Probably one of the most disturbing things in life, at least for a man, is the feeling of not being in control. And, there are plenty of situations in life which are beyond our control. For example, we can’t control the weather. We can take steps to minimize the effects of weather, but we don’t control it.

We can’t control the economy. A lot of people are suffering because of the melt-down in the home mortgage markets.

We can’t always control our health. There are several in the congregation who are facing very serious health problems.

There are plenty of other areas in our lives which we don’t control. When you stop and think about it, we live in a very uncertain world. For a lot of people, this lack of control and uncertainty really causes a lot of stress.

What’s the antidote to the uncertainty and stress? In Philippians chapter 4, verses 6 and 7, Paul writes, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (NIV) From this we can see that one of the keys to coping with what the world throws at us is to pray about it. God may, or may not, change our circumstances but, when we pray about our circumstances, He will give us peace.

What Paul writes in Philippians is really just a practical example of what Jesus Himself said in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (NIV)

But how does this work? What’s the mechanism? Shortly before His crucifixion Jesus told His disciples, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NIV)

“I have overcome the world” When Jesus was crucified it sure didn’t look like it. From a human point of view it didn’t look like He any any control at all over what was happening to Him. But He did. On the Sunday morning after His death it became obvious that He really had overcome the world. The world had thrown its worst at Jesus but it couldn’t keep Him in the grave. He rose to life again.

One of the reasons we gather each week is to remember that Jesus overcame the world. It is because He overcame, and because He allows us to share in His victory that we can know peace. The bread that we eat and the juice that we drink remind us of a lot of things. One of them is that Jesus overcame. He rose from the dead.

We can’t control what goes on in the world, or even in our own lives. But the communion reminds us of the fact that Jesus is in control. Because He is in control, Paul was able to write, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13 NIV)

As we take the communion today, let’s remember that Jesus has already overcome the world. In Him we find the strength to face the uncertainties in the world.

Let’s pray.

I’m sure that all of us here have a very high regard for Jesus. He is not only our savior but also God in the flesh. Scripture says that, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word…” (Hebrews 1:3 NIV) Other Scriptures talk about the fact that the universe was made through him (Hebrews 1:2) and that he is sinless (Hebrews 4:15).

Because Jesus is such an exalted person and we have such a high regard for Him, it’s difficult for us to imagine that He would ever need to have learned anything. Even worse, we would consider it almost sacrilegious to suggest that Jesus was once less than perfect. The fact is that Jesus did have to learn something, and He was not able to perfectly fulfill the role of Savior until He had learned it. In Hebrews 5:7-9 it says, “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him…” (NIV)

Jesus learned obedience through what He suffered. It’s easy to be obedient when things are going the way we want them. But the real test comes when we are told to do something we don’t want to do. Jesus prayed that He would not have to die. The text says that He was heard. Ultimately Jesus was saved from death. He rose on the third day. But his prayer to be spared from having to die was answered with a “No!” It’s in those times when we are told, “no” that we learn to obey. It was His obedience which made Jesus perfect for the work of saving us.

The unleavened bread which symbolizes Christ’s broken body and the juice which symbolizes Christ’s blood, remind us each week of His obedience. More than that, the emblems are a personal reminder that we, too, are called to be obedient. Jesus told his disciples, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.” (John 15:9-10 NIV)

As we look back over the last week, I’m sure we are all aware that our obedience hasn’t been perfect. We often fall short of what we should be. Learning the lesson of obedience is not easy. But let’s not be discouraged. These emblems not only remind us of the need for obedience, but of Jesus’ love. We have another chance. We can confess our failures and move on. Let’s use this opportunity to rededicate ourselves to learning the lesson of obedience and remaining in Christ’s love.

Let’s pray.

We live in an era of rapid change. For example, this year (2008) is the hundredth anniversary of the first powered flight by the Wright brothers at Kittyhawk. When you stop and think about it, that really isn’t so long ago. Many times I’ve heard my Dad reminisce about how as a small child an overflight by an airplane was a novel event. When a plane flew over they would run out in the yard and wave. The pilot would wave back from his open cockpit!

Dad has also told me about hearing the remark a man made after reading in the newspaper that someone had driven a car from a certain town in California to another town. “You know, there just might be some potential in the automobile after all!”

In my own experience I remember, in high school, being asked to draw a picture of a computer. It was a shock to realize that I didn’t even know what one looked like. Fast forward to today. We have 4 or 5 computers in our house which are used almost every day.

