Communion Message
Not Far from the Kingdom of God
February 8, 2004
Pastor Donald Sheley

For I have received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as oft as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

Paul tells the Corinthian church that each time we lift these elements to our lips we are telling again the story of Christ's love demonstrated at Calvary. So we turn to a passage from Luke as he describes one of the scenes of Calvary, he says: Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us." But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?" And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing amiss." Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

We've all been struck, I'm sure, with the reticence of the gospel narratives about the merely human personal details, but the scarcity of reference is not for lack of knowledge nor for the want of care for things of tender human interest. It's due to an intense absorption in one supreme interest -- it's the spiritual world in which these writers live and move and have their being, it's above all else the things of Jesus. Like one who has fixed an intense gaze on some object and so loses sight of all beyond that narrow circle, these evangelists focus their eyes on Jesus and on what He does for the soul.

We need not wonder at the brevity of the reference to the malefactor, although we understand the attempt to lift the veil which enshrouds them. Tradition and legend have been busy with his history. They will trace his life from his birth, tell you his name, and recount passages from his past. But the word of God rebukes by its reticence such a vagrant fancies. It sets him here for a few hours in the light and the love of the dying Lord. It fastens our eyes not upon the story of his past but upon the experience of his soul. The one absorbing thought in the mind of this man who is moved by the Holy Spirit is to show us a soul passing from darkness into the marvelous light of Christ, from death unto life, and from the power of Satan unto the power of God.

You see, this malefactor belonged to one of the bands of Jewish rebels quite common in that time. They all began by cherishing a passionate zeal for Israel's freedom and they bound together by a strong oath to break the Roman yoke. But a zeal which is based on hate and a patriotic fervor which is largely carnal pride becomes an easy prey to corrupt deeds and baser passions. These bands of Jewish zealots gave way to an outrage and lawlessness. Plunder became their trade and murder a mere incidence.

The strong arm of Rome's justice seized them and to a cross they were taken. Many a Jewish ruffian paid his just debt to that impartial Roman law of cursing his fate and his callous conquerors. Where sin abounded grace did much more abound. There is a way to heaven from the very gate of hell. There is no soul so sunken in sin and so given over by the shallow heart of a man, but one glimpse of the mercy of God may restore him. This malefactor saw one instant and was saved. He hung upon the cross at first in stupor for the wine mingled with myrrh had done to its stupefying work, but as his awful agony asserted itself he fixed his eyes upon his fellow sufferer. He marked His grace. He saw a sight he never saw before. There in loneliness hung one on whose face was imprinted the beauty of holiness. There He hung.

He heard the taunts and the derision of priests and ruler and passersby, yet, He reviled not again. And as He looks low, like a soft sweet music that rises and hushes every course and clamoring sound, His voice is heard in prayer, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. And now we begin to trace the passage of a soul from death to life. The first thing that happens in this malefactor is awakened in him the fear of God.

The and He turns to his criticizing friend and says, Dost not thou fear God, thou art in the same condemnation? Then his conscience awakens and he says, we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds. But the life stirring within his soul comes to a higher experience -- he now sees the beauty of Jesus. This man -- this man had done nothing amiss, he testifies.

The court had condemned Jesus, the high priest had reviled Him, the mob had hailed Him to Calvary, and His friends had deserted Him, yet this daring mind, this awakened soul, this man whose witnessing mouth might have been shut by a harsh Roman reversed the judgment of them all, and he says, this man has done nothing amiss.

When a man has come to see the holiness of Jesus, he is not far from the kingdom of God. And then he cries, Jesus, will You remember me when You come into Your kingdom? And the answer, today thou shalt be with Me in paradise.

You know each time I come to the communion service it's my prayer that we too catch a fresh glimpse of the beauty of our Christ who went to that cruel cross to pay the penalty for us all to satisfy a debt we could not pay to provide for us the gift of life eternal. Communion is not just another part of the worship service; communion is the time when I bow my knees in His presence and I fall in love with Him all over again. Because those elements that we hold in our hands tell us how much He really loves us. Would you worship Him with me now on our knees?

Lord Jesus, we kneel today this beautiful Sunday morning. It's so hard for us to go back over 2000 years of history and try to imagine what it must have been like on that day You hung on the cross on a hill that looked like a skull. And all who said they loved You forsook You, and there You hung in loneliness yet knowing that the Father was with You. You paid that debt for our sins because the wages of sin is death. So You died so that we could live. You became the sacrifice so that we could be forgiven, and each Sunday morning we hold in our hands these reminders. Not only do You love us, but You do forgive us.

You understand our weakness for we're just simply children of dust. Lord Jesus today You do forgive us in our frailties and in our failures and our sins. We ask You to forgive us today. I've failed You, all of us have. There's not a one of us that come to this moment with any degree of perfection. We're all sinners, but You're our Savior and You forgive us. And these elements we hold remind us that the matter of sin has been taken care of. So we take these elements today trusting in Your forgiveness and Your mercy and Your grace. Let's take the bread, and then the cup.

Lord Jesus, we worship You and we love You, and the most wonderful part about it all is that You love us. Thank you Jesus, and everybody said, amen. Amen.