Luke 22:14 - 23

 Luke 22 14 - 23

A “passionate desire” fulfilled is a wonderful thing. Jesus “earnestly” desires to eat the Passover with His disciples and in this He gave us the Lord's Supper. That word “earnestly” is a word we might not expect to be used of or about Jesus. It was often translated lust. It is a compound word. The first part means “on” or “focused on”. The second part means literally “heated up” or “breathe violently”. We can see how this word might be used of a man who wants to fulfill his sexual appetite. He can think of little else, he will go to any length, and take any risk to have that desire fulfilled. This is no pastel pale word. In this we can be hear Jesus say, “I have an overwhelming desire to share this moment of holy connection with you.” Why is it that we desire the Lord's Supper so little?

In our churches the Lord's Supper is only a tiny slice of the life of the church. Celebrated perhaps infrequently and if weekly as a ritual with little thought. We in the church have typically three approaches all of which began with a good idea but which because of our fallen nature they tend to degenerate into something inferior. First; “We do this rarely so that it will not lose its meaning.” But because we do it rarely we don't think about it often and so when we do it we stumble over the prima facie and never move to greater and deeper understandings. Second, “We do this frequently using careful thought, scripture, prayer, and ritual of the great saints over the centuries so we will have great meaning”. Because we follow a very careful pattern it becomes possible to do the ritual while our hearts and minds are running to other places. Third, “We do this frequently but we do it freestyle with each occasion having its own thoughts and themes so it is always fresh and meaningful.” The best attempt at complete novelty results in shallowness of soul and on some occasions there is false teaching in which the Lord's Supper becomes about us.

Is there a solution? Yes, to be like Jesus and “earnestly” desire to be a part, to love Him passionately, to focus on Him as the desire of a whole being. When He is the object of our desire we will want to celebrate this meal frequently. We will want to discover the depth of this moment.  It will always be fresh and new even if it is accompanied with prayers that have been said a thousand times. In this simple part of creation, Bread and Wine, let us have earnest desire for Jesus.

“Lord, forbid that I would ever come to the Lord’s Supper with anything less than earnest desire.  AMEN”