Communion Message
(True worth)
June 15, 2003
Pastor Leighton Sheley

Bob had systematically worked his way to the back of the garage sale and was about to make his exit when he first saw it, although partially hidden underneath a table cloth and an old comforter, the shape was unmistakable. It was a motorcycle. And not only that, it was a Harley. Obviously it wasn't part of the garage sale and that peaked Bob's interest.
"Is the bike for sale?"
The man shrugged. "Well, I don't rightly see why not. The wife says it's all got to go. But I'll warn ya. That bike hasn't run since I've had it. Motor seized up. Won't turn over. You could probably buy yourself a new one with what it would cost to fix that old thing up."
Bob nodded patiently. "All the same, how much do you want for it?"
"Well I'm sure they'd give me thirty-five bucks for the metal at the scrap yard. How does that sound?"
Bob looked a t the rusty old heap. What would his wife say if he brought this thing home? But still, to the practiced eye it had potential. Even if it didn't run, he could shine it up and it would be a conversation piece, and he could surely sell it again for more than thirty-five dollars. The parts alone would be worth more than that.
"Okay," he said. "I'll give you thirty-five. Can I pick it up tomorrow?" And shortly thereafter the old Harley was occupying space in Bob's garage.
After a few weeks of procrastinating, he finally got around to calling Harley-Davidson, just to see what a few major parts for restoration would run him. He connected with someone on the parts line and asked a few questions.
"Why don't you give me the serial number," the dealer said, "and I can look that up for you." Bob gave him the number. "Hold on just a second while I look." Bob waited on hold listening to a '60s rock station piped into the receiver. How appropriate he thought.
And after what seemed like an inordinate long time the parts man returned to the line. Just in time. One more number from the Trogs or Country Joe and the Fish would have driven Bob right off the line. Somehow the Harley man sounded a little different, strange, self-conscious, like something was up. "Uh, sir, I'm going to have to call you back, is that okay? Could I get your full name, address, and phone number, please?"
Why does he need my name and address Bob wondered. Then again, what was the harm? It was no big deal. He would probably end up on some motorcycle list.
Bob gave the man what he wanted and hung up. After a few minutes, however, he found himself getting real nervous. He regretted giving the information about himself over the phone. What if the bike had been involved in a crime of some kind? What if the bike was stolen? Was he in danger of prosecution? Maybe the police were already on their way. Or a Hell's Angel ready to reclaim his bike!
Bob sweated for a couple of days without hearing back from Harley, and just as his worries were beginning to subside, the phone rang. This time it wasn't the parts man; he found himself talking with a Harley executive. The man seemed overly friendly making Bob feel even more uneasy.
"Listen, Bob," said the man, "I want you to do something for me, okay?"
Well, I guess.
"Now Bob I want you to set the receiver down, don't hang up, and take the seat off your bike and see if anything is written underneath. Would you do that for me Bob?" The man sounded like an air traffic controller. He grabbed a screwdriver and did as he was told, and returned to the phone. "Yes," he said, "it does have something written there. It's engraved, and it says, 'THE KING.'" Hey listen, is there some kind of trouble here? What's this all about?
Well a moment or two of profound silence was on that line and then the man said, "Bob, my boss has authorized me to offer you $300,000 for the bike, payable to you immediately. How about it? Do we have a deal?" Bob was so stunned he could hardly speak. "I-I'll have to think about it." Then he hung up the phone and let himself slump to a sitting position on the kitchen floor.
The next day Bob got another call, this time from Jay Leno, the late-night television talk show host. Leno explained that he "had a thing for Harleys" and he offered Bob $500,000.
"THE KING." Of course, was none other than Elvis Presley. The serial number made that clear and the engraved legend under the seat had removed all doubt. The bike that Bob had redeemed from the scrap pile for thirty-five dollars had once been owned by "The King of Rock 'n Roll." And it was worth half a million--at least. It really goes to show you that one man's trash is another man's treasurer. The value of the motorcycle, of course, wasn't in the metal or the parts. It didn't even run. The value had nothing to do with the bike's beauty, what it was made of, or how well it performed; It was all tied to the fact that it had been owned by "THE KING." He had touched it, ridden it, taken pride in it. And the inexplicable value our culture has attached to Elvis Presley transferred to his motorcycle.

Now what is it that speaks most forcibly about your value and mine? Is it what we're made of? Is it based on our job title or economic status? Is it determined by what we can do or how well we perform? What gives us a sense of worth and significance really is that we belong to God, the King, the King of kings. I have been redeemed by God's own Son at great suffering and at a great price. He owns me and no one argues with the mark of the King.

We were all destined for the scrap heap, the result, the consequence of sin. And yet, we have been redeemed by Jesus Christ who paid the wages of our sin on Calvary's cross. And our heavenly Father wants to restore us to the condition before the fall; before mankind's decision to sin.

Oftentimes people, Christians as well, go through times of depression and they wonder if they have any value, to themselves, to others, and to God. You have value because God has said what does it profit a man if he lose his soul and gain the whole world? You are more valuable than all the treasure this world has to offer.

Perhaps there are those among us this day who are tired of wandering and wondering, and you want to be marked by the King. You want to be redeemed by the King. I'd like to invite everyone to bow their heads, and I'll invite everyone to pray this prayer. And if you would like this to be the day of your salvation, I invite you to join in.

Dear Lord I am a sinner. I cannot save myself. Thank you for revealing Your salvation available in Jesus Christ alone. Who paid the wages of my sin on Calvary's cross and proved His authority over sin and death by leaving an empty tomb. This day I accept and receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and my Savior. Thank you for hearing my prayer, in Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

The Bible says if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead that you will be saved. Even after salvation, each and every day each and every one of us think, say and do things that are displeasing to God. We give thanks to God for His holy word that says if we confess our sin He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I would like to invite you, if you're physically able, to join with me now as we kneel in the presence of our Lord and Savior.

Thank you Lord for Your great, great love for us; for Your holy word that reveals this to us and gives us guidance; for Your Holy Spirit that guides and directs and every so patiently works within us transforming us more into the image of your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank you Lord for paying the wages of our sin, my sin, on Calvary's cross. The elements we hold remind us of how great Your love and provision is for us. And as we partake we ask You to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us in Jesus' name. Let's partake of the bread and also the cup. Thank you Lord.