At the Table | Memorial & Proclamation

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

1 Corinthians 11:26 (Common English Bible)

Every communion service is both a memorial and a proclamation. We're remembering what Jesus has already done, but we're also declaring what that means for how we live today. We're announcing to the world that the way of the cross, the way of sacrificial love, is the way we choose to live.

When Paul says we "proclaim the death of the Lord" through communion, he's not just talking about what happens inside the church building. He's talking about a declaration that should be visible in how we live our everyday lives. Our participation in communion should be evident in how we treat our families, our coworkers, our neighbors, and even our enemies.

To proclaim the death of the Lord means to live as people who have been transformed by sacrificial love. It means being willing to put others' needs before our own. It means choosing forgiveness over revenge. It means serving instead of demanding to be served. It means loving people who are difficult to love.

This is the "holy table manners" that communion teaches us. Not just proper etiquette during a church service, but a way of living that reflects what we've experienced at Christ's table. If we truly encounter Jesus' love at communion, that love should overflow into every other area of our lives.

The world should be able to see that we've been to Jesus' table by how we behave at every other table. Our family dinners should be marked by grace and forgiveness. Our business lunches should be characterized by integrity and care for others. Even our casual meals with friends should reflect the love we've experienced at Christ's table.

This doesn't mean we become perfect people. But it does mean we allow our regular encounters with Jesus at communion to gradually transform us into people who love like he loved, serve like he served, and sacrifice like he sacrificed.

Personal Application: How would people know you've been to Jesus' table by watching how you behave at other tables? What changes might you need to make in your daily interactions to better "proclaim the death of the Lord" through your actions?

Prayer: Jesus, help us not just participate in communion, but live out communion in our daily lives. Let our encounters with you at your table transform how we treat people at every other table. Help us proclaim your death not just with our words, but with our actions, our attitudes, and our love. Amen.