"Come to the Table" with Pastor Lerone Carson - Sept. 26, 2026

Have you ever been known by someone?

I'm not talking about your name being known or your birthday, where you were born.

I mean being known.

Someone who knows what makes you laugh, what makes you withdraw.

Someone who can tell you're anxious even when you say, I'm fine, I'm alright.

Someone who knows your strengths.

The parts of you that you're proud of, and maybe the parts of you that you'd rather remain hidden.

There's something beautiful about being known in such a way.

And maybe it's a little frightening too, because underneath all that is another question.

If you truly knew me, would you still want me?

Would you still love me?

Would you still accept me?

Would you still even trust me to be your pastor?

On the night before his crucifixion, Jesus sat around the table with twelve men that he knew completely.

He knew their stories, he knew their hearts, he knew the things that they were carrying, their strengths, their weaknesses, their hopes, misgivings, and he knew what was about to happen in the hours ahead.

And as they sat around that table to participate in the Passover feast, Jesus said something pretty remarkable to these people that he knew.

In Luke 22, we find Jesus uttering these words, with fervent desire, I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.

With fervent desire, I have desired.

Jesus almost is repeating himself, deep longing to be with these people at the table.

He wants to be there with them.

But there's another word in that statement that Jesus utters that I want us to notice.

I have desired to eat this Passover with you.

You, the ones that he knows completely.

The you around the table was messy, extremely messy.

And Luke was not shy about sharing that messy with us.

And I want us to review a few vignettes this morning about what's happening at that table.

Vignette number one, Judas.

Before the meal, one of those invited to the table had met with the chief priests and captains, seeking an opportunity to betray Jesus and to deliver him into their hands.

Here is a man who has walked with Jesus for the past three years.

He knows Jesus, knows his heart, has experienced, has witnessed the healing that has come to so many individuals, towns even.

And yet, Judas seeks an opportunity to destroy Jesus.

Betrayal.

Yet his desire is still toward this you.

And this you was at the table.

Vignette number two.

The disciples.

During the meal, an argument breaks out about who is the greatest among them.

And this is not the first time this has happened.

If you recall, James, John, and then eventually the entire disciples had another episode in which they were arguing about who's the greatest.

After years with Jesus, we might expect them to understand by now that the greatness in the kingdom of God looks very different than the greatness in the world.

But the disciples, caught up in their ambition and in their own ideas about greatness, they miss the point entirely.

And Jesus has to correct them.

Here's what he says in Luke 22, verse 26.

Luke 22:26

He who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.

There are large egos at this table.

There's a lot of ambition at this table.

Yet his desire is still, still toward these people sitting at the table.

Vignette number three.

Peter.

As Jesus is continuing talking with the disciple, he turns toward Peter and he gives Peter a preview as to what is coming.

Simon, Simon, indeed Satan has asked for you that he may sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail.

And when you have returned to me, strengthen your brethren.

Peter, eager to assure Jesus of his loyalty, cries out, Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.

Then Jesus says, I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know me.

Peter, who is a staunch advocate and friend of Jesus.

If we were to look at the twelve and maybe identify one of them who we thought might be disloyal to Jesus or abandon him, Peter probably would be lower on that lineup.

He was sincere in his love and his devotion toward Jesus.

We know this.

But Jesus knew exactly what was coming.

And even though he knew Peter was at the table, and I want to point out something about this interaction between Peter and Jesus.

Even before Peter fails, Jesus speaks of his return.

When you have returned to me, strengthen your brethren.

Jesus sees Peter's failure and his restoration at the same time.

Peter is not allowed to sit at the table despite being imperfect.

No, Jesus knows this is the worst night of Peter's life.

But he is already speaking beyond that.

Here is Peter denying his friend.

But yet that invitation to be at the table is still extended to him.

These people were not at the table because they had arrived.

They were not finished.

But yet Jesus invited them to be there, knowing exactly who they were, and knowing who they were still becoming.

The betrayer was there, the proud was there, the confused were there, but Jesus wanted them all there.

He made no exceptions.

He said with fervent desire, I have desired to eat this Passover with you.

The final vignette I want us to look at is one that actually involves each one of us in this room.

You and me.

Jesus invites each one of us to be at the table today.

And this table that he invites us to sit at is a table of grace.

It's a table full of unfinished people.

Now there are several sculptures by Michelangelo, the famous artist, that were never finished.

Some of them are very striking, such as uh ones in a series called The Prisoners.

Now, when you look at them, you can see that partly the partly human form.

Michelangelo had begun working on these sculptures, but he never quite finished them.

But you can see the human figure emerging almost as if being trapped in that stone.

Unfinished.

But you can see something of what it's becoming, what he had in mind, what he was envisioning.

And perhaps that is a different way of understanding the people who are at this table.

You and me.

Not quite finished yet, but people who are still under the work of the master.

Vignette number four is people like you and me.

And Jesus knows exactly who we are sitting at his table.

He does not look past any of it.

He sees it all.

He sees where we have failed.

He sees the areas in which we have pride.

He sees the wounds that we are carrying.

He sees the wounds that we have caused others.

But he knows us.

And yet that still does not exclude us from being at the table.

Because on that night, when Jesus took the bread and gave thanks, when he broke it with his disciples and gave to them, he said, This is my body which is given for you.

This is a work of grace.

The same Jesus who welcomes us to the table is also at work deeply transforming each one of us.

And so we are here this morning at this table, not because we have done anything or will do anything to earn a seat at the table, but because we have simply been invited by the grace of Jesus to be at this table.

As the disciples are arguing among who is the greatest, and Jesus corrects them, he points them to another table, a table that is in the kingdom of heaven.

And that seat at the table in the kingdom is one in which we will get to be with him in person to partake of the beautiful, beautiful gift that he has given to us.

This morning, he has asked us to be here to remember what he has done for us.

And so this morning I challenge you as you reflect in your personal life on the work that God is doing in your life, as you reflect on the imperfections that are in your life, I want you to know and to remember that your seat at the table is guaranteed all because of the work that Christ has done for us.

Jesus, we are so, so thankful, so grateful for your love, your immeasurable love.

We're thankful for the opportunity to be here as a church family to participate in the service of remembrance.

As we think and reflect on the gift that you have given to us, we ask, we ask that we will never forget it.

And that when there are moments in our lives in which we struggle, and when when there are times in which we are tempted to be self reliant, Lord, help us to look to you for the grace that you provide for us.

We pray these things in your name.

Amen.