Sermon Central
-
Communion - What's The Bottom Line
Contributed by George Alves on Feb 6, 2002 (message contributor)
Summary: Communion is a very special time for believers. Jesus doesn’t want us to go away without encountering him at His Table. This message encourages believers to see beyond the elements.
Communion – What is the bottom line?
What does Jesus want to do for us at this gathering? When we celebrate communion, what is Jesus’ purpose.
As we walk along on the Road to Emmaus with the two disciples we must not forget that these two disciples of Jesus had heard the two reports of the resurrection – Mary’s and Peter’s. However, because they hadn’t personally seen the evidence, rather, they didn’t want to check out the evidence for themselves, probably because they were afraid of being caught and possibly receiving a death sentence, they decided to pack it in and head home and go back to their old way of living.
Incredible isn’t it? They gave up on Jesus … but thank God, He didn’t give up on them. Notice that the text says, “Jesus himself came up and walked along with them.” I like the way it reads in the King James, “Jesus drew near…” The thought here isn’t that these two disciples were simply geographically distant, but that their faith was distant as well. Jesus knew their need and so He DREW NEAR. He didn’t say, “Fine! You want to leave, you want to doubt, you want to turn your back on me? Go right ahead. Don’t expect me come to you. When you clean up your act and smarten up and return to where I am, I’ll consider taking you back.” Thank God, Jesus isn’t like that. He knows our weaknesses and our struggles.
We think we’re so much better than those first disciples. We think we would never act the way they did. Fact is we would … and we do … and most likely we will. Life fogs up our vision, our understanding, our faith, our hope…
We allow circumstances to over shadow truth.
It’s easy to fall into the cycle of depression.
It’s easy to loose focus.
It’s easy to doubt.
It’s easy to forget.
It’s easy to fall away.
It’s easy to reject.
It’s easy to take for granted.
It’s easy to misunderstand.
It’s easy to give up and give in.
Thank God that in spite of:
1. Our clouded situations and circumstance…
2. Getting lost frequently along the way…
3. The times we decide to take the first plane out of town and run away from our difficulties…
there is a God who not only comes looking for us, but also DRAWS NEAR AND TRAVELS WITH US UNTIL WE SEE AGAIN!
That is good news! That is grace! That is Jesus!
He spoke with them for hours.
He spent the day with them explaining the truth of the Scriptures; this wasn’t a 20-minute sermon!
He was physically with them until the sun was beginning to set.
They saw him…
They smelled him…
They walked next to him…
And yet, with all this physical closeness they still didn’t recognize who he was! Pretty dull these two. They were so caught up in their own pity party. Wait! Before we begin to cast more stones in judgment, we too must confess that there have been times, even seasons, when we’ve been blind and distant. Times when we’ve given up and lost all hope.
It’s happened with…
our children - “This is your last chance!” …
with our spouse – “It’s hopeless, it’s beyond repair, I’m getting out, leaving town, getting on with my life.”…
with our parents – “There no use, you guys just don’t understand, I’m leaving home!”…
at our work – “It’s no use, people around here don’t care, I’m not going to take it any more. I quit!”…
at school – “It’s too hard. I’m in over my head. I’m going to drop out!”…
And even with God, “I’ve been praying for 8 years and you still haven’t helped me!… I’ve asked for patience and all I get is more problems…I’ve prayed for freedom and all I get is more temptation…I pray for healing and all I get is sicker by the day. Hello, is anyone up there?!!!!
We live in such a fast paced society. We have become so impatient, so intolerant, so “me” focused. And as a result we give up way too easily, way too early, and way too frequently. Thank God we are not left alone. I’m not saying that you’ll never feel alone. Truth is you will, but that’s not because God has abandoned you, it’s because you’ve abandoned Him!
People ask,
“So where was your loving God on Sept. 11th?”
“Where was he when my husband walked out on us?”
“Where was he when my loved one died?”
“Where was he when the doctor said it was terminal?”
The answer is, “Right where you left Him.” God won’t go where he is not welcomed. If we want to keep pushing God out of our life … if we continue to ignore His Word … if we continue to break His commandments, then what gives us the right to expect him to “be there” for us?
