Come to the Table

And he began to teach them saying:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

With that the upside down world of the Sermon on the Mount begins.

I would like to be rich in spirit, but I’m not. I would like the room to light up with the generosity of my spirit, my courageous tranquility, and noble charm whenever I walk in, but it doesn’t. But today the good news is even the poor in spirit have been invited.

The King sent out his servants with the invitation, “Come to the Wedding Banquet of my Son.” But the prominent and worthy bidden guests that were first invited proved to be unworthy, couldn't be bothered, had better things to do, so now he has gone out on the streets and invited whosoever will to come in.

The prophet Isaiah was aware of his spiritual poverty.

"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.

The Apostle Paul writes,
I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. When I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?

Spiritual poverty has been a hallmark of all of God’s great servants down through the years. David the murderer, Abraham the liar, Peter the hothead and turncoat, Jacob the swindler. God only uses imperfect people, but when he lays his spirit on them mighty things begin to happen.

For without an awareness of our own spiritual poverty it is impossible to please him. An “atheist" can't find God for the same reason a thief can't find a policeman. He feels “no need”, doing what is right in his own eyes.

But one day he becomes aware of what might be called a cancer of the soul. It becomes impossible to ignore it, the sin by now is running wild unchecked throughout his spirit, and a craving grows within him for righteousness, a real righteousness that he knows he has never had.

You, fellow Christian, may have stood for years outside the gates of prayer dressed in nothing but your raggedy scraps of threadbare morality, holding up your little cardboard sign, “will work for salvation.”

I finally laid down my sign, and bowed my head.

And then the Father comes and clothes you in his best robe, and puts sandals on your feet.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.
Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Let me assure you, if I can be invited to the table, so can you.