Preparing our hearts for Communion October 27, 2009
Posted by roberttalley in Communion, Covenant, Lord's Table, Philippians, Religion.add a comment
This Sunday, as we do every first Sunday, we will again celebrate Communion. It is clear that Communion is to remind us of what the Lord did for us when He established through the shedding of His blood the new covenant, by which we are forgiven and become God’s children. Yet there is also a sense in which the celebration of Communion should be a renewal of our part in that covenant. It is true that the covenant was established by Christ alone without any aid from man but we enter that covenant through faith. Should we not renew our faith in Christ when we celebrate Communion? I do not mean be born again again 
Rather, that through the celebration and recognition of what Christ has done for me, renew my discipleship to Him.
I think something like that is what Paul is describing in Philippians 3:8-12, “Yet indeed I also count all things loss…that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffering, being conformed to His death, if, by any mean, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.”
A Sermon on Footwashing (John 13:1-17) January 4, 2009
Posted by roberttalley in Communion, Footwashing, John's Gospel, Religion, Sermons.2 comments
“LORD, ARE YOU WASHING MY FEET?” (John 13:1-17)
In John 13 and 14 we have the most extensive recording in the New Testament of conversations between Jesus and His disciples. During the course of these conversations, the disciples asked Jesus a number of questions, some of which we want to look at during the next few weeks. Before we look at the first question, I would like for us to understand the scene into which we are diving and then understand the significance of foot washing.
Christ proves His enduring love to His disciples although they will soon be separated from one another (John 13:1-3). The focus of this chapter and the four following is the love Jesus had for His disciples. He will both show His love for them and express His love for them. John, however, wants us to know before hand the circumstances out of which His love for these men comes.
His love has no limit of time or circumstances and no intermission (verse 1). “To the end” means more than “’til death do us part.” There is no limit to the love of Christ for His disciples. It began before the world was created and will continue throughout eternity. There is no circumstance that prevents Him from loving us. He loves us to the uttermost. His love is not on/off or up/down. It is constant, consistent, and continuous. Plainly spoken, He loved us all the way to the cross where He showed His love to us in that while we were still sinners against His holiness, He died for us.
His love is purposeful and planned (verses 1-3). Verse 1 tells us that His love was planned for a specific hour or event. Then verse 2 tells that the event was not only planned but the players, from Christ to Satan, from Peter to Judas, from the Jewish hierarchy to the Roman military might, had already been cast and were ready to play their roles. Finally, in verse 3 we find that the main player, Jesus Christ, had been cast by the Great Director, God Himself, and that soon the curtain was going to close on the present act. For that reason, Jesus Christ found it necessary to prove His love to His disciples. Soon He will be backstage and they will be on the stage alone before a hostile audience and they need to know that He, though unseen, is still there. That was the immediate plan and purpose, with which Jesus performed this act of foot washing.
Christ proves His love through servitude (verses 4-8a; see Luke 22:27 which was probably spoken before the washing of the feet). Perhaps it is widely known that the washing of feet was not a normal part of their routine. It was only performed as an act of hospitality for a visiting stranger and was normally performed by a servant or slave. In the past, they were accustomed to visiting a town or city and having their feet washed by the slaves or the servants of the house in which they were staying. Jesus had never washed their feet and it is doubtful that any of them had ever washed each others feet before.
Christ intended to serve each of the Twelve (verses 4-5). Not just the greats like Peter but the tax collector, Matthew; the political zealot, Simon; the prejudiced Nathanael; the courageous Thomas; the sons of Thunder, James and John; the people persons, Andrew and Philip; the insignificant, James the Lesser and the other Judas, and even Judas Iscariot. Jesus intended to wash everyone of their feet in an act of servitude and submission.
Peter did not intend to allow Jesus to serve Him (verses 6 and 8a). Peter was not polished but He knew one thing: kings do not do the work of slaves. Peter probably thought he was better qualified than the other eleven disciples but he knew that Jesus was his superior in every way. He is so taken back that he asks Jesus, “Don’t you know what you are doing!? I refuse to let you wash my feet!”
Christ teaches what He has lived (verses 7-17).
