Graduating from the Kiddie Table
Graduating from the Kiddie Table • Sermon • Submitted
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The Banquet Table
The Banquet Table
Two weeks ago we journeyed with Moses. The kiddie table is where we thank God for the gifts he has given us. Moses was giving his bachelorette speech to the Israelites right before he was going to die. He told Israel when you get to the promised land remember it’s God who gives you rivers flowing with milk and honey. It’s God who has provided you with the abundance there in. The kiddie table is great—it’s a place where many mistakes are made, new things are tried, and the where your cares are really only centered around yourself.
This week we are going from the kiddie table to the adult table. Last week was a very basic sermon where we practice gratitude. This week we are going to base our message on
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
A Psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
At the kiddie table we usually like everyone we sit with—unless you’re still in the girls have cuddies stage—in which case you like them, but you don’t want to be touched by them unless you recently updated your cuttie shot.
At the banquet table you’re in mixed company. There is both friend and foe!
—people who want to see you succeed and those who will do everything in their power to make you fail.
This is the next step in gratitude:
Being Thankful DESPITE Adversity
Being Thankful DESPITE Adversity
1. God’s protection
1. God’s protection
This is knowing that even though people may come against you
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
It’s praising God for promises you have yet to receive. This is where you know they are on the horizon, but they have yet to crest the sea. It’s receiving verses like when the people and the atmosphere around you tell you a different story.
It’s running for your life in the mountains when the prophet told you that you would be king.
Instead of mistakes being forgiven people are waiting to point them out.
It’s knowing that while all things may not be good
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
It’s an understanding that it doesn’t matter who is at the table—you don’t have to prove yourself to everyone because the only one we need to satisfy is God.
There are usually several attiudes Christians need protections from
Criticism of others-
Fear of failure or defeat
Fear of not measuring up or inadequacy
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
2) God’s Power
2) God’s Power
Oil in the OT is a symbol of anointing—or the purpose of God in your life.
Understand everyone at the table is quick to tell you what they think you should do or be, whom you should date or berate you for not being married yet.
A Mature Christian knows that their purpose or their power comes from God and not the approval of those around you.
Everyone at the table will tell you how many kids to have, what job to take, or where you should live.
The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps.
A Christian ready for the banquet table has that relationship with God and knows by whom he receives his orders.
When David and his men were hiding in the caves from Saul in Saul needed to relieve himself and found a cave in which to do so in private. What Saul didn’t know is that David and his men where hiding in that very cave. When Saul was relieving himself David’s men told David to kill Saul—ending all David’s problem-a sure fire shortcut to the calling God had on David, but David knew who he got his orders from.
He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord’s anointed.”
So David cut his robe and showed himself to Saul explaining that he had the chance to take his life, but did not.
The Banquet table demands a grateful heart, a God fearing heart for where God has you instead of being where God promised you.
David knew his power wasn’t in his advantage or the number of men he had, but rather the power and calling of God in his life.
We see this in
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
In the mist of adversity and trials Paul didn’t draw his strength from the exernal, but rather from the Spirit of God within him.
And the second is the cup: which represents abundance and favor
3) God’s Provision
3) God’s Provision
The cup represents abundance-God’s generosity to those who follow him.
The cup represents abundance-God’s generosity to those who follow him.
This is where we know God provides for his call.
In scripture the cup represents God’s blessings to his children—the fact that it overflows shows God’s generosity, but this is a double edged sword.
In biblical times everyone drank wine—it originated out of necessity.
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Now with this comes a warning. God’s blessings comes so that we may finish his call, but people are getting intoxicated with the blessing of God. Churches are building massive marketing schemes over God’s desire to bless his people. The one who is ready to graduate from the kiddie table knows they cannot focus on the cup. When it comes to the banquet table the mature Christian understands that the cup—the drink is there out of necessity ie-God funds his mission and the avenue of the funding is called blessings. The pro Thanksgiving feaster knows if they fill up with what comes from the cup they will have no room for what comes from the plate. The plate is what nourishes, the cup is what cleanses the pallet so that we can continue to taste the goodness of God. To consume the cup only will only leave you hungry. To consume the plate only will your mouth dry and unable to digest.
(No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.)
We see this in Paul’s letter to Timothy. The reason is because the water was filled with bacteria. They didn’t have the filtration systems we do now. Wine killed the bacteria in the water making it safe to drink. The issue is the human’s ability to sin—taking what God had given for moderation and desiring it in abundance.
At the Banquet table the plate is is filled with repentance and forgiveness.
Unless you are my kids I rarely hear prayers that centered around being thankful for the cup, but rather the thanksgiving prayers are centered around the plate.
At the Banquet table the plate is is filled with repentance and forgiveness. Unless you are my kids I rarely hear prayers that centered around being thankful for the cup, but rather the thanksgiving prayers are centered around the plate.
Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”
The church today, those who sit at the banquet table, should be focused on the feast of repentance not the cup of blessing.
However at this point in our growth we should know how to be thankful for both even when our circumstances may not provide an atmosphere for an attitude of gratitude. At the kiddie table we are thankful for the blessing God gives us, at the banquet table we are thankful for the for the cost of those blessings which isn’t determined by our circumstances.
The key to finding this type of attitude is what we focus on. In the presence of adversity David isn’t focused on his enemies but rather he is focused on eternity…the kingdom of God.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The term treasure is equated to the term mind or what we focus on. What gets our attention will also get our heart. If your attention is focused on the world our heart will be in the world, if our mind is focused on the things of God than our heart and our gratitude is that of the things of God. What gets your attention is what will fill you!
While those at the kiddie table get frustrated waiting for food, those at the adult table are focused and centered on their call. They understand that God’s provision comes when God desires something to be done. Until the provision those at the adult table are content to wait; content to conversate and they don’t waiver based on the opinions of those they sit with.
Because of the mixed company--dining with friends and enemies not everyone is going to be positive about your call or your ability.
So what does this look like—adversity doesn’t change the mission.
Paul writes is best
Philippians
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
and he clarifies what it takes to have this mentality.
Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.
:!5
Paul uses these intense words because to sit here takes stamina, takes dedication, and determination to live out the call of Christ in your life despite the circumstances.
Or in the words of Jesus
Not my will but your will be done
saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”
Jesus had the plate of his calling in such focus that his reward was
“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet” ’?
Are you willing to endure the path of call to receive the abundance of the cup?
ALTER CALL: