Sermon, "Table Manners. . .", by Pastor Ruth Foss, Suncook United Methodist Church, September 4, 2011

Pastor Ruth Foss
September 4, 2011
Thirteenth Sunday of Pentecost
Psalm 149:1-4
Exodus 12:1-14 (Common English Bible)
Luke 14:12-24 (The Message Bible)
Suncook United Methodist Church

“Table Manners. . . ”

Good morning. . . now I don’t know about you but I love having a meal around the dinner table as a family. It’s one time during the day when we sit together. . . pray over the weal together. . . talk about our days. . . have a set time together before we go about doing our own thing. . . don’t get me wrong, there are times when it can be difficult because of attitudes and such but I would not change that time for the world.

There are also times when we have invited others to join us for a meal. . . it may be someone we know or someone we would like to get to know. When we share a meal with others, they are not just visitors to our table but they are seen as part of the family. We love to share the abundance that God has showered upon us with others. For a moment. . . for a time. . . our family gets a little larger. . . richer. . . more diverse. . . than it was before and it is such a blessing!

You see. . . table and relationships go hand and hand with each other.

Think about tables and what they represent. We have the table of King Arthur and the “Knights of the Round Table”, a place where the King and his knights would get together and work together to defend the kingdom. We have changing tables where babies are changed and the parent can begin that bond that last forever with their child. Tables are meant to build not to be exclusive. But unfortunately here are some who think that a table is theirs and they can say who can come and join. . . even though the table is not truly theirs. . .

Over the past month and a half, we have been journeying with Adam Hamilton and his book “When Christians Get it Wrong”. We have been “turning off” the younger generation. As I have pondered over what I have learned I have come to another way that some Christians make others feel excluded. It has to do with the communion table. Some have put “rules and regulations” man made rules and regulations that exclude others from partaking in the Lords Table. . . let me say that last part again. . . the Lords Table.

We heard this morning about how the Israelites were to proceed with the first Passover and how they were to celebrate it after as a reminder to them. They were told. . . in the instructions. . . that if they had too much they were to share with others. They shared with others that were not from their household but they did belong to the household of god. . . those whom He was bringing out of slavery. . .

Let’s hear what Jesus says about “Table Manners” when He was having dinner at a certain mans house. The parable I found in Luke 14 verses 12-24, and it reads. . . I’m reading from the Message Bible this morning. . . The first sets of invitees were too busy to come to dinner so the master of the house decided to invite others. . . those who could not return the favor. . . those who were less fortunate. The master will be blessed because of his “open heart” to others. He knew that they couldn’t return the favor but that didn’t matter to him. He wanted to share out of his abundance.

Shortly we will be sharing what is known as the Passover Meal. . . an invitation to communion (bring in community) with each other. Jesus asks us to remember Him “Do this as often as you . . . in remembrance of Me” but as we take part and remember Jesus. . . we need to remember all of Jesus. . . all of His life. Remember how He reached out to others that were not part of Hi circle. . . reached out to the least, lost and forgotten. . . reached out with compassion, loved and understanding. It is then. . . and only then. . . that we will understand that this is not our table but it is the one in which we are in communion with others with Jesus as the head. It’s called the Lords table for a reason. It is a table of plenty that all are welcome. It is the table of remembrance of what Jesus did for all who humbly seek. . . come to the table, eat of Gods goodness and mercy. . . drink the cup of salvation. . . salvation for you and for me. The table where we find strength and forgiveness. The table of the Lord. . .

