Family Event (Lu. 22:15)

Read Luke 22:15.

A significant part of Passover is the "family" togetherness and connection.

Many families today don't know how to celebrate spiritual things, only natural.  Out of all the times your "family" gets together each year, which event brings you the most joy?  Is it a spiritual event?  If not, what does that tell you?

When Communion comes, do you look forward to it -- not just receiving the elements but being with God's family?

Giving When You Want To Hold On To It

Here is the Communion meditation for service tomorrow morning.
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Read 1 Kings 17:7-16. Elijah asked the widow to give all that she had when everything within her said, “You don't want to do that.” We're not told exactly what it was that changed her mind, but there must have been something about what Elijah said and how he said it. She believed his word, the promise he gave concerning God's ability to provide. Her faith and her fear slugged it out, but it was her faith that won after the 15^th round.

Being Communion Sunday, we're thinking of Someone else Who gave sacrificially. Jesus was asked to give all that He had. Something inside Him struggled with the prospect. Let's hear His exact words: “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will” (Mt. 26:39). In Jesus' prayer, you hear both His humanity and His divinity, both His vulnerability and His submission.

It wasn't that Jesus was afraid of death. Being human, I don't think He was thrilled with the idea, but I don't think that's why He had to slug it out in prayer. What was it that Jesus battled through? The answer, I believe, is found in 2 Corinthians 5:21. “[God] made [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” It wasn't the righteousness part that caused the inner turmoil but the idea of being a sin offering. Isaiah gives us insight here:

“But He was pierced through for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities;

The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,

And by His scourging we are healed.

All of us like sheep have gone astray,

Each of us has turned to his own way;

But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all

To fall on Him.” (Isa. 53:5-6)

My sin, His suffering. Not an appealing deal, if your name is Jesus Christ. The good

news is that Jesus did give His all, when He had every right to hold onto it.

“Jesus paid it all,

All to Him I owe;

Sin had left a crimson stain,

He washed it white as snow.”¹

Before you come to the Communion table, ask yourself, “What is it that Jesus wants me to give to Him, but I am holding onto it?” Is it bitterness or resentment? Is it fear or doubt? Is it anger or a critical spirit? Is it disobedience in another area? You might want to hold onto it, but today Jesus is asking for it. Won't you give it to Him?

1Hall, Elvina M. “Jesus Paid It All.” Hymns of Glorious Praise. Springfield, MO: Gospel Publishing House, 1969. Hymn #101.

The Joint Search (Psa. 139:23-24; 1 Cor. 11:28)

Below is today's communion meditation.
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When you hear the phrase “search your heart” in context of Communion, perhaps your mind goes right to Psalm 139:23-24.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me and know my anxious thoughts;

And see if there be any hurtful way in me . . .”

This is your invitation for the Holy Spirit to search you. This is always a good place to start.

When it comes to searching your heart, the Holy Spirit isn't the only one who should be active. You yourself should be active, as the following verses suggest:

• “But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” (1 Cor. 11:28)
• “The heart knows its own bitterness . . .” (Prov. 14:10a)

If you already know something isn't right in your heart, then you don't need to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal that. What you need to do is start right there. Confess – tell God what He already knows is true about you and your involvement with that sin. Then ask forgiveness.  Claim 1 Jn. 1:9 which says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

What you have here is a joint-search – the Holy Spirit and you work together to examine what's in your heart. By 'heart' I mean the innermost part of you where decisions, intentions, thoughts and desires reside.

What, exactly, are you searching for? Bill Smith*, a respected and seasoned Assemblies of God missionary, counsels:

“We must search our hearts and lives ruthlessly for any word or action that undermines authority, assassinates character, betrays confidence, introduces suspicion, or tears down brothers and sisters. We must learn to hate and destroy anything in our hearts that hates and destroys others. . .”

The goal of searching your heart isn't just to identify impurities. Awareness isn't enough. You must view those sins and impurities the way Jesus does. The goal is to get into a right state both with Jesus and with others.

Before I serve Communion, I invite each of you to make an altar – up front or in your seat – where you will take some unhurried time to join the Holy Spirit in searching your heart.  Be quick to deal with whatever is revealed.

*The name was changed to protect his identity and ministry.

The Bread of Wickedness & The Wine of Violence (Prov. 4:17)

Below is today's Communion meditation.

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"For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence." (‭Prov.‬ ‭4‬:‭17‬).

In context "they" refers to the wicked and evil (Prov. 4:14). What if I told you that Jesus, though He wasn't wicked or evil, also ate the bread of wickedness and drank the wine of violence?

