People define themselves in different ways. For example, one person might think of himself as an athlete. In his own mind, that’s who he is. Someone else might think of himself as a businessman. He defines himself in terms of his business. Yet another person might define herself as a mother. She is wrapped up in her children. We all tend to pigeonhole, not only ourselves, but each other by physical characteristics, personality traits or career choices.

This raises an interesting question: Who are we, really? What is our chief characteristic? How do we define ourselves? There’s a phrase in Colossians 3:4 which really jumped out at me: The NIV renders it “…Christ, who is your life…” Other translations say, “…Christ, who is our life…”

But in what sense is Christ our life? Of course, if you are not in Christ; if you are not a Christian, then Christ is not your life in any sense. (Unless you include the fact that your physical body will one day be raised from the dead.) So, we need to rephrase the question to ask in what sense is Christ our life for those of us who are Christians?

One way in which Christ is our life is that He is who we live for. Just as a person who defines himself as an athlete pursues sport, so we should pursue Christ. We think about Him. We talk about Him. We try to discover more about Him. We try to do what He wants.

Another sense in which Christ is our life is that it is God’s purpose and will that we become like Christ. There are many Scriptures which bear this out. For example, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:49, “…just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.” (NIV)

A third sense in which Christ is our life is that He rescued us from death through His sacrifice. Jesus said that He came, “…to give his life as a ransom for many.” (John 20:28 NIV) In speaking of those who choose to follow Him, Jesus said, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish…” (John 10:28 NIV)

Though Christ is our life, there is a condition attached. In order for Him to be our life, we must remain in Him. Jesus put it this way, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” (John 15:4-6 NIV)

It’s important for us to remember that Christ is our life. It’s important that we remember that we must remain in Him. It’s important that we remember what Christ did so that He can be our life. That’s what the bread and the juice we eat and drink each Lord’s Day are designed to do – to help us remember that it is only through Christ and His sacrifice that we have life. As we partake today, let’s remember that Christ, and Christ only, is our life and renew our commitment to remain in Him.

Let’s pray.

The concept of rights is extremely prevalent in our American culture. To an extent our whole society is founded on the concept of rights. It is enshrined in phrases like “inalienable rights” which is found in the Declaration of Independence. The Constitution contains the Bill of Rights. We are conditioned to think of our rights. The problem with rights is that they demand. If something is a right then, by definition it (whatever it happens to be, from the right of assembly to women’s rights) belongs to us. We get quarrelsome when someone does not recognize that something is ours. In other words, when we feel that someone has violated one of our rights, it creates an adversarial relationship. It causes separation.

How do we resolve our quarrels and disputes? Unfortunately, it is becoming more and more common for people to go to court. According to one statistic I read, there is now one lawyer for every 265 people in this country. No wonder our courts are swamped!

Going to court may confirm our so-called rights. It may get us what we think is ours. But going to court rarely heals relationships. In fact, it causes the separation to increase. What does this say about our motives? Is self-gratification more important than peace? U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said this, “…I think we are too ready today to seek vindication or vengeance through adversary proceedings rather than peace through mediation…” (as quoted in The Peacemaker, A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict, Ken Sande, Baker Book House, 1991, p. 38)

Now think, for a moment, about the difference between how God acts and the way our society does. In contrast to the rights which we claim for ourselves God, as our Creator, has an absolute right to us, our service and our lives. By choosing to disobey Him, we have deliberately violated not some arbitrary, manufactured right which we’ve granted ourselves, but something which really does belong to God.

Our actions put us in an adversarial relationship to God. They have caused separation. The prophet Isaiah wrote, “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:1-2 NIV)

By the way, the Law is on God’s side. If He chose to take us to court, we would lose. The court would pass sentence on us. Yet, that is not what God wants. He does not seek vengeance. Instead, He wants peace. He wants to heal the broken relationship. And so, instead of suing in court, God appointed a Mediator to reconcile the two estranged parties and make a new agreement between them. Not only did He appoint a mediator, He, Himself paid the damages for the wrong we did.

Hebrews 9:11-15 expresses it this way, “When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! 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.” (Hebrews 9:11-15 NIV)

It is only those who refuse the mediator; those who refuse God’s offer to pay the damages; those who won’t enter into a new agreement with Him, who have to face the court. Only those who insist on having their own way will have sentence passed on them.

Each week we eat a piece of bread and drink some juice to remind us of the Mediator. They remind us of the damages He paid so we can have peace with God. Have we accepted the Mediator? Have we signed on to the peace agreement He brokered?

Let’s pray.

