

It’s a special time to walk through the fire and be un-touched by a flame that would otherwise burn us. His flame refines us and He never leaves our side, walking with us all the way, gently leading us in His path of righteous flames.

In your experience with having meals with friends, what makes the difference between a casual, forgettable meal, and one which is rich with memories?

A meal that is not delightful and rich with memories is not a meal worth sharing. If the memory of a meal shared with friends or family has not left us with a new set of memories to be filed in our hearts, why would we even want to sup with them again? Sometimes a meal shared with family might hurt our feelings because folks tend to want to bring up the past.

How can this insight make your experience of the Lord's Table more meaningful?

With the sharing of the meal with our Father, we know that He has forgotten our past and remembers it no more, once confessed. We want to go back to this table over and over because we are cleansed and leave the table refreshed and filled to overflowing.

He promised that if we are thirsty or are hungry to come to Him and He will provide. He will always keep His promise and it is on that, that we can depend and trust and walk in faith in.

Besides, when He dines with us, Jesus is fun to be with. He is the teacher of all mannerism, and the builder of the table. He laughs with us, shares in our good times and in our bad. He is a conversationalist and He loves to hear what we have to say. He pays more attention to us than any one else ever will or even pretends to. He gave His life so that we could sit together at the table. This is the best seat in any house. There really is no one else I would rather dine with.

[Lion of Grace]

To me, it is such an intimate time at communion because I can take the time (and with all of my most dearest companions in life....by brothers and sisters in Spirit) to reflect on what our best friend Jesus really did for us. It is such a Spiritually deep time with Him and with others that we can come together and remember Him and eat with Him and each other. It is a time of renewing our hearts and our minds and cleaning out the unwanted stuff we had allowed to enter in or to cause division. We come away with deep fellowship, united through the Holy Spirit.
My most fond memories of meals with friends have been meals where everyone has been accepted just as they are. Where there have been many from all different walks of life, united in our love for Christ and each other. The meals I cherish are ones that have been shared just because we love each other and we learn from each other and no one is left out or not accepted. Times where I was included in sharing memories even though I wasn't there for the making of the memory, but somehow through sharing the laughter or the tears I became a part of it now. I love meals that share in the Spirit and we just know He's still there with us. I love them when you come away in deeper relationships because of the time shared. Casual meals are hurried and small talk and you just know everyone wants to eat and go on to whatever they think is more important. It's not about the intimacy with the people you are with.
We should approach the Lord's table the same way. I think it can become too casual. Not reflected on enough and not shared in the Spirit of love for each other.

[masika]

When I think of what the Lord Jesus Christ did for on the Cross, because of my sin , I have no option other than thanking Him by having a close relationship whit Him.
So when partaking His Table it shows my rolay to Him since it is a command I have to follow , it also shows the unity for believers when they meet together .
There are a time as family we invite our brothers , sisters and close friends and relative to come for a meal , but this is nothing compared to what Christ did for us.
The Lord's Supper should remind us our past sin and not turn back , but to focus more on Jesus.

[JustJeff]

At the Lord's Supper He reveals to us His innermost self, as the man and as our God. At a time such as this one can only feel intimate toward another.
With friends what separates the casual from the intimate would be as to whether we discuss superficial matters like current events, sports, etc or, our inner thoughts about our relationships, feelings and the like.
When put into the proper context, each time we partake of the Lord's Supper we should have spiritual moments that forever change us, pushing us from glory to glory.

[haar]

Why the Lord's table is such a time for intimate fellowship:

It is a moment when we come with thankfull hearts rememberring the great act of love shown to us when the Jesus Christ gave His life for all of us. As we eat and dring at the table, the thought that we are sharing the meal with Him (sharing in his suffering) and in rememberance of Him should be a wonderfull experience.

The difference between a common, forgetable meal and one that is is rich with memories:

The casual meal is easily forgotten while the memories of the rich meal liger on. This memory comes fresh in our hearts each time a similar occasion occurs around us. Such moments in our lives are when we share a Chrismas meal!

The thought of the Lord table as fellowshiping with Jesus and one another should always be wonderful experience to look forward to each time we come together. I pray that the Holy Spirit will enable us to really be excited to come to the Lord's table with such warm, loving, appreciating and obedient hearts from now on, amen.

[charisbarak]

The Lord's Table is the time for sweet, intimate fellowship with Jesus, who died for us, to commune with Him--a very close bond with the God who gave Himself for us.

A forgetful meal is an every-day event we treat like an every-day event. Who we dine with is important as is our attitude. We need to have a heart of gratitude to make the meal special.

I will picture this time as a meal with Jesus, hungering for an intimacy with Him.

Thank you for this insight, Pastor.

[Patsy Laycoax]

The Lord's table is a time of intimate fellowship with Jesus because of the sacrifice He made on the cross to be able to offer the cup of the New Covenant to us who believe. And we take it in deep sincerity and love for Him and what He has done for us.
What makes a meal memoriable with family and friends is the conversation and fellowship together.
This insight makes my experience at the Lord's table more meaningful is to understand what the Lord is saying to me and and what He wants from me and to agree with Him and obey Him,thereby deepening my love for Him!

[steve.c]

Pastor Ralph, on May 18 2006, 11:09 PM, said:

Q4. Why is the Lord's Table such a time of intimate fellowship with Jesus? In your experience with having meals with friends, what makes the difference between a casual, forgettable meal, and one which is rich with memories? How can this insight make your experience of the Lord's Table more meaningful?

