Sunday Sermon: Open the Blinds

 

Scripture Passage – 2 Corinthians 12:9 and Ephesians 5:11

 

Description – Second sermon of the Summer 2013 series “My Favorite Bible Verse”

 

 Light.

 

A powerful light shines in the dark. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What would we do without light?

 

 

 

 

We could not see.

 

We could not drive for there would not be any headlights because how would we see to make a car without light.

 

We could not read for there would be no lamplight because without light we could make the lamp.

 

We could not watch TV because having no light would keep us from making TV’s!

 

Life without light would very different, wouldn’t it?

 

For some people the lack of light causes some people problems at certain times of the year. Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is an issue for thousands of people, especially in the winter as the lack of light causes them to get sad. Getting a certain amount of light is necessary in helping to deal with the sadness or the blues.

 

Light is known, from what I have read, to aid in the killing of bacteria and a helpful amount of sunlight on us during the day can aid in having a little more Vitamin D in our system. Light is a valuable part of our lives and so I think that it is important to note that God in His good and gracious wisdom said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.”

 

One of the enduring images in the Bible for what is good and right as well as God Himself is light and what is wrong and evil is darkness.

 

So as we continue in this summer sermon series, “My favorite Bible Verse,” I turn to two verses. The first deals with light and darkness and the second with the sufficiency of God’s grace and there is a link between the two that relates to the importance of communion that we will participate together in a few moments.

 

The first verse is Ephesians 5:11 which says, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”  (NIV)

 

How do we expose these fruitless deeds of darkness? I’ll get there in a moment.

 

Let’s read the context of this verse starting with verse 8 and ending with verse 14:

 

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

 

This chapter contains much to prayerfully ponder and apply regarding how to obey and follow the Lord. This verse is part of the first segment in this chapter from verse 1 to verse 20 which addresses the issue of “living in the light” which really means to live like Jesus. Our verse follows verse 10 which says “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.”

 

What Paul means is that because of Christ’s salvation of and for us we are no longer living as part of the dark side of life but instead as light in the Lord which he clearly defines as “all goodness, righteousness, and truth” by finding out what pleases the Lord and then doing exactly that and more!

 

And a key way of pleasing the Lord is to not participate in the fruitless deeds of darkness which is the opposite of goodness, righteousness, and truth but to expose them, to show them for what they are – fruitless, unnecessary, wrong, and evil to name just a few. Why? In exposing them we cause them to lose their power and control over us so that we live as light – reflecting God.

 

There is much more here that an entire sermon could do justice to but for now let’s stop here and go over to our other verse of the morning 2 Corinthians 12:9 which says “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (NIV)

 

Do you ever get frustrated trying to faithfully live for God but keep getting tripped up by a habit, an attitude, or something else that causes you to fail at staying faithful? Let these words of scripture be a source of inspiration for us today to keep on keeping on.

 

I am finally, after allllllllllll these years getting that without God’s enabling and helping grace, I cannot faithfully live for God in my own inner strength. I am willing to but I can’t not because I do not want to live faithfully but because to faithfully live for God requires me to rely on and ask for God’s grace to do so. I am still learning this.

 

Quite frankly I think that we American Christians have trouble with this verse because we think that we can still earn God’s grace and successfully live for God by always “doing it myself.” This verse troubles a lot of people who believe in Jesus because they have trouble with accepting the fact that in admitting our weakness we have to admit we cannot fix things, including ourselves.

 

And Paul, I think, gives us a very clear reason why we have trouble believing that when we are weak then we are strong as we read the verses which occur prior to this verse:

 

“Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

 

Paul is in danger of becoming conceited about his spiritual experiences and knowledge and the Lord puts a check on that by allowing something, “a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.” In other words, Paul is in danger of become a spiritually proud person and the Lord says “wait a minute” with the result that Paul is afflicted with something (the “what” is not the point, the “why” is the point) which causes him to pursue God and His grace and strength. It’s a humbling experience.

 

Pride is a big enabler of staying in the dark. It keeps us from having the humility that enables God’s grace to do work in us.

 

So then… what’s your point preacher?

 

I’m glad you asked.

 

In what I think is the context of today’s verses there are two things which can aid us in exposing the fruitless deeds of darkness and learning to lean  on God’s sufficient grace – confession of our own sins and repenting of (or turning away from) them. To confess and repent of our sins enables the Lord to help us leave the darkness and come into the light. Yes, there are other ways to expose dark deeds but in the context of our verses for today we have to bring our own first into the light through confession and repentance so that pride cannot gain a foothold in us.

 

So as we prepare for communion this morning, I ask, “What do you need to bring into

English: Baptist communion elements (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

the light of God’s redemptive and loving grace to confess and repent of?” Let us prepare for communion – a remembrance of Christ’s saving love for us and time for confession and repentance.

 

Amen.

 

Sunday Sermon: Jesus: The Reason for Believing

Image via Wikipedia

Scripture Passage – 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Description – Communion Meditation for October 2, 2011

 For this morning’s communion meditation, I am including a video clip that is a wonderful visual reminder of just who we remember this morning and every first Sunday of the month when we have communion together. It is about 10 minutes long but it is a stunning visual reminder of who Jesus Christ truly and really is.

Let us hear God’s gracious voice this morning as we watch and listen.

Our main text for this morning is 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 which says

For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you.Do this to remember me.” In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.” For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.

It is Jesus Christ who died for us. God’s only begotten Son died on the cross and then rose from the dead three days later.

To some people this is a scandalous thing. They do not believe that a God would do this.

To others this is hard to believe. Why would a God do this? What is the point of it happening?

As I ponder this event, which I believe to be true, I have found that its truth is found not in argument but in experience. I believe this to be true because by faith I have found it to be true.

We remember and give thanks to a God today who loves us even when we feel unworthy of his love. St Paul is right, “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.  Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.”

 I simply want to encourage you this morning to keep believing in Christ. Keep believing in Him and trusting Him. He is our savior and redeemer.

There is no other God like our God. Our God is a God who is alive and who cares for us. He is holy and He is totally ‘other.’ But He is a God who is personal to us and for us.

