Communion Message
(Hiding from God)
November 4, 2001
Pastor Leighton Sheley

This week as I was thinking and praying in preparation for this time together, this picture came back to me from my childhood. I was in either the fourth, fifth, or sixth grade. At that time our church was in the building next to Seton Medical Center, then Mary's Help Hospital, up on the hill, Calvary Cross Church, Calvary Cross Church of the Highlands. I was attending Daniel Webster School. The school that is literally in the backyard of that building.

On this particular day, I evidently got into some kind of disagreement with one of my fellow students. And in my frustration I used a colorful metaphor. Now back then, you got in trouble for those kinds of things. Now you get in trouble for carrying pistols and things like that to school, but back then I got the attention of the principal and the principal sent me home. I figured out that if I showed up at home early it might get the attention of my dad, and so I decided I was going to hide from my dad.

Well, what I didn't know, is that the principal was also very efficient, and had called my dad my dad. And my dad was looking for me. And as I was remembering that picture I was thinking to myself, what was I thinking? And then I remembered the picture of Adam in the garden hiding from God, and I said, what was He thinking? That you're going to be able to hide from God.

This last time our men were together, one of the things that we talked about as men was the difference between condemnation and conviction. Both of them have this in similarity; both of them are the recognition that we have done something wrong. Both condemnation and conviction is the recognition that we have done something wrong, but there's something that differentiates these two words. You see, condemnation is the knowledge that you have done something wrong and the inclination to try to get away from God. To try to hide from God; to try to separate yourself from God; to try to divide yourself from God.

One of Lucifer's names literally is translated divider. (A low level high-pitched humming noise begins-technical difficulties) And one of the things that Lucifer, Satan, the devil endeavors to do every day (noise overpowers Pastor and he stops speaking). (After several seconds the noise is extinguished) Is to be a distraction! (Congregation laughs) Is to be a divider. You see, he likes to divide friendships, families, churches, nations, or between nations if necessary. He is a divider. Now why is it that he works so hard to cause division? Perhaps it's because it's the opposite of what God tries to do.

God tries to bring reconciliation. He tries to bring us together, together with each other, together with Him. We have been given the ministry of reconciliation. He was in Christ Jesus reconciling us to Himself, bringing us together. When Jesus was just about to go to the cross, one of the prayers that He prayed was, Lord, make them one as we are one -- bringing us together.

Condemnation is the inclination to be separated. Romans says there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Condemnation should not be a part of our experience. When it comes we should recognize what it is and say, no, no, we're not going to accept that.

Conviction, on the other hand, is something that should be a part of our relationship with the Lord, because conviction is the acknowledgment that we've done something wrong, but it's the inclination to push into God and to ask for His forgiveness. To press into the vine, as we are as branches, and it is in that context I read for you from John 15, when Jesus says, "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and wither; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be giving you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

As the father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.

I no longer call you servants, because the surgeon does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called to friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my commands: Love each other."

I invite you now to join with me as we kneel in the presence of our Lord and Savior... Lord, we've examined ourselves as Your Scriptures say. And we know that we have, each and every one of us, sinned each and every day. There is an inclination to follow the example of our great-great-great-grandfather Adam. We try to run away and hide from You. Your word says that if we do that, it's like a branch running away from the vine. A branch can't live by itself. It withers, dries up, and dies. It's of no use except to be cast into the fire and burned.

Lord we don't want to try to run away from You. We want to press into You. Our hearts are filled with conviction because we know we've thought, and said, and done things that are displeasing to You. Lord we are so thankful for Your word that says if we confess our sins You are faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Lord as we partake this day that's what we're asking You to do. We're asking You to forgive our sins. We're asking You to cleanse us from unrighteousness. We ask You, Lord, to cleanse us from even the inclination to unrighteousness.

We thank you Lord that You never give up on us; that You are faithful. And Lord we thank you that You so highly value us that You paid a most awesome price for our salvation. Thank you Lord for Calvary's cross. Thank you Lord. Let's partake of the bread and also the cup. Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord. We are ever so thankful Lord, in Jesus' name we pray, and all God's people said, amen. Well, let's stand. Let's greet our fellow worshipers.