Communion Message
The Very Best Father
October 23, 2005
Pastor Leighton Sheley

"Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. But now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he made the universe and everything in it. The Son reflects God's own glory, and everything about him represents God exactly. He sustains the universe by the mighty power of his command. After he died to cleanse us from the stain of sin, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God of heaven."

Now "Because God's children are human beings--made of flesh and blood--Jesus also became flesh and blood by being born in human form. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the Devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he deliver those who have lived all their lives as slaves to the fear of dying." Now "We all know that Jesus came to help the descendants of Abraham, not to help the angels. Therefore, it was necessary for Jesus to be in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. He then could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since he himself has gone through suffering and temptation, he is able to help us when we are being tempted."

Now since "we have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God. Let us cling to him and never stop trusting him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it."

This morning our youth are involved in our service; in worship leading and ushering and so forth, and we are glad to have you. I was thinking back when I was a youth. I was one 16-year-old they should have never given a driver's license to. What you see before you is not perfect, but whatever is good is by the grace of God.

I can remember a time when it was at a church youth function and I got in a fight. The pastor's kid got in a fighting at a church youth function. I can tell you one thing, I did not want to see my father. In fact, I got in the car and went away for the night because I didn't want to see my father. I was afraid of what my father was going to do to me. But I was so glad when I finally did go to my father, because eventually I was going to have to go to my father anyway, and he did receive me with grace and we worked through that issue together.

And my father is a good father, but there's an even better father - our heavenly Father. In fact, there is no better father than our heavenly Father for He is a perfect heavenly father. And we can have a tendency, as youth or as youth in older bodies, to want to try to avoid our heavenly Father when we have done things that we know are displeasing to Him, but that is exactly the opposite of what we should be doing. The Scripture says that we should be going boldly to the throne of our gracious God to receive His mercy and to find His grace when we need it; and that's when we need it. Each and every one of us need it each and every day.

The Scriptures say if we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I'd like to invite you, if you would, to join with me as we kneel in the presence of our Lord today. For the Scriptures say at times like this we should examine our self.

O heavenly Father is so wonderful that we can come to You in our time of need. Each and every one of us need You each and every day. Lord we ask You to forgive us of our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Thank you for Calvary's cross. We partake of these sacred elements now in remembrance of You. Let's partake of the bread, and also the cup.

Thank you Lord for being so good and so gracious to us who are so undeserving. To You we pray together: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts; as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Let's stand; let's greet those who've come to worship with us today.