An Unfenced Table

Enjoy this message from Pastor Tyler Schoenberger called "An Unfenced Table" on Sunday, May 4, 2026 at Reach Church in Bear, Delaware!

The practice of communion has often been surrounded by barriers and requirements that miss its true meaning. When Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper during a Passover meal, he was establishing something radically different from the conditional Old Covenant. Using unleavened bread, which symbolized sinlessness, Jesus declared that we participate in his perfect, righteous life. The new covenant he established through his blood isn't based on our performance but on what he has accomplished for us.

Many churches practice fencing the table, creating various requirements and encouraging extensive self-examination before participation. However, this approach contradicts the very purpose of communion, which is to remember that we're already forgiven and cleansed through Christ's finished work. The passage in First Corinthians 11 about examining oneself wasn't about spiritual worthiness but addressed specific issues of selfishness and division during communal meals in Corinth.

The only true prerequisite for communion is need—recognizing that without Jesus, we are nothing. Just as the Israelites were saved by the blood of the spotless lamb during Passover, we are saved solely by what Jesus has done, not by our ancestry, good standing, or works. When we approach communion from a place of need rather than worthiness, we discover the true nature of God's unconditional love and friendship. This understanding should transform how we live daily, knowing we're already forgiven, already holy, and already accepted by God.