Tawa Baptist

Mutually Exclusive

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:14-22

Video Link: https://youtu.be/FPXWfWBaKQo

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Blood Connections
  • Bread Connections
  • Unseen Connections
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Some things cannot happen at the same time. For example, if you flip a coin, you will get either heads or tails. You can’t get both heads and tails simultaneously.

Likewise, if you take one card from a standard playing deck, then you cannot draw both an ace of diamonds and a two of spades at once. That’s not how cards work.

Or if you are invited to a party then you either attend or you don’t attend. You cannot attend and not attend at the same time. Just as you cannot have your cake and eat it too.

The technical word for this is ‘mutually exclusive’. Mutually exclusive events cannot take place at the same time. Basically, the occurrence of one event means the other event cannot happen.

Today we continue our series in First Corinthians chapters 8-10, where Paul writes about Christian freedom. When it comes to Christian freedom, there are some things which are mutually exclusive. For example, you cannot be a follower of Jesus and be involved with pagan worship at the same time.

Now, in using a term like mutually exclusive, I don’t mean to imply that the Christian faith is closed off from the world or insular. At its heart Christian faith is outward looking. Jesus and Paul were missionaries. They were seeking people they could include.

At the same time, they were not willing to include everything. They held onto their belief in the oneness and goodness of God. They did not sacrifice what they knew to be true.

There is a tension with Christian freedom. On the one hand, we are free to reach out to others with the love of Jesus. But on the other hand, we don’t have a license to compromise our belief or loyalty to Christ. We need to be mindful of this tension as we listen this morning.

From First Corinthians chapter 10, verse 14 we read…

14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf. 18 Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? 19 Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 22 Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

As we heard last week, some of the Corinthian believers were walking on thin ice by eating the meat of idols in pagan temples. In today’s reading Paul says quite plainly, you cannot do this. Taking holy communion and joining in pagan worship are mutually exclusive. You cannot do both.

Just beneath the surface of these verses is the idea of spiritual connection or partnership. In particular Paul highlights two things that connect people to God and to one another: blood and bread. Let’s begin with the blood connection.

Blood Connections:

Many of you knew the late Bruce Murray. Bruce played cricket for New Zealand during the 1960’s. He toured India and Pakistan with the Black Caps. Bruce told me of an incident that happened during the third test against India in Hyderabad in October 1969.

The Indian crowd had greatly enjoyed watching two of their batsmen play. When these two men (Venkat and Bedi) were leaving the cricket pitch some of the spectators were so excited they jumped the fence and ran on to the field to congratulate Venkat and Bedi.

Now a cricket pitch is a mutually exclusive place. You cannot have players and spectators on the field at the same time. A good number of auxiliary police (armed with long sticks) saw what was happening and intervened to protect the two Indian batsmen from over-zealous fans.

A young boy slipped past the police. One policeman threw his stick at the boy and missed. When the boy bent down to pick up the stick, another policeman hit him over the head.

The boy put his handkerchief to the wound and saw he was bleeding. When he held the bloodied cloth up to the crowd, the people rioted. The sight of blood created an instant connection. The police had done this to one of their own.

The crowd broke down a wire gate, set the score board on fire and ripped hundreds of chairs out of the grandstands, throwing them on the field.

Players were told to stay in their rooms that night. Bruce recalled the uneasy feeling among his teammates.

There’s something about blood that connects us in a deep and visceral way. Blood ties speak of family connections of course, but it’s more than that.

Blood is life to the body. Blood is pumped through the heart, sustaining every limb and digit. If blood flow is cut off, then the limb dies.

In ancient worship rituals, blood was shed in sacrifice to atone for sin, to make people right (or at one) with God. A life for a life.

In verse 16 Paul writes, is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the bloodof Christ?   

Paul is referring to the Christian ritual of communion here, also known as Mass or the Eucharist or the Lord’s supper. Communion was first instituted by Jesus.

On the night before his crucifixion and death, Jesus was celebrating the Jewish Passover meal with his disciples in the upper room. During the meal, Jesus gave the cup of wine new meaning. For Christians the cup signifies God’s new covenant, sealed with the blood of Christ for the forgiveness of sin. 

