Romans 1:7 To all those … who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
God has loved his people from before the foundation of the world. The Bible is the historical record of the love of God for his people.
God’s love is fully and finally demonstrated in the person and work of Jesus Christ – His coming, death, resurrection, and ascension.
And now, in love, God invites his people to his table. He invites you so that you can experience his love again.
It is one of the great struggles in the Christian life, to fully rest in, and rejoice in, the one-sided, unconditional love of God in Christ. That is what this table calls you to.
It seems too good to be true. Free grace; one-sided love. We wrestle to believe that God can love us as we are. Because we know ourselves.
Other people can think highly of us, but we know ourselves. We know our weaknesses and the sins that still cling to us. We hate the sins that we commit; we don’t love those remaining sins. But they remain in us. So how can God love those who still sin?
“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly…. But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6, 8.
God’s love is a self-generated love. God finds reasons in himself to love you – to lavish his love upon you. The reason he loves you is not found in you, but in him.
So, What qualifies us to come to this table? We must hate our sin, and accept our savior’s love.
If that is you, come; for you are greatly loved.
If that is not you; if you have not learned to hate your sin, but still love, cherish and defend your – don’t come. If you do not rest in the love of Christ, don’t come.
If you love God, because he first loved you; come to this table.