Bread and wine (or grape juice, if you prefer) are the traditional elements served at Communion.

In John 6:48, Jesus identified Himself as The Bread of Life. During His flogging and while hanging on the cross, He absorbed wickedness in His body – other people's wickedness – though He Himself never sinned (Read 2 Cor. 5:21).

In John 15:1, Jesus identified Himself as The Vine. “Vine” – that's a wine-related term. Jesus swallowed the violence of sinners and, instead of retaliating, He offered life and forgiveness (Read Heb. 12:3; Isa. 53:7). This violence and suffering was the “cup” Jesus referred to in Mt. 26:39. In John 18:11 Jesus said, “ . . . the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?”

Because Jesus did the hard tasks of eating the bread of wickedness and drinking the wine of violence, we don't have to. Instead, we are extended a different invitation: “ . . . eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart . . .” (Eccl. 9:7).

The bread and the cup – the bread of penalty and the cup of payment – These do in remembrance of Jesus.

Challenges & Conversations (12/22/15)

Read Mt. 7:21-23.

Today's Challenge: Do you have a relationship with Jesus?

Before you are quick to answer yes, consider that . . .

• Just because you know about Jesus doesn't mean that you know Him.  You know of President Obama, but most of you can't say that you know him. Why?  You haven't invested time, effort and energy in mutual interests so you can get to know him (really know him).
• Just because you do good deeds doesn't mean you know Jesus.  You pay your taxes.  That's a good deed.  It doesn't, however, mean that you are on a first-name basis with the Secretary of the Treasury.
• Just because you say that you know Jesus doesn't mean that He will say that He knows you. Relationship goes two ways.  It is dynamic, not static.  There is movement, togetherness and delight.  There is talking, listening, investigating, walking.  There is discovery and mystery. The one who says he knows Jesus should seek to please Him by seeking what He wants.
• A relationship with Jesus is not automatic.  You are not born into right standing with Jesus. You are not right with Jesus simply because you take Communion, got baptized or regularly attend church.
• Just because you claim to be a Christian doesn't mean you have a relationship with Jesus.

Thursday night, many will end up at a local church for Christmas Eve service.  More likely than not, Communion will be served. Why are you going to participate?  I mean, if you have no relationship with Jesus, what do you think taking Communion will accomplish?  What you should do is not take Communion and, instead, ask the Pastor how to start a relationship with Jesus.

The Four Kings of Christmas (Herod) (Part 2) (Mt. 2:1-8, 16-18)

Transition: What is it about Herod that causes us to be concerned?

HEROD WANTED TO ELIMINATE CHRISTMAS.

• Herod decreed that every boy two years old or less in Bethlehem be murdered.  By such drastic action, Herod sought to eliminate not only Jesus but also Christmas  
• What? You would never do that?  I'm glad to hear that, but you can eliminate Christmas in other, more socially acceptable ways.
• While you're rejoicing that you're not a murderer, that doesn't mean you can't kill Christmas. You can kill Christmas a lot of ways.
• You can kill Christmas through busyness.  Parties, shopping, baking, decorating, – go, go, go – Where will you find time for it all?  You can still have a holiday amid the busyness, but you might not have a holy day.  If you check everything off your holiday list but don't get to rest, reflect and rejoice, how is that worth it?
• You can kill Christmas through distraction.  
• Is anyone else tired of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, “Frosty, The Snowman”, “Silver Bells”, “Jingle Bells”, “Santa Baby” – I mean, where is the “Joy To The World” and “O Come, All Ye Faithful”?  And what's up with this joy-sucking song: “Last Christmas I gave you my heart; the very next day you gave it away”?  You can be distracted by frivolity and dysfunction.  
• Don't be surprised to find an uptick in stories about violence as Christmas approaches.  While each story is sad and should be a call to prayer and compassion, be careful that you don't lose your joy along the way.  You can be distracted by negativity and evil.
• We've already discussed busyness. Busyness is distraction through motion.
• You can kill Christmas through ritual.  
• Ritual is preference, tradition, routine, custom, a way of doing things.  
• Ritual is usually harmless unless its realm is the spiritual.  Spiritual ritual is habit without heart, form without faith, movement without meaning, participation without profession, routine without repentance.  For instance, every year at Christmas Eve, there are those who take Communion who shouldn't. They take Communion not because they are in right relationship with Jesus and others but because they don't want to stand out.  
• When you're done with your household Christmas ritual, will there have been any mention of Jesus?
• Will there have been any joy?
• Will there have been any thankfulness?
• Will there have been any peace?
• Will there have been any hope?
• Will there have been any wonder or worship?
• You can kill Christmas through rebellion.