Please join me in silent prayer.

Morning Prayer:

Dear Lord, please open our hearts this morning to receive the blessing that this celebration of Holy Communion holds in store for each one of us.  We celebrate the gift you gave us by sacrificing Yourself for the forgiveness of all our sins.  You gave us the promise of everlasting life in You.  We praise you and thank you, dear Lord. .  . Join me now in communing with our Lord by praying the prayer that He has taught us . . . Our Father . . ..  Amen.

Scripture:

Matthew 26:17-19 (NRSV) 

On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?" 18He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.' " 19So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal.

Matthew 26:26-30 (NRSV) 

While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." 27Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; 28for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."

30When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Sermon: 8/1/04 “I am leaving you!”

Would you travel back in time with me, say about 2000 years?  Imagine sitting with Jesus and the 12 others, having a celebration dinner.  Try to picture this.  Try to be there.  Matthew is off in the corner talking about the law and taxes.  John is telling someone about the time he was present when Jesus healed the daughter of Jairus.  Andrew is recalling the number of loaves that Jesus used to feed the 5000.  And there is Peter.  Peter was always asking questions, but this time he is talking about the time he walked on water. (Bragging actually)  And there are the others chatting away and having a grand feast.  There is plenty of food and drink on the table.  It is all pretty typical of the way things went when we all got together.

Usually this was a time when we would share a large meal, talk and laugh and celebrate God.  But, at this dinner something seemed different.

Part way through the meal, Jesus looked at us all and said . . . “I am leaving you!”

We had been together for most of the last 3 years, traveling the countryside and preaching and teaching; healing the sick, casting out demons, teaching the people how to live and announcing the rewards of a life in Christ. The Roman authorities often hunted us down and we would have to hide or leave in a hurry.  We went everywhere together.  We ate together, never going hungry, but never carrying food.  Never thirsting even though we had no jugs of water.  We had developed such a bond.

And now, here, at a time of sharing a great meal of celebration, Jesus said: “I am leaving you!”

The words hung in the air; dangling there in the stunned silence of the dining room.  Just a few moments ago, the room was filled with conversation, stories and laughter, just what you would expect in a room full of good friends.  The table was still littered with glasses of wine and scraps of bread.  The platters of meat and vegetables and fruits sat at that table, ready to pick over one last time.  But, in an instant, all thoughts of the meal were forgotten.  Those few words stopped everything. “I am leaving you.”

I guess we all knew this day would come.  Hadn’t Jesus taught us from the start that a time would come when we would have to carry on for ourselves?  Hadn’t He prepared us by His example and prepared us with His teaching and armed us with His courage?

Of course He did.  But despite his warnings and teachings, we sat in stunned silence and disbelief. Our mouths fell open and no words would come out.  We were shocked by the news. We weren’t ready to hear this, not now.  Things were just starting to happen . . ..

We should have known from the beginning of this meal, that this was going to be different from all the other meals we had shared.  Remember, at the beginning, Jesus had washed all our feet.   He humbled Himself to the role of a servant and washed our feet.  Didn’t Peter protest that he was not worthy to have his feet washed by this man who has been leading us for the last 3 years.  We should have known that this meal was going to be different, but we didn’t.  Now we listened to those words: “I am leaving you.” As if we had heard them for the first time.

In the silence that followed, Jesus began to speak of things that we needed to hear before He left.  He began to tell us of a new commandment, but we didn’t want to hear about a new commandment.  We were not ready for a new topic.  When it finally sank in, we began to plead like frightened children:  “Where are you going?”  -  “Please don’t leave us, not now. -  We are not ready.”  -  “Take us with you.”

Yes, there’s the answer . . . Take us with you.  If You are going, then we will all go.  There’s no need to leave anyone behind.  We’ll make the trip together.  We’ll continue to teach and heal and spread the word together.

And Jesus looked at us and said, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now.”

The news was getting worse, not better.  Not only was He leaving, but we were not invited; at least not now.  How would we go on without Jesus at our side?

One day we will all go on that journey.  Peter would go soon.  So would Thomas, Matthew and James.  Like the millions of believers who would someday follow, we disciples will walk through the valley of the shadow of death clinging to the unseen hand of the Lord.  But, not now.  We couldn’t understand at that moment.  We couldn’t look into the future.  We only understood that this Man who we had followed for so long was leaving and was not taking us with Him.

We began to panic.  How would we make it without Jesus by our side?  We desire to be with the Lord.  But, for now, we must wait.  For now we must live with this emptiness inside us, a void that cries out to be filled.  So we find ourselves asking. “How can we go on without Jesus at our side?”  “How do we live while we wait?”

