Communion Message
(The peace of God)
February 19-20, 2000
Pastor Donald Sheley

For I have received from the Lord that which I also delivered unto 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 the blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

Paul in his wonderful words exalts the Christ and writes: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that it all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now as He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.

There are some beautiful words in our English language. If I should select my favorite I think it would be the word reconciliation, but there are words like tranquility. And then there's the word peace. And I think it's second only to love in sweetness and sound and significance. What makes it so amazingly wonderful? What gives peace such incomparable qualities? Simply this, peace is of God, and God is not the author of confusion, writes Paul in the Corinthian passage, but of peace. And earth may languish and its bitterness of conflict, but all heaven lies in the calmness of settled restfulness in the serenity of wholesome and joyful harmony. Thieves cannot break through and steal. Friends cannot form insurrections, nor can foes foster strife.

What is peace then but simply the atmosphere of heaven? It's sometimes difficult to distinguish between the processes and the products in the divine workings of God, but this we know, that peace to be the result of justification. And justification is the result of the perfectness and the completeness of Christ's work on the cross. Peace is said to be perfect union between two personalities, and in this regard, think with me for a moment between the distinction of peace with God and the peace of God. Peace with God is the result of excepting by faith. The peace of God is the reward of abiding in Him, and as soon as one comes to the crossroads of life and faces the greatest of all issues, that of personal salvation, and accepts Christ as the only one under heaven who can meet man's every need, at once that one is set at peace with God. The rebellion ceases, selfish designs end, and the way of the Lord becomes pleasingly acceptable, then one is at peace with God. But those who find the way of life and truth and assurance are called also upon to continue in faith and to grow in grace and to mature in spiritual matters, and thus through obedience and through yieldedness comes the constant blessing of the peace of God which garrisons our hearts and minds in Jesus Christ.

Lingering at Calvary the shadow of the cross at the table this morning furnishes us with something of the fact and the focus of peace. We find that God is its author and its characteristic is of absolute perfection. Its design is to reconcile. Its operation is to keep the hearts and minds of believers, and that peace is a gift from God. I've often thought when the day is ended and I contemplate the times that we have spent with you in worship, what is it that makes our communion? What is it that makes communion to me so very special? I love to preach, but I must assure you that this moment around the table is the most precious of this event. I know what it is. It's a peace that floods my heart once I meet Christ at the table. When I stand after seeking His forgiveness I know one thing, everything, no matter what I've done, in my heart, I'm at peace with God because He's forgiven me. You see that's what Paul says. Paul says it's the peace that God through Christ in the act of reconciliation through the blood of the cross gives us peace. And because we've come to honor the cross today and we'll take the bread and the cup, and we'll seek God's forgiveness, and I'll seek God's forgiveness, this is the promise of His Word, if we confess our sins He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

So this is the table of peace. And if you're here today, your life is racked with confusion and turmoil, just remember that it's through the blood of the cross of Christ for which we've come to honor today comes reconciliation and peace. And you can kneel with me, we can pray together, and we can seek that peace and forgiveness and know that it is granted to us.

Let's kneel in His presence, shall we? Lord Jesus, there are times when life with all of its tensions and with all of its temptations allure us from the way and the pathway of righteousness and we fall. I have failed You this week. I'm a sinner and I need Your grace. I have thought things I should not have thought. Words were said that should not have been said. Deeds were done that were not Christ-like. I need Your forgiveness and Your Word tells me dear Jesus that through the blood of Your cross You'll give me the peace knowing that You have forgiven me. There's not a one of us who kneel here today who claim any degree of perfection. We wouldn't be so foolish. We're human beings in life's struggle seeking to make it to the goal. And Lord Jesus You're our Great High Priest and You were touch with the things that touch us. You walk this way before us. You felt life's pain and You felt rejection. You felt the hatred of others. But You could hang on that cross and in the calmness of that eternal moment You could say; Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. And thus peace has come from a turbulent experience, the cross. And You said we could have peace amidst our turbulences. So cleanse us today dear Jesus, wash us with Your precious blood and fill our hearts with peace. Let's take the bread together, shall we? And then the cup. Lord Jesus we love You. Sometimes we don't act like it, but You know our hearts. Thank you for loving us anyway, and everybody said, amen. Let's stand and greet one another, shall we?