Just before He died, Jesus taught His disciples an interactive parable. True, the Scriptures do not call it a parable. But Jesus took some very ordinary, day-to-day items and used them to illustrate some profound spiritual truths. True, Jesus did not give this teaching in the form of a story. But nevertheless it is a living story which is still playing out in our lives today.

“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”” (Matthew 26:26-28 NIV)

Jesus used parables to both reveal truth to His disciples and to conceal it from His opponents. And so it is with the Communion and the sacrifice of Christ to which it points. For those of us who are in Christ, the bread and the juice are profound reminders of God’s love. They teach us about redemption, reconciliation and living in covenant relationship with God. But to those outside of Christ, the emblems and what they stand for are totally outside their frame of reference. Oh yes, they hear us say that the bread represents Christ’s body; they hear us say that the juice represents His blood, but the meaning escapes them.

As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” – but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit…” (1 Corinthians 2:6-10 NIV)

Perhaps the main purpose of Jesus’ parables was to test or reveal people’s characters. Those who had a heart for truth and for spiritual things would want to know more. They would ask Jesus about the meaning. Those who were not interested in truth would either become offended or would dismiss the stories as a waste of time.

So it is with the cross of Christ. Paul put it this way, “Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:22-24 NIV)

What does the cross of Christ mean to us? What does the Communion reveal about our character and attitude? Does partaking of the bread and juice leave us wanting to draw closer to Christ? Or is it something we could just as well do without? Do we want to learn more? Or, is this just a meaningless ritual?

Paul writes, “A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.” (1 Corinthians 11:28-31 NIV)

One of the purposes of the Communion is to bring us face-to-face with ourselves and our relationship with Christ. Today as we eat the bread and drink the cup let’s do that self-evaluation.

Let’s pray

When our children were in High School, there was a phrase that sort of became the motto or mantra of the teachers in the English Department. It was “Think outside the box!” By ‘thinking outside the box’ they did not mean original thought or thinking for oneself. What they really meant by that phrase was that they expected the kids to accept and agree with the box that the teachers themselves lived in. In the name of freedom they were asking the children to accept the bondage of the teacher’s world-view.

But before we come down too hard on the teachers, we need to take a hard look at ourselves. I’m afraid that sometimes we are no better. In fact, we might be even worse, because all too often we try to stick God into a box of our own making. It’s understandable if someone who doesn’t know God has a warped world-view. What’s really tragic is when those of us who are Christians think and act the same way as those in the world. Instead of trying to understand what it means that we are made in God’s image, we try to make Him conform to our image. Unfortunately, when we try to bring God down to our level, we miss His glory, His majesty and His transcendence.

But God, by definition, is greater than, and outside of, the boxes which we have built around us. As God declared to Isaiah, ““For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV)

Because God’s ways are higher than ours; because His thoughts are different than ours, He does the unexpected. He is always acting in ways that take us off guard and in ways the world does not understand. Think about it. If God operated by the standards of the world, would He have chosen any of us to be His people? As Paul writes to the Corinthians, “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”” (1 Corinthians 1:26-31 NIV)

Righteousness, holiness, redemption. These are things that the world can never give us. But because God transcends human thought and concepts, He made it possible through Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf. Who could have thought that God, Himself, would pay the price for our sin? Who could have thought that God would make it possible for sinners to take part in the divine nature? Who could have imagined that when God looks at the account of anyone one in Christ, He sees ‘paid in full’?

Jesus asked us to remember the sacrifice which bought our redemption. And so, each week we each a small piece of bread which reminds us of His body which took the punishment we deserved, and drink a cup of juice which reminds us of His blood which covers our sins.

The Lord’s Supper, as we call it, is a powerful reminder and corrective. When we start to conform to the world’s way of thinking; when we adopt the world-view of those who don’t know Christ, the Lord’s Supper reminds us again of God’s wisdom. It lifts our eyes heavenward. It reminds us of what is really important. It helps us to see things from God’s perspective.

As Paul continues in his letter to the Corinthians, “We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 2:6-10)

Are you still living by the standards of this world’s wisdom? Or have you accepted God’s wisdom? The emblems of which we partake are really a declaration of which side you’re on. If you’re not in Christ; if you are not a Christian then it would be inconsistent for you to take them. If, however, you are in Christ, then these emblems are a reminder that we are outside the box this world lives in.

Let’s pray

One of the themes which is sounded in just about any political campaign is the need for change. Very rarely will a candidate run for office with the promise that he or she will keep things just as they are. No, the politicians promise that if we will just elect them, they will make things better; they will solve our problems; their agenda will bring peace and prosperity.