With the wisdom and love that only the Master can possess, Jesus began to share the words we would need until he returned.  These words would fill the void the other words had created.  These words would guide and direct us, soothe and assure us.  These words would enable us to live, for a while, without Him by our side.

They were words of comfort, words of warning, words of encouragement and words of caution.  Everything we needed to know to carry on.  During the remainder of that evening, before that awful night had fully begun, Jesus gave us just the right words we would need to face the trials of His absence.  Like a divine parent preparing for a trip, Jesus calmed our fears with His words.

He gave us the spiritual nourishment that we would need until His return.  His words were simple; words that any child could recite.  They were words He wanted every believer to hear and know.

Don’t fear. Have faith in Me.  Stay close. Trust Me. Find peace in Me. Remember Me.

Remember Me?  How could we forget Him?

But Jesus knew the weakness of our human soul, so He took bread and blessed it and broke it and set it before us, His disciples.  And he took a cup of wine and blessed it and set it before us.  We have before us the symbols that Jesus used that night to help us remember Him and His words.  How often do we remember?

How will we make it without Jesus by our side?  Our Lord is with us, yet He is away from us.  From the moment we accept the Lord as our Savior until the moment of our death, we exist in an in-between world.  Yes, His presence is real enough to the heart, but our eyes long to see Him.  Our hands long to join His.  We desire to be with the Lord.  But, for now, we must wait.  For now we must live with this emptiness inside us, a void that cries out to be filled.  So we find ourselves asking the same questions the disciples asked at that Last Supper. “How can we go on without Jesus at our side?”  “How do we live while we wait?”

By accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and receiving the Holy Spirit into our hearts, we CAN go through this life knowing that Jesus IS right there by our side, every step of the way.  Through His love and understanding, we CAN live in peace and joy while we wait.

We are going to spend a few moments in silence.  Please think about the gift of life that Jesus gave up for our sins.  Think about what the symbols of bread and wine, the body and blood of Christ, mean to you individually and personally.  And for those of you who have not totally accepted Christ as your Savior or who are not quite sure, take this time now to allow Him into your heart while you sit there quietly.  Renew your faith in Christ.  Accept the peace that only He can give by confessing your sin.  Accept the grace and love that he gives to you unconditionally by simply saying, Yes, Jesus, I accept you into my heart.  And in accepting Him, all your sins will be forgiven.  Accept the comfort and protection that only Jesus can give you all the days of your life.  Just say yes.  Softly and tenderly, Jesus is calling.  Let Him enter. Please bow your heads and listen to the words and come home . . .

(Hymn, “Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling” p.348, 1 verse.) Sung by choir from front pew.

Amen.

We continue today with the bread and the fruit of the vine as symbols to remember Christ and His forgiveness.  We use the bread and juice to help draw us closer to the One who gave His life so that we could find peace, here on earth and to remind us of the wonders yet to come.  Share this good news with everyone you come in contact with through your words and actions.  Let the love of Christ live in you.

Amen.

HOLY COMMUNION.

La Anna United Methodist Church

Communion Sunday, August 1, 2004

Words in Blue to be spoken by the people.

INVITATION:

Christ our Lord invites all who love him, who earnestly repent of their sin and seek to live in peace with one another.  Therefore, let us confess our sin before God and one another.

CONFESSION AND PARDON:

Merciful God,

We confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart.

We have failed to be an obedient church.

We have not done your will,

we have broken your law,

we have rebelled against your love,

we have not loved our neighbors,

and we have not heard the cry of the needy.

Forgive us, we pray.

Free us for joyful obedience,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Pray with me silently. (Music played)

Hear the good news:

Christ has died for us while we were yet sinners; that proves God’s love toward us.

In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!

In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.

Glory to God.  Amen

THE PEACE:

Let us offer one another signs of reconciliation and love.

(People turn to those near by and offer signs and words of God’s peace.)

*As forgiven and reconciled people,

let us offer ourselves and our gifts to God.

OFFERTORY HYMN:“Here, O My Lord, I See Thee”, p.623, v.1

*OFFERING     DOXOLOGY      PRAYER OF DEDICATION,

Uncovering of the Lord’s Table with Art Frey

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING:

The Lord be with You.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

*And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.  Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest.

Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.  By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

*On the night in which he gave himself up for us he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you.  Do this in remembrance of me.”

When the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for the forgiveness of sins.  Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

*And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine.  Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.

*By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet.

Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and for ever.

Amen.  (all)

Ushers to come forward to receive and pass out the bread and juice.  Please hold the elements until after we give praise to God for his holy gift.

PRAISE AND PARTAKING OF BREAD AND JUICE.