In a few moments we are going to have communion. Communion, or the Lord’s Supper, is a time of remembrance that Jesus called us to. Just before his going to the cross, Jesus met with His disciples in the upper room. There they had a last meal together before that fateful day when He would be taken, beaten, tried, nailed to a cross, lifted high and give up His life as a ransom for many. It was on the cross that he took our sin upon himself. It was on the cross that he took our guilt and became a guilt offering. It was on the cross that Jesus too our place of death and became death for us. It was on the cross that Jesus took our separation from God and became separated from God.
Thin on that for a moment –we, mankind, humanity, because of sin, are separated from God. The Bible describes it as being lost, even as being dead and in darkness. Jesus when he went to the cross, took all our sin and because he was now sin was separated from God!
But this is the good news –Jesus died and rose again! Jesus being separated from God was raised from the dead and now gives us the opportunity to come into a relationship with God, no longer separated but as his children! Jesus became and is the way to the Father! That all who receive him and believe in Him, he gives the right to become the children of the heavenly Father.
Do you believe? Have you received? Are you a child of the heavenly Father because you have believed and received the gift of life Offered by and through Jesus Christ? Communion is a time for followers of Jesus to affirm their faith. Then communion is a time of celebration and remembrance –it is a time to honor and worship Jesus Christ for who he is and what he has done. It is a time to affirm again your belief in Him.
If you are not a follower of Jesus, you have not yet believed and received, communion is a great time to become a follower –to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the only way to the Father, to accept the gift of life he offers through His death and resurrection. Communion is a great time to give your life to Jesus –to begin that journey to eternity with the Father.
Even more it is a time to renew your faith in Him. Sometimes we tend to wander, to go off of the narrow path Jesus talks about in Matthew 7. We take our eyes of Jesus and wander away. Perhaps not far, but far enough to know we are not following Jess as we should –as we need to, as He leads and commands. Communion is a time to remind us that Jesus dies for us, that He gave his life for us, that He was separated from God on our behalf in order to lead us back to the Father. Communion is a time to come back –find forgiveness, and find renewed strength. It is a time that the Bile calls to confess and to repent. Confess means to agree with God we are wrong. Repent means to turn from the way we are going and get back on track with Jesus.
But even more, communion is a time to come to the cross and lay your burdens down. Because Jesus died on the cross, because he rose again we can know that he is able, more than able, to carry not only our sins, but our burdens. In the Psalms we read that we are to cast our burdens before him and He will sustain you (55:11). Can God carry your burdens? Can he sustain you? The cross answers that with a resounding yes! Further in Psalm 68 we read that He daily bears our burdens (19).
Jesus himself offered us these words –“Come all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” What a great promise, what a great promise! But we must see the rest of this passage where Jesus says, “take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Mt. 11:24,ff)
Yes, Jesus takes our burdens. Yes, Jesus gives us rest. But He also walks with us! The yoke here is a beautiful picture of him walking beside us. When a new ox is being trained he is always paired with one that is stronger and more experienced. The experienced and stronger ox not only takes much of the burden, but also leads the way and shows the new ox where to go.
Jesus not only takes the burden of our sin, but the burdens of life. He shows us the way to the father, how we should go. As we walk with him towards the Father, as we walk that narrow path, he takes the burdens. And what does he give us? Oh, we know the promises –I give you my joy. I give you my peace. I give you my love. I give you my strength. I give you my spirit, the comforter, the teacher, the guide.
Communion is so much more than just a remembrance. It is a time of renewal, refreshing, recommitment and relief. Come all who are weary and I will give you rest!
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