Fully Authorized

“And I bestow upon you a kingdom just as My Father bestowed one upon Me. That you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Lk. 22:29-30)

Jesus says that He gave us this meal, this table in His Kingdom  so that we might be judges in the Kingdom. Literally, when Jesus says that He “bestows” this kingdom upon us, He says that He “covenants” a Kingdom upon us. The covenant He bestows upon His disciples and upon us is this Kingdom, that we may eat and drink at His table in His Kingdom. Just prior to this Jesus has warned His disciples that they must not exercise authority as the kings of the Gentiles who wield power and money tyrannically. Instead they are to govern like servants. They are to rule as Christ who came among us as a servant. When God’s people recognize this high calling that they renew week after week here, as we eat and drink at Christ’s table in His Kingdom, this should make us bold servants of Christ and of all those around us. We are bold because we have been made kings and judges in the Kingdom. You need no other authorization. You are baptized, you are seated here, you are fully authorized to follow Christ, to be Christ, to speak in the name of Christ. But if you understand the grace here, the forgiveness here, then you understand that your boldness if full of love, full of mercy, full of grace, and therefore you go out as servants: servants to one another, servants to your children, servants to your parents, servants to the lost and hurting. This is the Kingdom that has been covenanted to us. This is the Kingdom bestowed upon the Son by the Father and which has now been bestowed upon us by the Son and by His Spirit. So come eat, drink, and believe.