As we remember and give thanks today let us do so with grateful and thankful hearts. And let us allow the Holy Spirit to dwell within us.

Amen and Amen.

The Basis of Generosity

Scripture Passage – 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (MSG)

Description – Communion Meditation for November 7, 2010

I begin with our scripture passage for this morning from a slightly different scripture translation than I normally use because it brings a fresh perspective to our main text which is 2 Corinthians 5:18-19. Let us hear the word of the Lord this morning!

All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing.

Amen.

As we continue in our series on generosity I am reminded of an episode that took place on a Saturday morning this past September. Daniel and I were returning from a middle school cross country meet when the transmission in my car suddenly broke at a major intersection. Fortunately, one of Jonathon’s former teachers and her husband saw me pushing the car to the side of Route 3 and 8 down in Avilla. He graciously helped me push the car to one of the gas stations and they took us home. Susan had gone to Ft Wayne to watch Jonathon run and she was stuck in traffic and we were fortunate that there was no one coming behind us at highway speeds. That generosity was much appreciated and I emailed her later to again thank her and tell her how providential their presence was to us.

I could tell other stories of such generosity and you could too.

But on this Sunday, the first Sunday of the month, and Communion Sunday, I want us to consider for just a few moments before we celebrate and remember God’s gracious generosity through His only son, Jesus Christ, the true basis for generosity as we move toward the conclusion of our Generosity Campaign in two weeks.

And I begin with this question, “What is the basis of generosity?” What motivates those have who have claimed to be Christian over the centuries to sacrifice and serve others in many different and generous ways?

I think of the Good Samaritan and it could be argued that he expressed generosity through compassion because somewhere along the line compassionate generosity was shown to him.

I also think of the generous acts of healing that Jesus did as recorded throughout the gospels: the woman with a long-term infirmity healed as she touched Jesus’ garment and then experienced as she confessed her actions to Him; the paralyzed man who was lowered through the roof by generous friends who believed that Jesus could heal him; the blind man who was healed with dirt and Jesus’ spit.

These are marvelous acts. They are redemptive acts. They give people hope and purpose. They give people a second wind and, in some cases, a second chance.

But what is the basis for this generosity?

What good is it to be generous in the first place if we are not acting generously out of a deeper and more profound reality?

 

As each of us considers a monetary amount to give over the next three years to help us build a new facility and hire staff to help us develop a greater and more effective ministry, I want us to focus this morning on why we are to be generous as followers of Jesus Christ in the first place.

 

And it is NOT about money.

 

Our main text gives us some very important reasons for the why in our generosity as believers.

Reason number one:

The Communion table is a reminder that God put the world square with himself through the Messiah.

We read in two of the four gospel accounts about what the bread and the wine mean:

“This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me…“This wine is the token of God’s new covenant to save you—an agreement sealed with the blood I will pour out for you.^”

God, through Jesus’ death sets the world right. He sets us right with Him!

We do not have to be at odds with God anymore!

We can be free from our guilt and our shame.

The past, often thrown up in our face by Satan, no longer has to influence our future.

AMEN!?

 

Reason number two:

As a result of what Christ did for us, we now have the vital responsibility to settle our relationships with each other as our text says.

There was conflict around the table that night when Jesus spoke differently about the bread and the wine. Judas is the most noticeable as he takes his leave to do what he had determined to do.

Generosity toward others can help us settle our differences by creating space for us to sit down and listen well to the other person and respond in a God honoring way.

A common illustration has been to use the cross to emphasize the two directional nature of our relationships. The vertical part of the cross emphasizes our relationship with the Lord. The horizontal part emphasizes our relationship with one another.

What is the state of your relationships these days? Do they reflect a generous attitude in your words and actions?

Reason number three

Is that our generosity includes telling the good news that God has given the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. The greatest reason for our generosity is that God has given us a fresh start to be free from our sins.

Many people do not like to hear the word ‘sin’ these days because it is a judgmental word to them.

It is a hard word.

It allows no wiggle room, we might say.

But it is a word that speaks to the human condition whether we like it or not because it says to us, we are broken, we are flawed.

And because we are broken and flawed, we need to be fixed! And we can only and truly be fixed, when we accept God forgiveness of our sins, and begin to live in a new way.

And in this new way, generosity, toward others, the Lord, and even ourselves, begins to thrive and grow, if we let it.

And this leads to reason number four…

Generosity is part of our God given message of telling everyone what he is doing. And what He is doing is forgiving and healing and releasing and changing and loving and being generous toward us.

(Slide 1) This is our mission and our purpose! This is why we want to build a new facility so that we can have a base out of which to operate to help people discover for themselves the generous forgiveness of our gracious God. This is why we want to hire staff to help us each a generationally diverse group of people, young and old; male and female; single, divorced, and married

The true basis of generosity is rooted in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We proclaim Him! We are to tell others of His generous grace and mercy through the forgiveness of our sins. That is why we are here!

 

As we prepare for communion, I respectfully ask this morning, “Are you square with God?” Are you right with God?

What makes us Christian is not that we come to this church; or sing a certain song; or read a certain Bible; or have parents or grandparents who come to this church.

What makes us Christian is that we have asked for, and accepted, the forgiveness of our sins.

Have you done that today? Kids, have you done that? Teens, have you done that?

Maybe this morning, you need to confess some things to the Lord that you have not confessed yet (or ever)… the altar is open for you to come and pray if you would like to…

Let us prepare for communion…

The Discipline of Freedom

Scripture Passage – Psalm 119:89-96

Description – Communion Meditation and July 4^th message

(Slide one)
http://www.sermonspice.com/product/26420/finding-freedom

This past week at our national meetings in Anderson, I heard concern expressed by a grandparent during a seminar about the freedom certain parents gave their 16 year old daughter to sail around the world alone. (This ended, as we know, with her boat out of commission in the Indian Ocean and her requiring to be rescued.) “Why would someone allow their daughter to do that?” was the unspoken question, at least in my hearing.

