C. BOSTIAN                       COMMUNION: THE LOVE OF GOD                         5/11/03

 

Ephes. 2:1-6 (MsgB) 

    It wasn't so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. [2] You let the world, which doesn't know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. [3] We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It's a wonder God didn't lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. [4] Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, [5] he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! [6] Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah.

 

Titus 3:3-8 (MsgB) 

    It wasn't so long ago that we ourselves were stupid and stubborn, dupes of sin, ordered every which way by our glands, going around with a chip on our shoulder, hated and hating back. [4] But when God, our kind and loving Savior God, stepped in, [5] he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. [6] Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. [7] God's gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there's more life to come—an eternity of life! [8] You can count on this. I want you to put your foot down. Take a firm stand on these matters so that those who have put their trust in God will concentrate on the essentials that are good for everyone.

 

AS WE PREPARE FOR COMMUNION THIS MORNING I WANT YOU TO FOCUS ON THE INCREDIBLE LOVE THAT GOD HAS FOR YOU.  THE SCRIPTURES REINFORCE THIS FACT FOR US OVER AND OVER AGAIN.  SO LET’S LOOK AT A FEW OF THEM THIS MORNING:

 

Romans 5:6-11 (MsgB) 

    Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn't, and doesn't, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn't been so weak, we wouldn't have known what to do anyway. [7] We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. [8] But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.  [9] Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way. [10] If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we're at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life! [11] Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah!

 

THIS PASSAGE IN ROM.5 TELLS US THAT EVEN WHEN WE WERE THE ENMIES OF GOD THAT CHRIST DIED FOR THE UNGODLY THUS COMMENDING HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US.  JOHN TELLS US THAT THE GREATEST EXHIBITION OF LOVE IS FOR A MAN TO LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR A FRIEND.

 

John 15:10-15 (KJV) 

    If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. [11] These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. [12] This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. [13] Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. [14] Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. [15] Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

 

GREATER LOVE HAS NO MAN THAN THIS THAT HE WOULD LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.  THE AMAZING THING ABOUT GOD’S INCREDIBLE LOVE IS THAT CHRIST DIED FOR US EVEN WHEN WE WERE HATERS OF GOD AND ENEMIES OF GOD.  GOD’S LOVE WAS ABLE TO SEE BEYOND OUR WEAKNESS AND DECEPTION AND LOVE US ANY WAY.  GOD’S LOVE IS A FREE GIFT THAT WE CANNOT EARN OR QUALIFY FOR IN ANY WAY.  THAT’S WHY ITS BY GRACE THAT WE ARE SAVED THOUGH FAITH AND THAT NOT OF OURSELVES, IT’S A LOVE GIFT FROM GOD.  THAT’S WHAT COMMUNION IS ALL ABOUT.  THE BROKEN BODY AND SHED BLOOD OF CHRIST IS A REMINDER TO US HOW MUCH GOD LOVES US EVEN WHEN WE ARE AT OUT WORST.

 

Ephes. 2:7-9 (MsgB) 

    Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. [8] Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish! [9] We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing!

 

Romans 6:23 (MsgB) 

    Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God's gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.

 

WE CAN’T EVER EARN GOD’S FIRENDSHIP OR LOVE.  IT WILL ALWAYS BE A FREE GIFT BOTH IN THE BEGINNING AND THROUGHOUT OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE.  WE OFTEN FORGET THAT AND ATTEMPT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT IN OUR OWN STRENGTH TO EARN GOD’S FAVOR.  COMMUNION REMINDS US THAT EVERYTHING WAS DONE FOR US AND WHEN CHRIST SAID ON THE CROSS, “IT IS FINISHED,” HE MEANT THAT OUR SALVATION WAS PAID FOR IN FULL AND THAT WE COULD DO NOTHING TO ADD TO IT OR TAKE AWAY FROM IT.  SO WE SANG THIS MORNING: THERE IS NO LOVE LIKE MY FATHERS LOVE.  WE ALSO SANG ABOUT GOD’S DEEP, DEEP LOVE WASHING OVER US AND CLEANSING US FROM ALL OF OUR SINS.  WE OFTEN FORGET THAT THE SHEDDING OF CHRIST’S BLOOD EPITOMIZES THE INCREDIBLE LOVE THAT GOD HAS FOR EVERYONE OF US.  HIS BLOOD CLEANSES US BUT HIS LOVE WASHES OVER US AND RESTORES OUR RELATIONSHIP THAT SIN SEVERED. WE ARE TOLD IN:

 

Isaiah 59:2 (MsgB) 

        There's nothing wrong with God; the wrong is in you.