Back when I was in school people were concerned about climate change. Only then, they were worried about the possibility of another ice age. 35 years later people are agonizing over global warming.

It’s not just science and technology which is changing. Our society and culture are also changing. Many of us here this morning have vivid memories of the sexual revolution of the 60s and 70s.

One of the philosophies which is sweeping through our culture right now is Postmodern relativism. In other words, there are no absolutes. Truth depends on the perception of the individual. In their high school English literature classes, my children have been exposed to the notion that meaning is not determined by what the author wrote, but by the reader. At times the teachers assign grades not on how well a student understands what was written, but on how much the student can read into the piece.

All this change can be confusing and disorienting. We can be left wondering whether there is anything we can depend or count on. Is there such a thing as absolute truth? Is there any stability?

I’m grateful that in the midst of change we do have a fixed reference point. In Hebrews 13:8-14 it says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them. We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat. The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.” (NIV)

Fads may come and go. Technology will change. Society and culture can go through revolutions. But one thing which will never change is our need for Christ. Every single one of us has blown it. We all have sinned. Because we have sinned, we need the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. He never changes. His sacrifice will never lose its power.

One of the reasons we come together each week is to remember that sacrifice. The bread reminds us of Christ’s body. The juice reminds us of His blood which cleanses us from our sin. Though the world changes all around us, if we are in Christ, we have a source of strength and stability. As long as we cling to Christ, we can never be swept away by the tides of change. Even though, as the old hymn says, “Change and decay in all around I see…” we have an unchanging hope because Christ, and His sacrifice for us, remains the same, forever.

Let’s pray.

(A meditation given at Christmas time.)

It’s Christmas, and all over the world people are taking the time to at least pause for just a little while and think about the baby who was born in a livestock shed 2,000 years ago. It is appropriate to remember Christ’s birth for He is the Savior of the world. While people think about the child lying in the feeding trough, I hope that they also take the time to remember why He came – to redeem us all from sin. After all, even our custom of gift-giving is intended to remind us of the gift which Jesus gave, of reconciliation to God.

Yet, in one sense, it is strange that we should set aside a holiday to remember Christ’s birth. Nowhere did Jesus ever command His disciples to remember it. It is especially strange in light of the fact that the thing which Jesus did ask us to remember is His death. You see, Jesus’ birth is only significant in the context of His crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection. We celebrate Christ’s birth only because He died and rose again.

Why is it important that we remember Christ’s death? Certainly, the piece of unleavened bread which we eat each week, and the cup of juice which we drink helps us visualize the sacrifice which Christ made for us. It’s good to be reminded that we need that sacrifice. We stood before God, condemned as a result of our sin. Jesus paid our debt and became our righteousness. It’s good to be reminded that we aren’t accepted by God because of our own efforts or because of our own goodness, but because of what Jesus did for us.

But there is more. In writing about the Lord’s Supper, or Communion, the Apostle Paul says something very interesting. “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26 NIV)

“Until He comes.” Christmas is intended to remind us of Jesus’ birth. Communion is designed to remind us of Jesus’ return. In those three words, ‘until he comes,’ there is a world of hope. John writes, “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2 NIV) You see, Jesus didn’t come just to redeem us from sin, He came to transform us. One day we will be like Him. One day He’s coming back and we will see Him as He really is. One day we will be with Him forever. Communion reminds us that death and the grave are not the end. It reminds us that Christ rose from the dead and we can live in hope that we also will rise and will live with Him.

Paul writes, “…if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:17-22 NIV)

This Christmas season, by all means, let us remember Christ’s birth. But let’s remember it in the context of His death, and let’s remember that it is Christ’s resurrection that gives us hope. Today, as we eat the bread and drink the juice, let’s remember that it is a token of the promise we’ve been given that Jesus is coming back again and that all those who are in Him will be transformed to be like Him.

This is a good time to ask yourself whether you are in Christ. Do the promises apply to you?

Let’s pray.

There is a notion in our culture that greatness is achieved at the expense of others. In order to get ahead you’ve got to tear someone else down. This is ironic because in kindergarten children are taught to share and help one another. But somewhere between kindergarten and graduation the message changes. Our children are told that in order to succeed they must be better than others. The one with the higher test score wins. Sports teams must crush the opposition. Among girls the pecking order is determined by who is considered the most beautiful. This sort of competition is carried over into adult life. Remember the bumper sticker which said “The one with the most toys wins”?

