Communion Message
(Do you know for sure?)
January 30-31, 1999
Pastor Don Sheley

Before I read the scriptures for our communion, I want to make sure that everyone has one of these small green tracts. And ushers will you make sure that every person in the sanctuary has a tract. Because we're going to use it as part of our communion today and I want every one of you to have one.

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: And when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, "Take, eat: this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me." After the same manner also He took the cup, when he had supped, saying, "This cup is the New Testament in My blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me." For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do proclaim the Lord's death till He come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

Most of you folks are aware that our theme for 1999 is evangelism. That is simply everything that we do, every program that we become involved with, any project that we pursue, we're going to do it with a thought of winning men and women, and boys and girls to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We gathered this last Thursday night and one of the books I presented to the evangelism team is a book that has been written by George Barna, who is a statistician for the churches, and he does much what Gallop poll does. He goes out and does research and he writes this book entitled Evangelism That Works. And he makes a statement here that really disturbed me. He said, Undoubtedly, one of the rudest awakenings I have ever received in my efforts to help churches grow, was the discovery born from our research a few years ago. That half of all adults who attend Protestant churches on a typical Sunday morning are not Christians. 50% For years I had been analyzing data with the assumption that if a person were in church the chances were better than even that the person had a foundation of true faith in Christ his Lord. For years I had been lulled into the comforting but erroneous notion that every Sunday morning I was singing praises to God along with a lot of other Christians. Little did I realize that a huge portion of those in churches across the land, yes, even those sitting in my church, in my pew, in my Sunday school class were non-believers. Perhaps I had been lulled into such an assumption by their own sense of peace about their spiritual standing. Indeed, most of these people think of themselves as believers who are on the safe side of God's judgment; 50%. When I read that I said God that can't be true. In our church God, may it not be true. That people would come Sunday after Sunday and not make a decision for Jesus Christ. And I want to make sure this morning that every person present understands the simple gospel of Jesus Christ. So when you leave you will not have a reason for not receiving Christ. I want you to take your little tract. Will you do this? I'm going to read it to you. If you don't have one, would you just raise your hand because the ushers will get you one, please. Here's what it says. Do you know for sure that you're going to be with God in heaven? If God were to ask you, "Why should I let you into My heaven?" what would you say? You don't know? Then this booklet has the best news you could ever hear! The few minutes it will take you to read these pages may be the most important time you will ever spend! Did you know that the Bible tells how you can know for sure that you have eternal life and will go to be with God in heaven? John says, "These things I have written unto you... that ye may know that ye have eternal life..." (1 John 5:13) Here's how: The Bible says there are 5 things you need to know about eternal life: Number one: Heaven, that is eternal life is a free gift! The Bible says, "...the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23) And because heaven is a gift, like any other genuine gift, it is not earned or deserved. No amount of personal effort, good works, or religious deeds can earn a place for you in heaven. "For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8,9) Why is it that no one can earn his way to heaven? Because man is a sinner. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) That is, sin is transgressing, or violating, God's law and includes such things as lying, lust, cheating, deceit, anger, evil thoughts, immoral behavior, and more. And because of this man cannot save himself. If you wanted to save yourself by good deeds, do you know how good you would have to be? The Bible says, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48) With such high standards, no one can save himself. However, in spite of our sin God is merciful and therefore doesn't want to punish us. This is because "...God is love." (1John 4:8) And He says, "...I have loved thee with an everlasting love..." (Jeremiah 31:3) But the same Bible which tells us that God loves us, also tells us that God is just and therefore must punish sin. He says, "...(I) will by no means clear the guilty..." (Exodus 34:7) "...the soul that sinneth, it shall die." (Ezekiel 18:4) So we have a problem. God loves us and doesn't want to punish us, but He is just and must punish sin. God solved this problem for us in the Person of Jesus Christ. Who is He? The Bible tells us clearly that He is the infinite God-Man. He was totally God and totally man. "In the beginning was the Word (Jesus)...and the Word (Jesus) was God. And the Word (Jesus) was made flesh, and dwelt among us..." (John 1:1,14) Jesus came to earth and lived a sinless life, but while on earth what did he do? He died on a cross to pay the penalty for your sins and for mine and He rose from the grave to purchase a place for us in heaven. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him (Jesus) the iniquity (sin) of us all." (Isaiah 53:6) He laid on Him your sin and my sin. He bore it at Calvary. He paid the price for it. Jesus bore our sin in His body on the cross and now offers you eternal life (heaven) as a free gift. This gift is received by faith. Faith is the key that opens the door to heaven. Many people mistake two things about saving faith: Saving faith is not mere intellectual assent. That is like believing certain historical facts. You can stand here Sunday after Sunday and say sure I believe Jesus. I believe that He lived 2000 years ago. I believe that He died on the cross. I believe everything the Bible says about Him is true. That's mental assent, but that doesn't save you. A lot of people are going to miss heaven by 18 inches. The difference between the head and the heart. Because if the truth here doesn't start changing this (heart), it will never save you. Secondly, saving faith is not mere temporal faith, that is, trusting God for temporary crises. The most natural thing we do as a human being is when we get caught in the corner and the problems are piling up on us and we don't know where to turn, we cry out in prayer. That's the most natural thing, but that's not saving faith. That's just something we do in times of crisis as a human being. What is saving faith? Well it's trusting in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life. It means resting upon Christ alone and what He has done rather than in what you or I have done to get us into heaven. "...Believe (trust) on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved..." (Acts 16:31) You have just read the greatest story ever told about the greatest offer ever made by the greatest person who ever lived, Jesus Christ. The question that God is asking you now is, would you like to receive the gift of eternal life? Because this is such an important matter, let's clarify just what it involves. It means that you need to: transfer your trust from what you have been doing to what Christ has done for you on His cross. You say, when I get to heaven I'm going to say God I was in Church of the Highlands every Sunday morning. That won't mean a thing to God. If you're trusting on your church attendance, it'll never get you into heaven. So I transfer my trust to Jesus alone. I'll only get to heaven because of my relationship with Him. You must accept Him as Savior. That is open your heart's door. He says: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him..." (Revelation 3:20) You must receive Jesus as the Lord of your life. That is you must give him the "driver's seat" and "controls" of your life, not the "back seat." From now on you make His work your guide for living. He is now Lord of your life. And then you must repent. That is you must turn from anything that you know does not please God, and as you grow in your faith He will reveal to you things that He wants changed. Now, if this is what you really want, then it's time for us all to pray. Let's pray this prayer together. Here's a suggested prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, I know I am a sinner and do not deserve eternal life. But, I believe You died and rose from the grave to purchase a place in heaven for me. Lord Jesus, come into my life; take control of my life; forgive my sins and save me. I repent of my sins and now place my trust in You for my salvation. I accept the free gift of eternal life. You say, Pastor is it that simple? You notice it centers on your relationship to Jesus Christ, and that's what Christianity is. You in love with Christ because you know He's in love with you. That's Christianity. So wonderful. Let's kneel, shall we? Jesus, thank you for being our Savior, and these elements remind us that You took our sins and You bore them at Calvary. And with Your precious blood we're cleansed. Thank you. Let's take the bread together, shall we? And then the cup. Jesus, thank you for being our Savior. Amen. Let's stand and greet one another, shall we?