Two people have asked within the last month to give them information about doing a table talk. Aside from some guidelines we have posted on our website, we don’t say a lot about this important matter.
This little article is meant to answer their questions as well as to provide a short review of how to construct a Table Talk. If you have further questions, ask Rich or Bruce for further information.
The Table Talk is FIRST-AND-FOREMOST meant to direct LifeSpringer’s communion meditation to Jesus. This short meditation must not be used primarily to tell a story about yourself. Remember that Jesus said, “Do this in memory of ME.”
- It is a really good idea to begin your table talk with scripture as a way of orienting your thoughts. Some examples of Lord’s Supper texts include Isaiah 53, Matthew 26:17-29, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34; and Philippians 2:5-11. These are only a sample of the wonderful texts you might use.
- From the scripture, you should tell a very short story that orients the point you want to make about how the Lord’s Supper informs your life. Dee told a good story recently about how she likes to be in control in the car when Lou is driving. She then said something like, “…..when I see my husband’s frustration with my controlling, I think about how God must feel when I don’t give God control of my life.”
- Your Table Talk should then end with why the Lord’s Supper is relevant to your life and ours. Using Dee’s good example, you could end your talk this way. “When I try to take control, I make a mess of things. God has intervened by coming to earth and then fighting a victorious battle with sin and death. That is why I love to eat this meal with you. It reminds me to turn loose of the control. Remember this as you eat.”
Here are some final “don’t-do’s.”
- Don’t use too many details in your personal story. This is a surefire way to get lost in YOU rather than Jesus.
- Don’t omit an orienting, relevant scripture. If you need some help with this, ask Bruce or Rich, and they will help you.
- Don’t tell a disjointed story about yourself, ending with “….and now join me in this meal.” There is no connection with Jesus in this formula. It also sounds like you used the Table Talk as a vehicle to talk about yourself.
This simple outline will help you construct your Table Talk. 1) Choose a text that pertains directly to Christ or the Lord’s Supper to orient your talk. 2) Tell a tight story with minimum details about some event in your life. 3) Relate the scripture and your story to the relevance of the Lord’s Supper. Three points. That’s all you need.