Communion Message
(Are you ready to meet your maker?)
April 21, 2002
Pastor Leighton Sheley

This story is recorded for us by Ron Mehl. He writes: Roger Sims had just left the military and was anxious to take his uniform off once and for all. He was hitch hiking home and his heavy duffel bag made the trip even more arduous than hitch hiking normally is. Flashing his thumb to an oncoming car he lost hope when he saw that it was a shiny, black, expensive car; so new that it only had a temporary license in the back window. Hardly the type of car that would stop for a hitchhiker, but to his amazement, the car stopped and the passenger door opened. He ran towards the car, placed his duffel carefully in the back, and slid into the leather covered front seat. He was greeted by a friendly smile of a handsome older gentleman with distinguished gray hair and a deep tan.

Hello son. Are you on leave or are you going home for good? I just got out of the Army and I'm going home for the first time in several years, answered Roger. Well you're in luck if you're going to Chicago, smiled the man. Well not quite that far, said Roger, but my home is on the way. Do you live there mister? Hanover, and yes I have a business there. And with that, they were on their way.

After giving each other brief life histories and talking about everything under the sun, Roger, who was a Christian, felt a strong compulsion to witness to Mr. Hanover about Christ. But witnessing to an elderly, wealthy gentleman, a businessman, who obviously had everything he could ever want, was a scary prospect indeed. Roger kept putting it off, but as he neared his destination he realized it was now or never.

Mr. Hanover, began Roger, I would like to talk with you about something very important. And then he proceeded to explain the way of salvation, ultimately asking Mr. Hanover if he would like to receive Christ as his savior. To Roger's astonishment the big car pulled over to the side of the road. Roger thought for a moment that Mr. Hanover was about to throw him out. Then a strange and wonderful thing happened. The businessman bowed his head to the steering wheel and began to cry, affirming that he did in fact want to accept Christ into his heart. He thanked Roger for talking to him, saying that this is the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. He dropped Roger at his house and traveled on towards Chicago.

Five years went by. Roger Sims married, had a child, and started a business of his own. One day, while packing for a business trip to Chicago, he came across a small gold embossed business card which Mr. Hanover had given to him five years earlier. When Roger arrived in Chicago he looked up Hanover Enterprises and found to be located downtown in a very tall and important looking building. The receptionist told him that it would be impossible to see Mr. Hanover, but if he was an old friend he would be able to see Mrs. Hanover.

A little disappointed he was led into a poshly decorated office were a woman in her 50s was sitting at a huge oak desk. She extended her hand. You knew my husband? Roger explained how Mr. Hanover had been kind enough to give him a ride back home. A look of interest passed her face. Can you tell me what date that was? Sure, said Roger, it was May 7th, five years ago, the day I was discharged from the Army. And did anything special happened on your ride, anything unusual?

Roger hesitated, should he mention giving his witness? Had it been some source of contention between the two, perhaps which resulted in a marital breakup or separation? But once again he felt the prompting of the Lord to be truthful. Mrs. Hanover, your husband accepted the Lord into his heart that day. I explain the gospel message to him and he pulled to the side of the road and wept and then chose to pray a prayer of salvation.

Suddenly, she began to sob uncontrollably. After several minutes she regained enough control to explain what had happened. She said, I grew up in a Christian home, but my husband did not. I had prayed for my husband's salvation for many years and I believed that God would save him. But just after he let you out of his car, on May 7th, he passed away in a horrible head-on collision. He never arrived home. I thought God had not kept his promise, and I stopped living for the Lord five years ago because I blamed him for not keeping his word.

It wasn't too long ago when I was asked to do a service for a family member of one of our parishioners. I presented the gospel and afterwards there was a reception. I can distinctly remember sitting across the table from a certain gentleman, and hearing that prompting that I know so very well as the work of the Holy Spirit, saying, ask him if he's ready to meet his maker.

I confess to you this day that I was disobedient and I didn't ask that question that day. I'll never get a chance to ask that question of that man, because two weeks later he passed from this life.

There are really two points to this.
We never really know when it's our time, and, we shouldn't be planning to prepare sometime tomorrow, or next week, or next month for something that could very well happen today. And once we've made that proclamation, for the benefit of those who are left behind, it's good for us to declare it clearly.

So I ask you this day, are you ready to meet your maker? The gospel, that word means good news, and this is the good news -- that God so loved the world that he gave his only be gotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have life everlasting. Our salvation is not dependent upon us. It can't be. We're too fickle. It doesn't depend on us being good, thinking good, saying good things, doing good deeds, or refraining from not doing good.

The elements that we hold remind us of the salvation that is the only way. Jesus Christ on Calvary's cross, with his life, his death -- paid the wages of our sin. God wishes to extend that to us as a gift. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. Perhaps you have never told God that you would like to accept his gift. I would like to invite you to make this the day that you say, God, Jesus, reveal to me your salvation. Make me a temple of your Holy Spirit. Begin the work in me of transforming me into the image of your son, Jesus Christ, which is, I know, your ultimate goal for me in my life.

The Scriptures say at times like this that we should examine ourselves, and so I would like to invite you to join with me, if you're physically able, as we kneel in the presence of our Lord and savior.

Lord, we are so thankful that we can come to you for salvation. Lord I need your salvation each and every day, for each and every day I think or say or do something that is sinful. Your word says if I confess my sin that you're faithful and just to forgive me of my sin and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. And Lord I desire to be forgiven and cleansed this day. The elements that I hold remind me that you keep your promises God. They also remind me of how great your love is for me, the price that was paid for my redemption my salvation. Thank you Lord. We partake this day in remembrance of you. Let's partake of the bread and also the cup.

Thank you Lord. Thank you that I don't have to carry out of this place the burden and shame of sin -- in Jesus' name, and all God's people said, amen. Let's stand and greet our neighbors.