Sharing Fellowship
“It was at the last meal with disciples that Jesus called them friends, despite the fact that he already knew that one would betray him, one would deny him, one would doubt him, and the rest would flee. But that meal was the ultimate symbol of forgiveness and reconciliation, as Jesus used it as an aide memoire, pointing to past history and future provision when he instituted the Communion. It is not simply coincidental that the two most important symbols of the Christian faith can be tasted, touched, seen, smelled and swallowed.” The Heavenly Party by Michele Guinness, Monarch Books, 2007
As we sat around the table at our Sunday house fellowship the other week I stared in amazement. There were 12 men sitting around the table talking about Jesus like he was in the room – because he was! Me and the other two women may have felt out-numbered, but instead we all felt like we had a glimpse of Jesus at the last supper. He sat with us. He spoke to us as his friends. He shared the bread that we broke at the beginning of the meal, and the juice at the end. He enjoyed all the stories we shared of our encounters with him through the week. We sat in the presence of the Jesus. The most amazing thing is, we get to do it again next week, and the week after, and the week after, and every time we gather. And that compels us to see Jesus in our every day lives, and to experience his risen presence, so that we have more stories tell.
Sam