St. Boniface House

In the passage we considered this morning, John the Baptist declares that the repentant disciples of the Kingdom will “bear fruit worthy of repentance”, and that the coming King will “gather his wheat into his barn.” This fruit/wheat combination is no accident, we find it all over the Bible, and we find it here, spread out on this table in a feast before us this morning. Here is Jesus’ fruit, and here is Jesus’ wheat. And not only that, you are the result of Jesus’ good work, you are those he has gathered together for the great feast. You are Jesus’ fruit, and you are Jesus’ wheat.

The passage lying behind Matthew’s story of John the Baptist, Malachi 3:1-3 declares that “[the coming King—Yahweh coming to his temple] will purify the sons of Levi…and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.” You are all of you the sons of Levi, having been ordained to a royal priesthood in your baptism, and here is the “offering of righteousness”, the fruit of the work of your hands by his grace. And not only that, you are the righteous offering, because our Great High Priest, the Lord Jesus, has taken you into the heavenly Holy of Holies, and the Lord has come into his temple, now to enjoy this Fellowship meal with his bride.

This is the Lord’s table…