Meals talk. They say something. Of course, it does not follow from this that we always listen as we ought.
The Word that accompanies this sacrament is not a matter of us talking over the meal, providing some sort of sound track for it. Rather, when we speak here, it is really a matter of us listening to what the meal says. The meal speaks in the words of Scripture, and it is our responsibility to allow Scripture to interpret what we do here. We take and eat. We take and drink. What does this mean?
It means that we are the people of the new Exodus. It means that we are the freedom people. It means that slavery to sin is a thing of the past. It means that we are forgiven. It means that we are completely forgiven. It means that we cannot hope to earn our right to be seated at this table. This place is not a reward for having been so good. Of course we are not good—that is the whole point of the meal. Jesus Christ eats with publicans and sinners. We do not have to protect God’s grace by means of our paltry works—indeed, we cannot. Rather, God’s grace, so evident here, protects and secures us.
How close is God’s forgiveness to you in Christ? The answer is given us by this meal. Forgiveness is as close as the bread you eat. It is as close as the wine you drink.