His servitude was fully revealed by His death (verse 7). Jesus is not saying that Peter did not recognize that Jesus was washing feet. Nor was he saying, you do not understand the symbolism of the act. Peter understood full well the symbolism of foot washing. It symbolized slavery, service to superiors in behalf of someone else. That is why Peter objected to having his feet washed by Jesus Christ. What Peter did not understand was that Jesus would soon be performing the ultimate service, the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus would die in order that Peter might be cleansed from his sin.
His servitude establishes a relationship with those He loves (verses 8b-11).
The service that Jesus Christ performs for us includes more than physical hygiene. Jesus cleans us spiritually and when He cleans us spiritually, we have a “part with” Him. In other words, we share His destiny. Now Peter and the other disciples understood this to mean the earthly kingdom and certainly that is also part of their destiny but we are talking about eternity in the presence of God standing before Him in the righteousness of Christ. That is our part with Christ.
Why then, did Peter not need to be washed again? Peter, it appears, still did not fully understand what Jesus was talking about, confusing physical with spiritual cleansing. There is a beautiful implicit lesson in what Jesus says and does. The whole person is washed beforehand. When one is saved through trusting Christ, he is made completely clean but walking in this world, one is exposed to sin which needs to be washed off. It is Christ the servant, who keeps us spiritually cleansed.
His servitude is our example in our relationship to other believers (verses 12-17). When Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, he showed that He was their servant and that they, like Him were to serve one another. The purpose for His servitude was to exhort us to serve one another even as slaves if it so be necessary.
The basis for our servitude is that He is greater than we (verses 12-16). He is the Teacher. We are the disciples, the followers, the learners. He is the Master. We are His servants. He is the one who sends. We are the ones who are sent.
The result of our servitude is blessedness (verse 17). This word “blessed” sometimes means “happy” but usually it means privileged or favored. Jesus is saying that there are special privileges from God for those who serve others. He who serves as a slave his brother is favored of God. Jesus is saying, you know this truth. I have been teaching you repeatedly over the past few weeks that you should serve one another, love one another, put the other before yourself. You know the truth. It is time to make this the mantra for your life. When you live a life of service to others, you will be blessed, you will favor by God above others. You will become great in the kingdom of God.
Leroy Eims of the Navigators tells about a man who came to Christ and desired to serve Eims. Because he was young and inexperienced in the faith, there were not a lot of opportunities at the Navigators office for this man to serve. Winter was coming though and the man greatly desired to serve in some way. Leroy Eims gave him the task of shoveling the walkway to the office building. The man was very zealous in this service. In fact he was so zealous, Eims quipped, not a snowflake hit the walkway the whole winter long. Eims said that such valuable service could not go unrewarded and they brought him into the office to train for service within the Navigators organization.
Whose feet are you washing? Are you a slave of Christ or do you serve motivated by ego, appreciation, praise, or success? Perhaps you need to wash the filth of selfishness off of your feet and then look around and find someone else whose feet you can wash.
ADDENDUM: (Burnout is a great danger in Christian service. One of the main reasons we burn out is because we are not being blessed in our service. We feel unappreciated, unrewarded, unfulfilled. When we realize that our appreciation and reward and fulfillment is heavenly and not earthly, it is then that we will be able to combat the very real danger of burnout. We serve as slaves because our Master served as a slave. We are not greater than He. When, however, we serve as He serves, we will be blessed, we will be privileged, we will be rewarded, we will be great in the kingdom of heaven.)
Beginning the New Year with the Lord’s Table January 2, 2008
Posted by roberttalley in Communion, Lord's Table, New Year's, Religion.add a comment
The Lord’s Table (January 7, 2007)
Yesterday is the day that some church traditions celebrate the coming of the wise men to see Jesus. I would like to read this morning before we partake of the Lord’s Table two passages from the gospel of Matthew, one of which is taken from that story.
Matthew 2:1 ¶ Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,
2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”{#Mic 5:2}
Later when Jesus introduced the Lord’s Supper, He referred both to His role as King and His role as Shepherd.
Matthew 26:29 “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
31 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ {#Zec 13:7}
When Jesus was crucified, there was nailed over his head on the cross a sign saying, “Jesus, of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” The relationship that God offers to man by faith was provided by the death of the sinless King of Kings. This same Jesus went to the cross as the Good Shepherd, who gives His life for His sheep. When you take the bread and juice, you are acknowledging that Jesus is both your King and your Shepherd.