I don’t need to tell you that the promises rarely come to pass. The problem is that the politicians are responding to symptoms. They react to consequences rather than the root cause of our difficulties. What is the root cause of the worlds’ troubles? It’s not the lack, or unequal distribution, of capital or natural resources. It’s not circumstances. It’s not environment. It’s not even climate change or global warming. It comes down to just one thing: Fallen human nature. Mankind was given a choice between good and evil and we chose evil. All of our problems stem from that one basic choice. Jesus said, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” (Matthew 15:19 NIV)

We don’t need a change of circumstances, we need transformation. Until and unless our hearts are transformed, changing our circumstances is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. The ship is still going down regardless of how skilfully or artfully you place the chairs.

In a sense, we can’t blame the politicians for only addressing symptoms. That’s really all they can do. They don’t have the power or ability to change anyone’s heart – including their own. Oh, they can pass laws to restrict or regulate certain sins, but they are powerless to change whatever it is in a person which makes him want to sin.

Is the situation hopeless, then? Not at all. Though the politicians don’t have the answer, transformation is possible. In 1st Peter 2, verses 9 and 10 the Apostle Peter writing to Christians says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (NIV)

How did this transformation from not being a people to being the people of God, from not receiving mercy to receiving mercy, take place? Peter gives the answer in chapter 1, verse 3: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (NIV)

We are transformed by being born anew. It’s not just a change of circumstances, it is an entire new life: a different nature. A nature that is in tune with God and His will rather than opposed to Him.

The new birth doesn’t just happen, though. It is the resurrection of Jesus from the dead which makes it possible. Notice the progression: If Jesus hadn’t died, He couldn’t have been raised. If He hadn’t been raised we couldn’t experience the new birth. If we hadn’t experienced the new birth we wouldn’t have hope. We would still be locked into the old, sinful human nature which gives rise to all the problems we see around us.

Every Lord’s Day we gather to remember the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. The piece of bread we eat reminds us of Christ’s body. He had to die that we might live. He had to rise so that we could have new life. We drink some juice which reminds us of Christ’s blood. It is His blood which covers our sin.

Today as we eat and drink these emblems let’s remember that it is through Christ’s resurrection that we are transformed. Let’s remember with gratitude what we were before and what we are now because of His great mercy.

In 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2, verse 12, Paul writes about people who are perishing. They aren’t headed for destruction because of a chance or random event. They aren’t headed for destruction because of the actions of someone else. Paul writes that they are condemned because of a deliberate choice they made. What was the choice? They delighted, or took pleasure, in wickedness. Involved in this choice was not believing the truth. It’s not that they didn’t have the opportunity to know the truth; it wasn’t that the truth was beyond their capability to understand. They turned away from the truth for moral reasons.

In contrast to this group of people, Paul writes in verses 13 and 14, “But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 NIV)

If we belong to Christ, there are several things in this passage for which we, like Paul, can give thanks:

1) That we are loved by the Lord.

2) That God chose us, from the beginning, to be saved.

3) That the Spirit sanctifies us – that is that the Spirit sets us apart from evil and sin and makes us holy.

4) That we believe the truth.

5) That God has called us through the gospel.

6) That we can share in Christ’s glory.

Unfortunately, we humans tend to forget just how much God has done for us. Even though we have been blessed so richly, we can very easily start to take God’s blessings for granted. Even worse, we can begin to think that we somehow deserve them.

Perhaps it is for this reason that just before He sacrificed His own life so that we might have salvation, Jesus gave His disciples a memorial – something which would always remind us of what He has done and how much we’ve been blessed. “When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 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 22:14-20 NIV)

One of the things which impresses me in the accounts of what we know as the ‘Last Supper’ is that Jesus gave thanks. Stop and think about it. Jesus was about to go through an incredibly agonizing death. He knew full well what He was facing. In addition to the physical agony was the trauma of being betrayed and deserted by His friends. On top of everything else, He knew that taking the sins of the whole world upon Himself would force His heavenly Father to turn away. For God cannot look upon sin (See Isaiah 59:1-2, Habakkuk 1:13). The close relationship that Jesus had known with the Father from all eternity would be broken.

In spite of all this, or maybe because of it, Jesus gave thanks. The accounts do not tell us why He gave thanks. Perhaps it was to consecrate the bread and the fruit of the vine (See 1 Timothy 4:3-5). But I suspect that there was more to it than that. I suspect that one of the reasons He gave thanks was to set an example for us. It was to remind us that no matter how grim our circumstances may be, we still have much to be thankful for.

Because of what God has done for us through Jesus, we have salvation. This morning as we partake of the emblems which remind us of the price which was paid for our salvation, let’s do so with thankful hearts.

(Given on a ‘Mission Sunday’ when various missions were presented to the congregation.)

