At the table...

I heard the phrase, “where I want to take you” this morning as I was driving to work. I immediately felt my spirit jump even before He finished the thought. I just kept hearing that phrase over and over. Interestingly enough, before He said anything else, He reminded me that it was Maundy Thursday. It doesn’t get as much play as Good Friday, obviously, but it’s the day Jesus held the Last Supper with His disciples. It’s a very important event but I wasn’t sure how it related to where God wants to take you or me. So I looked at all four accounts of the Last Supper and waited. Here’s what I saw.

In all four accounts, Jesus says something related to not drinking wine again until He drinks it with the disciples in His Father’s Kingdom. However, in the Luke account, He says something a little different. “And just as my Father has granted me a Kingdom, I now grant you the right  to eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Luke 22:29-30, NLT) All of a sudden, it made sense to me. All that you are experiencing, fighting against, overcoming, living is preparing you for the work you will have in the Kingdom. You see, in that word, Jesus gave access to the Kingdom in a way that He hadn’t before. Sure, He had talked about the keys and how to live but in this instance, He said essentially said that ‘I’m not just giving you entrance to the Kingdom, I’m giving you a seat at the table. I’m giving you elevation and authority. I’m giving you responsibility.’

Here’s the thing though! Having a seat at the table isn’t the prize. It’s having the access and the right to be at the table but the heart of the one who is serving. You see, right before that, Christ identified the betrayal that was in the room. He pointed out that there was someone at the table that did not have the correct mindset or character to be there. In saying that, He wasn’t just letting Judas know that He saw him but also that there is a standard for those with access to the table. When God talks about where He wants to take you, He expects you to go with His heart and His mindset. Why else would he say a couple of verses before this, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’  But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.  Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.” (Luke 22:25-27 NLT)

You see, God wants to take you to a place of power but you have to be prepared for that power. He doesn’t want you to be Pastor and all of a sudden you can’t serve. He doesn’t want you to be CEO and all of a sudden you can’t encourage the janitor. He doesn’t want you to be leader and you can’t strengthen your followers. With access, should come humility and with elevation, should come discernment.  Today, God absolutely wants to take you up. He wants to see you living out the purpose that He has for you. That requires acting as if you have access to the greatest Kingdom and the greatest leader. It means telling your circumstances that they can’t hold you back because you have an assignment in Heaven. It means understanding that what’s coming is better so you don’t have time to waste on what’s behind you.

The door is open and the table is set! Enter in…

Amen