Communion Message
Thank You Jesus
October 9, 2005
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 often 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 says that each time that we partake of communion we are proclaiming the Lord's death. And Isaiah, in my ancient past, wrote these words: Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; and the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living, and for the transgressions of My people He was stricken.

There's something very personal about the communion time. Isaiah says that He was wounded for my transgressions; He was bruised for my iniquities. The peace that I enjoy He paid the price so that I could enjoy that, and thus, communion time as I suggest becomes very, very personal. I think that too many times we make it just simply a congregational act, but I stand here with you today knowing that without His forgiveness I would be lost; without His precious blood I would not have cleansing, and thus His death becomes very personal to me, and I thank Him for dying for me.

And I want you to stand in His presence today and for a moment I want you to thank Him, thank Christ for being your Savior. Would you do that?

Lord Jesus, to participate in this moment has a deep meaning to all of us. It's not just something we do as a congregation. It's something that I do out of reverence and love for You dear Christ. I do this in memory of You, because I was a sinner, lost and undone and without hope, and by Your grace, dear Christ, You came to me, to all of us, and by the work of Your Holy Spirit You opened our eyes which were blind to spiritual truths; you made us alive to spiritual things, You placed within our hearts faith, You gave us Your peace and Your forgiveness, and we have that promise deep within us that one day we shall enjoy the glorious and eternal benefits of life forever in Your presence.

All made possible, Lord Jesus, because You went to that cross for us, for me, and I thank you for that dear Jesus. Thank you for being my substitute; thank you for paying the penalty I could never pay, and I partake of these communion elements today out of gratitude and thanksgiving. Let's all join together as we take the bread...and then the cup.

It seems like such a simple act, dear Jesus, but it's so profound with eternal benefits. Because You died for me, I'll live eternally with You, and I thank you for that. Amen.