Communion Message
Saving His People
November 27, 2005
Pastor Leighton Sheley

There's a story that Paul Harvey tells, he said: One raw winter night a man heard an irregular thumping sound against the kitchen storm door. He went to a window and watched it as tiny, shivering sparrows attracted to the evident warmth inside beat in vain against the glass. Touched to his heart the farmer bundled up and trudged through fresh snow to open the barn for the struggling birds. He turned on the lights and tossed some hay in a corner and sprinkled a trail of saltine crackers to direct them to the barn, but the sparrows which had scattered in all directions when he emerged from the house still hid in the darkness, afraid of him. He tried various tactics. He circled behind the birds to try to drive them towards the barn, he tossed cracker crumbs into the air towards them; he finally retreated into his house to see if they would flutter into the barn on their own, and nothing worked.

He, this huge alien creature, had terrified them and the birds could not understand that he actually desired to help. He withdrew to his house and he watched the doomed sparrows through a window. And as he stared a thought hit him like lightning from a clear blue sky. If only I could become a bird, one of them, just for a moment, then I wouldn't frighten them so and I could show them the way to warmth and safety.

At that same moment another thought dawned on him, he had grasped the principal of the incarnation. A man becoming a bird is nothing compared to God becoming a man. The concept of a sovereign being as large as the universe He created confining Himself to a human body was and is too much for some people to believe. And yet, that's exactly what took place, the God of the universe became flesh and dwelt among us - Emanuel.

Now this is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place and while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly and so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

The elements that we hold remind us of the price that He paid to save His people from their sin - to save us from our sin. I'm going to invite you, if you're physically able, to join with me now as we kneel in the presence of our Lord and Savior. The Scriptures say at times like this we should examine our self.

Lord we are thankful that You came into this world and that You went to Calvary's cross to pay the wages of our sin. Your word says if we confess our sin You are faithful and just and will forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Forgive us this day we pray and cleanse us in Jesus' name. Let us partake of the bread, and also the cup.

Thank you Lord, thank you Lord, thank you Lord, in Jesus' name we pray, and all God's people said, amen.