An Open Table for All – Matthew 21:1-11 and Matthew 26:14-56
/Lectionary Readings for April 05, 2020
Liturgy of the Palms
Matthew 21:1-11 – Jesus’ Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem
Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 (UMH 839)
Liturgy of the Passion
Isaiah 50:4-9a v4 The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary.
Psalm 31:9-16 v14 But I am trusting you, O Lord, saying, “You are my God!” My future is in your hands.
Philippians 2:5-11 v5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Matthew 26:14 - 27:66, – Jesus’ betrayal, Last Supper, arrest, trial, crucifixion, death, and burial
Matthew 26:14-56 – Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus and The Last Supper
Matthew 27:11-54 – Jesus’ Trial before Pilate
Have you ever said or done something to someone that was so terrible, so mean, so hurtful that you were ashamed to look at yourself in the mirror?
That you couldn’t forgive yourself for saying or doing?
That made you question how you could call yourself a Christian – or even a decent person?
That, perhaps, made you wonder how even God could still love you?
I’ve been there. More times than I would like to admit. Mostly when I was in Middle School. Some of the things I said to people… I regret to this day. I still struggle to allow myself any feelings of forgiveness.
God and I talk about that stuff a lot. And every time we do, God wraps my regrets, my anger, my anxiety, and my depression and wraps all that mess with His love and says…
“Charles, I understand how you feel. I was there. I was in you as you spewed those hateful words that irrupted from your own hurts, and I was in the people who absorbed your venom. I cared about both of you in those moments and I loved – and still love – both of you so much that I will do all I can to get you both through those moments. Those were bad days, no doubt – for you and them. But there is work to be done – Kingdom of God stuff – so I need you to learn, I need you to be better and to do better, and I need you to keep going. There is work to be done, and I will always be with you.”
This is why I have a sense of connection with and compassion for characters like Thomas the Questioner, Peter the Denier, and Judas the Betrayer.
I want to highlight one section (Matthew 26:20-25) from today’s Scripture reading. At this point, Jesus and the disciples are sharing the traditional Passover meal. As the Rabbi, as the senior theologian of the group, Jesus is officiating the meal. Starting with verse 20…
20 When it was evening, Jesus reclined at the dinner table with the Twelve. While they were eating, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.”
22 Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one, Lord?”
23 Jesus replied, “One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me. For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!”
25 Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, “Rabbi, am I the one?” And Jesus told him, “You have said it.”
During our Bible Study this past Tuesday, several people shared some great personal insights about this section. Someone said they felt badly for Judas. They sympathized with someone who made a rash decision that led to horrible consequences.
Someone else said, “What if we hear Jesus’ words, not as condemnation, but as empathy.” Our group could imagine Jesus thinking, “I know how all this plays out. I know, better than you Judas, how you will be overcome by grief, regret, and self-hatred. And my heart breaks for you.”
That perspective is easier for us to imagine when we consider that immediately after the exchange between Jesus and Judas, Jesus continues the ceremonial Passover meal and shares the famous words about the bread and the wine – the same words that we will share in a few minutes during our sacrament, our sacred tradition, of Holy Communion.
And that’s the part that always gets me. Even though Jesus knew who would betray Him, Jesus did not reject Judas. In His last hours with His closest friends, throughout their meal together, Jesus never held back His blessing from anyone, including the people who would doubt, deny, and betray Him.
I looked it up in the other three Gospels, Mark 14, Luke 22, John 13. We have four perspectives of the same event, and none of them mention Jesus rejecting anyone from that meal or from God’s covenantal – meaning unbreakable – love for humanity.
In verse 28, Jesus says His blood “is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.” When confronted with selfishness, Jesus offered acceptance and inclusion. When confronted with rejection, Jesus offered a path into closer relationship.
In our church building, we normally have a loaf of bread and a cup of juice on a table at the front of our sanctuary. During communion, this table represents the Passover table at which Jesus and His disciples sat. In the Methodist tradition, we describe this as an “open table” meaning everyone, absolutely everyone who wants to grow in their relationship with God, everyone is invited to join us for communion.
When I think about how Jesus led that Passover meal, I think… how much more open can you get? And I realize that His open table… our open table is about so much more than a shared symbolic meal. Jesus challenges us to open the tables of our lives to all of humanity; we cannot withhold God’s love from anyone because every human being is a precious child of God – even if they’re not acting like it.
Through His words and actions, Jesus challenges us to empathize with the hurts and angers of others. Why? So that we can find ways to share God’s blessings. As you remain safe at home this week, I ask you to actively look for ways you can share God’s love – especially with people you may find challenging to befriend. Because the people who are the most hurt, the most angry, the most depressed, are also the people most in need of God’s love.
Amen? Amen!