Destructive competition is also rampant in the business world. Many think that in order to climb the corporate ladder it is necessary to trample underfoot anyone who gets in the way. The same thinking often occurs at the company level as well. It is not enough to generate a good return on investment, companies seek to plow under those they see as competitors. For example, why is Microsoft so hated? It’s not so much because it’s big, but because people have the perception that it has achieved its size and market position by unfair and unethical business practices which destroyed its competitors.

But is this notion that greatness is achieved by destroying others really true? One of the most influential books on business management back in the 1980’s was titled “In Search of Excellence.” Some of the concepts discussed in that book have since been debunked, but there is one statement in it that I have never forgotten. The authors wrote, “…one of our most significant conclusions about the excellent companies is that, whether their basic business is metal bending, high technology, or hamburgers, they have all defined themselves as service businesses.” (In Search of Excellence, Thomas J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman Jr., Harper & Row, Publishers, New York, p.168)

This is a radical departure from the way a lot of people think. But what is really sad, is that it took a couple of highly paid business consultants to point out that the way to greatness is through service. I say it is sad, because this is something which we should already have known. You see, Jesus taught this fundamental principle to his disciples two thousand years ago. “…You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave– just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28 NIV)

According to Jesus, the path to greatness is not competition or doing the other guy in, but by serving. It is not through getting, it is through giving. Greatness is not achieved by lording over others, but by ransoming them. We become great, not by elevating ourselves but by raising others.

With Jesus, this was not just theory. These were not idle words. He lived them. In Philippians 2, verses 8 and 9 it says, “…he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name which is above every name…” (NIV)

Every week we gather together to remember what Jesus has done. His exaltation was preceded by humble service. We eat a piece of unleavened bread which reminds us that Jesus sacrificed Himself for us. We drink a cup of grape-juice which reminds us that we are ransomed by His blood.

As Christians, we are called to follow Christ’s example. As we eat the bread and drink the cup, let’s ask ourselves what our service quotient is. Let us remember that greatness is achieved through humility. Let us put others first, just as Christ put our interests ahead of His own.

Let’s pray.

(Note: This meditation was given on the occasion of appointing Elders.)

As we prepare to appoint men to shepherd this congregation, it would be well for us to consider both what it means to shepherd and to be in the care of a shepherd.

Jesus provides the ultimate example of what it means to be a good shepherd, and He tells us what it means to be a good sheep. John records Jesus as saying, “…I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me– just as the Father knows me and I know the Father–and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life–only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord…” (John 10:10-18 NIV)

According to Jesus a good shepherd places the interests of the sheep above his own. He not only cares for, but cares about the sheep. He knows his sheep. He works to bring sheep of different places and backgrounds into one united flock. And, he lays his life down voluntarily.

To Jesus these were not merely words. He backed up those words by actually doing what He said a good shepherd would do – He gave his life for his sheep. Each week we gather to remember what Jesus did. We eat a piece of bread which reminds us that Jesus sacrificed His body for us. We drink a cup of juice which reminds us that Jesus voluntarily bled for us. As we partake, those of us who are being appointed as shepherds of this flock need to ask ourselves what kind of shepherds we will be. Will I put the interests of the flock above my own? How much do I really care about the spiritual well-being of the people in this flock? Do I know the sheep under my care? Am I actively working to heal the rifts between people and bring them into unity of faith? Will I voluntarily sacrifice myself for the flock?

But Jesus not only talked about the Good Shepherd, He also tells us what it means to be a sheep. As you take the bread and the juice, today, you need to think about how Jesus’ words apply to you. The first thing I notice is that the sheep belong to the Shepherd. You would think that this would be pretty self-evident but it’s amazing how many want to hang around the fold but don’t want the Good Shepherd to own them. Before you partake ask yourself whether you really belong to Christ. If you don’t, then to eat the bread and drink the juice is participating in a lie. It will do you harm, not good.

The sheep also know the Shepherd. How well do you know Jesus? Do you recognize Him, or do you follow anyone who happens to come along? Are you trying to learn more about Him?

Another thing Jesus said about His sheep is that they listen to the Shepherd’s voice. Do you listen to Jesus? Do you do what He tells you to do?

Let’s use this time to not only ask ourselves these questions, but to rededicate ourselves; to commit to becoming one of Jesus’ sheep if we’re not already and to being a better sheep if we are. It is only when we belong to the Good Shepherd and listen to His voice that we will experience the life which He came to give us.

