What an incredible experience it’s been these past months, to meet Jesus. We’ve been doing this series, Dinner with Jesus. When someone or something has really impacted your life, you want to hold on to that moment, and do everything in your power, not to forgot what a relationship has meant to you, to commemorate it in some way. This coming week, it’s already Thanksgiving! In a month we will have Christmas, then New Years. Then we will have Easter, then the 4th of July. Have you already thought about what every special day has in common?
There were two ways Christians have always commemorated the life of Jesus—both were “commanded” by Jesus. In the Christian Church we call these two commemorations “ordinances.” They are activities that were enacted, ordained, and instituted by Jesus himself. The first ordinance is baptism.
This morning some of you may have witnessed a baptism for the first time! What an odd thing to witness! An outsider might look at baptism as a kind of washing, or bath, or cleansing ritual. Well, that is absolutely right! Baptism is a way we confess that we’re dirty, that we need forgiveness, that our heart-mind-body-soul needs to be cleansed in a way only God (who gave us life) can heal us! Instead of running from the truth, we accept the truth. To “repent” is to turn back to God. To “confess” is to agree with God that we’ve sinned. To “be baptized” is to say Yes Lord, forgive me, heal me, I pledge my life to thee. The Bible (1 John 1:9) says when “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sin AND purify us from all unrighteousness.” In Luke’s gospel (and Acts) baptism was a sign you accepted God’s purpose of forgiveness for your life. It’s a big deal, a party!
The only people in Bible who blatantly refused baptism were the self-righteous Pharisees. In Luke 18:9-14 Jesus tells a parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else. “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people—greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’ 13 “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this one went down to his house justified rather than the other, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Don’t you agree it’s kind of humbling to repent, confess, be baptized… to admit you need God? Only a humble person would publicly admit they need God’s grace and cleansing. Look, a self-righteous person never humbles themselves. Look at Luke 7:30, “But since the Pharisees and experts in the law had not been baptized by him, they rejected the plan of God for themselves.”
But baptism is more than just a response to Jesus—it’s a micro-reenactment, (a micro-retelling of the story) of Jesus’ life. That God so loved the world he sent his one and only son to suffer for sin, to die on that cross, to be buried in that grave, only to be raised victorious on the third day. Neither sin nor the power of death could keep Jesus in the grave—and in baptism we declare that because of Jesus, the same is true for us. Sin is destroyed—we’re washed and forgiven. But so is death destroyed. The old man is buried, and a new life is raised up out of the watery grave—a life (like Jesus’) that will never die again. Every baptism is a declaration that sin and death are no more. Christ is the victory. 1 Corinthians 15:55-56 says, “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, death, is your victory? Where, death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” Baptism tells of Jesus’ death, burial, & resurrection.
The second ordinance is a meal. Have you thought about what every special day has in common? It’s a meal! Dinner! If you are an outsider, communion might seem just as odd as baptism. You might say what is this little wafer thing, and this tiny juice cup! That’s no meal! You are again right—it’s not a full-on meal! But what it is—communion is a micro-meal. Like baptism, it’s a micro-reenactment, a micro-retelling of the greatest truth in history! Communion reminds us of three things.
First, Communion Reminds us of God’s Purpose and Plan. Think about all the planning you’ve been doing for Thanksgiving. The Morrissette family created a Facebook group to coordinate all the preparations! Anyone want to join? In Luke 22:1-6 we read these strange words: “The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called Passover, was approaching. 2 The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put him to death, because they were afraid of the people. 3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, who was numbered among the Twelve. 4 He went away and discussed with the chief priests and temple police how he could hand him over to them. 5 They were glad and agreed to give him silver. 6 So he accepted the offer and started looking for a good opportunity to betray him to them when the crowd was not present.”
Isn’t it true that we all have the one person we’d rather not invite to dinner? I wonder if your family is like my family? Every time we gather we pray the devil doesn’t show up. Not Thanksgiving, Devil, not today! The truth is that before the creation of the world, God purposed and planned to suffer, die for our sins.
Ephesians 1:3-14 says, “3 Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. 5 He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ 10 as a plan for the right time—to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him. 11 In him we have also received an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will, 12 so that we who had already put our hope in Christ might bring praise to his glory. 13 In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. 14 The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.” Thank you Father for your Purpose and Plan!!
Second, Communion Reminds us of God’s Preparation. What all do you have to do this week before Thanksgiving? Luke 22:7-13 says, “7 Then the Day of Unleavened Bread came when the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.” 9 “Where do you want us to prepare it?” they asked him. 10 “Listen,” he said to them, “when you’ve entered the city, a man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him into the house he enters. 11 Tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ 12 Then he will show you a large, furnished room upstairs. Make the preparations there.” 13 So they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.”
The amazing thing about Luke’s gospel is how God, in his sovereign wisdom, perfectly prepared everything that needed to happen … to happen … for our salvation. My favorite meal is the kind when everything’s been taken care of! Amen? God had everything prepared just right in Jesus, that in the fullness of time—there he appeared! Amen? The only preparation we need to do for this meal is first of all… SHOW UP. Don’t refuse the invitation! But then second, to come with our heart and mind prepared. It’s true that God is kind to the ungrateful and wicked—but its best to show up grateful right?
Last, Communion Reminds us of God’s Passion and Passover. Listen to how Luke describes the Lord’s Dinner with the Twelve! Luke 22:14-20, “When the hour came, he reclined at the table, and the apostles with him. 15 Then he said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” A lot of phrases come to mind when we think of family gatherings. “Fervently Desire” isn’t always one of them! Think about it though! God fervently desires for us to eat with him! To commune! He’s excited, thrilled, brimming with joy! He’s stalking you on Life360! He’s surveying the horizon hoping prodigal and wayward sons and daughters might appear! There is more joy and celebration over one sinner who repents than over 99 who were already planning to show up. If you haven’t come home for dinner—just a warning—you won’t be coming home just for a dinner, you’ll be coming home to a party! Luke 15!
But listen to the rest of the story! Luke 22:16-20, “For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”
In the parable of the Prodigal Son, the self-righteous brothers is all jealous (bent out of shape) because the Father kills the fattened calf to celebrate his son coming home. Communion tells an infinitely more severe story. The Father doesn’t kill just any lamb—he kills his One and Only Lamb—His One and Only Son. The Father spares nothing, not even to the degree of suffering… not even to the degree of offering his very body and blood as a sacrifice—should it bring us home!
Baptism and Communion are micro-stories that reveal an Epic, Divine Plot. God offers to wash away, forgive your sins. God fervently desires to commune with you not just now, but to be with you throughout all eternity. “Take this and share it among yourselves. For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
Lets celebrate now… 19 And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”