If you have yet to trust Christ as your Savior, we do want you to understand that God in His grace sent King Jesus to die for your sins and that this forgiveness is available to you also. He wants to be the Shepherd of your soul. It is only possible by entrusting yourself to Him. If you would like to commit yourself to Jesus Christ now, it is possible through faith in Him and His death on the cross for you.
For a believer, submission to the rule of the King and the care of the Shepherd follows faith in Christ. As you partake this morning, don’t only thank God for what He has done for you but submit yourself to His will and way in your life. One way to do this is to take a few silent moments to look at your life closely and make sure that there is nothing between you and your fellow believer that needs to be made right. It doesn’t matter whether you are at fault or if your fellow believer is at fault, you need to make it right.
“Father, we thank you that you sent the King of Kings to provide forgiveness and salvation through His death, burial, and resurrection. We thank you that He is our Shepherd, the one who will care for us through all eternity. Purify our hearts and lives. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!”
Lord’s Table Preparation from October 2005 October 4, 2007
Posted by roberttalley in Communion, Covenant, Lord's Table, Religion, Revelation of Jesus Christ.add a comment
From the Revelation of Jesus Christ according to John, chapter 19:
5 ¶ Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!”6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!7 “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.9 9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”
When Jesus introduced the Lord’s Supper, He made reference that He would eat it again with His disciples. This is what we read of here in Revelation 19. In a sense, we could say that we are practicing in symbol that which will be a reality in the future, the marriage feast of the Lamb. It is interesting that He describes the bride as clothed with white linen. He even tells us what her garments symbolize the righteous acts of the believer. That is why it is important that we make sure that our conscious is clear before we partake of the Lord’s Supper. True, this is only a symbol, but it is more than a rehearsal. We are actually testifying to something very important, that we who have trusted Christ as Savior have all been forgiven through His blood. Our favor with God comes not through the bread and juice but through faith in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.
Our dear, gracious Father. We thank you that we are yours by your Son’s blood and that the forgiveness and salvation you’ve provided through Jesus Christ is eternal. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!
Help from Spurgeon (and Mike Ratliff) in preparing for the Lord’s Table August 28, 2007
Posted by roberttalley in Atonement, Blood of Christ, Communion, Crucifixion, Death of Christ, Good Friday, Lord's Table, Religion, Spurgeon.1 comment so far
“After our Lord’s death was over, the blood of animals was not the type, but the blood of the grape. That which was terrible in prospect is joyous in remembrance. That which was blood in the shedding is wine in the receiving. It came from him with a wound, but it comes to us with a blessing.” Originally posted here by Mike Ratliff.
The Lord’s Table reminds us that the pivotal event in world history is the cross. It is not the invention of fire or the wheel neither is it the printing press or the computer as pivotal as all of these things were. The pivotal event in world history is the death of God’s Son on the cross establishing a new covenant between God and man. Everything before and after depend on the outcome of Christ’s death.
A Sermon from Ray Pritchard to Prepare us for the Lord’s Table July 31, 2007
Posted by roberttalley in Body of Christ, Character, Communion, First Corinthians, Forgiveness, Judgment, Lord's Table, Repentance, Sermons, Spiritual Disciplines, Worship.add a comment
Links to Sermons from Psalm 19 July 14, 2007
Posted by roberttalley in Communion, Lord's Table, Prayer, Psalms, Repentance, Sermons.add a comment
Not a sermon but a great appropriate quote from “Fire and Knowledge” (see that site at my blogroll for more great quotes.)
http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2007/07/12/science-cannot-prove-or-disprove-god-collins/
Spurgeon on “Secret Sins”…
http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0116.htm
…on some sins being worse than others. He believes some are and will tell you why…
http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0135.htm
…and how little we recognize the extent of our sin.
http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0299.htm
From John Piper on the last three verses (It was a sermon in preparation for the Lord’s Table)
Other sermons by Piper on Psalm 19 can be found here:
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByScripture/1/
A Meditation by Sam Storms on the first six verses:
http://www.enjoyinggodministries.com/article/look-up-and-listen-psalm-191-6
Lord’s Supper devotional from September 2005 June 26, 2007
Posted by roberttalley in Body of Christ, Communion, John's Gospel, Lord's Table.add a comment
As we prepare for Communion on July 1, let us think about our unity in the death of Christ.