Jesus’ blood, poured out on the cross, atones for the sin of the world. Through faith in Jesus’ sacrifice we are made right with God.

Paul is saying that when we share the cup at communion, we are participating in the blood of Christ. That word translated as participating comes from the Greek word koinonia. Koinonia and its related cognates appear six times in today’s passage. So koinonia is key to understanding Paul’s thought.

The meaning of koinonia is difficult to translate directly into English. It can mean participation or partnership or fellowship or communion depending on the context. In the New Testament, koinonia speaks of a special bond or deep connection between the people of God.

Koinonia is not a light or superficial connection. Men who have participated in combat together, sharing blood, sweat and tears, have a koinonia connection.

Indeed, people who have survived a long ordeal together are bound by koinonia. They share an intimate and unspoken understanding that can only be gained through a common (and often painful) experience.     

What then does it mean to participate in the blood of Christ? Well, there is a certain mystery here that cannot be penetrated by mere words. But you need some explanation, no matter how inadequate, so here goes…  

In one sense, participating in the blood of Christ, means sharing in the benefits of forgiveness and atonement through faith in Jesus’ death on the cross.

Paul’s argument is this: You cannot be clean and dirty at the same time.

Those two things are mutually exclusive. It’s similar with the blood of Christ.

You cannot participate in the atonement of Christ and participate in pagan rituals at the same time. The cleansing blood of Christ and the defiling blood of pagan sacrifice are mutually exclusive. 

Going a little deeper, participating in the blood of Christ, could also mean sharing in the sufferings of Jesus. We probably won’t be crucified like Jesus was (thankfully), but we may suffer smaller injustices and humiliations because of our connection with Jesus.

You know those times when (through no fault of your own) you feel powerless and vulnerable; they are opportunities for creating koinonia (or communion) with Jesus. Our Lord set aside his power, making himself vulnerable for us, even unto death on a cross. 

Although unpleasant, these smaller sufferings enable us to know Jesus more intimately. There is a surprising joy in sharing Jesus’ suffering. Joy and suffering are not mutually exclusive.

We are talking about the things that connect us. The blood of Christ connects us, as does the bread of Christ. 

Bread Connections:

The English word ‘companion’ literally means to ‘share bread with’.

A companion therefore is someone you eat with. There’s something about sharing a meal that connects people and makes them our companions.

When people eat together, they talk and as they talk, they get to know each other; barriers come down and trust forms. Food has a way too of lingering in our memory. A shared meal creates a feeling of belonging and connection.

Food is a conduit for love. When you cook something special for someone, it is an act of love. And when you eat that meal, you receive that person’s love.

There has been a lot of love put into the shared lunch today.

In verses 16 and 17 Paul talks about the bread of the communion meal saying…

And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf. Again, that word participation comes from the Greek koinonia.

Later, in his letter to the Corinthians, Paul will go on to talk about the church being the body of Christ. Paul’s emphasis in this verse is on unity. Sharing the bread of communion is an act of koinonia with the people of God.

Just as bread nourishes body and soul, so too participating in church life nourishes our relationships together. Koinonia with others who share our faith banishes loneliness, creates trust and fosters a sense of identity and belonging.

In verse 18 Paul draws an analogy saying: Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? 

The Old Testament background here is that people would bring their food to the priest to be offered in sacrifice to God. Some of the food sacrificed was given to the priest and the rest was returned to the worshippers who shared a meal together. This sacred meal was a participation in the altar.

There’s that word again; participation, koinonia.

One of the things on Israel’s altar was the shew bread, 12 loaves symbolising God’s holy presence. The imagery is clear; God is the one who provides for all the people’s needs. God is the host of the sacred meal in other words. And, as host, God is present at the meal.   

Our communion bread (symbolising the body of Christ) is sometimes referred to as the host. Christ is the host of the communion table. Jesus is God’s provision for our needs. When we share communion, Jesus is present, by his Spirit. We cannot see Jesus, but we know by faith that Christ is in the room.