Let’s pray.

We live in a violent and uncertain world. It’s virtually impossible to pick up the paper or turn on the radio without being confronted with some fresh atrocity or outbreak of unrest. War and terrorism are no longer things which just happen in distant places, but have the ability to touch us and our loved ones, personally. There are times when we feel like crying out like the prophet Jeremiah, “We looked for peace, but no good came; for a time of healing, but behold, terror.” (Jeremiah 8:15, NIV)

In addition to the issues which affect our world and our society, many of us face more personal troubles. Some of us, or our loved ones, have serious health problems. Sometimes we wonder where the money is going to come from to pay the bills. Even more distressing are the problems we have getting along with other people, especially people we deeply care about.

We also face temptations which assault us daily. Some of these are caused by our own desires. Or, temptation might take the form of peer-pressure to do what we know is wrong.

The pressure from the burdens, anxieties and trials of life can be overwhelming. It is easy to get discouraged and cry out, “Why?!”

One of the reasons we assemble together each week is to remember that what we see around us and the trials we experience are not the whole story. We gather to remember what Jesus has done. Whenever we get discouraged or start to lose hope, we can put things into their proper perspective by looking at Jesus. Hebrews 12, verses 2 through 4 says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you do not grow weary and lose heart.” (NIV)

Jesus went through more trouble, rejection and pain than any of us will ever have to encounter. Why did He endure it? What enabled Him to endure it? What enabled Him to scorn the shame? It was because He was looking beyond the temptation, beyond the betrayal, beyond the suffering, beyond the shame, beyond the cross to the joy that was waiting for Him. Jesus died a terrible death, in terrible circumstances, but that was not the end of the story. On the third day He rose from the dead and entered into joy.

The remarkable thing is that Jesus offers His followers the opportunity to share in His joy. When we fix our eyes on Jesus, we can look beyond our anxieties, our fears, our trials and our suffering to see what is really important. In Him we find the strength to not only endure but to triumph over our circumstances. But this is not all. In Christ, we can not only look forward to sharing in His joy, He has given us the Holy Spirit as a down payment on what is to come. Isn’t it interesting that one of the fruits of the Spirit is joy? We can have joy in the midst of whatever troubles or problems we are experiencing, and this joy is only a small foretaste of the joy that shall be ours, with Christ, in eternity.

Each week we come together to eat a small piece of bread which reminds us Christ’s broken body. We drink a cup of juice to remind us of His blood which was shed for us. These are reminders, not only of His suffering, but also of the joy which lies beyond the suffering. He has given these reminders to us so that we will not grow weary or lose heart. They help us to take our eyes off our troubles and to fix our gaze on Him. There is a hymn which reminds us to, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face; And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace.” (The Heavenly Vision, Helen H. Lemmel, 1922.)

But this assumes that we are in Christ. We cannot experience the joy of Christ until we, first, submit our lives to Him. If you are not in Christ; if you do not know him, then these emblems are not for you. If you would like to make them yours; if you would like to become a Christian; if you would like to know how you can experience the joy which is found in Christ, then please talk to one of us later and we will be glad to explain the process to you.

As we partake of the emblems this morning, let us fix our eyes on Jesus once again. Let us remember that He endured and overcame. Let us remember that in Him we also can endure, and let us rejoice in the hope that Christ gives us.

Let’s pray.

Luke records that just prior to His arrest and crucifixion, Jesus ate a meal with His disciples. “And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”” (Luke 22:19-20 NIV)

We’ve read and heard those words so many times that we tend to gloss over them and miss the meaning. What did Jesus mean when He called the cup a ‘new covenant’? What is a covenant? Another word for ‘covenant’ is ‘testament.’ Our Bible is divided into two sections which we call the Old and New Testaments. We call them that because they describe the two major covenants which have defined God’s relationship with mankind. Jesus called the covenant He was instituting ‘new’ because it supersedes the covenant which God had established with the Jewish people. But what is a covenant? A covenant is usually defined as a binding agreement between parties with stipulations and promises.

Who are the parties in the new covenant? God is one of them, we are the other. In order to bring the covenant into effect, Jesus Christ acted as the mediator between us and God.

What are the stipulations of the new covenant? In other words, what are the parties obligated to do? Reams could, and have, been written in answer to this question. In summary, our obligation is to answer God’s call and to accept Jesus as our Lord and Christ. For His part, God has obligated Himself to redeem us from the penalty of sin. He did this through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.