Amen

September 4, 2011
Luke 14:12-24 (The Message Bible)
Exodus 12:1-14 (Common English Bible)
Call to Worship (Psalm 149:1-4)
Prayer of Dedication (Matthew 18:15-20, GBOD)
Worship Theme: "Whose Table Is It?"
Communion
and sermon: "Table Manners. . ."
by Pastor Ruth Foss
https://twitter.com/PastorRuthFoss
http://www.facebook.com/pastorruthfoss
http://www.ahandmaidenofthelord.blogspot.com
http://pastorruth.posterous.com/
A Handmaiden of the Lord
http://www.suncookumc.org
Suncook United Methodist Church
http://www.suncookumc.org
http://facebook.com/groups/136632035559/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Suncook-United-Methodist-Church/102221356487965
Suncook, NH
September 4, 2011
Thirteenth Sunday of Pentecost
&
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5opSXkHBKI
Sing a New Song - Friday Night Sermon - Rev. Amy DeLong
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000572962166
&
James 2:8-13 (Common English Bible)
Acts 10:13-15, 27-28 (NRSV Bible)
Call to Worship (GBOD)
Prayer of Dedication
Worship Theme: “We all have sacred worth. . .”
and sermon: “God says what?!”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
https://twitter.com/PastorRuthFoss
http://www.facebook.com/pastorruthfoss
http://www.ahandmaidenofthelord.blogspot.com
http://pastorruth.posterous.com/
A Handmaiden of the Lord
http://www.suncookumc.org
Suncook United Methodist Church
http://www.suncookumc.org
http://facebook.com/groups/136632035559/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Suncook-United-Methodist-Church/102221356487965
Suncook, NH
August 21, 2011
Eleventh Sunday of Pentecost
&
2 Corinthians 4:7-18 (NRSV Bible)
Job 16:1-5 (NRSV Bible)
Psalm 96:1-6 (NRSV Bible)(Call to Worship)
Communion
Worship Theme: “Why do bad things happen?”
Children’s Time
and sermon: “In My Weakness I am Strong”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
https://twitter.com/PastorRuthFoss
http://www.facebook.com/pastorruthfoss
http://www.ahandmaidenofthelord.blogspot.com
http://pastorruth.posterous.com/
A Handmaiden of the Lord
http://www.suncookumc.org
Suncook United Methodist Church
http://www.suncookumc.org
http://facebook.com/groups/136632035559/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Suncook-United-Methodist-Church/102221356487965
Suncook, NH
August 7, 2011
Nineth Sunday of Pentecost
&
Acts 11:2-18 (NRSV Bible)
1 Peter 3:8-9, 15 (NRSV Bible)
Psalm 118:19-20, 24 (NRSV Bible)(Call to Worship)
Worship Theme: “We are all one Family of God”
Children’s Time
and sermon: “I Got Your Back!”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
https://twitter.com/PastorRuthFoss
http://www.facebook.com/pastorruthfoss
http://www.ahandmaidenofthelord.blogspot.com
http://pastorruth.posterous.com/
A Handmaiden of the Lord
http://www.suncookumc.org
Suncook United Methodist Church
http://www.suncookumc.org
http://facebook.com/groups/136632035559/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Suncook-United-Methodist-Church/102221356487965
Suncook, NH
July 31, 2011
Eighth Sunday of Pentecost
&
Genesis 1:1-8
Matthew 22:16b-17, 21b-22
Unison Prayer
“Loving, Merciful God, giver of all knowledge,
we thank you for your Spirit, here among us.
We ask for eyes to see you at work in our lives
and the lives of others, ears to hear the words
you have for us, and a heart that is open to
your love and grace. It is truly good to be in
the house of the Lord! Amen.”
Worship Theme: “God’s Wisdom”
Children’s Time
and sermon: “We don’t know everything?”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
https://twitter.com/PastorRuthFoss
http://www.facebook.com/pastorruthfoss
http://www.ahandmaidenofthelord.blogspot.com
http://pastorruth.posterous.com/
A Handmaiden of the Lord
http://www.suncookumc.org
Suncook United Methodist Church
http://www.suncookumc.org
http://facebook.com/groups/136632035559/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Suncook-United-Methodist-Church/102221356487965
Suncook, NH
July 24, 2011
Seventh Sunday of Pentecost
&
church sign, “Hanging Out with Jesus”
July 17, 2011
&
Luke 15:1-2
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
“This man (Jesus) welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
Galatians 5:22-23 (GOD’s WORD Translation)
Psalm 92:1-2 (GOD’s WORD Translation)(Call to Worship)
Worship Theme: “What kind of people did Jesus hang with?”
and sermon: “When Christians Are Un-Christian”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
https://twitter.com/PastorRuthFoss
http://www.facebook.com/pastorruthfoss
http://www.ahandmaidenofthelord.blogspot.com
http://pastorruth.posterous.com/
A Handmaiden of the Lord
http://www.suncookumc.org
Suncook United Methodist Church
http://www.suncookumc.org
http://facebook.com/groups/136632035559/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Suncook-United-Methodist-Church/102221356487965
Suncook, NH
July 17, 2011
Sixth Sunday of Pentecost
&
Sermon series by the Reverend Adam Hamilton
http://adamhamilton.cor.org/
http://www.facebook.com/#!/RevAdamHamilton
http://www.abingdonpress.com/adamhamilton/forms/default.aspx?pageid=554&id=106
“When Christians Get It Wrong”
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Rev-Hamilton-When-Christians-Get-It-Wrong-1298797.htm
http://www.abingdonpress.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=6223
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEp5aGSwUmY

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 21,180+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.