How many of us here would allow our 16 year old to do that? (How many of us hear who have had 16 year olds have considered sending, during stressful moments, that 16 year old on such a trip?)

I want us to remember the image of the Mayflower in the video clip for a moment. They were not all adults on that trip, were they? There were children on it. Granted their parents were with them (and probably grandparents as well). But they were part of a journey we remember at Thanksgiving, in which the possibility of failure, and death, at sea, were high.

How about sending your 9 year old son on a trip with his father that would require that child (and husband) to be gone for several years? How many here would allow that to happen? (How many have often…)

It happened! Our fourth President, John Quincy Adams, left his mother and family, to travel with his father, John Adams, our second President, to sail to Russia as part of our nation’s first diplomatic mission to that nation. It would be many years (mid 20’s I think) before John Quincy would finally return to America and, if I remember right, never again leave America.

My point this morning is this… many things were required of those who sailed to this country on the Mayflower, for the Adams’ and those who made such long trips. Courage was one thing. Faith was another. Discipline was a third.

Some level of discipline was inherent in the travels. There was the expressed purpose of diplomatic duty in which Adams had some guidelines he was required to follow. (One big discipline was the discipline of waiting. There was no instant electronic communication and, along with transportation, communication took not just weeks but months.) And for those on the Mayflower the discipline of holding strong to one’s faith and belief in the reason for the trip was essential for maintaining order.

The discipline, to wait, to hope, to take measured risks, to obey is vital to the sustainment of our freedom and heritage… and our faith in Christ.

(Slide two) I offer this image of the road as a reminder that just as driving requires discipline, the discipline of staying between the proper lines, so does our exercise of freedom – both political and the spiritual freedom we have in Christ.

(Slide three) Our main text for this morning is Psalm 119:89-96. Would you stand as you are able as I read it?

Forever, O Lord,

your word stands firm in heaven.

Your faithfulness extends to every generation,

as enduring as the earth you created.

Your laws remain true today,

for everything serves your plans.

If your law hadn’t sustained me with joy,

I would have died in my misery.

I will never forget your commandments,

for you have used them to restore my joy and health.

I am yours; save me!

For I have applied myself to obey your commandments.

Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me,

I will quietly keep my mind on your decrees.

Even perfection has its limits,

but your commands have no limit. (NLT)

(You may be seated.)

The freedom of which the Psalmist speaks is a freedom that comes from the discipline of keeping the law. The laws referred to in this Psalm are that of the ancient Hebrew laws that we read in the Old Testament. They have been fulfilled by Christ and yet they are still important to know and understand. They serve as reminders that our faith is based in a way of life in which human freedom is linked to God’s will and purposes.

But what is important here are the benefits that the law brings. It brings health, spiritual health, emotional health, physical health, and safety. It brings joy to life. It renews us and helps us move forward along the right road as we choose to follow God’s way on a daily basis.

In 1 Corinthians 10:23 we read, “You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is helpful. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial.”

St. Paul is addressing the excessiveness of a Christian community by pointing out that the discipline of love, through self-control, is necessary in that community and he strongly hints at that in the very next verse, verse 24, “Don’t think only of your own good. Think of other Christians and what is best for them.”

Paul was reminding them that while there is freedom to do anything, there is a greater discipline in our freedom that recognizes that the freedom to do anything is neither helpful nor beneficial at times. True freedom includes the ability and practice of saying “no.”

(Slide four) The freedom we have in Christ is noted in the bread and the cup that we will partake of in a few moments. It is a freedom that brings us hope, it is a freedom that brings us joy, and it is a freedom that is based in God’s love for us.

As we give thanks to God for the freedom that we have in this nation on its national birthday, let us also give thanks to God for the freedom that we have been given through grace and mercy of Jesus Christ who came to forgive us and give us true freedom. Let us be truly free in Him and through Him. Amen

Who’s Living At Home

September 2, 2001

Romans 6:11

I. Intro – Talk about toys

“This morning, I want to begin with the subject of toys . . .”

A. From the pazsaz.com website is a report from A and E Television of the Top 10 most highly thought of and played with toys as reported by the Toy Manufactures of America – Any guesses as to what they might be?

10. Hot Wheels – Hand to child

9. Slinky -

8. Lincoln Logs – Hand to child

7. Frisbee – Hand to child

6. Erector Set -

5. Play-Doh – Hand to child

4. Lionel Trains -

3. Barbie – Hand to child

2. Crayons – Hand to child

1. Yo-Yo – Hand to child

Question: Which of these can be changed into something different? 9, 8, 6, 5, 3, 2, roughly one-half.

B. “Now, many toys of today can change from one thing to another, for example . . .” (use Jonathon here)

C. “Now you are probably asking, what does this have to do with the issues of life and faith?” Good question!

Transition: “Toys are often a reflection of us. We, like toys, are not always what we appears to be. We have the ability to give one kind of impression and then, in an entirely different setting, to give another one. Some people refer to it as hypocrisy. This morning, as we continue our study of Romans and also celebrate communion, I would have us think about it in another way – the challenge about who is truly living at home – sin or grace?”

II. Question: “How do I handle those inconsistent areas of my life that aren’t what they to be?”

A. Suggestion number 1 – Romans 6:11 “You should consider yourselves dead to sin and able to live for the glory of God through Christ Jesus.”

1. How can we do that? – By how we choose to respond to the situations we face. For example: “An eager but somewhat unscrupulous salesman was delivering a bid to an engineering firm. He noticed a competitor’s bid on a desk but he could not read the bid because of juice can sitting on top of that part of the bid. So, giving into temptation, he lifted the can and as he did so, his heart sank as he watched thousands of BB’s pour from the bottomless can and scatter across the floor.”

2. We need to notice the change in tone and direction with the declaration of Romans 5:1: “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.”

3. Sets-up Paul’s summary statement of verse 20 “God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful kindness became more abundant.”

4. Paul therefore moves from talking about what the Law points out – our inability to live before God an absolutely perfect life because of sin – to the place of grace.

