The Table as Warfare

It’s been pointed out before that worship is warfare. What we do here on the Lord’s Day is not pacifism. What we do here on the Lord’s Day is not apathy to the world we live in. What we do here is not retreat. No, what we do here on the Lord’s Day is the most potent weapon to fight sin and wickedness and injustice and all the enemies of God in this world, and this is because we understand that God is our Redeemer and he does not rest while we are in peril. He does not rest while we are vulnerable. He does not leave us or forsake us. And the way this works is that God calls us here and tells us to sit down. He welcomes us into his presence, cleanses us, and seats us in his presence. He speaks to us, and we respond and sing and present our prayers, and then he feeds us and tells us to rejoice around his table. And our God says while you sit here and rejoice in faith, I am fighting all your enemies. I am dealing with your sin, and I’m working on all of your concerns. While we rest here, our God is not at rest. He is at war with all injustice, with all envy and bitterness and brokenness and death. And not only this, but he intends for us to take these weapons with us into the world. These are the weapons of song and prayer and Word and Sacrament. And of course these weapons don’t always seem very strong, very potent, but that is because they all point to the primary point which is that we are called to trust him. Is there strife in your home? Then sing the psalms. Is there division among you? Then sit down at a table and rejoice together. Are you struggling with sin? Then read the Scriptures and call out to God in prayer. We don’t do these things because they are nice religious things to do. We do these things because we are at war. And when the battle is fierce don’t forget that the main point is that God fights for us, and that is how we fight. We take up these little stones of bread and wine and joy and rest, and God our Redeemer sends them flying into the foreheads of the giants in our lives. So what should you do when you surrounded? What should you do when your enemies and sins crowd around you? You should sit down. You should sing a psalm of praise and then eat your bread and drink your wine with glad hearts. God always spreads tables for his people in the presence of their enemies. That’s so he can slay them. So come with joy, come with faith. You are seated, so rest in the care of your God. Rest, because your Redeemer God will not rest until he has done all that he has promised for you and your family.