Communion Message
(We are the joy)
November 21, 1999
Pastor Leigh Bishop

It is so wonderful to pour out our hearts in praise and worship to Jesus because He's worthy. In fact, the Bible tells us that He was poured out as an offering for us, and in reality He did pour out His heart for us that we might have eternal life. As we celebrate communion today we're going to begin by reading that familiar portion of Scripture, 1 Corinthians chapter 11 starting at verse 23. As Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit talked about those moments that Jesus spend with His disciples in the upper room just prior to the garden and the cross where He knew He would suffer life's greatest agonies, and He wanted to share some very special truths and love with His disciples to let them know how important they were to Him, and that He was to them. Paul wrote, For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed 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 in remembrance of Me." In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. It's always a challenge to wonder what sustained Jesus. How was He able to endure the cross and to suffer the shame? What was it that was there to make it possible for Him to redeem us? I go to Hebrews chapter 12 and read two portions of scripture that challenge both myself and I hope you. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the thrown of God. The Bible tells us that Jesus endured the cross for the joy that was set before Him. What was that joy? Part of probably was restoration with the Father, being one again in every intimate detail. Part of it was probably entering again into the realm of heaven, so different from the world in which we live with its corruption and sin. But I think the most important part of that joy was the joy of knowing that down through the centuries countless thousands upon thousands of people would say yes to Jesus and have their lives transformed and changed forever. It was for the joy of seeing you and I come to know Christ as Savior that He endured His cross and despised its shame. And in the very real sense it is for joy's sake that we can endure in the trials of life that we face, because you see in that communion message the apostle Paul wrote down the hope of every Christian. He said as oft as you drink this until He come. He is coming again, and every child of God has that joy and that assurance that this same Jesus that you saw, will come again in like manner. And that is the joy that sustains us and enables us to live and to walk for Jesus because of Calvary.

Let's find our places on our knees. Hallelujah. Thank you Jesus. Precious, precious Lord. We hold in our hands Lord these emblems that You set aside for Your church to remember. You said when we partake of the bread to remember that it was Your body that was broken for us, and to remember that in that breaking of Your body You provided healing in every area of our life. Father as we partake of that bread today may we, if we are in need of that healing touch, whether it's a physical healing, an emotional healing, a social healing, a healing of our marriage, a spiritual healing, it's there for us at Calvary as we partake. Let's partake of the bread together. Hallelujah. Thank you Lord. Father this cup we hold reminds us of the blood of Jesus, the new covenant, the new relationship. No longer is the sacrifice of bulls and goats necessary because Jesus, once and for all, presented Himself as a sacrifice for us. Thank you for the blood of Christ that cleanses us from sin. As we partake of this cup Lord, we acknowledge that You are the one, and only You, who can cleanse us from all sin. Let's partake of the cup. Thank you Lord. Thank you for today and its meaning. Thank you for the joy that You give us. Thank you for the hope that we have. May that be the centerpiece of our life. We pray in Jesus' name, amen. Let's stand together. Take a moment to greet those around you and welcome them to the house of the Lord.