Communion Message
(Taking inventory)
February 5-6, 2000
Pastor Ralph Huddleston

In 1 Corinthians chapter 11 verses 24 and 25, now listen very carefully because this is Jesus Christ speaking these words. He says this is My body; do this in remembrance of Me. Later He says this cup is the new covenant in My blood. Do this whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.

Now we have in the past, from different perspectives, looked at why would we celebrate the Lord Supper every Lord's Day or as often as we can? And for so many reasons we've all agreed it's a good thing and as often as we can. But I'd like to share with you another perspective. Now let me ask you isn't once in a lifetime, or once in a year, or once in a month enough to say I love you? Not really. Why do we leave pictures of people we love hanging on the wall or lying on the mantle? Wouldn't having them out occasionally be enough to remember them? Not really. When does the frequency of an event turn into such familiarity that it becomes commonplace, and thus no longer has meaning? Does eating two or three times today do that? Does talking to a friend once a week do that? Does looking into the mirror in the morning at ourselves do that? What becomes meaningless or meaningful is not tied to our schedules it's tied to our hearts. That's why Jesus said whenever you do this, and then Paul said as often as you do this. The more we love someone the more we want to commune with them. And as often as we can we purpose all of us as a congregation to spend as much time around the Lord's Table as we can.

Nowhere else do we have the opportunity to remember what He did, why He did it, and in that expression He's telling us I love you. I love you. And at that same table there is a protocol for us as believers, it is to say I love You, but first, we must, we are compelled to examine ourselves. You know what's inside you, and I know what's inside me. We must examine ourselves and say that we are first sorry, we are repentant, we want that relationship back the way He meant it to be. And once that is done through the same breaking of His body and spilling of His blood washing us as white as snow, then, then we can say to Him as we look into His eyes I love You. I love You Jesus. And only then do we mean it truly. The table like no other time gives us opportunity to take inventory of ourselves, to look deep into our hearts to search there, and to pull up those things that we know are just plainly called sin and to ask for forgiveness to be reconciled to Him. This morning as you join me on my knees that's exactly what He craves. He wants us to be rid of those obstacles that stand between us. We might be able to say I'd love You Jesus.

Won't you go to your knees with me? Dear Jesus forgive me for my words, my words this week that literally stung Your ears, for actions that have wounded You deep in Your heart. Forgive me Lord Jesus. Wipe my sins clean off of my heart off of my soul and make it white again as You promised like the driven snow. And remind me each time that I partake of the bread and the cup of that wonderful sacrifice. Let's partake of the cup together, and the bread. Thank you Jesus. Thank you dear Jesus. Thank you heavenly Father that You have made possible this table, that we come as Your children to search for forgiveness, to make our sins known, and to be forgiven by You through that sacrifice of Your Son. Thank you for that. Thank you that by that action our relationship is as You dreamed it would be, and that we might with a sense of worthiness say I love You, I love You, I love You. And it's Your Son's precious name that we pray through and about, amen. Amen. Would you stand with me and take a few moments to greet those folks around you. Let them know that you're glad to see them today, glad that they're here to join you for worship and praise.