5. This movement is important because if we are going to match the inside and outside of our lives, if we are going to live to live an honest and consistent life of faith and trust in God, then we have to decide how we are going to live by the choices we make in everyday life.

6. As Paul says in Romans 6:12 – “Do not let sin control the way you live, do not give into its lustful desires.”

7. This brings us to suggestion number 2 – By choosing to let our bodies as a tool for God.

III. Suggestion number 2 – Romans 6:13 “Do not let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness, to be used for sinning. Instead, give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life. And use your whole body as tool to do what is right for the glory of God.”

A. Notice two important choices:

1. Give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life.

a. God does not want to just save your soul; he wants to save your body.

b. Jesus said in Matthew 15:11 “You are not defiled by what you eat; you are defiled by what you say and do.”

c. Yet, how we use our bodies is an indication of what is inside our souls. Good health is good theology.

d. There is something to be said for sexual abstinence within the bonds of marriage as well as abstinence from the use of tobacco and alcohol. They affect not just our souls and minds, but also your bodies as well.

2. Use your body as a tool to do what is right.

a. Paul wrote in I Corinthians 6:19 – 20 – “Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”

b. Don’t just abstain, exercise, and eat well. Many people can tell you, if they are honest, about the affects ill health has had on their relationships with God and others. Food can be come a drug as well that numbs the soul.

c. Take care of your body – get regular check-ups. If you are on medication for legitimate medical reasons – take it!

IV. Suggestion number 3 – choose life, choose God. Romans 6:16 “Don’t you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval.”

A. God, as Paul writes in verse 18, declares, “[we] are free from sin, your old master, and you have become slaves to your new master, righteousness.”

B. In verse 22 he goes on to say, “But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.” But, we still have the choice of whom we will obey – we must make that choice daily.

C. In choosing salvation through faith and trust in Christ alone, in choosing to be made right with God on the basis of faith in Christ, we set ourselves on the path of life. But, it is a choice that we alone can only make.

D. Lois Blanchard Eades has written a poem entitled, “If Jesus Came To Your House.” (Read the poem) Let me offer a slant on this very thoughtful and pointed poem: If we are going to honor God by letting the inside appearance of our lives, represented by the image of the home in Eades’ poem, match the outside appearance, then I would suggest that Jesus is not a mere guest. He is a permanent resident.

E. Either we are going to let sin guide and direct our lives or we are going to let God do so. And if we choose God, then He must be allowed inside as a permanent resident and, with our cooperation and consent, to clean us up because it is only by His power and grace that we can really change from the inside out.

V. Conclusion.

A. If we choose to live for God it means that we must do so from the inside out.

B. Living for God means to live for Him not just with our soul but also with our body and that means we become loyal to God not sin by using our bodies, and minds, to honor Him and reflect our commitment to Him.

C. We choose our master, we choose who we are going to worship – which is it going to be God or sin? Who is at home in your life?

Transition to communion:

As we celebrate Christ’s death and resurrection on our behalf with communion this morning, I invite you to do some serious and honest searching of your life. As an aid to our moments of meditation and reflection we are going to listen to a song simply entitled, “Choose Life,” by the contemporary Christian group Big Tent Revival.

Be open to the Holy Spirit this morning and use the altar as you need to. Choose life. Choose God. Amen.

What Did They Sing?

MARK 14:26

One of the marvelous things about the Bible is that the more you read and study it, the more you notice that you haven’t noticed before. Have you experienced that in your study and reading? This morning’s text is an illustration of this point.

There is much to the story of Christ’s final hours before His crucifixion and death that we always seem to review again and again over the years.  For example, there is Peter’s betrayal and Pilate’s denial of his role. There are the two thieves, one who mocks him and the other who seeks his salvation through Him.

Each segment of this important and historical story is very important to read, study, and apply to our lives. But, today’s text adds a dimension that we need to explore as we prepare for communion on this fall Sunday morning in the first year of the 21^st century.

Now some express the view that the singing and the offering and the fellowship that we do during worship is preliminary to the heart of worship – the sermon. But, these preliminaries are very important aspects of worship in their own way. However, they need to be linked to the sermon because worship is much larger than a 20 – 30 minute “talking head” presentation.

Our text for today is Mark 14:26 and it simply says, “Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.” Have you ever wondered what they sang? Was it a hymn of sadness? Was it a hymn that perhaps they had sang during last year’s Passover celebration? Was it a hymn that would take on new meaning in light of the events that were to come? What did Jesus and the 11 (Judas was gone by this time) sing after what we now call communion took place?

This morning we are going to spend more time singing of the truth that sets us free and less time listening to me speak of the truth that sets us free. We are going to sing some hymns that could have been like the hymn they sang over 20 centuries ago.   We must remember today that when Jesus and the twelve sat down to celebrate the Passover meal it was not just a somber celebration, it was a celebration of deliverance, of joy, of thanksgiving, of remembering God’s help, and praise to God.

Mark 14:12 reminds us that what we call the last supper was the Passover meal. It was eaten yearly to remind the Jews of God’s deliverance from slavery and bondage in Egypt.

So the hymn that they sang after they were finished with the Passover meal could have been a hymn of joy. As we read in Exodus 15, Moses and the Israelites celebrated God’s deliverance from slavery with a song of joy and thanksgiving and we too can sing for joy today because God through Christ has liberated us from the bondage of evil and the pain and heartache that evil causes.

So let us sing a song of joy this morning, as we sing Joy Unspeakable, hymn 322 in our red hymnals.

Sing the hymn

What did they sing? They could have also sung a song of praise to God for his mighty acts of deliverance. Listen to what Moses and the Israelites sang in Exodus 15 after escaping the pursuing Egyptians “I will sing to the Lord for he has triumphed gloriously,” “He is my God, and I will praise him; he is my father’s God, and I will exalt him!”

The Passover meal that Jesus and the twelve ate was filled with thanks to God for his faithfulness and praise to Him for his mighty acts of power and deliverance.

The Israelites were oppressed; they were not allowed to be free. They were treated unfairly and unjustly. The Egyptians distrusted them.

The Israelites were powerless. They cried out to God for deliverance and finally, finally God acted on their behalf as part of His greater plan to redeem humankind.

