Communion

[00:00:00] This audio sermon is provided by AnabaptistSermons.com and may be freely copied and distributed. You may not sell or edit this sermon. Our prayer is that you would be blessed by this ministry. I'd like to greet you this morning in that precious name. And as I think of the service that is before us, we've gathered to think about one of the most tragic yet wonderful events of all time. [00:00:32] Tragic in the sense that an innocent man experienced the cruel punishment and death that was mine because of me. but wonderful in the sense that God had you and I in mind as his son hung there on the tree. Christ's death brought a redemption to all who believe on his name. The word or we as we refer to events that are both good and bad use the word bittersweet. [00:01:04] But as I think of this event, bittersweet falls far short of describing it. You know, Jesus' own words in John 3.16 says simply, For God so loved, how much so? What a small little adverb that describes such an enormous gift. How did he love? He so loved us that he gave his only son to die for us. [00:01:37] And we want to remember that greatest gift this morning. Another one of the purposes of communion as we find in Luke 22, 19 and also in 1 Corinthians 11 is that it is in remembrance. Remembering what happened. Remembrance means a call to mind, to remind, to refresh We all know and realize our tendencies are to forget [00:02:08] And this is so that we do not forget It's interesting to me to study the different memorials in the Old Testament of what they used to help them remember, to help them teach their children. And it was a reminder to them day by day of the different things. You can probably think of some. And, you know, as we think of remembering, I had to think of the effort that our country, [00:02:44] The government, the firemen, the police, and others have taken to help us remember 9-11. And I don't know how it was for you, but on September the 11th, yeah, I remember thinking about it. I remember probably the main thing I thought, wow, already nine years. But it didn't, I didn't change anything that I did that day. It didn't really affect my emotions in any way. [00:03:18] It was an historical event. It was a dramatic event that happened. But I'm sure for some people it was a little different. But for me it was a mere thought. And I had to ask myself, is that the way that I remember in communion? As I take these emblems today, is it a mere reflection of what happened? Does it affect anything that I feel or the way that I live? [00:03:49] Is it just a mere thought of a historical event that we do well not to forget? Well, I believe it's more than that. And we refer to this as an ordinance. And I believe rightly so because it is a physical outward thing that we see and can hold that has a spiritual meaning, teaches a spiritual truth. It reminds us, it signifies of that. And I trust as we come to this table that it is with reverence and humility as we think. [00:04:31] of what our Savior has done. I'd like to do two things this morning. Number one, I'd like to simply just to remember, to refresh our minds, to think about the sacrifice, the cost, the price that was paid for us. And also, number two, I'd like to consider the significance of the emblems and of what spiritual meaning that we that we could that has that that it is for our day as well. And as it has been referred to already, as I think of this event, I cannot start anywhere but to go back to Genesis, to where after the beginning of time when the created man and woman was enjoying perfect, perfect relationship with God. [00:05:21] And as Eve disobeyed the commandment of the Lord, that sin separated man from God. Sin always separates from a holy God. It's against His character. It cannot be tolerated. There is condemnation and wrath of God upon sin, and it separated man from God. Man was totally lost, utterly lost, insofar we had no way to be reconciled again to God [00:06:00] And we never could have on our own strength And friends, I don't believe that we can truly experience the salvation Unless we really recognize and realize how utterly lost we were without Him And it was God in His mercy He so loved, so loved us, that He provided for our redemption, and it was through Jesus, the Lamb of God. You know, the promised Messiah, as we read through the Old Testament, [00:06:36] the longed-for Messiah that would save the people from their sins. Do you remember how he came? The Son of God as a lowly, in a lowly manger, in a barn, in a stable, an humble stable. We see humility even in the detail of his birth. We can read in his boyhood. I think Luke says in relating to his parents, he was subject unto them. [00:07:11] There was an obedience, there was a submission, there was an humbleness there even in his childhood. And he grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. A young man without sin asked John to baptize him, setting an example for all those who believe on his name to follow. Do you remember Jesus as he spent time in the wilderness fasting and there was visited by Satan himself? [00:07:48] Tempted. Those temptations were as real to him as our temptations are to us. And yet Jesus wouldn't be moved. He responded with the authority of the word of God. This authority we have in our hands today as well, the word of God. Do you remember his teaching, the Sermon on the Mount? The kingdom of heaven is like, and he would illustrate. [00:08:20] He spoke in a way or in a language that we could understand. He often spoke in parables. He referred to such as the Good Samaritan, the Sower, Ten Talents, Prodigal Son, many different parables that he used. The Unmerciful Servant, he used illustrations that we could relate with as well. Salt and light and flowers, sand and rocks, sheep and wolves, fruit. [00:08:57] He taught us how to pray, and by his example, he showed us how to live. Do you remember?