I would like to read this morning before we partake of the Lord’s Table from John’s Gospel the 13th chapter (verses 33-35).
33 “Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
When Jesus introduced the Lord’s Table, He let the disciples know with these words that He was also establishing them as a unified, loving body. That is why it is important that we make sure that our conscious is clear, not only before God but also before our fellow man. In fact, this is the abuse that Paul was trying to correct in 1 Corinthians 11.
I. Why is this important? First of all, we who have trusted Christ as Savior have all been forgiven through the love of Christ. This means that we are, this morning, celebrating forgiveness through faith in Christ’s death and shed blood, when we partake of the bread and juice this morning. As we will see later in the book of Ephesians, there is only one faith and lives based on this one faith are to be filled with love for one another.
II. This is also important because we are unified in Him. Jesus said that the next time He partook would be with us in His Father’s kingdom. Those of us who have been forgiven will also be part of that kingdom. We are to relate to one another now, though, as if we were already in that kingdom, which spiritually we are.
We understand that we are forgiven by faith in Christ’s death and shed blood. The symbolic eating and drinking of the bread and juice gains no favor with God for us. We only gain favor with God by faith in Jesus Christ. If you have yet to trust Christ as your Savior, you have no reason to participate in the Lord’s Table, but we do want you to understand that God in His grace sent Jesus to die for your sins and that this forgiveness is available to you also. As always, we would be glad to show you from the Bible how to trust Him as your personal Savior.
“Our dear, gracious Father. We thank you that we are made one by your Son’s blood and that the forgiveness and salvation you’ve provided through Jesus Christ is a common forgiveness and a common salvation. We come to you asking you to forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us. In His name we pray. Amen!”
Matthew 26:6b-7 “Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body.’ Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remissions of sins.’
Preparation for the Lord’s Table (written August 2005) May 31, 2007
Posted by roberttalley in Communion, Lord's Table, Matthew.add a comment
I would like to read this morning before we partake of the Lord’s Table from Matthew’s Gospel the 26th chapter (verses 17-20; 26-30). When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Table, He announced the mediation of a new covenant (Hebrews 8:6; 9:15; and 12:24).
- In other words, the death of His body and the shedding of His blood provided for the remission of sins. Remission means forgiveness. This means that we are celebrating forgiveness through faith in Christ’s death and shed blood, when we partake of the bread and juice this morning.
- We have more, however, to look forward to than forgiveness. Jesus said that the next time He partook would be in His Father’s kingdom. Those of us who have been forgiven are and will be part of that kingdom. In other words, we are remembering and giving thanks for both what Jesus has done, what he continues to do, and what he is going to do for us. We remember this through the symbolic eating and drinking of the bread and juice. We gain no favor with God by participating. In fact, we only gain favor with God by faith in Jesus Christ. If you have yet to trust Christ as your Savior, you have no reason to participate in the Lord’s Table, but we do want you to understand that God in His grace sent Jesus to die for your sins and that this forgiveness is available to you also, if you would depend on Him as the only answer to your sin problem. If you have any questions concerning how to be saved, please ask after the worship service this morning and would be glad to show you from the Bible how to trust Him as your personal Savior.
At this time, we want to take a few moments as already forgiven believers to bow our heads and examine our lives. We want to make sure that everything is right between God and us. Just as forgiveness is like a bath, this time of confession is like washing our hands spiritually. So let us take a few moments to contemplate our lives before God. After those few moments, I will pray and then we will begin with the Lord’s Table. “Our dear, gracious Father. We thank you for your forgiveness. You are a merciful God, faithful towards those who put their faith in your Son, Jesus Christ. Father, we know that the same blood that washed us from our sin is applicable to our daily lives. We understand our weakness. But Father, we know “if we confess our sins, you are faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” In His name we pray. Amen!
Matthew 26:6b “Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
Matthew 26:7 “Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remissions of sins.”
New Terrible Parable: The Easter Recipe May 9, 2007
Posted by roberttalley in Communion, Lord's Table, Passover, Terrible Parables.add a comment
A good description of the Passover. Click the link below.
http://mysite.verizon.net/bizsopu4/2007.05.01_arch.html#1178712756304