We too, are powerless. We would like to think that we are powerful. But, ultimately, ultimately we are powerless against evil, against the desire to do what is wrong. We are flawed from within. We are enslaved to habits, desires, and attitudes that are not right because as Paul so eloquently states in personal terms, “When I want to do good, I don’t. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. . . . Oh, what a miserable person I am!”

But, Paul goes on to say, “Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.”

We have been freed! We have been delivered from the power and oppression of sin and the evil things that it makes us think, do, and say things that are wrong! We no longer have to live that way anymore!

So what did they sing? They could have sung a hymn of thanksgiving and praise to God. Let us sing this morning such a song. Hymn 333 in our red hymnals I Will Praise Him, Hallelujah!”

Sing the hymn

What did they sing? Perhaps they sang a song of remembrance. The Passover celebration was a time of remembering God’s act of deliverance. It was a time to remember when freedom came to their ancestors. It was a time to remember God’s powerful freedom that broke the bonds of despair, gloom, and doom     that had gripped their hearts for so long!

Psalm 136 is a very clear reminder and illustration of this kind of remembrance. It is a Psalm in which the events leading up to the Passover and the results of the Passover are recalled with the repeated refrain; His faithful love endures forever!

Read Psalm 136

We too, have memories of God’s redemptive act on our part at the cross that Jesus would soon face after singing this hymn. On this day, we also remember, in song and in words, God’s redemptive act on our part because His faithful love still endures forever!

Perhaps they sang a hymn of remembrance. We too, sing a song of remember this morning as we sing At The Cross, hymn 298 also in our red hymnal. And following the singing of this hymn we will partake of the elements together this morning.

Sing the hymn and celebrate communion

The Passover meal is still celebrated today. It brings families together around the table and it evokes memories of what brings them together – God’s acting on their behalf.

We celebrate a different Passover meal –but it reminds us why we are together this morning. God has acted on our behalf to liberate our souls, our minds, our hearts, our bodies, our very lives from the bondage of evil and darkness that we are now more aware of than ever before.

Maybe the hymn that they sang after the Passover meal was a hymn of community of commitment to one another and to God. This morning as we conclude we do so with a hymn that reminds us of the community of faith to which we belong by grace through Christ. It is our benediction this morning, Blest Be The Tie hymn 449 once again in our red hymnal.

Open My Life!

John 17:21 Acts 2:44

This past Monday and Tuesday I attended the annual all boards’ retreat for our state ministry at Waycross Retreat Center down in Brown County. I was there as a new member our state Board of Christian Education.

It was a time for getting better acquainted with other colleagues around the state. But, it was also a time for very profound and deep moments of personal as well as corporate worship.

During one of our worship times we sang the hymn, Open My Eyes and, as we sang that hymn, I saw my sermon/communion meditation for this morning develop right before my eyes.

As we did last month, we are going to intersperse my comments with the singing of each verse of this hymn before we celebrate communion. Each verse of this hymn has something important to say to us about the third of the five purposes of the church – fellowship.

I am also going to try something new to include our kids. I am very glad that our kids are in worship this morning. And kids, I am going to ask you to help me with my sermon by drawing a picture of fellowship.

Now fellowship is a big word, but I am going to do my best to help you understand this word, okay? Now, if you willing to help me draw a picture, then come up and get two crayons and a piece of paper and return to your seats.

A couple of more instructions: 1. Don’t start drawing until I tell you to, okay? 2. You will be drawing several different scenes, or smaller pictures, so use your space carefully, okay? 3. Don’t worry about messing up. 4. At the end of the service I am going to ask you to walk out with me and line up to show the pictures to the rest of us, okay?

Now, before we sing verse one of Open My Eyes, Lord there is a passage of scripture that I want us to reflect on. It has already been read this morning, but I want to read it again.

It is John 17:21: My prayer for all of them is that they will be one, just as you and I are one, Father—that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me.

This is Jesus’ praying to God the Father on behalf of not just the disciples gathered in the Upper Room that night, but also on behalf of you and me. This was part of Jesus’ prayer for us, here, now, in Kendallville, Indiana on Sunday, November 4, 2001.

This is God’s desire for the church, for you, for me, for us. Fellowship is a critical, a very, very, very critical purpose of the church. One of my commentaries had this to say about this passage:

Jesus’ great desire for his disciples was that they would become one. He wanted them unified as a powerful witness to the reality of God’s love. Are you helping to unify the body of Christ, the church? You can pray for other Christians, avoid gossip, build others up, work together in humility, give your time and money, exalt Christ, and refuse to get sidetracked arguing over divisive matters.

Fellowship is the result of an intentional decision to commit to the welfare of someone else. Fellowship doesn’t just happen. It takes place when a group of people make the decision to create the conditions for fellowship to occur.

Let’s now sing verse 1 of hymn 486 in our brown hymnal.

We create the conditions for fellowship when we individually make the decision to open our eyes and see the truth of God as we study the word of God together. Fellowship, that special and profound bond, comes as we read, study, and apply the Bible to our lives together.

The unity that Jesus prayed for in John 17:21 would be established as the disciples, and those who heard the disciples’ words, paid attention to and sought to live out those words of truth that came from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. That listening and living out created the fertile ground in which fellowship would take root and grow because fellowship grows out of the decision to be one in Christ with one another no matter what.

Okay kids. We need you to help us draw a picture of some people studying the Bible.

For fellowship to take root and grow deep we need to ask God to help us open our eyes and see, truly see, one another.

Let’s now sing verse 2 of Hymn 486

Open my ears, and let me hear Voices of Truth so sharp and clear.

Fellowship takes place when we make the decision to listen to the voice of God and one another by working at understanding what we have heard. That understanding comes through dialogue not monologue.

An Old Spanish proverb observes: “Two great talkers will not travel far together.” Why is that? Maybe it is because they are so consumed by their own voices that they are easily distracted.

The area surrounding the retreat center that I have already mentioned was absolutely breathtaking! It was in a valley between some of those large rolling hills that Brown County is known for. Along the base of one ridge was a small stream.

