The Kingdom of God is a Feast

Some years ago Tony Campolo wrote a book called "The Kingdom of God is a Party".He could well have written another called "The Kingdom of God is a Feast". Yesterday at Trinity we focused on the subject of  "The Feast". We did so because it was the culmination of our study of "The Prodigal God". The parable of the prodigal ends with a feast and a celebration because the son who was lost was found.  We could have done so also because it was "Christ the King" Sunday.  The scripture proclaims that a day is coming when Christ will rule on earth as he does in heaven.  It speaks of the end of the suffering, pain and death that the whole of creation is longing for. It will be a time when we all come home.  What a party it will be.  In the book of the prophet Isaiah I find these words:  "On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine - the best of meats and the finest of wines.  On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever.  The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth."
As I took my communion yesterday I could clearly see this act of taking bread and wine as a foreshadowing of the great feast to come in the kingdom.  It was an Ah Ha moment for me.  As if to confirm what I saw, several people said to me on their way out of church "Coming to church and receiving communion is my feast."  I'm looking forward to that great feast - in the meantime Holy Communion heightens my anticipation and reminds me of great things to come.

"Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1)