Yesterday morning we had a sweet little word connecting in a train of thought, Luke 9; 22; and 1 Cor. 11, showing our vast superiority at the Lord's Table over theirs who were with Him in the transfiguration. What a reproach to the earth that scene was: when men upon earth saw no beauty in Him, despised and rejected Him, men in glory are there with Him, occupied about His decease to be accomplished at Jerusalem; and God's voice attests his glory as the Son: yet even the chosen three He has brought up with Him from earth are dull and insensible to it all, and asleep. What hearts are ours — asleep on the mount in presence of the excellent glory, and within hearing of the voice that in the glory spoke of His death — asleep again in Gethsemane in presence of His agony and sufferings as He takes the pathway of death to the glory, determined to associate us with Himself in it.
And so He came down from the mount, back to earth with its rejection. We behold Him next with twelve men upon earth, telling out all His heart too — "With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you;" thus introducing them into the passing over of their sins by God as a result of His death: seeking also a place in their hearts when He is gone. Lastly, the work accomplished, death between the sinner and his sins, and the risen Saviour gone up into the Glory — the Holy Ghost too came down to associate men upon earth with Him in that glory — the Lord from the glory sets the table in our midst while yet on earth, again seeks remembrance of us, and adds the new attending circumstances of showing forth His death till He come.
No longer asleep, we are to be with Him there, in nearer association than ever; the men from the glory on the mount in full intelligence of the wondrous decease accomplished at Jerusalem, while its results are not yet known there.
I feel we want this lifting of the Table in our hearts to its own true place and height and glory; and if we were then as truly occupied with His decease as Moses and Elias, with a little bit deeper intelligence of its true character, as interpreted in the light of our church place and glory, would it not greatly simplify all questions of the becoming walk of any who are there? Is it not so easy to get into "breaking bread" because it is our custom, while our hearts are asleep to all the true intents and occupations of the Table? I feel how terribly low and earthly all my highest thoughts of such have been as yet.
Yet, midst Thine own the Spirit still
Bears witness of His glory there,
And from the sphere which He doth fill
Brings knowledge of His fulness here.