Why should we study the Lord's Supper? Isn't it enough simply to observe the practice and live in a way that honors that practice? What more needs to be said? What more needs to be considered? Sure, this is the kind of stuff that scholars love to talk about, but what difference should it make beyond the observance itself and the halls of academia? The author explains... "In this study I want to explore the nourishment, the refreshment, the life the Lord's Supper offers." Life? Really? Isn't the Lord's Supper just a practice we observe to remember what Jesus did for us?
In
Grace At The Table: A Biblical Theological Study of the Lord's Supper, Dr. James Allman walks the reader through an extensive, in-depth examination of the roots, meaning, and relevance of the Lord's Supper. Motivated by the experiences of his youth and early ministry, Allman pursued connections in Scripture to fill in several gaps in the church's practice. Included are studies of "bread" and "the cup of the blood." The Hebrew Bible offers fundamental contributions in these and other areas, including the Fall narrative in Genesis 3, the Levitical sacrifices, the New Covenant, and the Egyptian Hallel, Psalms 113--118.
Allman argues convincingly that the Lord's Supper is highly relevant and extremely important to the everyday life of each believer. "I want to see if we can begin to restore the joy that the Supper ministers to God's people." This "joy," he contends, recognizes the atoning work of Christ while enjoying the fellowship of God's people. Indeed, this study can open your eyes and light afresh a fire within your heart to honor Jesus' sacrifice and foster grace at the table among His people everywhere.
