Communion Meditation – The Simple Gospel Story

When preparing the communion meditation, I often go through a thought process that says, “How can I tell an interesting and unique story that will grab people’s attention and make them focus on Jesus’ death?” Today, I decided not to go down that path.

Instead, I resolved to simply remind us of the gospel story, and to recall God’s desire for what to do at this time in our worship service. This story is all we need to grasp the basics of God’s plan for mankind. This story would be enough to tell a neighbor about God’s good news. Simply put, the story goes like this:

About 6000 years ago, that is, around 4000 B.C., God created everything that we see around us in only six days. Most importantly, he created man, and he created him to be special – because he was made in God’s image. Man was destined to have a unique relationship with God, unlike any other element of His creation. The special bond between God and man exists even today.

The ultimate purpose for man is simple – it is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. To that end, God gave man some rules to live by, and the free will to choose his own path. It didn’t take long for man to violate God’s direction – and through Adam, the first man, mankind fell from a position of a guaranteed eternity with God. Man sinned, and God’s promise of death and punishment had to be carried out.

For 4000 years, man lived under a system of laws that gave him some relief from sin’s punishment, but these laws were imperfect. God had said that sin could only be forgiven through a blood atonement, so man labored under a legalistic system of rules and animal sacrifices. This was not the system under which God wanted man to live.

And so, 2000 years ago, God sent his only Son to earth. His ultimate purpose was for His Son to die – and shed his blood to be the blood sacrifice that God demanded. Jesus Christ became the one blood sacrifice to cover the sin of all men who would accept him and proclaim him as their Lord. Jesus’ blood has the power to cover the sins of men in the past, present, and future. Through it, we have the ability to undo the damage done by Adam and by our own sin.

God had promised that sin must be punished by death. And He knew that all men would sin. We were under a curse, and it seemed that there was no way out – we were doomed to die apart from God. But thanks to God’s infinite wisdom, and His new and perfect plan, He provided a way for His words to be true and for us to be saved. The death that had to occur as a penalty for our sin was taken on by Jesus himself. Romans 6:23 tells us, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Simply put, because of Jesus and that moment on the cross, we can look forward to eternal life. The story gets even better, because Jesus Christ, after dying a horrible death on the cross, was raised back to life after three days - to show that God is stronger than even death itself.

Finally, God asked us to remember this story - the sacrifice and death of His Son – each week, so that we would never forget what He did for us.

It’s that simple.

Communion Meditation – What Do You Really Need?

In just a minute, I’m going to make a bold statement about Jesus Christ – and I wonder how many can truly say they agree with it. I say this because it is a very difficult statement to hold to in our world and culture today. And it is a measure of where our hearts truly are.

We are surrounded by luxury and ease. Arguably, every one of us leads a life that is superior to any king or world leader up until a mere hundred years ago. We have air conditioning. We have access to healthcare that can easily cure diseases that were feared only a few decades ago – we can simply drive to the drugstore and pick up a bottle of pills that will fix the problem. Do you need something to eat? What if I said I wanted a spinach-leaf, strawberry, and pecan salad, topped with fresh Italian dressing – and I want it right now? That would have been unattainable on-demand not so many years ago. But now, I only need to get in my air-conditioned car, drive for five minutes to the grocery store, and pick up every single ingredient I need, no matter how rare or out-of season it is. I can be eating that salad in under a half-hour.

So what do I really need? When I’m surrounded by so much, it is easy to think that I don’t have need of anything. I could live for the rest of my life in relative ease and comfort, and fool myself into believing that I am missing out on nothing.

So this brings me to this statement – ponder it. Christ alone is all I need.

It sounds so peaceful. Christ alone is all I need. Do we believe it? Can we honestly say so, if everything else was removed from our lives – our comforts, our homes, our money, our cars…even our family? If all of that were taken away - and all we had was Jesus Christ - would we be able to say, “It is well with my soul”?

Philippians 4:19 tells us, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 says, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

If you could sum up the whole story of mankind in three sentences, it would go something like this. 1) God made man in His image and brought him into a perfect world – no sin, no death, no wants. 2) But man fell, and so was separated from God. And 3) God sent His Son as a sacrifice that each of us might regain what was lost. It is truly that simple.

Because of this, we each have access to the greatest gift imaginable - forgiveness and an eternity to spend praising God in heaven. Knowing that, it becomes much easier to say…Christ alone is all I need.

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A Renewed Resolve

It’s been a year-and-a-half now that I have been publishing words on topics that are important to me. Some of the articles have flowed effortlessly, and some have been very difficult to write.

I am convinced that this world, and our very nation, are moving away from God – not toward him, and not parked in the same spot. And I believe strongly that Christians are called upon to point out this departure and to make strong statements and pleadings for what is right and true.

Over the past year, I have occasionally struggled with whether I should continue to write about topics related to true Christian living. I have angered some people, and I’ve probably turned off some people from ever reading a PP&P post again. That’s okay. I’ve also found some new friends and kindred spirits, sometimes in the most unexpected of places. Without a doubt, I’ve had some of the most interesting and involved conversations with people on subjects such as abortion, education, finances, environmentalism, and Christian living that I have ever had in my life.

Is it worth it? I have to admit that I have been tempted at times to give it up. There is simply no way to write anything without angering someone – either you are too aggressive and opinionated, or you are too timid. I have been praying that God will reveal to me if this is a profitable venture. Curiously, almost every time that I pray in earnest that He would give me that answer, I find myself in a great conversation or find a new fan that very day – and it makes the whole thing seem worthwhile again.

This Christmas season made me think anew about what is happening to this world, and to our beloved United States. Whether watching Christmas specials on television, or getting a “Holiday” greeting from a sales clerk, I see one overarching characteristic – the majority of this world is purposefully walking down a path that leads away from God. That may not be a new thing, but it nevertheless inspires those of us who have an eternal longing, either for ourselves or for others, to make a statement. How far should our convictions go?

2 Timothy 1:7 tells us that we receive from God a bold spirit – “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” My mind comes around to that verse every single time I am tempted to water down my writing. Without a doubt, God has used some very bold people to make progress. Would the civil rights movement have made the progress it did without the daring words of Martin Luther King, Jr.? What about John Hancock’s bold signature on the Declaration of Independence? And didn’t Jesus Christ forsake inclusiveness for audacious words of truth – to the point of death? He said himself, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.” (John 15:18)

I know I am not any of these three men in either stature or position. But I feel compelled to say words, after much prayer, about things that I believe are meaningful – words about our nation in its apparent moral decline, or to counteract a world awash in anti-God sentiment. So, I will continue to write forcefully and unapologetically about earth-worship environmentalism, the desirability of home-schooling over public education, the decline of a nation dedicated to the “rights” of abortion but which strips away the founders’ desire for individual freedoms…and to plead for all to recognize the truth of the one God.

Let me end with this. Not everyone agrees with what I have to say, either in the way I say it, or in the fundamental underpinnings of what I believe. But if this past Christmas season meant nothing more to you than giving or getting gifts, if decorating for company was the pinnacle of your holiday, or if this time meant only a celebration of the winter solstice or some time away from work…you are missing out on the greatest joy you could have in this life, and all of eternity. Without Jesus Christ as your Lord, and a desire to live your life for God’s glory above all, you may not realize it, but there is something that you need that is far greater than gifts, wealth, or even family. I beg you to consider this – and contact me or your local Christian church to ask about the saving grace of Jesus and the promises that God has made for those who will accept his free gift. Please – don’t ignore this if you feel a tug at your heart.

Not everyone will agree. But I pray that God will give me the words in this coming year, and that He will use them to help further His kingdom here on earth. God bless you all.