Communion

Pastor George Dronen

Midland SDA Church

April 14, 2012

Matthew 26:1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these words, he said unto his disciples, 2 Ye know that after two days the Passover cometh, and the Son of man is delivered up to be crucified. 3 Then were gathered together the chief priests, and the elders of the people, unto the court of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas; 4 and they took counsel together that they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill him. 5 But they said, Not during the feast, lest a tumult arise among people.

I find the phrase at the end of verse 5 fascinating.

The Jewish leaders had planned to arrest Jesus after Passover. They knew He was popular and the common people would rally in His support.

They wanted to take Him by subtle and indirect methods.

They didn’t want to be exposed as the instigators.

This is how Satan the archenemy has always worked.

One of men in the office e-mailed an address to a web site.

It is a book called; “FOREIGN CONSIPARACY AGAINST THE LIBERTIES IN THE UNITED STATES” by a person names Brutus. What I find fascinating is the implications that are made by certain establishments. By the way the book was written in 1835.

We are horrified if someone is introduced to the Great Controversy. Someone got off with my copy of “ECCLESTICAL MEGOLMANIA” so I ordered another. The statements John Robbins, a historian from John Hopkins university,  makes are straightforward, politically correct, and factual. On page 195 of this book is almost a direct quote from the book of Revelation 13:3 “And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.” This man is writing from a historical basis and what he has seen he can only anticipate what is the future.

He actually says that this institution is recovering from a deadly wound.

What Jesus faced is what we will have to face, some will be martyred, Rev. 20:4.

But the greatest test the hardest part of the ordeal was the anticipation of what is going to happen, the dread, the awfulness of the ordeal.

He knew what He faced. Scriptures had plainly revealed to Him the terrible punishment that He faced. His humanity shrank from the ordeal. Go with me to the text:

Matthew 26:36 “Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

37: And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

38: Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

39: And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. 40: And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

41: Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

42: He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

43: And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.

44: And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.”

We think of the Easter season as a joyous season but we fail to remember those three days before the resurrection Jesus went through the dark shadows of death. He faced what no man ever faced.

Paul in 1 Corinthians 11 in the communion service we show that we understand what Jesus went through. This is not make believe with Easter bunnies and eggs and funny little customs and chocolate covered candies. This is real stuff and how we respond tells the world whether we take Jesus death for real. This is our salvation.

Isaiah 53:5; “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

Passover was not a joyous event for our Lord.

Can you imagine the dread that came over Him as He made His way to Jerusalem? He knew what Passover this year was all about. As He came riding into Jerusalem on the little donkey’s back He saw the city that was going to reject Him and He wept.

Luke 19:41 “And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, 42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. 43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, 44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.”

Dear people, Jesus wept over Jerusalem, does Jesus still have feelings for His people? My Bible says that He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities.

We have One in the heavenly sanctuary who knows us, our weakness, our sins, and He is a merciful High Priest. He says I want to represent you but you must consent. You must acknowledge your sinfulness, you must admit who you are and plead for  mercy to a God who delights in mercy which is His chief attribute. A merciful loving heavenly Father.

This is what this service is all about. It is miniature baptism if you please. Peter said to Jesus as Jesus washed his feet, wash all of me, Jesus said not necessary only your feet.

You may say I don’t want anyone washing my feet.

You don’t need to be washed if you have never sinned, but if you are a member of Adam’s family you are guilty and you must come to Him, Jesus for cleansing.

Sin pays wages, the wages are death and when we sin we forfeit our right to life for all eternity.

Before man sinned, he was pure and holy, and, like the angels, rejoiced in fellowship and association with God.  Now his uncleanness and impurity unfit him for coming into God’s presence.

 “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Isa. 64:6.

The Scripture presents sin in another aspect as a ruling power. It takes possession of our will, and thus becomes master, and we its servants. It sits on the throne of our lives, reigning over us, and holding us captives and slaves.

“Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you. Whosoever committed sin is the servant of sin.” John 8:34.

The Bible makes a distinction between sin and sins. Sins are acts of transgression, sin is an inherited tendency or law of our being.

There is an important lesson suggested in Romans 7:18, that many are slow to learn. “I know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing.”

Is it all or only a part of me that has fallen under sin and is rebellious, impure, sick, and in slavery to evil? To learn that  I am all bad and that thee is no good thing in me, is one of the greatest steps toward appreciation of the atonement of Christ.

One does not long for a remedy for his disease until he becomes conscious that he is sick, nor can he appreciate such a remedy. It is therefore futile and inconsistent to present a remedy for the sin-sick and lost without a clear description of the disease of sin, its cause and its consequences.

In Romans 2:13 Paul says, “Not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.” Then he proceeds to show that there are no doers of the law, but all have violated its precepts and are guilty, which brings the inevitable conclusion, “Therefore by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in His sight.” Romans 3:20.

We need to understand the distinction between “just” and “justified.” If we call a man just, we refer to his character; if justified, we refer to his standing. An unjust man, if legally tried on some charge and acquitted, is justified and accounted and treated as though innocent.

In the strictest sense a sinner never can be just, but Christ, the just one, took the sinner’s place, so that God could put the repentant sinner in Christ’s place, and declare him justified.

All men had sinned, and were sentenced to death by the divine law. That law was perfect and holy, and justice demanded its execution. But a loving and merciful God longed to rescue the sinner. The great problem was how God could pardon the sinner and save him from the penalty without either setting aside the divine law or sharing in the guilt of the transgressor. No human mind could ever have solved so difficult a problem.

A holy God has made a perfect law, designed to safeguard the highest interests of the universe forever. So long as His government stands, the law must be maintained. The moment the certainty of punishment for disobedience and rebellion ceases, there is an end of the government. It will not do for God to save the sinner at the expense of His character or His government.

Through the mercy of God the sinner and the Saviour actually exchange places. Christ becomes the sinner is condemned, and dies. The sinner is adopted as a son, justified and declared holy. By Christ’s life of perfect obedience to the law and His vicarious death, the ends of the law and justice are fully met, so that God can judicially acquit the sinner, and still maintain His own righteousness and integrity of His law.

What a wonderful plan God has for us. Is there anyone who would in their right mind turn down the offer that is being offered?