THE HAND ON THE TABLE

Ladies and Gentlemen, in the gospel according to Luke regarding the Lord’s Supper, he records these words. And He took bread, and when He had given thanks, He brake it and gave to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of Me.” And the cup in like manner after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, even that which is poured out for you. And behold, the hand of him that betrayeth Me is with Me on the Table.” (ASV)

Luke records these sad, words of Jesus: “The hand of him that betrayeth Me, is with Me on the table.” This was the final warning of Jesus, to Judas to turn back from his plan of betrayal and reject his bargain he had already made with the chief priests to sell Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. What haunting words they were. The hand that betrayeth Me is with Me on the Table.

But we do not need to examine Judas. Paul tells us to examine ourselves as we eat of the bread and drink of the cup. However, it is true with us also. When we observe the Lord’s Supper, our hand is also with Him on the Table. When we reach out and take the bread, our hand is with Him on the Table. When we lift the cup and drink it, our hand is with Him on the Table. At the end of the day before we close our eyes in sleep we can reflect that earlier that day our hand was with Him on the Table.

On Monday and the rest of the week as you go about your job in the work place, the home place, the school place, the other place, or any place, remember to say regarding all your activities before the sons of men: “Last Sunday, my hand was with Him on the Table.” Was your hand on the Table with Him the hand of betrayal, was your hand on the Table with Him the hand of denial, or was your hand on the Table the hand of your witness to the fact that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God? What ever your answer may be, it is always true when you observe the Lord’s Supper on the Lord’s Day. Your hand is with Him on the Table.