Fenced Tables

Kopp Disclosure

(John 3:19-21)

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"Come to Me, all/everyone...and I will take care of you."

Jesus

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"How often would I have gathered your children together

as a hen gathers her brood under her wings,

and you were not willing!"

Jesus

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    O.K., let's stop with the proof-texting of prejudices.

    Until you've integrated Matthew 7:1-6, Luke 10:25-37, Romans 3:21-31, and a plethora of other texts into a contextually Biblical comprehension of our Lord's invitational, welcoming, including, and agapeish weltanschaunng, don't throw your out-of-context-to-indulge-your-extra-Biblical-fenced-table-ideology use of 1 Corinthians 11 at His children of all kinds, colors, classes, and cultures.

    Honest hermeneutics ain't personal.

    Prophetic is more like it/Him.

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    David was about 4 or 5 when he came forward to "take" the sacrament by intinction.

    That was back in the bad old days when more than less mainline churches were into proscriptions more than permissions in a pathetically Matthew 15:8-9 kinda way.

    Knowing I was gonna catch everything but heaven from some church ladies for it - "Did youuuuuuuu know yooooooour son toooooook communion today?" - I asked him after the service, "David, why did you take communion?"

    His excited answer: "Jesus came into my heart!"

    Not bad.

    Lots better than...

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    Norby caught everyone's attention last Wednesday at Bible study.

    That happens a lot with Norby lately.

    He's been spending so much more intimate time with the Lord in the book than in books about the book that he's become a rushing stream of insights.

    He's like Elihu bursting at the seams to tell the three stooges all about knowing Him and making Him known by the book.

    Anyway, he said, "Some people go through the motions without any meaning...and it's good for nothing."

    1 Corinthians 13 crossed our minds.

    Annnnnnnd it caused me to think of fenced tables juxtaposed to the first section of this KD if you know what He means.

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    I have been crying so much lately.

    It started while planning a memorial service for a beloved saint of the Kingdom.

    For reasons not worth my speculation, a neighboring pastor was invited to assist.

    While I've always liked him and praise God for his witness to the saving Lordship of Jesus by the book, I have a really, really, really big problem with his church fencing the table from people like, uh, you and, uh, me.

    Annnnnnnd before anyone says he's just being obedient to his franchise, c'mon!

    Let's bring a little Luther into this - our consciences must be captive to Holy Scripture more than ideology - not to mention who gets priority or first dibs in an Actsual Christianity kinda way!

    Again, take a look at Matthew 15 and 23.

    I started tearing up while talking to our organist about it as we prepared for the service.

    She would be fenced/denied/rejected as unworthy if she showed up during their services.

    I wept as I thought of every one of our family of faith members on the corner of Lincoln and Main in Belvidere, Illinois being fenced/denied/rejected as unworthy.

    Annnnnnnd here I am/was making allowances for him to assist in the memorial service reaching a climax in His saving promises: "Come to Me, all/everyone..."

    I wondered why he would...if he wouldn't...

    Not worth my speculation.

    Yet generating more and more and more tears.

    Jesus, please forgive me for not being willing to cause a scene by letting someone assist who would fence/deny/reject...

    Father, forgive me for knowingly...

    Father, forgive him for he knows not...

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    Our administrative assistant consoled me, "You're being bigger than..."

    I wish I shared her confidence.

    "If salt loses its..."

    I am overwhelmed by sadness...generated by my disobedience.

    Who am I to exhort fainthearts to become bravehearts when I am...?

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    I need a Savior.

    Thank You, Lord Jesus!

    By Your Holy Spirit, help/compel me to do better next time.

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Blessings and Love!