            Your wrongheaded lives caused the split between you and God. Your sins got between you so that he doesn't hear.

 

SIN STILL HAS THE POWER TO SEPARATE US FROM GOD AND SEVER OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM SO THAT WE CANNOT HEAR HIS VOICE.  WHEN WE FAIL TO HEAR GOD SPEAKING TO US THROUGH HIS WORD AND BY WAY OF REVELATION OUR FAITH BECOMES WEAKENED AND DWARFED.  YOU SEE, FAITH COMES BY HEARING AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD.  WE NEED FAITH TO CONQUEROR SIN AND LIVE IN ACTIVE FELLOWSHIP WITH THE FATHER.  GOD’S INCREDIBLE LOVE NOT ONLY PROVIDES FORGIVENESS FOR SIN BUT ALSO GIVES US THE POWER TO OVERCOME SIN.  THAT’S WHY PAUL TELLS US IN ROM.8

 

Romans 6:10-14 (MsgB) 

    When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us. [11] From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That's what Jesus did.   [12] That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don't give it the time of day. [13] Don't even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time—remember, you've been raised from the dead!—into God's way of doing things. [14] Sin can't tell you how to live. After all, you're not living under that old tyranny any longer. You're living in the freedom of God.

 

THE KING JAMES VERSION READS VERSE 12 AS, “LET NOT SIN REIGN IN YOUR MORTAL BODIES THAT YOU SHOULD OBEY THE LUSTS THEREOF.”  ITS INTERESTING THAT THIS WORD “REIGN” IS THE SAME WORD FOR KING OR KINGDOM THAT WE HAVE BEEN STUDYING FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS.  NOT ONLY ARE WE NOT TO ALOOW SIN TO REIGN AS A KING IN OUR LIFE WE ARE IN FACT SUPPOSE TO REIGN AS A KING OVER SIN IN OUR DAILY LIVES AND THUS CONQUEROR HELL, DEATH AND THE GRAVE.  THE PREMISE FOR THIS IS THE INCREDIBNLE LOVE OF GOD.  WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THOUGH HIM THAT LOVED US AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR US.

 

Romans 8:37-39 (KJV) 

    Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. [38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, [39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

GOD’S INCREDIBLE LOVE MAKES US MORE THAN CONQUERORS.  IT GIVES US VICTORY OVE SIN SO THAT WE CAN REIGN IN LIFE AND FULFILL OUR DESTINY.  HIS LOVE CUMMUNICATES TO US EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE AND TO FULFILL HIS PURPOSE FOR SAVING US.  

 

1 John 3:1 (MsgB) 

    What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we're called children of God! That's who we really are. But that's also why the world doesn't recognize us or take us seriously, because it has no idea who he is or what he's up to.

 

THIS VERSE TELLS US THAT GOD’S MARVELOUS LOVE HAS PLACED US AS BOTH ADOPTED AND REGENERATED SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD.  AS A CHILD WE GROW AND MATURE BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE.  OCCASIONALLY WE FAIL BUT HIS LOVE COVERS IT ALL.  WHAT CHILD DOESN’T FALL WHEN HE LEARNS TO WALK.  THE SAME THINGS APPLIES IN OUR CHRISTIAN WALK.  WE TRY TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND WE DESIRE TO LIVE A LIFE PLEASING TO GOD IN THE FULFILLMENT OF HIS PURPOSE BUT MANY TIMES WE STUMBLE AND FALL.  IT’S GOD’S INCREDIBLE LOVE THAT RESTORES US AND HELPS US TO GROW AND CONQUEROR PERSONAL SIN IN OUR LIVES. 

 

Psalm 145:13-21 (KJV) 

    Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. [14] The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down. [15] The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. [16] Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. [17] The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. [18] The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. [19] He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. [20] The Lord preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy. [21] My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.

 

Proverbs 24:16 (KJV) 

    For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

 

Psalm 37:23-24 (KJV) 

    The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. [24] Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.