There are a lot of stories out there in the world. There are a lot of different messages. Every day we are bombarded with all sorts of ideas and concepts. But, when you get right down to it, there is one story the world needs to hear above all else. It is the only story which can bring peace to the troubled and war-weary. It is the only story which can bring light into darkness. It is the only story which can bring reconciliation to those who are alienated from God. It is the Good News of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Today, we are going to share with you what this congregation is doing to take the Good News to other parts of the world. Before we do, it’s worth asking the question, “Why? Why should we care that others hear about Jesus?” It boils down to one simple fact: We should care about taking the gospel to others because somebody cared about sharing it with us. They, in turn, heard the message from somebody who cared about them. And this chain of love stretches back all the way to God. The Apostle John puts it this way: “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19 NIV)

When we think about love, we often associate it with emotions or feelings. But love is far more than that. Love also involves action. This morning I want to mention three action words that are included in God’s love.

The first word is ‘sent.’ The Apostle John writes, “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10 NIV)

A second word which is associated with God’s love is ‘came.’ It would have been pointless for God to send Jesus if He never arrived at His destination. But Scripture says, “He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.” (Ephesians 2:17 NIV) In another place it says, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…” (1 Timothy 1:15 NIV)

God’s love not only prompted Him to send Jesus; love not only prompted Jesus to come, but that love also prompted them to give. Paul writes, “…live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1 NIV)

Because God loved, He sent. Because He was sent, Jesus came. When He came, He gave.

We’re reminded of that gift each week in the Lord’s Supper. “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)

But the bread we eat and the juice we drink should not only remind us of God’s love and Christ’s gift, it should also remind us of a responsibility we have. Jesus told His disciples, “…As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21 NIV) Are we willing to go and to give so that others may receive the gift of eternal life? Think about it as we eat and drink in Christ’s memory.

Even a casual glance at the news is enough to make you realize that there are a lot of conflicts and wars going on in the world. Depending on how you count them, there are somewhere between 10 and 30 wars going on right now. This is not unusual. A brief look at a history book tells you that war and conflict are one of the constants of human existence.

Although war and conflict have been with us almost from the beginning of human history, there is something in us which tells us that this is not how it ought to be. Though, in one sense, war and conflict are normal, we consider it abnormal. Listen to some of the lyrics of one of the most popular songs of the Civil War.

“Many are the hearts that are weary tonight,
Wishing for the war to cease;
Many are the hearts looking for the right
To see the dawn of peace…” (Tenting Tonight on the Old Campground, Walter C. Kittredge, 1863)

Because war really is abnormal; because we believe that people really do have a right to see the dawn of peace, wherever there is conflict, there are those who are working diligently to restore peace. We have peace commissions. There are peace conferences. The Nobel organization awards prizes to those whom they feel have done the most to advance the cause of peace. Yet, no sooner than one conflict is resolved, another breaks out.

Why has all the effort expended to bring about peace failed to solve the problem? It is because the conferences and commissions only deal with the symptoms of conflict instead of the root issue. What is it that causes wars and quarrels? James writes, “…Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?” (James 4:1 NIV) In other words, conflicts and wars are external expressions of inner desires. There will never be lasting peace until man’s desires and covetousness are addressed.

But the problem really goes deeper. The conflict in our world is a reflection of mankind’s alienation and conflict with God. In order to have peace with one another, we all must first make peace with God. There’s a song from the 1970’s with the lyrics, “There will never be any peace until God is seated at the conference table.” (There Will Never Be Any Peace, Imperials, 1975)

How can we have peace with God? Speaking of Christ, the Apostle Paul writes, “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation– if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel…” (Colossians 1:19-23 NIV)

It is through Christ’s blood that God has reconciled us to Himself. It is through Christ’s body, through death, that God has made us holy and free from accusation. But notice that there is a condition. We must continue in our faith. We must not abandon the gospel.

One of the reasons we meet together each First Day of the week is to strengthen our faith. We meet to remember the gospel, which is the good news of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. We participate in Communion in order to remember. The piece of bread we eat reminds us of Christ’s body through which God has made us holy. The cup of juice we drink reminds us of Christ’s blood through which God has reconciled us to Himself. Today, as we eat and drink let’s remember that it is through Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf that we have peace with God.

Join me in prayer.

In writing to the Christians at Thessalonica, the Apostle Paul makes an interesting statement. He says, “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.” (2 Thessalonians 3:5 NIV) It’s not like these people didn’t already know or hadn’t already experienced God’s love. They had already accepted Christ’s sacrifice on their behalf. They had already experienced salvation. I think what Paul is saying is that they needed to develop the same kind of love that God has. They needed to demonstrate God’s love in how they lived their lives and interacted with one another.