I took a walk down to the stream for a reason that I will share in a moment. As I walked along the stream, do you know what I heard? Silence. Oh I heard the stream, and the wind, and other sounds of nature, but the silence was deafening!

Now, do you know why I was walking along the creek? To find a place to cross over so that I could climb the ridge and hopefully use my cell phone! One of the complaints that I heard from some of my colleagues was that they could not use their cell phones because the towers that transmitted the cell phone calls were blocked by the surrounding hills!

Now, you are probably saying, “Jim, where is this place? That’s where I want to be!” Why is that? Because the sounds of life are so often deafening to us that we cannot hear either the voice of God or the voice of one another.

Okay kids, ready? Now I would like for you to draw a picture of some who listens well, okay?

For fellowship to take root and make a difference in our lives, both individual and congregationally, we have to listen and understand what God and one another is saying.

Let’s now sing, verse 3 of hymn 486

Open my mouth and let me declare words of assurance everywhere.

As it says in James 3:5, “The tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do.”

As I have said several times in the past couple of weeks, words have the ability to create worlds of hope or worlds of pain. I have to agree what the commentary on this verse says, “Satan uses the tongue to divide people and pit them against one another. Idle and hateful words are damaging because they spread destruction quickly, and no one can stop the results once they are spoken. We dare not be careless with what we say, thinking we can apologize later, because even if we do, the scars remain. A few words spoken in anger can destroy a relationship that took years to build.”

If there is one way in which fellowship is quickly built, and quickly destroyed, it is through our words. Pastor Brenda Snedden tells the story of trying to rid a mouse in her bedroom with the contents of a fire extinguisher. White powder goes everywhere in the bedroom but the mouse survives the attack.

Her husband finally arrives home and walks into the bedroom with a look of shock on his face. She orders him to kill the mouse. He grabs a machete that he got from a mission trip and prepares to do battle.

She scolds him for his selection because she does not want a mess. He of course, as she relates, looks around incredulously at the mess already made. Well, he ends up using the machete to shoo the mouse out of the bedroom through the patio door in the bedroom.

The point that Brenda was illustrating was about how we over use power to solve a problem and the result is a mess that takes hours, days, weeks, months, and even years to clean up. Such residue often comes as the result of words spoken in anger, fear, anxiety, exhaustion, and even hate. And fellowship is severely damaged.

Okay kids, draw us a picture of someone using caring words.

Open my mouth and let me declare words of assurance everywhere. Fellowship is enhanced; it thrives and grows, when assuring words – of God’s love, grace, and care – are spoken.

But there is another part of this final verse that we need to pay attention to. Open my heart, and let me prepare, your loving kindnesses to share.”

In the passage that is the Biblical base for this series, Acts 2: 42 – 47 we note in Acts 2:44

And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything they had.

Please listen carefully to the commentary on this passage:

“Recognizing the other believers as brothers and sisters in the family of God, the Christians in Jerusalem shared all they had so that all could benefit from God’s gifts. It is tempting—especially if we have material wealth—to cut ourselves off from one another, concerning ourselves with only our interests and enjoying only our own little piece of the world. But as part of God’s spiritual family, it is our responsibility to help one another in every way possible. God’s family works best when its members work together.”

Fellowship occurs as we work together toward a common goal on a common mission with a common purpose – fulfilling both the Great Commandment to love God, one another, and ourselves and the Great Commission to “go and make” responsible and growing followers of God who have an open life by allowing God to: open their eyes to see the need for fellowship all around them, their ears to hear, understand, and respect the voices of others that create a soil in which fellowship begins to grow, their mouths to speak words of love, respect, and assurance which creates a climate of fellowship in a time of great uncertainty, and their hearts that makes fellowship possible as they generously give of their time, money, and abilities.

Kids, I need one more part of the picture – we need for you to draw us a picture of someone who loves.

All of us want and need to be loved and cared for. We want to know that we count. We need to be respected. We want to matter. We want to make a difference. We want to belong. Fellowship makes all of this happen.

Let’s take a look at the chart from The Purpose Driven Church (page 119) and look at the right side of the fellowship segment. Notice what it says:

My relationships. Question: How good, how healthy are our relationships within this body of believers? Are they honoring to God?

People to live with. Question: How well are we living with one another? Is God being honored by the way we live together?

A family for living. Question: How well are we living together as the family of God? Are we honoring God in our fellowship, do outsiders see Christ at work within us?

Let’s take one look at the diamond diagram as well. Notice that fellowship is at the first base location. Please also notice that it is between evangelism, which we have already spoken of and discipleship, which we look at next week.

Fellowship is a critical link between coming to God and following God. The purpose of fellowship is to enable us to live for God everywhere we go so that by doing so, others will begin to get interested in following God, too.

Now this morning is communion Sunday. Some may be asking what is the link between fellowship and communion. Good question to ask!

In the cross-references to fellowship in my Bible study software that I used for today, was the word communion. We commune with fellow believers and with God as we take time to reflect and remember what took place that night before His crucifixion as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11: 23 – 26

On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took a loaf of bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is given^ for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and you, sealed by the shedding of my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.”

This morning we are going to take some time for communion. In your bulletins are two index cards. We are going to take a few moments to reflect and pray and ask God to reveal to us what we need to change or add or re-start regarding fellowship in our lives.

I am asking you to write on your card, no names please, one thing you believe the Lord is asking you to do in regard to your role in strengthening the fellowship of this congregation or, if you are a visitor from another congregation this morning, strengthening the fellowship of the congregation that you belong to.

As you come to take, at your readiness, communion this morning, I am asking you, as an act of commitment to the fellowship of this church, to come and lay your card on the altar rail. I will then collect the cards and use them as the basis of on-going personal and private prayer for us so that God will begin to strengthen our fellowship.

I conclude this segment of worship with this thought – “We all need support. We all need to belong. Let us, with God’s help and power, strengthen our fellowship because it is our fellowship that is the strongest witness to our community that God is present in us and around us.” Amen.

