This week marks one month since I was ordained and installed as a Pastor here at Harvest. I’ve said it personally to many of you, but I’ll say it again: thank you for calling me to be your pastor! Over the past month, the Lord has been kind in allowing me to experience some pastoral “firsts.” I have given the benediction, administered a baptism (thank you, Nylen family, for that privilege!), and administered the Lord’s Supper with a sister congregation in our presbytery. This last one caught me by surprise, because I thought I’d have more than 12 hours to prepare for my first Supper! Despite my concerns, the Lord was gracious and there were no hiccups. 

On my drive home that Sunday morning, I had time to reflect on the Supper and particularly on its intended effect. What should we do after partaking of the body and blood of our Lord? What does our Lord want to see in his people after sharing this holy meal? Several plausible answers could be given, but if I were forced to give a one-word answer, I’d say worship. Our response to the Lord’s Supper should be joyful and grateful worship. 

It might sound a little strange, but as I thought further, I was reminded of a Danish movie that Hillary and I saw earlier this year called Babette’s Feast. It made quite an impression on us! I don’t know whether the director was a believer, but I was struck by the sympathetic view of sincere, though flawed, Christians. Released in 1987, this story follows two daughters of a Lutheran pastor as they struggle to maintain a Pietistic Lutheran sect. They were never a particularly thriving “congregation,” but after the homegoing of their pastor, these believers entrenched themselves in an ascetic lifestyle which deemed anything belonging to this world as bad. To make matters even worse, these believers were known more for their fighting than their love for one another! 

The turning point of the story (sorry for the spoiler, but the movie is almost 40 years old…) comes when Babette, a refugee from Paris, invites this Christian sect to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime meal. Seeing the Lutheran group’s resolve to not enjoy their meal was rather humorous, but witnessing their hearts open up to Babette’s radical act of generosity was incredibly moving.  

In the end, the group of austere Lutherans understood that the things of this world (such as an extravagant meal) are not necessarily evils but should be means to an end. And that end is worship. Every gift should drive us to the Gift-Giver. After the meal, the participants stood up and sang a hymn which concluded with the words, “God, may your brightness never dim, nor mercy’s door be closed to man.” 

There are themes in Babette’s Feast that Christians today can appreciate (like humanity’s resistance to accept free grace), but I admit the connection my mind made to the Supper might not hold up upon further scrutiny. I do want to affirm this principle, though: if the best meal on earth is meant to drive us to worship, why would the Lord’s Supper be any different? Just as God’s work of providence is meant to lead us to joy and gratitude, his work of redemption should do the same. As we hold the bread and the cup, reflecting on our utter sinfulness and the surpassing grace of God in Jesus Christ, how can we not sing? How can we not glory in Christ and what he has done to save us from death? The Lord’s Supper is a meal that moves us to worship; worshipping with our hearts, our lips, and our hands. 

Gathering around the table of our Lord should move us to: 

1. Express thankfulness because the Gospel of reconciliation has made us one with another and with God (1 Corinthians 10:16-17). 

1. Sing in expectation of that great day when we will “rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready…” (Revelation 19:7). 

1. Be generous with others, knowing that Christ was first generous to us in the giving up of his body and blood (2 Corinthians 8:9). 

You can take or leave the 80’s movie illustration, but I encourage you to keep these Scriptural truths in mind when we partake of the Supper. May we not take for granted what our Savior has done in preparing a table for us! 

My Recommendations: 
Babette’s Feast directed by Gabriel Axel – I know I spoiled it for you, but don’t let that keep you from watching it! There are a few twists and turns I haven’t mentioned that will keep you engaged. This is a wonderful film (and an Academy Award winner). FYI, be prepared for subtitles. 

Church Membership by Jonathan Cruse – If you’re looking for a short book on the “why” of church membership, this is a good book to read! 

A Divine Tapestry by Ryan McGraw – I’ve been reading this along with my yearly Bible reading plan. Ryan does a fine job in providing a summary of every chapter in the Bible, along with brief “thesis” statements on the 66 books of the Bible (including how they point to Jesus). I don’t always see eye to eye on his readings of certain texts but found it to be incredibly helpful after reading some rather perplexing passages in Scripture.