What grabbed my attention in that verse, however, is that Paul prays that their hearts would be directed into Christ’s perseverance. Your translation may say, “into the steadfastness of Christ.” Why do we need to be directed into steadfastness or perseverance? Well, if you’re like me, it’s easy to start projects. It’s easy to get excited at the beginning of something. But sometimes it’s not so easy to finish what I’ve started. Unexpected problems crop up. Excitement gives way to discouragement. It can be very tempting to abandon a project before it’s finished because something new has come along.

There’s more to perseverance than just helping us to finish projects. Paul explains it this way in chapter 5, verse 4 of his letter to the Romans, “…we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (NIV) Notice that it is perseverance which builds character. Why is this important? Because it is character which produces hope. In the next few verses, Paul goes on to say that our hope rests squarely on the fact that Jesus died for us. It is through His blood that we are justified and reconciled to God.

Living for Christ is not always easy. The initial excitement and joy of being forgiven can turn into discouragement when we find out that we still have to overcome problems or bad habits. Sometimes we face opposition. Sometimes it would be easier to just go along with peer pressure or the standards of our culture.

Fortunately, Christ Himself set us an example of perseverance when the going got tough. Can you imagine what would have happened if He had decided not to follow through with God’s plan of redemption? We would still be in our sins, with no hope at all. But Jesus did follow through. When the time came for Him to sacrifice His life for us, Scripture says that He “…resolutely set out for Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:51 NIV) He could have walked away. He could have called 10 thousand angels to destroy His enemies. He could have come down off the cross. But He didn’t. He saw it through. Because He persevered, we have the hope of eternal life – provided that we persevere in following Him.

Each week we take the time to remember what Jesus has done for us. We eat a piece of bread which represents Christ’s body which He sacrificed for us. We drink some juice which represents His blood which cleanses us from sin. Today as we partake of these emblems, let’s not only remember His sacrifice, but also Jesus’ perseverance which sent Him to the cross. Let’s remember the hope we have because of His perseverance in providing salvation.

Let’s also renew our commitment to live for Christ. Let’s follow His example of perseverance. As it says in Hebrews, “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” (Hebrews 10:35-36 NIV)

Let’s pray.

(This meditation was prepared for a participatory assembly where people from the congregation shared their insights from the Psalms.)

This morning we’ve talked about several of the themes which are found in the Psalms. There’s the theme of God’s glory. There’s the theme of God’s care and protection. We’ve shared some of the lessons we’ve learned. But there’s another aspect to the Psalms as well. They point to the coming of Christ. For example Psalm 2 looks forward to Jesus as the Son, as conquering King and Judge. Psalm 23, pictures Jesus as our Shepherd.

But perhaps the most remarkable prophecies about Christ are found in Psalm 22. This Psalm predicts His death. Let’s take a look at it.

[Read Psalm 22]

Jesus quoted from verse 1, while He was on the cross.

Verses 7 and 8 tell how the crowds mocked Jesus as He was dying.

Verse 15 predicts Jesus’ thirst.

Verse 16 describes crucifixion, a type of execution which was unknown when David penned this Psalm.

Verse 17 tells how the soldiers gambled for Jesus’ clothing.

But then, the tone of the Psalm changes. Though on the surface it looks like God has abandoned anyone who would die such a horrible death, verse 24 says that God has listened to His cry. Do you remember what it says in Hebrews 5:7? “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.” (NIV)

Verse 27 of Psalm 22 goes on to say that people of all nations will serve the Lord.

Verse 30 predicts the spreading of the gospel to unborn generations.

Why am I taking the time to point out these things? Because Jesus has asked us to remember His death. Just before His crucifixion, Jesus took some bread and gave it to His disciples and told them to eat it as a memorial of His body. He also took a cup and told His disciples to drink from it as a reminder of the New Covenant which He was making in His blood.

These emblems remind us of Christ’s death. But when we eat them, we also need to remind ourselves of the answer to the question, “Why was it necessary for Jesus to suffer and die?” The short answer is that Jesus had to die for our sins. He gave His life for ours.

We are told in 1st Corinthians 11:28 that we ought to examine ourselves before we eat of the bread or drink of the cup. Have I been living for Christ this past week? Am I coming before Him with a clean heart?

Before we partake this morning, we’re going to sing part of another Psalm. This is a Psalm of repentance which David wrote after his sin with Bathsheba. If there’s something you need to make right with the Lord, why don’t you do it while we sing? Then you can partake of the emblems with a pure conscience.

Psalm 51, Create In Me a Clean Heart