How Do You See Jesus?

Scripture Passage – Isaiah 53:1-6

Description – Communion Meditation for October 4, 2009

(Slide 1) How do you see Jesus? If you could paint a picture of Him, what would He look like?

(Slide 1a) What color eyes would you give Him?

(Slide 1b) What color hair would you give Him?

(Slide 1c) How tall would you make Him?

This past week I attended a series of lectures at Anderson University in which the presenter, Dr Rodney Sadler, Jr from Union Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina showed this picture. (Slide 2) Source:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/research/1282186.html

It is a composite done by a retired English medical artist, Richard Neave. Neave and his team measured the skulls of Galilean remains from the time of Christ, and with a sophisticated computer program, developed this composite model of what a first century Galilean may have looked like.

The article, which was the cover story in the December 2002 Popular Mechanics concluded with this statement, “From an analysis of skeletal remains, archeologists had firmly established that the average build of a Semite male at the time of Jesus was 5 ft. 1 in., with an average weight of about 110 pounds. Since Jesus worked outdoors as a carpenter until he was about 30 years old, it is reasonable to assume he was more muscular and physically fit than westernized portraits suggest. His face was probably weather-beaten, which would have made him appear older, as well.”

(Slide 3) One of the pictures that we have often seen, and perhaps have in our homes is this one, from the work of Warner Sallman whose collection is housed at Anderson University. Take a moment and look at the differences between the two.

(Source:http://www.warnersallman.com/collection/)

One of the points made in the lectures was that we often ‘see’ Christ through the lens of our own cultural background but that Jesus, when He came to earth, lived in a human body within in a particular time, place and a particular culture. And the lecturer went on to say that there is a disconnect with it that can cause us to misplace, if you will, Jesus in a way that our faith can become distorted.

I share these pictures this morning, not to upset anyone whatsoever, but to stir our hearts this morning as we consider that while living in a particular human culture; and taking on the characteristics of a particular human race in human history, Jesus is more than a picture of one culture, He is the redeemer and savior of all humanity; of all cultures.

Our text for this morning is in keeping with the emphasis of the meditation title. (Slide 4)

Our text for this morning is Isaiah 53:1-6: (Slide 5) Who has believed our message? To whom will the Lord reveal his saving power? My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, sprouting from a root in dry and sterile ground.

(Slide 6) There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by. He was despised, and we did not care.

(Slide 7) Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God for his own sins!

(Slide 8) But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the guilt and sins of us all.

Jesus would never be on the cover of People or GQ or in an ad for Ralph Lauren. He was too plain; too mundane to look at.

But was, and is, our savior. He was bruised for our iniquities!

As we prepare for communion in a few moments, I would have us think about (in silence) the following questions:

(Slide 9) How might I be re-making Jesus in ‘my’ own image?

• What about Jesus do I have trouble accepting?

• How might my image of Jesus need to change so that I better worship and obey the true and living Christ?

(Moments of silence)

In the day and age that Jesus lived on this earth, people had many different opinions of Him. Some thought Him to be Moses, others Elijah, and others the Devil. But Jesus was none of them!

Jesus Christ was, and is, the Son of God! He is our savior and our redeemer! By His sacrifice on the cross for us, we have the forgiveness of our sins available to us, but only through Him and no one else.

Let us give thanks to God this day for our salvation. Let us confess our sins and accept His salvation of us. Let us begin to see Jesus with new eyes as He must be seen. Let us stop making Him in our image and see Him for who He really is… Amen.

Plugging In

Acts 1:8

Main point – God sent the Holy Spirit for two reasons –to empower followers to live for Him and to work in the lives and hearts of yet to be followers so they will come to Him.

One thing that is very much a part of our society is power. We crave it. We get it. We use it. We abuse it.

This morning in preparation for our time of communion together, I want us to think about power for a few moments.

To begin, I ask for your response to this question: “What are sources of power for us?” (Congregation to respond)

The story is told of a logging foreman who sold a farmer a chainsaw guaranteed to cut down fifty trees in a single day. A week later, a very unhappy farmer came to report that the power saw must be faulty – it averaged only three trees a day. The foreman grabbed the saw, pulled the cord, and the saw promptly went, “Bzzzzzzz.” The startled farmer demanded, “Hey what’s that noise?”

We laugh at the foible of the farmer. But, how many of us have had a similar experience when it comes to the Christian life? We respond with great joy and enthusiasm when it comes to a salvation experience, but after a while, we think that we have been had.

“This is hard. This is tough. I feel like a failure. I can’t do this!” But, the Spirit can help us do it, if we ask Him to! He is the power source to live for God. We must plug into Him if we are going to live for Him!

As we heard last week, John records in his account that Jesus “breathed” on the disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” then went on to give them the power to forgive or not forgive sins.

But, why did God send the Holy Spirit in the first place? What is the Spirit’s purpose in the scheme of things? There are two purposes revealed in John 14:16,17,and 26 and John 16:8-10 during the last moments the disciples and Jesus were together prior to His arrest, trial, and crucifixion. – The power to live for God and the power to be changed by God. (Read the passages)

In John 14 Jesus is letting the twelve know that He will not be with them much longer and that God the Father will be sending them another advocate or helper – the Holy Spirit – to lead them into all truth by teaching them and reminding them of what Jesus taught them. The Holy Spirit plays a critical and central role in our lives to help us become more responsible and mature believers. In this instance power is available to live for God and follow Him.

For example, let’s say that Mike and Mary have been asked to substitute teach the middle school Sunday School class. They have done some preparation but with recent work issues for both of them, preparation time has been minimal. Still they follow through on their commitment and stand before the class, white-knuckling their Bible and lesson guide.

In the strength and power of the Spirit, Mike and Mary will teach while relying on the work and strength of the Spirit to guide their thoughts and words. Having done the best they know how with the best preparation they were able to do, they are open to the Spirit to lead and help them.

But, what would happen if they do not both prepare and seek the help of the Spirit? Perhaps they would stumble and stutter or tell stories or fill the time with something. Fear would probably grip them and they may say, “Never again will we do this!”