The koinonia of the communion table takes us into the realm of mystery, what someone once called ‘the cloud of unknowing’. Some people are comfortable with mystery. Others not so much.

If you like a rational explanation for everything, if you want all your questions answered, then mystery can make you feel uneasy, vulnerable even. The realm of mystery requires us to exercise faith, to trust ourselves to the unseen presence of God.

We’ve talked about the connections created by blood and bread. Now let’s consider those unseen connections in the spiritual realm.

Unseen Connections:

One of the difficulties with spiritual things is that we cannot see them. Spiritual reality may be felt or sensed, but it is seldom seen. In truth, there is an unseen reality to our lives.

There are many things in the physical / material world which we cannot see and yet we know are real because of the effects they have on our lives.

Gravity is perhaps the most obvious invisible force. The gravitational pull of the moon causes the oceans tidal movement. Gravity also keeps our feet on the ground and can inflict some pain if we get on the wrong side of it.

Atmospheric pressure is another invisible force at work in our world. High pressure usually means sunshine and low pressure often means bad weather.

We cannot see the movement of tectonic plates below the earth’s surface, but we know about it when the plates do move.

Love is another unseen power which affects us, not unlike gravity or tectonic plates. Love is not a substance. You cannot put love under a microscope and analyse it like bacteria or dissect it like a frog. But love still makes itself known, holding sway over our thoughts and feelings, like the moon holds sway over the ocean.

The greatest unseen power, of course, is God himself. God is Spirit so we cannot see him, but we can see where he has been. The whole earth and everything in it, is his masterpiece, both beautiful and functional at the same time. 

In verses 19 and 20 Paul talks about the malevolent unseen forces behind idols.

19 Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. 

The idols which littered ancient Corinth were just lumps of wood and stone. They were dead, impotent, with no power at all in themselves.

However, behind the idols and pagan temples were demons; evil spiritual beings, aligned with the devil. While we cannot see demons physically, we can see their detrimental effect in this world. Things like greed, exploitation, fear, racism, sexual abuse, poverty, violence and so on. 

The really twisted thing about pagan idolatry is that those who worship idols think they are doing something righteous or good. They are often very devout and sincere people who are not aware of the unseen reality. The evil one presents himself as an angel of light. 

I’m not saying these things to make you afraid. If you remain in Christ, then you have nothing to fear.

Having unveiled the truth about idol worship, that it really is the worship of demons, Paul then states the obvious, in verse 21…

21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons.

In other words, you cannot partake of holy communion and indulge in the dinner parties held in pagan temples. These two things are mutually exclusive. You cannot serve Jesus and the devil at the same time. You cannot be in partnership with unseen evil forces and remain in Christ. 

To do so would be to court disaster. For one thing it would arouse the Lord’s jealousy. Jealousy is not the same as envy. Envy is bad. Envy is when you want something that doesn’t belong to you. Envy ultimately destroys.

Jealousy is different from envy. Jealousy is the righteous indignation you feel when someone threatens what is rightfully yours to care for. Jealousy ultimately protects. A jealous father protects his children, just like a good shepherd protects his sheep.   

You may wonder what relevance Paul’s advice has in our world today.

Well, for those who live in countries where people offer food and incense to idols in temples, the connection is clear. If you want to follow Jesus, you cannot go to those temples and participate in worship.

Idolatry is usually more subtle in New Zealand though. While we do have an attachment to certain objects (like our cell phones), I don’t expect anyone here bows down in worship to those objects.

We are more inclined to internalise our idols. For example, we may at times give a greater place to work and wealth than we do to Jesus. Or we might prioritise entertainment and our own comfort over obedience to Christ. Freedom itself can become an idol.  

The problem with internalising our idols is that we cannot see them, which means we are less aware of our own idolatry. We risk becoming like the devout pagans who are unaware of their spiritual reality.

Another danger for us in New Zealand is syncretism. Dipping into more than one religion at the same time. Maybe practicing aspects of Christianity alongside some other belief system. That won’t work.