 

ONE OF THE GREATEST QUALITIES ABOUT GOD’S INCREDIBLE LOVE IS THE FACT THAT IT ENDURES ALL THINGS, EVEN OUR SIN. WE ARE HIS CHILDREN AND HE LOVES US WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE.

 

Jeremiah 31:2-4 (MsgB) 

    This is the way God put it: "They found grace out in the desert,

            these people who survived the killing. Israel, out looking for a place to rest, [3] met God out looking for them!"

        God told them, "I've never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love!  [4] And so now I'll start over with you and build you up again, dear virgin Israel. You'll resume your singing, grabbing tambourines and joining the dance.

 

YES, WE SANG ABOUT GOD’S LOVE THIS MORNING, CELEBRATING OUR SALVATION AND REMEMBERING HIS INCREDIBLY GREAT LOVE FOR EVERYONE OF US.  GOD DOESN’T HAVE ANY FAVORITES BUT ALL WHO CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED.  CALL UPON HIM WHEN YOU FALL INTO TEMPTATION AND SIN.  CALL UPON HIM WHEN YOU FAIL.  I LIKE THE WAY THE MESSAGE BIBLE PUTS IN: EXPECT LOVE, LOVE AND MORE LOVE.  HIS LOVE IS AN EVERLASTING LOVE: HE WILL NEVER QUIT LOVING YOU.  THERE IS NOTHING THAT YOU CAN DO THAT CAN SEPARATE YOU FROM GOD’S INCREDIBLE LOVE.

 

1 John 4:9-10 (MsgB) 

    This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. [10] This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God.

 

1 John 3:16 (MsgB) 

    This is how we've come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sac-rificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves.

 

THIS IS HOW GOD SHOWED HIS LOVE FOR US: HE SENT HIS ONLY SON INTO THE WORD TO DIE FOR OUR SINS AS OUR SUBSTITUTE.  THAT IS THE BASIS FOR GOD’S INCREDIBLE LOVE.  DIVINE JUSTICE WAS SATISFIED. ALL OF GOD’S ANGER AND WRATH FOR THE AGGREGATE SIN OF MANKIND WAS SATISFIED AT CALVARY.  GOD DOESN’T HAVE AN OUNCE OF ANGER TOWARDS YOU WHEN YOU FALL INTO SIN AND FAIL.  IF ANYTHING HE FEELS HURT AND GRIEVED BUT HE’S NEVER SO MAD AT YOU THAT HE EVER WANTS TO STOP LOVING YOU.   HIS JUSTICE HAS BEEN SATIFIED AS A RESULT OF THE VICARIOUS DEATH OF CHRIST.  HE DIED IN OUR PLACE SO THAT WE MIGHT LIVE WITH HIM.

 

Isaiah 53:4-11 (MsgB) 

        But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.  We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. [5] But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole.  Through his bruises we get healed. [6] We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost.  We've all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong,  on him, on him. [7] He was beaten, he was tortured, but he didn't say a word.

        Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered and like a sheep being sheared, he took it all in silence. [8] Justice miscarried, and he was led off—and did anyone really know what was happening? He died without a thought for his own welfare, beaten bloody for the sins of my people. [9] They buried him with the wicked, threw him in a grave with a rich man, Even though he'd never hurt a soul or said one word that wasn't true. [10] Still, it's what God had in mind all along, to crush him with pain. The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin so that he'd see life come from it—life, life, and more life. And God's plan will deeply prosper through him. [11] Out of that terrible travail of soul,  he'll see that it's worth it and be glad he did it. Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant, will make many "righteous ones," as he himself carries the burden of their sins.

 

YES, COMMUNION IS A TIME TO REMEMBER WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE FOR US.  IT’S A TIME TO CELEBRATE GOD’S INCREDIBLE LOVE FOR EVERYONE OF US.  SO WON’T YOU LET HIS LOVE DRAW YOU TO A PLACE OF SURRENDER.  TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR SINS AND FAILURES AND CONFESS THEM TO GOD.   HIS PROMISE TO US IS THAT HE WILL LOVE US AND FORGIVE US AND CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.  COMMUNION IS A TIME TO BELIEVE AND TO RECEIVE THE INCREDIBLE LOVE THAT GOD HAS FOR EVERYONE OF US.

 

1 John 1:9 (MsgB) 

    On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won't let us down; he'll be true to himself. He'll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing.

 

2 Cor. 13:14 (MsgB) 

    The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you.