What are the promises in the new covenant? It is interesting to note that in the new covenant, the promises are all on God’s side. We cannot promise Him anything, for aside from our self, which belongs to Him anyway, we have nothing we can give. Very briefly, among the things which God promises in the new covenant are, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, eternal life, a kingdom, participation in the divine nature and a new heaven and earth.

This whole process is summarized in Hebrews 9:15 where it says, “For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance–now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.” (NIV)

So far, I’ve talked about the new covenant in terms of a contract. While it is mind-blowing that God would bind or obligate Himself to do anything for us, there is much more involved in the biblical concept of covenant than just entering into a contract. When someone initiates a covenant, he has the best interests of the other party in mind. Not only is the covenant in the best interests of the other party, but if the other party is in danger of defaulting or breaking the covenant, he will extend whatever help is possible to help the other party keep the covenant. The Old Testament uses a Hebrew word hesed to express this. It is usually translated by words such as ‘faithfulness’ or ‘loving-kindness.’ When the Old Testament talks about God’s love or faithfulness, it often refers to God’s actions which are designed to help His people keep the covenant they have entered into with Him.

The concept of hesed is carried over into the New Testament. It shows up in the words mercy and grace. When we read of God’s mercy, when we speak of God’s grace, we are really talking about what He is doing to help us either come into covenant relationship, or keep covenant with Him.

Today we’re here to remember what Jesus has done for us. In the verse with which I began this talk, Jesus gave the bread and cup to His disciples as a memorial. Each week we eat the bread, we drink the cup to remember that Jesus gave His life so we can enter into a covenant relationship with God. These emblems not only remind us of what Jesus has done, they are also part of God’s mercy and grace to us. In helping us to remember, they also help us to renew and keep the covenant.

Let’s pray.

If we are honest with ourselves, most of us probably have a little trouble with authority. The truth is that we have a tendency to resent it. We’re an independent lot and we don’t like somebody telling us what to do. We like to be in charge and, quite frankly, we like to think that we know more and better than the other guy.

Resentment of authority can affect all sorts of areas in our lives. Take home life. One reason teenagers sometimes have trouble living by the standards of the household is that they don’t want to acknowledge the authority their parents have just because they are parents. The New Testament instructs wives to be submissive to their husbands, and husbands to be submissive to their wives. Why do we sometimes have trouble with this concept of submission? Part of it is that we don’t want to acknowledge the other person’s authority.

Resentment of authority can land us in trouble with the law, too. It may be a relatively subtle thing, such as grumbling about the speed limit or some other traffic regulation which cramps our style. Then, if we decide the regulation doesn’t apply to us, we increase the amount of our ticket by venting on the policeman who pulled us over. A lot of us find ourselves muttering under our breath at tax time, as well.

Resentment of authority can also make life miserable at work, both for us and the boss. In extreme cases it can lead to losing a job.

Most importantly, resentment of authority has a spiritual impact. You’ve all heard of the Great Commission. That’s the name we give to Jesus’ command to his disciples to preach the gospel throughout the world. It is interesting to me that Jesus bases his command on his authority. He said, “All authority… has been given to me. Therefore go…” (Matthew 28:18-19 NIV) If we resent authority, we may do what Jesus said, but we won’t be happy while we’re doing it.

But there is something which can make all the difference in the world. It’s that little, four-letter word called love. When we really love someone we are willing to cheerfully do all kinds of things for them that we would otherwise resent. The next time we find ourselves resenting what our parents, our spouse or our boss asks us to do, it would be good for us ask whether we love them as we should.

This is especially true in regard to Jesus. If we resent doing what he’s told us to do, we need to take another look at our love. We have no reason to resent him. In fact, quite the opposite. The Apostle John reminds us, “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19 NIV) Every time we find ourselves resenting something Jesus has told us to do, we need to remember that he loves us. With him love is not just a word, he showed his love for us by giving us his life. Is it asking too much to love him back? In view of what he’s done, is cheerful obedience too much to ask in return? Jesus told his disciples, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” (John 15:13-14 NIV)

Each week we participate in a memorial to remind us of Jesus’ love. We eat a small piece of bread which reminds us of his body which he sacrificed for us. We drink a cup of grape-juice which reminds us that it is Jesus’ blood which cleanses us from our sins. As we remember Jesus’ love for us, let’s ask ourselves how much we love him in return. Let’s place ourselves under his authority once again.

Let’s pray.