The Lord's Table is a time when I feel personally very close to Jesus as I share His sacrifice for me. That sacrifice is personal, as I have already described. He died for my sins. It is His body and blood I share spiritually. Sadly in the Uk fewer and fewer homes have a dinning table and families seldom sit around the table to share a meal. A shared meal is one of the best ways of getting to know someone. It is relaxed and there is an emphasis on shared conversation as well as a shared meal. The two distinctive features of a memorable meal are the effort that went into the preparation and the company. Both seem to be necessary for a truly memorable occasion: A well laid table with carefully chosen and well cooked food. Guests make a special effort to dress for the occasion so it is not just tee shirts and jeans like everyday. But the preparation is not enough. The most important ingredient is the company. Applying this to the Lord's Supper suggests that I must make serious preparation for the communion. I must examine myself and my conduct and repent of any short comings. I must not come to the Lord's table in a state of unforgiven sin; I must spiritually be properly dressed. I must also refelct seriously on what we are celebrating so that I am in a proper frame of mind to share God's great gift to me. But most important it is the company. This is first a sharing of Jesus' sacrifice. This is a moment when I am very close and in the company of Jesus. No company could be better than that. But the Lord's Supper is also a collective event. I am in the company of members of my church. Together we share Jesus' atoning sacrifice and this shared experience helps to bind us into one body to do the Lord's work.

[Don W]

The Lord’s Table is a time of intimate fellowship with Jesus because He is there present with us while we are worshiping and praising Him for who He is and what He has done for us. He is our best Friend in this sense and His presence with us during the whole time is as our experiences of having meals with close family or close friends, and He makes the difference between a close, intimate meal with Him, or one having a casual, forgettable meal with others whom we are not that close to them as we are close together at the Lord’s Supper with the Lord Jesus Christ and our church family. The Lord Jesus is the One who makes the difference in the Lord’s Supper in our worship service of Him. This will make our experience in partaking of the Lord’s Supper more meaningful and more unforgettable when we focus our remembrance on the Lord Jesus Christ as being the Center of the Lord’s Supper. He is what it is all about for us! Amen!

[godsanointed523]

Why is the Lord's table such a time of intimate fellowship?

The reason that i think it is because it is a time of reflecting what is important for us.We recognize what God had done for us by sending Jesus to die for us on the cross.It is our opening up to him and the love that we each share with him.When we do take part in the Lord's supper we show that we want Him to be symbollically with us in our daily walk.Jesus had the 12 apostles who he had considered to be family and brothers in all parts of life.We get to know each other daily through the blood and the spirit of Christ.

In your experience with having meals with friends,what makes the difference between a casual meal filled with memories?

Well with having a regular meal your just hanging out and laughing.I think and believe that when you have a close friendship with a few people then you share heartaches,pain,grief,joy,hapiness and victories through Christ that have a more profound memory in the years down the road.It is is about having that imtimacy to be the person that Jesus wants and testifying to that to others that you can trust.The memories is what keeps us close but the love that we have toward other christians is what keep our experiences alive for all time.

How can this insight make your experience more meaningful at the Lord's table?

Well it can be a reminder of the love and experinces we share with the Lord daily.When we do go to the supper table we know what Christ has done in our lives and what he will keep doing in our lives.It can be anything from blessing to prayers that need to be answered if it is in God's will.It can makes us value what we have today and what we can have in eternity through Christ Jesus.

[Blessed Me]

Q4. Why is the Lord's Table such a time of intimate fellowship with Jesus?
The Lord has gone to alot of work in preparing His Table. It consist of His death and His resurrection. He is our Bridegroom. We have been invited to eat this meal with Him. At this meal there is Joy, Peace, and love. He has asked me to come back to the table again soon, and I am looking forward to it, and I am already getting myself ready, for I want to make Him happy, I want to please Him, why? because I love Him ,and He has asked me to be His bride. Thank you Lord for inviting me over to dine with you, I love being in your presence.

In your experience with having meals with friends, what makes the difference between a casual, forgettable meal, and one which is rich with memories?
Being with friends and loved ones always makes a meal taste better and the memories linger.

How can this insight make your experience of the Lord's Table more meaningful?
At the Lord's Table is a friend closer than a brother, Jesus Christ. Also at the table is my family in Christ, those brothers and sisters in the Lord. Its meaning is found in the Family Unit, bound together by this Covenant with God, sealed by the blood of the Lamb, ratified by our "yes we believe"

[charity]

My experience with meals shared with friends rarely is remembered because of the food itself or how nice the presentation has been, but it is remembered by the enjoyment of each other’s company during the meal. Sure, there are compliments and satisfied bellies, but the conversations, the laughs, even sadness sometimes during these times are what is remembered because we connect and understand each other more than we did before the meal. I have had meaningful and insightful meals with friends that were squeezed into a 20 minute lunch break that have been just as treasured as those during a 4 course meal. It is the connection, the communion, the fellowship that is exchanged that makes the difference.
Likewise, it is the connection with the Lord, the increased understanding of Who He is, what He has done, and His desire to share Himself with me in these ways that make me want to partake of the Cup and the Bread. The more the experience is focused on Him, the more rewarding it is for me.