Just like it doesn’t work to use a Ouija board on Saturday night and then take communion on Sunday morning. Mutually exclusive.

Mixing religions and dabbling in the occult are obvious things to avoid. What about those things that are less black and white, more grey? 

When in doubt, let peace be your guide. If you are uncomfortable, if it feels like something is off but you can’t quite put your finger on it, listen to your instinct. The Spirit of God often nudges our instinct. If someone invites you to an event or activity and you don’t have peace within yourself about it, don’t go there.  

Conclusion:

At the beginning of our message today I talked about the tension that exists with Christian freedom. While we don’t have a license to compromise our belief about God or our loyalty to Christ, we are free to reach out to others with the love of Jesus.

And that’s where our focus should be. Looking for common ground. Looking for those points of connection that allow us to be mutually inclusive so that others might experience koinonia with Christ.

Let us pray…

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, forgive us our idolatries. Help us to walk in freedom and righteousness we pray. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. Why does Paul warn the Corinthians against mixing pagan worship with taking communion?
  3. What connects you to Jesus? What connects you to other believers?
  4. Have you ever experienced koinonia? What happened? Why is koinonia important? What are the benefits of koinonia?
  5. What does it mean to participate in the blood of Christ?
  6. What does the ritual of holy communion mean to you? In what sense is Christ present when we share communion?
  7. What relevance does Paul’s advice, in 1 Corinthians 10:14-22, have for us today? What idols are you most vulnerable to?
  8. How might we decide whether something is compatible with Christ or not?     
Tawa Baptist

More layers than a trifle

Scripture: Matthew 26:14-30

Video Link: https://youtu.be/JLDzoRvzf3w

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Passover
  • Betrayal
  • Covenant
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone. A question for you…

What would you do if you knew you were going to die tomorrow?

In this scenario you have your health, you have your friends and family close by. You are simply running out of time. You have maybe 20 hours left. How would you spend that time?

Today we continue our series for Lent looking at some of the things Jesus did and said in the week leading up to his crucifixion and death. This morning’s message focuses on Matthew 26, verses 17-30.

In this passage Jesus knows he will die the next day. With this in mind, Jesus chose to have a special meal with his friends. Through this meal, Jesus communicates the meaning of his life and death. From Matthew 26, verse 17 we read…

17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’”

19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. 20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” 22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”

23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”

Jesus answered, “You have said so.”

26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” 27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 

29 I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

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

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

If I said to you, ‘this reading has more layers than Rachel’s trifle’, what TV series (from the 90’s) would I be referring to? [Wait] That’s right, Friends.

There are many memorable moments from the Friends TV series but one that sticks in my mind is the scene featuring Rachel’s trifle.

Rachel describes the layers of her trifle saying, first there are some ladyfingers, then jam, custard, raspberries, more ladyfingers, beef sautéed with peas and onions, then a layer of custard and bananas topped with whipped cream.

Rachel has never made a trifle before and unfortunately the pages of the recipe book are stuck together, so her trifle is half dessert and half shepherds’ pie. Two recipes, that for most people (except Joey), don’t really go together. 

Matthew 26, verses 17-30, has more layers than Rachel’s trifle. In this last supper, before his crucifixion, Jesus draws on centuries of tradition to explain the meaning of his death. But, mixed in with the dessert of the Passover and the new covenant, we find the shepherd’s pie of Judas’ betrayal.

Let’s start with the bottom layer of this trifle, the lady fingers, jam and custard of the Jewish Passover.

Passover:   

In verse 17, the disciples ask Jesus about preparations for the Festival of Unleavened Bread. This festival, also known as the Passover festival, was celebrated over the course of a week and began with a memorial meal.

The Passover festival recalls God’s deliverance of Israel, from slavery in Egypt.  On the night before the Israelites left Egypt each family was to sacrifice a lamb and paint the blood of the lamb on the door posts of their home. When the angel of death saw the blood on the door posts, he passed over that house without killing the first born male. The blood protected them.

In verse 18, it becomes clear that Jesus has organised a room in advance to eat the Passover meal with his disciples. Jesus knows he is about to die and is using the Passover meal to communicate the meaning of his death.

