Communion Message
(Considering others)
May 11, 2003
Pastor Leighton Sheley

Reading from the familiar passage in 1 Corinthians: For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me." In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes. Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and the blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. This is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world. So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other.

Many believe that this time that we have is a very personal time between us the Lord, and it is, but not to the extent it excludes our sensitivity to others. You see, this passage that is so familiar ends with this instruction -- So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other. Be considerate of others. And it's introduced with a preface: When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!

So this is a very personal time, but it's not to the exclusion or neglect of others; it's in the midst of others that we need this personal time with the Lord.

As I was praying and considering our time together this Sunday, I was thinking about the significance and the meaning of Mother's Day and I was reminded of the many, many, many stories that all of us have heard about mothers who prayed for their lost children for weeks, months, years and sometimes decades. They were faithful in their prayers for the salvation of another. And I believe that it is appropriate on this Mother's Day as we now prepare ourselves to partake of the communion elements that we allow the Holy Spirit to bring to our attention someone who is lost, someone who needs our prayers, someone on whose behalf we can pray for salvation.

I'd like to invite you, if you are physically able, to join with me as we kneel now in the presence of our Lord and Savior. The Scriptures say at times like these we should examine our self.

Lord we thank you for the many mothers who have been so diligent in their prayers for the salvation of their children, their spouses, their families, relatives, neighbors, and co-workers. Your Holy Spirit has brought to our attention this day someone or a group of people that are needing someone to pray on their behalf. You are not willing that any should perish. It is not Your desire, and so we know we pray in accordance with Your will.

May it be in the hours and days and weeks ahead that we get some indication that our prayers are being heard and acted upon, but even if that not be the case, may we be as diligent in our prayers on their behalf as our mothers have been.

And Lord, the elements that we hold remind us of Your great love and the price that has been paid because of our sin; the fact that we are all sinners. And our examining ourselves today has reminded us that we continue to think, say, and do things that are sinful, and we continue to need Your forgiveness and cleansing. As we partake of these elements, Lord, we ask You to forgive us and to cleanse us in Jesus' name. Let's partake of the bread and also cup.