Communion Message
(Proclaiming the Lord's death until He comes)
August 14-15, 1999
Pastor Leighton Sheley

I would like you to stand for the reading of the Scriptures. This morning I'm reading our passage 1 Corinthians chapter 11 from the Amplified version. For I have received from the Lord Himself that which I passed on to you [it was given to me personally], that the Lord Jesus on the night when He was treacherously delivered up and while His betrayal was in progress took bread, And when He had given thanks, He broke [it] and said, Take, eat, This is My body, which is broken for you. Do this to call Me [affectionately] to remembrance. Similarly when supper was ended, He took the cup also, saying, This cup is the new covenant [ratified and established] in My blood. Do this, as often as you drink [it], to call Me [affectionately] to remembrance. For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are representing and signifying and proclaiming the fact of the Lord's death until He comes [again]. So then whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in a way that is unworthy [of Him] will be guilty of [profaning and sinning against] the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man [thoroughly] examine himself, and [only when he has done] so should he eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discriminating and recognizing with due appreciation that [it is Christ's] body, eats and drinks a sentence (a verdict of judgment) upon himself. That [careless and unworthy participation] is the reason many of you are weak and sickly, and quite enough of you have fallen into the sleep of death. For if we searchingly examined ourselves [detecting our shortcomings and recognizing our own condition], we should not be judged and penalty decreed [by the divine judgment]. But when we [fall short and] are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined and chastened, so that we may not [finally] be condemned [to eternal punishment along] with the world. So then, my brothers, when you gather together to eat [the Lord's Supper], wait for one another.

The elements we hold, some ignore them. They're too busy in whatever their pursuits might be. Others treat them with distain. Others admire them and say such things as, what a noble concept, but they do not associate or partake of the elements. As we partake of the elements of communion this morning we are choosing to associate with the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ. For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup you are representing, and signifying, and proclaiming the fact of the Lord's death until He comes again. I will invite you now if you are physically able to join with me as we kneel in the presence of the Lord, and have a moment of self-examination as His Scriptures call us to.

Lord we've done as Your Scriptures told us to do, and Your Holy Spirit has revealed to us things that we've thought and said and done this very week that are sinful. Lord we are so thankful that we can come to You and we can confess our sin, and You're faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And we can leave this place today without having to carry with us the sins of the past for You have removed them from us as far as the east is from the west. Lord as we hold the elements we are reminded of the price that was paid for this salvation, for the wages of our sin, and we recognize that Your graciousness is not a license to continue in sin. But Your mercies are new every morning, and You are so patient with us as we continue to stumble and fall through this life. Thank you Lord, thank you Lord, thank you, thank you Lord. Let's partake of the bread and also the cup. O, Hallelujah. Let's present the Lord a chorus of hallelujah together, shall we? Hallelujah. (hallelujah) Let's say it again, hallelujah. (hallelujah) Let's say it again, hallelujah. (hallelujah) We worship You this day Lord. Let's give Him a clap offering. Thank you Lord, thank you Lord, thank you Lord, thank you, hallelujah, thank you Lord. Thank you Lord for everything. In Jesus' name we pray, and together we say, amen. Let's stand; let's greet our neighbors, shall we?