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• This is no ordinary meal celebrated this morning.
• Illustration: William Willimon was told he had to learn to love to cook if he was going to understand Communion.
• We celebrate a feast of love in this meal.

• Jesus is no ordinary host.
• Illustration: Anglican poet George Herbert said coming to Communion was like being stripped of his masks, being treated as special.
• Instead we are treated like mere equals today.
• Illustration: C.S. Lewis said that the strength of a family is not that the members are equals.
• Illustration: C.S. Lewis says we can lose our names in two ways: In a democracy, by everyone being equal and given a number, or by being given a new, special name: "Daddy" or "my best friend."
• Jesus calls us to his table by name.
• We are worthy because we are loved.
• This morning, love brings us to his table.

• The table doesn't belong to us. We are called to it by another.
• The table expands with the love of the host, and grows with grace.

• At this table, we are commanded to love.
• Illustration: Dante in his Divine Comedy put all his friends in hell.
• This is ordinary, to set ourselves above others, to be jealous of others.
• The deepest jealousies and resentments are found most in families.
• We are not ordinary, but are commanded to love.
• Illustration: Professor Lewis Smedes tells the story of a colleague who became a Christian because of the way she saw Christians acting toward one another.
• Look at the person next to you, and love with the love of Christ.