The Meaning of the Lord's Table — Stephen Kaung

The Lord's Table as the King's Table

Chapter 1, we'll read from verse 12 to verse 14. While the king is at his table, my sparknard sendeth forth its fragrance. A bundle of myrrh is my beloved unto me. He shall pass the night between my breasts.

The Humble Appearance of Communion

My beloved is unto me a cluster of heathen flowers in the vineyard of envy. We come together this morning to remember our Lord at his table. When you look at this table, it's very simple. We have the loaf and the cup on the table, and nothing else.

From the human point of view, it looks very humble, common, almost nothing. If we look at it that way, then we can come with our preparation, without really meditate upon the Lord. We can just come and partake of it as carelessly, as casually, as we can.

But dear brothers and sisters, even though in awkward appearance, this is so humble, this is so common, and we do it every Lord's Day. But if we really understand what this table is, I believe it will transform our attitude.

This table is the king, and the king himself is at the table. Do not think that only we are here. He is here. He is the one who prepared this table for us. And what a preparation he laid out his life for us.

Christ's Body and Blood Prepare the Table

The loaf here represents his body, broken for us. That perfect life should go through the judgment that should be upon each one of us. The blood shed for the remission of our sins. What a price he has paid to prepare this table.

Can you think of any other table prepared on earth that is paid with such tremendous price? If we look at it spiritually, with our inner eye, what do we see here? We have seen the tremendous love of God manifested to us through Christ.

He is here with us. He is here giving himself totally to us. He is assuring us that he loves us to the uttermost. He used his blood to seal the new covenant with us. We really appreciate what he has done for us.

Pouring Out Love and Gratitude to Christ

We really come with appreciation. And out of appreciating him, pour forth our life, that which is most precious to us, we pour out to him, that he may be honored and glorified. This is the time that we come here to appreciate him, to tell him how much we appreciate him, that, look, can we withhold ourselves from pouring out from our very heart our appreciation, our love to him?

Mary's Costly Offering at the Table

As Mary of old, when our Lord was at the table, she came in, broke the alabaster flesh, and poured out a precious ointment upon the feet of our Lord, because she considered our Lord as worthy. Can we care so much of ourselves as the alabaster flesh, that we will not break it and pour out that fragrance?

Christ's Presence in Night and Suffering

In the Song of Songs, he said, he is like a bundle of myrrh to me in the night upon my breath. He is like a heather flower, a crust of heather flower to me in the garden of entity. Dear brothers and sisters, sometimes we go through the night.

Sometimes we are in the daytime. That is life. Sometimes we have to suffer. Sometimes we are blessed. But whatever, whenever it may be, whether it is night, we have him with us as a bundle of myrrh. It is upon our breath.

He passed the night with us. When we are in suffering, we remember him. He is the one who suffers for us. His suffering is our salvation. His suffering is our hope. His suffering is our strength. When we suffer, he suffers with us.

And it is his suffering that comforts us. That is what he is. And sometimes we see him under broad daylight, do not forget, that he is like a cluster of heather flowers. In other words, he is our beauty.

Communion With Christ and Wholehearted Worship

He is our decoration. He is our joy. Everything comes from him. His death, his life, we remember at all times. That is what he is. So dear brothers and sisters, how can we come to this table casually?

How can we withhold ourselves so tightly from pouring forth upon him all that is worthy each time we come to this table? We are in communion with him. He lives in us. It is he that brings us through life.

Without him, where will we be? Oh, my dear. And all that is within, bless his holy name.