Communion Message
(Hebrews 1 and 2)
February 17-18, 2001
Pastor Leighton Sheley

We think of how great and awesome You are, so infinite in every dimension that all of space which is beyond our ability to comprehend or measure is held in Your hand. We stand in awe that You would even consider us who are so small, so finite, so short-lived. Lord, You have loved us with an everlasting love and You have provided for us salvation. Thank you Lord for revealing this to us and thank you for Your Word.

I'm going to read to you now from the Living Bible paraphrased translation selected passages from Hebrews chapter 1 and 2 which reads; Long ago God spoke in many different ways to our fathers through the prophets in visions, dreams, and even face to face, telling them little by little about his plans. But now in these days he has spoken to us through his Son to whom he has given everything, and through whom he made the world and everything there is. God's Son shines out with God's glory, and all that God's Son is and does marks him as God. He regulates the universe by the mighty power of his command. He is the one who died to cleanse us and clear our record of all sin, and then sat down in highest honor beside the great God of heaven. Thus he became far greater than the angels, as proved by the fact that his name "Son of God," which was passed on to him from his Father, is far greater than the names and the titles of the angels. For God never said to any angel, "You are my Son, and today I have given you the honor that goes with that name." But God said it about Jesus. Another time he said, "I am his Father and he is my Son." And still another time--when his firstborn Son came to earth-- God said, "Let all the angels of God worship him." God speaks of his angels as messengers swift as the wind and as servants made of flaming fire; but of his Son he says, "Your kingdom, O God, will last forever and ever; its commands are always just and right.

So we must listen very carefully to the truths we have heard, or we may drift away from them. For since the messages from angels have always prove true and people have always been punished for disobeying them, what makes us think that we can escape if we are indifferent to this great salvation announced by the Lord Jesus himself, and passed on to us by those who heard him speak? God always has shown us that these messages are true by signs and wonders and various miracles and by giving certain special abilities from the Holy Spirit to those who believes; yes, God has assigned such gifts to each of us. And the future world we are talking about will not be controlled by angels. No, for in the book of Psalms David says to God, "What is mere man that you are so concerned about him? And who is this Son of Man that you honor him so highly? For though you made him lower than the angels for a little while, now you have crowned him with glory and honor. And you have put him in complete charge of everything there is. Nothing is left out. We have not yet seen all of this take place, but we do see Jesus--who for a while was a little lower than the angels--crowned now by God with glory and honor because he suffered death for us. Yes, because of God's great kindness, Jesus tasted death for everyone in all the world. And it was right and proper that God, who made everything for his own glory, should allow Jesus to suffer, for in doing this he was bringing vast multitudes of God's people to heaven; for his suffering made Jesus a perfect Leader, one fit to bring them into their salvation.

We who have been made holy by Jesus, now have the same Father as he has. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call us his brothers. For he says in the book of Psalms, "I will talk to my brothers about God my Father, and together we will sing his praises." And another time he said, "I will put my trust in God along with my brothers." And still another time he says, "See, here am I and the children God gave me." Since we, God's children, are human beings--made of flesh and blood--he became flesh and blood too by being born in human form; for only as a human being could he die and in dying break the power of the devil who had the power of death. Only in that way could he deliver those who through fear of death have been living all their lives as slaves to constant dread. We all know that he did not come as an angel but as a human being--yes, a Jew. And it was necessary for Jesus to be like us, his brothers, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God, a Priest who would be both merciful to us and faithful to God in dealing with the sins of the people. For since he himself has now been through suffering and temptation, he knows what it is like when we suffer and are tempted, and he is wonderfully able to help us.

Thank you Lord for being wonderfully able to help us in our suffering and our temptation. I'm going to invite you now to join with me if you are physically able as we kneel in the presence of our Lord and Savior. If that's not physically possible for you, feel free to take a seat and sit on the edge. The Scriptures tell us that when we gather together at these times we should examine ourselves, and so I invite us to take a moment of private meditation as the Lord's Spirit talks to us.

Lord we're so thankful that we can come into Your presence, that You have made Yourself available to be our High Priest, to represent us mercifully before God, to reveal God to us, and Lord we're thankful that You have gone through suffering and temptation. For You know then how our hearts hurt and tremble. Lord there are those in our midst this day who are suffering the loss of loved ones. For Steve whose wife has just recently passed on; for the family of Matt the Redwood City fireman who just passed on the young age of 33. Lord we're so thankful that we can come and we can ask You and You will provide the peace that passes understanding in times of suffering. And Lord, You too were tempted and You're the only one who has ever been tempted and not failed. Each and every one of us fail You in some way each and every day. We're so thankful that You have compassion for us, that Your mercies are new every morning, that Your Word promises if we confess our sins You are faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We desire to be cleansed this day. Purify our hearts Lord. Change our hearts. Transform us more into the image of Your Son we pray. We want to know You more. We want to grow more like You our heavenly Father. Thank you Lord. Let's partake of the bread and also the cup. Thank you Lord, thank you Lord, thank you Lord.

(Singing)
With all my heart -- let's stand together
I want to know You more,
and live my life
each day to know You more.
All that is in me
is Yours completely.
I'll serve You only
with all my heart.

With all my heart
I want to love You Lord,
and live my life
each day to know You more.
All that is in me
is Yours completely.
I'll serve You only
with all my heart.
I'll serve You only
with all my heart.

Lord you know that that's not a statement of fact because each and every one of us our hearts are not yet pure, but Lord You can make a pure heart. You can make a clean heart, and we invite You to do that in us Lord. We desire that You do that within us. Purify our hearts we pray, in Jesus' name, and we can say together, amen.