Jesus is the ultimate Passover lamb. The blood of Jesus, spilled on the cross, protects us from sin and spiritual death.

Let’s pause for a moment to reflect. Jesus has less than a day left. His time is precious. He doesn’t use that time to get even with people who have wronged him. Nor does he use the time to try and avoid his death. Jesus doesn’t go public or stage a massive rally to fire up his supporters to defend him. No.

Jesus enjoys a quiet meal with his closest friends. Jesus chooses food, companionship and intimacy to nourish the bodies and souls of those he loves.

Unlike Jesus, we don’t know when we will die. We can’t live every day as if it were our last, that’s not sustainable. But God, in his wisdom, gives us one day in seven, a Sabbath, set apart for rest, companionship and intimacy, to nourish and restore body and soul. That sacred time is ours to enjoy.    

If the context of the Passover forms the foundation of the trifle, then Judas’ betrayal seems out of place, like beef sautéed with peas and onions in the middle of a dessert.

Betrayal:

No one has the heart to tell Rachel the truth. They all pretend to like her trifle. But when she is out of the room Ross says what he really thinks, ‘It tastes like feet’.

Rachel’s friends are lying to protect her feelings but in doing this they are only postponing the inevitable. It is kinder in the long run for Rachel to know the truth. But how to communicate a difficult truth to someone we care about?

In verse 21, Jesus speaks openly to his disciples saying one of them will betray him. They are naturally sad and all ask, ‘Surely you don’t mean me, Lord’.

Notice how each one makes it about himself. There is a certain selfishness to the disciples’ question. They don’t seem to be concerned for Jesus here. They are more concerned about justifying themselves and making sure they feel better. Jesus is sharing a painful truth and they can’t handle that truth.

Jesus will be dead in less than 24 hours and one of his closest mates will be complicit in his death. How awful would that be. And yet no one says, Lord, I’m listening if you want to talk. Or, what do you need? Instead the disciples behave like little children thinking it’s all about me.

But are we any different? The first thing they teach you in pastoral care 101 is, shut up and listen. It’s not about you. Stay present with the person in front of you. What do they need right now?

In the cultural context of the time, to share a meal with someone was a way of saying, ‘We are friends. I will not hurt you.’ So it is shocking to hear Jesus say, the one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.

Notice though the way Jesus does not expose or shame Judas. Jesus doesn’t say, ‘Judas is going to betray me’. No. Jesus responds in such a way that lets Judas know that he knows the truth, without outing Judas to the others.

Jesus never separates grace from truth. Jesus says the difficult truth in a gracious way; in a way that leaves the door open for Judas to repent. We know, from verses 14-16, that Judas has already made a deal with the religious leaders to hand Jesus over for 30 pieces of silver. But it’s not too late for Judas at this point. He could still choose not to betray Jesus.       

Jesus goes on to say in verse 24: “The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

This is a hard truth, full of grace. I don’t think Jesus is saying this as a threat but rather as a kindness to encourage Judas to turn around, for the path he is on leads to a very bad place. Again, Jesus says this in a discreet way.

Some people argue that God needed Judas to betray Jesus in order for the atonement to happen, but I don’t buy that. Jesus would still have gone to the cross (as it is written about him) regardless of whether Judas betrayed Jesus or not. It’s not like Jesus was hiding. He did not resist arrest.

In verse 25, Judas joins the chorus of voices saying, ‘surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?’ Jesus answers by reflecting Judas’ words back to him, perhaps in the hope that Judas will hear himself and be shocked at his own duplicity.   

Sadly, Judas did not take the hint. He did not walk through the door of redemption that Jesus was holding open for him.  He handed Jesus over. Why? We don’t know for certain. Was it love of money? Was it disillusionment? Was Judas manipulating the situation to force Jesus’ hand and cause an uprising? We simply don’t know. 

Betrayal is essentially the abuse of trust. Betrayal can take many forms. Accepting a bribe. Breaking a confidence. Cheating on your partner. Stealing time or money from your employer. Making promises you have no intention of keeping. These are all examples of betraying others.

