Any good Christian will be falsely charged at times with being a mindless slave and at other times, paradoxically, with being a free loader. At one moment, the world tells the saints they must be liberated from the tyranical lash of religion and at another they scoff at free grace and the death substitute which leaves the forgiven getting off scot-free. Both slavery to Christ and free grace are depicted at this table. But I would like to focus this meditation on the latter. 

As you partake of this bread and wine today, remember that you receive the body and blood of Christ at no cost to you. None of us have earned our seat at this table. The meal was purchased. But not by us. The meal was supplied. But not by our broken bodies. Call us free loaders if you must. But our message to the dead and dying is, “Come, by wine and milk without money” (Isaiah 55:1).

It is very true that you reap what you sow, but this sacrament reminds you that at the bottom of everything lies the blood of Christ which you didn’t earn in the slightest and which you did not sow. That blood feeds you now at this table. And that blood goes on feeding you. You feed on grace at this table and you will go on feeding on grace your whole life or you will starve. There is no other bread, after all. As there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, so there is one bread. Eat this grace or go hungry.

So do you live by grace? Have you been living, forgiving, rejoicing, teaching, leading, buying, selling, and raising your children by the power of this free meal? 

If not, then let this meal do it’s work on you. The blood hear calls to you. And it doesn’t say come and buy. It says come and welcome. Come in faith and welcome to Jesus Christ.