Each week as we come together for communion, I find myself asking, why was the cross necessary? What it all comes down to is the nature of forgiveness. Before you can forgive, there must be a debt owed.
In the 18th chapter of Matthew, Jesus is explaining to Peter forgiveness. Jesus tells a parable where a master is owed a great debt by a servant. The debt is more that the servant can repay in a lifetime. At first, the master is going to sell the servant, his family and all their possessions to reclaim some of his losses, but the servant begs for mercy and promises he will repay the debt. The Master, knowing the debt is too big to be repaid, forgives it.
When our debt is forgiven, it does not go away. Someone has to pay it.
Our debt is sin and the wage of sin is death. Christ, knowing we can never repay the debt of our sin, took the burden on himself.
As Paul states in Romans 5:8, While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Christ did not just make our debt go away by forgiving it. He carried our debt on his back and paid it in full on a cross by dying. He paid the cost in full. Because of the cross, we have the promise of eternal life with Christ if we believe in and follow him. We need to show mercy to those who have hurt us. We need to learn how to forgive.
We are reminded of Christ mercy each time we join together in communion.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Knowing the Outcome ©
When Charleston Heston was filming Ben Hur, he worked with the great stuntman, Yakima Canutt. After working with the teams of chariot horses for several weeks, Heston discussed with great concern that he was not sure he was up to the task. Yakima told him, “Chuck, you just stay on the chariot. I guarantee you are going to win the race.”
Challenges become easier when we know the outcome. Sometimes I get concerned when I see all the things going on in the world around us, but then I remember Christ telling the apostles, “take heart for I have overcome the world.” That is why we have to live each day with heaven in mind. Christ knew from the beginning that he would live a sinless life here on Earth that would ultimately lead to arrest, trial, beatings, and finally death on a rough wooden cross. He knew because he planned it that way to be the perfect sacrifice required for the washing away of sin. Even though he planned it, Christ knew it was going to be an excruciating ordeal and would have preferred not to go through it. Yet, for our sakes he endured intolerable pain and suffering so we would have an opportunity to spend eternity with Him.
Christ could endure because he knew the grave was not the end. We, too can endure trials that happen in our lives because we know that this life is not the end and we have been promised a place in paradise.
We are reminded of this promise each time we gather for communion. Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 11, The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. We live with the future in mind.
Challenges become easier when we know the outcome. Sometimes I get concerned when I see all the things going on in the world around us, but then I remember Christ telling the apostles, “take heart for I have overcome the world.” That is why we have to live each day with heaven in mind. Christ knew from the beginning that he would live a sinless life here on Earth that would ultimately lead to arrest, trial, beatings, and finally death on a rough wooden cross. He knew because he planned it that way to be the perfect sacrifice required for the washing away of sin. Even though he planned it, Christ knew it was going to be an excruciating ordeal and would have preferred not to go through it. Yet, for our sakes he endured intolerable pain and suffering so we would have an opportunity to spend eternity with Him.
Christ could endure because he knew the grave was not the end. We, too can endure trials that happen in our lives because we know that this life is not the end and we have been promised a place in paradise.
We are reminded of this promise each time we gather for communion. Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 11, The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. We live with the future in mind.
Condemned to Repeat It ©
Philosopher, poet, and novelist, George Santayana, stated, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
I grew up in a small Christian Church in Oak Grove. At the front of the sanctuary was a table where the communion trays were setup waiting for this part of the service. Carved into the front of this table was the word Remembrance. I would stare at the word carved in the straight Greek styled lettering thinking it a curious thing to carve in the table. There, just like here, communion was a weekly part of the service.
Acts 20 states “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.” Our pastor has just given a wonderful message, and many of you are relieved that he did not go till midnight, like Paul did, but we see the both disciplines working together here.
Christ, in his infinite wisdom, knew the importance of having symbols to aid us in remembering the most important thing about Jesus’ time on earth. That is why he instituted the last supper.
Paul gave a message where he taught, uplifted, and encouraged the disciples. But included in this were tangible symbols used in the act of remembering by the breaking bread.
It not only was a mental act of remembrance, but involved preparation in advance and the senses of touch, and taste. It was a physical procedure which required participation of the disciples. And what was it reminding them of on a weekly basis? The fact that Christ died for them, rose from the dead, and will return for those who believe in him.
We are not doomed by our past because we believe in and remember the savior who died on a cross to be the sacrifice for our sins. As Christ died and rose again, so shall we one day because of faith in that promise.
At this time I ask all who believe that Christ is there salvation join me in this act of remembrance.
I grew up in a small Christian Church in Oak Grove. At the front of the sanctuary was a table where the communion trays were setup waiting for this part of the service. Carved into the front of this table was the word Remembrance. I would stare at the word carved in the straight Greek styled lettering thinking it a curious thing to carve in the table. There, just like here, communion was a weekly part of the service.
Acts 20 states “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.” Our pastor has just given a wonderful message, and many of you are relieved that he did not go till midnight, like Paul did, but we see the both disciplines working together here.
Christ, in his infinite wisdom, knew the importance of having symbols to aid us in remembering the most important thing about Jesus’ time on earth. That is why he instituted the last supper.
Paul gave a message where he taught, uplifted, and encouraged the disciples. But included in this were tangible symbols used in the act of remembering by the breaking bread.
It not only was a mental act of remembrance, but involved preparation in advance and the senses of touch, and taste. It was a physical procedure which required participation of the disciples. And what was it reminding them of on a weekly basis? The fact that Christ died for them, rose from the dead, and will return for those who believe in him.
We are not doomed by our past because we believe in and remember the savior who died on a cross to be the sacrifice for our sins. As Christ died and rose again, so shall we one day because of faith in that promise.
At this time I ask all who believe that Christ is there salvation join me in this act of remembrance.
Living Our Purpose ©
Solomon, the wisest man on Earth spoke a lot on the topic of work. Throughout the Proverbs, he told how the wise worked hard and the foolish were lazy. In the third chapter of Ecclesiastes, he tells us there is a time for every purpose unto Heaven, and at the end of the chapter he states, So, I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. God has created us with talents and we give glory to God when we use those talents in our work.
Olympic gold medalist, Eric Liddell, immortalized in the movie, Chariots of fire, was born in China, moved to England where he went to school. He understood the had been created with a purpose which he desired to fulfill.
“I believe that God made me for the purpose of going to China, but He also made me fast. When I run, I feel His pleasure." Eric used both of his talents. He won a gold medal in the 1924 Olympics, and went to China as a Missionary. He was also quoted to say. “We are all missionaries. Wherever we go, we either bring people nearer to Christ, or we repel them from Christ.”
We have talents given to us by God, and we give him pleasure when we use them in our work. When we use them with joy, we draw people, when we do not, we repel.
Olympic gold medalist, Eric Liddell, immortalized in the movie, Chariots of fire, was born in China, moved to England where he went to school. He understood the had been created with a purpose which he desired to fulfill.
“I believe that God made me for the purpose of going to China, but He also made me fast. When I run, I feel His pleasure." Eric used both of his talents. He won a gold medal in the 1924 Olympics, and went to China as a Missionary. He was also quoted to say. “We are all missionaries. Wherever we go, we either bring people nearer to Christ, or we repel them from Christ.”
We have talents given to us by God, and we give him pleasure when we use them in our work. When we use them with joy, we draw people, when we do not, we repel.
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