Communion Message
We Know the Answer!
October 17, 2004
Pastor Donald Sheley

For I have received from the Lord that which I also deliver unto you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He brake it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of Me." After the same manner also He took the cup when He had supped, saying, "This cup is the new testament in My blood. This do ye as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me."

For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death till He comes. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.

There is a supreme, spiritual reason why we have communion in our services. I've often commented Jesus never asked us to celebrate His birth nor His resurrection, but He told us never forget His death. And thus, the communion service in all of our worship services brings us immediately to our own personal relationship with Christ. When those communion cups are passed in front of you, you've got to make a decision, where do I stand with almighty God?

And you know, I have great respect for people who come and are part of our congregation, and yet they know that the spiritual matters in their life have not been resolved and they know that communion is a very sacred expression of Christian people, so they graciously allow the cup to pass. They understand.

Maybe you're one of those today where you've been coming to worship with us now for some time or maybe this might be your first occasion, and you're searching for God. Your desire is to somehow find life's answers today, and of course it's our firm conviction as Christians that Jesus Christ really is the answer. He changes our life. He makes us new creations in Christ Jesus. He forgives us of our sins. He takes away the guilt and He puts His peace within. So we recommend to you the Lord Jesus Christ. We have found in Him a wonderful Savior.

Or maybe you're here...this might be the day that you would like before Almighty God for this to be the day you make your decision that you want to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior. You want His peace and you want His Holy Spirit to come and live within you, and you want your life to be different because you've been here today, because of what Jesus has done in your heart.

I'm going to ask every eye to be closed and every head to be bowed. And if that's your spiritual decision today that you would like to make this the day that Jesus Christ is invited into your heart and you become a follower of Christ, why don't you just raise your hand to Him as indicating your decision -- He sees your hand.

We've had a great number of folks throughout the day - this has become a day of spiritual decision.

Lord Jesus, for those who raised their hands today You know their hearts. You know the desires that they have within them. You know their needs, and I pray that the work of Your Holy Spirit shall commence in a glorious way today; forgiving, bringing life and joy and peace and Your presence into their heart. May this be a glorious day of discovery and receiving of Your grace and Your mercy and Your love. I pray this in Jesus' name for all who raised their hands.

And Lord Jesus, as we stand here in Your presence, we hold in our hands these simple and yet profoundly wonderful elements. You told us in the lesson we read from the Scriptures that this bread bespeaks of Your body, and we understand that in Your body You became our substitute in taking death for us because the wages of sin is death, and he who sins shall die. So we were under the condemnation of death, but You, Lord Jesus, took that condemnation. You took that the sin. You became sin for us who knew no sin so that we could have life abundant and life eternal.

So this little piece of bread speaks worlds of wonder to us that being our substitute and dying for us we have be forgiven, and we've been granted the gift of life eternal. And the cup that we hold even though it's such a mystery to us, but You made it so Lord Jesus for You said that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. We believe that.

So when we take this cup we believe that You'll cleanse us from all of our sins and pardon us from all of our transgressions. We love You today Lord Jesus, and we take these emblems with a deep sense of devotion and worship. Let's take the bread together...and then the cup.

I'm going to ask you to do something very quietly with all of our eyes closed. I want you just to lift your hands. You say, I've never done this in sin church. But why not do it now? Just raise your hand in worship.

Jesus, with our hands raised we acknowledged You as our Lord, our God, and our Savior and we love You. In Jesus' name, amen.