"COME, LORD JESUS."

 

                At the height of the Viet Nam war in 1969 there were protests throughout the U.S., not unlike what we see today. One morning that summer, as I walked across the U.O. campus, I saw a message of judgment from the book of Revelation spray-painted in big black letters across one of the buildings: “Fallen is Babylon.” The message was from a book that is filled with images that depict judgment. We see all kinds of scary creatures along with scenes of persecution, death, plagues, and impossible amounts of blood.

If we are not careful that is all we see, but there is more, much more. There is singing – a lot of it. Fifteen passages are commonly considered to be hymns. And the singing is a joyful, excited, enthusiastic praise of God upon the throne and of the Lamb who was slain, but lives as king of kings. Handle captures the spirit of the music in his masterpiece, The Messiah. Who hasn’t been moved by his rendition of the hymn in chapter 5: Worthy is the Lamb who has been slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing? And who has not stood to join with the choir and sing with full voice the powerful Hallelujah Chorus?

Near the end of his story, in chapter 19, John sees a great multitude at the marriage of the Lamb and his bride singing a victory song: Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigns. Some of the churches John wrote to were in danger of not being able to sing the Alleluia victory song. One was the church at Laodicea, seen in chapter 3, which was so self-sufficient and self-satisfied, that they felt no need for the Lord. So they shut the door and John shows Jesus standing by the closed door and saying, Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me. They probably called their meal with the bread and wine the Lord’s Supper, but the Lord was not there.

                 In contrast, at the end of the story, in chapter 22 an invitation is extended to the Lord Jesus. Keep in mind that John is writing to Christians, not to the world in general. He knows that the assembled Christians will conclude their worship with the Lord’s Supper. In this context, at the conclusion of his letter, corresponding to the conclusion of his church’s worship, the invitation is given for Christ to come to the table. “The Spirit and the bride say come,” the Spirit who inspires John, and  “The Bride,” the church universal say, Come!. And, “Let everyone who hears,“ all who are within sound of the reader’s voice, say, Come! Then the invitation is extended to all of the congregation: Let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes, take the water of life as a gift (22:17).  The book ends with one last request, Come, Lord Jesus. Is it a request for the Second Coming? Yes, but more than that, it is a request for the Lord to be with them in the bread and the wine.

                 Now it is our turn. We who are about to partake of the Lord’s Supper also say, “Come, Lord Jesus,” be with us now as we partake.