Sermon Tone Analysis

Do this in remembrance of Me...

Tonight we are gathered - a group of believers - a local body of Christ - to reflect on and again remember the incredible sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for each one of us.

Jesus Himself told the disciples with Him the night before to remember… do this in remembrance of me

They were to remember His betrayal, the unjust trial, brutal beating and humiliation, unimaginable suffering, and finally an agonizing death on one of the cruelest instruments of death ever invented

Remember the reason He died - to fulfil the promise of salvation to the world

Remember… remember… remember...

Don’t forget!

We don’t do well in remembering!

How many of you are old enough to remember when you heard about the events of December 7, 1941?

Japan bombed Pearl Harbor that Sunday morning.

America had been attacked...

How many remember where you were November 22, 1963 when President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas?

In my lifetime, there are several dates that

… the day you found out that President Kennedy had been assassinated in Dallas, Texas?

On January 28, 1986 the space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after liftoff killing all seven astronauts aboard

On September 11, 2001 terrorists flew planes into the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon

I remember signs, banners, and bumper stickers in the days, weeks, and even months later - NEVER FORGET or WE WILL NEVER FORGET

Why Communion?

How many of you remember what you were doing on September 11, 2016?? fifteen years later and the 9/11 date can pass without scarcely thinking about it

I remember because it was a Sunday and I preached

All these events pale in comparison to what transpired in Jerusalem about 2,000 years ago...

Christ’s sacrificial death is probably the most important event in all of history!

It is this event which Jesus explicitly instructs His disciples to remember...

Jesus does not tell us to remember His birth… nor His resurrection… but He emphasizes that we remember His suffering and death

If an event from fifteen years ago eludes us on the anniversary, how much more likely would an event from 2,000 years ago never cross our mind??

The Power of the Blood of Christ

If a stranger asked you why you celebrate communion, what would you tell them?

As I thought about this question, I wondered how I would likely answer...

PERHAPS: a way of remembering and reflecting on the suffering and death of Jesus Christ

I wondered if that really is at the heart of Jesus reminder to remember..

In a beautiful passage reminiscent of the Didache, Peter Riedemann in his Rechenschaft of 1541 wrote of the Supper.

The loaf is formed from the grinding and mingling of many grains of wheat, and the wine comes into existence only with the crushing of individual grapes.

Individuality is given up for unity, symbolizing the fellowship of the disciple with his Lord in the church: “Thus, the meal, or the partaking of the bread and wine of the Lord, is a sign of the community of his body, in that each and every member thereby declareth himself to be of the one mind, heart and spirit of Christ.”

In a beautiful passage reminiscent of the Didache, Peter Riedemann in his Rechenschaft of 1541 wrote of the Supper.

The loaf is formed from the grinding and mingling of many grains of wheat, and the wine comes into existence only with the crushing of individual grapes.

Individuality is given up for unity, symbolizing the fellowship of the disciple with his Lord in the church: “Thus, the meal, or the partaking of the bread and wine of the Lord, is a sign of the community of his body, in that each and every member thereby declareth himself to be of the one mind, heart and spirit of Christ.”

The Power of the Blood of Christ

The book of Hebrews - written to a primary Jewish audience - emphasizes the significance of the blood of Christ in our redemption

This is particularly true in chapters 9 & 10 of Hebrews

The Old Testament required the sacrifice of unblemished animals - the blood of all of them was inadequate for their salvation (and ours), but pointed to the coming Savior

Hebrews 9:11-14

Jesus was that perfect and unblemished sacrifice that completely fulfilled the requirements of the law

A blood sacrifice was required if there was going to be forgiveness of sins

Heb

Christ’s sacrificial death and shedding of blood was the last time sacrifices were required… His sacrifice was once and for all

Heb 9:

I acknowledge that I still do not fully grasp what all was really accomplished through Jesus death and His blood poured out on our behalf

We have been sanctified… once for all, by this single offering HE has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified

We are quite quick to SAY we appreciate Christ’s shed blood

Does the conduct of our lives SHOW an appreciation for what He did?

Jesus gave His life (He literally died) so that we could have salvation

Dying - the intense and cruel suffering, the excruciating pain and facing death itself - was no easier for Jesus than it is for any of us today

He had every “right” to fight and resist the unjust trial and punishment - and the literal giving up of His life (dying)

He was TOTALLY innocent - He had done absolutely nothing wrong - He was perfectly sinless

The Jews violated their own laws of justice in arresting Jesus and putting Him on “trial”

Why are we so resistant to totally surrendering ourselves to the One who did that, and so much more for us?

We resist surrendering simply because something isn’t fair - and doesn’t even require extreme and unbearable physical pain

The Call to Persevere

Jesus gave His life for us so we can live… what is our response?

what should it be?

Surrendering our bodies to God as a living sacrifice is a logical and rational response of heartfelt gratitude

An unwillingness to to do also communicates something about our hearts...

After emphasizing the importance and completeness of Christ’s sacrifice, the Hebrew writer transitions to a practical call per persevere

In a beautiful passage reminiscent of the Didache, Peter Riedemann in his Rechenschaft of 1541 wrote of the Supper.

The loaf is formed from the grinding and mingling of many grains of wheat, and the wine comes into existence only with the crushing of individual grapes.

Individuality is given up for unity, symbolizing the fellowship of the disciple with his Lord in the church: “Thus, the meal, or the partaking of the bread and wine of the Lord, is a sign of the community of his body, in that each and every member thereby declareth himself to be of the one mind, heart and spirit of Christ.”29

Heb 10:1-

5 Consequently, bwhen Christ1 came into the world, he said,

c“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,

but a body have you prepared for me;

In a beautiful passage reminiscent of the Didache, Peter Riedemann in his Rechenschaft of 1541 wrote of the Supper.

The loaf is formed from the grinding and mingling of many grains of wheat, and the wine comes into existence only with the crushing of individual grapes.

Individuality is given up for unity, symbolizing the fellowship of the disciple with his Lord in the church: “Thus, the meal, or the partaking of the bread and wine of the Lord, is a sign of the community of his body, in that each and every member thereby declareth himself to be of the one mind, heart and spirit of Christ.”

6  in burnt offerings and sin offerings

you have taken no pleasure.

7  Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,

as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’

”

8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in csacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, d“Behold, I have come to do your will.”

He does away with the first in order to establish the second.

10 And by that will ewe have been sanctified through the offering of fthe body of Jesus Christ gonce for all.

11 And every priest stands hdaily at his service, ioffering repeatedly the same sacrifices, jwhich can never take away sins.

12 But when Christ2 had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he ksat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time luntil his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.

14 For by a single offering mhe has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,

16  n“This is the covenant that I will make with them

after those days, declares the Lord:

I will put my laws on their hearts,

and write them on their minds,”

17 then he adds,

o“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”

Heb 10:19-

18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Persevere - Encouragement & Warning

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version.

(2016).

(Heb 10:1–18).

Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

1 Cor 10:14

Our perspective and response to the value of the blood of Christ determines whether we will persevere to the end OR face the terrifying judgement of God

I believe we would all quickly SAY we value the blood of Christ

But, do we really?