Communion Message
(Schemes of the devil)
December 23-24, 2000
Pastor Leighton Sheley

As we gather together week after week we approach this time around the communion elements, different facets. Sometimes it's didactic in that we try to find something and learn something about the sacrifice that was made on our behalf, or about the application of our faith. Now sometimes it's a time of worship and devotion. This here is Christmas Eve day and Pastor David Smith and I were talking earlier this week and we thought that it might be appropriate on this Christmas Eve day to take a rather dramatic view of what it must be like for Satan for the advent of the child. The following monologue is told from the viewpoint of Satan who rebelled against God, and the point of this monologue is to remind us that we are in need of a Savior and that our Savior Jesus Christ has paid a great price because He loves us. Pastor David.

(Pastor David Smith)
What Are You up to? You know You've really blown it this time. You, the God of the universe, have taken your Son, the One with You at creation, and You've turned Him into one of them -- a crawling, creeping, crying, dirty little human creature. You stuffed all that glory into a tiny baby, but a vulnerable tiny baby. (Chuckles) Now You're in my territory. I'm the ruler of this world. How many times must I prove that? I tempted Eve, a pretty easy deception my first time out. But I've tempted them all, and they all fall, and that sin separates them from You -- Your rules -- so they belong to me. All the kingdoms of this world belong to me. So why don't You just give up? Oh, I forgot, You love them, even when they don't love You. Oh, You sent Your messengers and You sent Your word, but I twist Your word and I kill Your messengers. I tell Your people lies and they not only believe me, but they let me teach them how to lie too. I tempt their flesh in all kinds of ways, and I love to spill their blood. Flesh and blood -- that's my domain not Yours. They give themselves to me and I devour them. You love them but You have to plead and beg just to get a few hours of attention from them.

Ironic, isn't it? So now You have come to them. You sent Your Son in flesh and blood. How weak. I knew He was coming. You made it easy to find Him, that custom made star, angels flying all over the place, and that choir? (Chuckles) You didn't think I'd notice? Well now Your Son is in my grasp. My lackey Herod is already...What? You say what? They fled to Egypt. Well why didn't you stop them? Oh, angels, lots of angels. So you ran away. Get out of my presence. Must I do everything myself? This is Your doing. I should have ripped that baby right out of the womb! But I haven't been able to touch Him or His mother because You always protect them. It's not fair. I twist Your rules to gain an advantage. You play by Your rules and You still win! Not this time. Not this time! I can still destroy Him. I'm going to tempt Him, and I'm not going to give up. I'm not going to give up until He sins. What will He sell out for? Sex, power, money, a loaf of bread? No one can resist me forever.

The flesh is weak and when He sins, when He disappoints You, when He hurts You then I'll accuse Him in the courts, in the very courts of heaven. And You'll have to find Him guilty, and then I'll kill Him. I'll spill His blood. (Chuckles) I'm the king here. Glory to the King, glory to God in the highest. I'm the king here! I rule the darkness. I'm going to put out His light. I'm going to win. You made Him flesh and blood -- flesh and blood -- what can He do with His own body and blood to defeat me? (Chuckles) What are You up to? (Congregation claps)

(Pastor Leighton Sheley)
Satan is not like God. Satan does not know everything. Satan is not all-powerful. Satan can't be everywhere at once. But Satan has within his very being the desire to separate man from God and endeavors to do so by inducing us to sin against God, because it's sin that causes separation between man and God. Thanks be to Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, who on Calvary's cross paid the wages of our sin, who gave up His life of His own freewill, not because of the schemes of the devil, and purchased a place for us in heaven which He offers to us as a free gift. I invite you, if you're physically able, to join with me now as we kneel in the presence of our Lord and Savior.

Lord as we kneel in Your presence for these moments we examine ourselves as Your Scripture tells us to do, and Your Spirit speaks to us and reminds us of areas that we think and say and do things that are not pleasing to You. Lord each and every one of us is guilty each and every day of sinning against You in some way. We are so thankful Lord that Your word promises that if we confess our sins You are faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And so Lord, even now as we gather together we ask You to forgive us our sins. Thank you Lord for hearing our prayer. Let's partake of the bread and also the cup. Hallelujah

(Singing)
For You alone are worthy.
For You alone are worthy.
For You alone are worthy, Christ the Lord.
We'll give You all the glory. (Let's stand)
We'll give You all the glory.
We'll give You all the glory, Christ the Lord.

Thank you Lord, thank you Lord, in Jesus' name we say, and together we say amen. Let's greet our neighbor this morning.