On a daily, and at times, hourly, basis we must ask the Holy Spirit to empower us to do and say what must be done and said because the Spirit is present for us to live more completely for God.

But, the Spirit has another important purpose that Jesus shares in our second passage. “He will convince the world of sin, of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.” We see this take place in Acts 2:37 when the Spirit brings conviction through Peter’s sermon and people ask, “Brothers what should we do?”

What Jesus said would happen in John 16 did happen. What Jesus said would happen in Acts 1:8 did happen. But, it happened because the Holy Spirit came and began to work in those who preached and those who heard. The power of the Spirit changed both the lives of those who spoke and those who listened.

I know that there are days in which we feel as if no one is responding to God because we don’t see it. We get frustrated and discouraged when we share and tell and live out our lives for God in the hopes that others will too. But, we need to remember that the Spirit is always at work and people have a choice of whether or not to respond to Him. He is the one who does the real convicting.

Jesus told the disciples in the John passage that it would be the Holy Spirit’s job, not ours, which would bring conviction to the hearts and minds of those who heard the Good News. And in the Acts passage, Jesus made it clear that is what after the Holy Spirit came would the ability to really tell the story be possible.

The disciples would not understand these words spoken around the table until the Spirit would come with power into their very souls. They would not be able to do what Jesus commissioned them to do until the Holy Spirit possessed them with a power and subsequent ability to “go and make disciples.”

The same holds true for us – individually and congregationally. We have been challenged with a vision of being a faithfully following and fully functioning church. But, to implement this vision requires more than merely standing up and lighting a candle and nodding our heads in agreement with the pastor. To fulfill God’s vision for the church also requires us to plug into God’s power for us. And we do so when we submit to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to sanctify us by surrendering all of ourselves to all of God.

I believe that each one of us wants our church to be alive and growing and exciting. But, for that to happen, we have to place ourselves in God’s hands and ask the Holy Spirit to again sanctify our hearts and lives.

I want us to possess all that God has for us. I want us to be possessed by all of  God. I truly want us to be the people of God. But, it requires the work of the Spirit to make this happen. Let us cooperate with the Spirit and let Him do His work within, around, and between us. Amen.

Mementos, Memories, and Memorials

Joshua 4:1-3

Introduction: Go through my mementos box and point out a few things.

A memento is “something that serves to warn or remind”

A memory is “the store of things remembered”

A memorial is “something designed to keep remembrance alive”

My memento box is all three. It is a way of reminding me of my past – who I was, who I became, and who I am now – as it helps me to remember as I look at various reminders of that past.

As part of our time of communion and worship this day, we are going to spend some time remembering. Remembering who we were or where we were, what we became or where we had come to, and who we are now or where we are headed. And as we do so, it is my hope that you will connect with the Lord in a very personal and appropriate way this morning, the last Sunday of 2003.

On the back of your bulletin there is a place to write and I hope that you will take advantage of these moments to write what you feel that you need to write (for only your eyes) with the hope that you will hear the Lord’s voice speaking more clearly to you this day.

It is also good to have our kids this day in worship with us. Kids, up on the front pew are some sheets of paper and some crayons. Now, as we hear about things to remember, I would like for you to draw one thing that you remember about this year’s Christmas. It could be a present that you received, or a special person that you got to see, or something else that reminds you of Christmas. Come on and get some paper and crayons and have fun this morning drawing a great memory of Christmas 2003!

(Read the passage)

We find the Israelites on the eastern bank of the Jordan River just prior to the crossing of the Jordan into the Promise Land. It was a big day. It was an important day. Finally, after 40 years of wandering the Israelites stood face to face with the land that God had promised them centuries earlier.

Now the night before, Joshua had 12 men, one from each of the tribes, take 12 stones from where the priests were standing in the middle of the Jordan River, and pile them up where they were camping. Why?

To serve, as we read in verses 6 and 7, as a memorial and a memory for those who were to follow so that they would remember who they had been, who they had become, and who they were to become.

(Pile the 12 stones on the communion table)

Now the text does not describe the stones in any detail as to color or shape or size or if they were inscribed with any writing on them. 12 stones however would correspond to the 12 tribes of Israel. But, together they serve as a reminder of something important. (Verse 24) “So that all the nations of the earth might know the power of the Lord, and that you might fear the Lord your God forever.”

Yes, the stones were to serve as a teaching tool for parents to remind their children of God’s action in their lives and His deliverance of the people from Egypt and the return to the land promised to their ancestors. But, a larger reason is to let everyone know of God’s power so that all may fear (or respect) God’s power in their lives.

12 is a number that is a part of the Christmas season. It is especially noteworthy in the song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” In our text 12 stones will serve as a reminder to the Israelites, present and future, of where they had come from, where they are now, and where they were headed because of God’s faithfulness.

Another name for this pile of stones is “cairn.” For a cairn is “a heap of stones serving as a memorial or a landmark.” Today we would call them statues or memorials. They are reminders of something important. Which brings us to a point of remembrance for us.

On the back of your bulletin, I would like for you to spend a few moments writing down some things that remind you of God’s faithfulness to you this past year. It could be an event, a person, a place, or a thing, or all of these things. Name this list your Cairns for 2003. (Allow a couple of minutes.)

Communion is a cairn. It is a memorial and a reminder of God’s act of salvation for us. But, Communion also has some personal importance for each one of us. On your bulletin, take a moment and list a couple of ways that Communion helps remind you of God’s great love and salvation. (Allow a minute for writing).

Kids, you may or may not be finished with your picture. That’s okay. You can take it home and finish it and hang in your room. But, as you think about what you have drawn, I want you to think about God’s great gift of love and salvation that Jesus did on our behalf so that we can be forgiven of the wrong that we have done and live for God the right way. We got a lot of great gifts this season, but Jesus’ act of love is a gift that we can have throughout the entire year and our entire lives as we let God into our lives.

As we prepare for communion, let us spend time in confession, repentance, thanksgiving, and seeking God’s help for the year ahead. Let us get ready for the next chapter of our journey with the Lord. Amen.