Sometimes though we might also betray ourselves. We might laugh at a joke that is repugnant to us. Or hide our Christian faith. Or give in to social pressure and do something we are not really comfortable with. Or go against the grain of our values in some other way.      

In considering how Judas’ betrayal might apply to us, some people will be inclined to remember how other people have betrayed them.

If that is you, then how might you hold grace and truth together? Truth without grace is brutal, like surgery without anaesthetic. Grace without truth is septic, like treating an infection with painkillers only and no antibiotics. We need to hold grace and truth together.  

When our trust has been abused, it’s important for us be honest about what’s happened and not fudge over the facts, nor exaggerate them. At the same time, we need to find the grace to let go of our hurt, so it doesn’t destroy us. Letting go of the hurt means not revisiting the betrayal in your mind, not stewing on it and not seeking revenge.

By the same token, you are under no obligation to trust someone who has betrayed you. Your trust is precious, like pearls. Don’t put your pearls before swine. Don’t give your trust to someone who will trample on it.

In thinking about those who have betrayed us, we need to be careful not to look in the mirror of our hurt for too long. Sometimes we like to take the role of the victim because that gives us the illusion of holding the moral high ground. It insulates us from our own guilt.

The truth is, everyone has a bit of Judas in them. We don’t usually become aware of our capacity for betrayal until we find ourselves in a situation of intense pressure that releases our inner Judas. The instinct for self-preservation can be over powering at times.

Perhaps reading this passage puts you in touch with those you have betrayed in the past. It is a function of mid-life, to think about the mistakes of your youth and wish you could go back and do things differently. Regret. It eats away at your soul, like salt water on naked steel.

If that’s you, then the question has got to be: how do you hold truth and grace together? How do you face the awful truth about yourself and find release from your guilt and regret? God will forgive you in a heartbeat, if you forgive others. But can you forgive yourself? Can you show the same kindness to yourself that you show to others? That’s the hard part I find.

Tragically, Judas was not able to hold grace and truth together. The truth took hold of him after the fact and it shook him hard. But he wasn’t able to find the grace he needed. The weight of his guilt and shame crushed him in the end.

God is generally more gracious than we imagine. I believe Jesus would have forgiven Judas. After all, none of the disciples proved that loyal when Jesus was arrested.

Covenant:

And so we come to verses 26-30, some of the most sacred words in all of Scripture. Words we hear when we share communion. These words of Jesus are like stones polished smooth through centuries of use.

Traditionally, the words spoken during a Passover meal are, ‘This is the bread of affliction, which our fathers ate in the wilderness’. But during his last supper, Jesus changes the script. After taking the bread and giving thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples saying: “Take and eat; this is my body.”           

Jesus is not speaking literally here. Jesus is comparing the bread of affliction to his body. In just a few hours Jesus’ body would be afflicted.

Going a little deeper, bread represents life. Bread provides nourishment, strength for the journey and comfort. What’s more, bread is something you share. Jesus is saying, I’m sharing my life with you. My death gives you life.

Another layer of meaning: Faith isn’t just what you think. Faith finds expression in what you do. Eating is an act of faith. Simply looking at the bread won’t sustain you. In order for bread to become life to you, you must eat it, take it into yourself. Likewise, in order for Jesus’ death to be life giving, you must believe in it, trust it. You must take it into yourself by faith. 

From verse 27 we read…

27 Then Jesus took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 

Centuries earlier, the prophet Jeremiah had spoken of a new covenant that God would make with his people. In Jeremiah 31 we read…

33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel…” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34  …they will all know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Jesus is saying that his death on the cross seals the new covenant God had spoken of through the prophet Jeremiah. This covenant is a sacred relationship in which our sins are forgiven, we know the Lord personally and God’s law of love is written on our heart and mind, so we keep the law from the inside out.  

Jesus’ words in Matthew 26 also connect with Isaiah 53, where the prophet says: 12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great… because he poured out his life unto death and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Life is in the blood. To pour out one’s blood is to pour out one’s life unto death. Jesus is going to the cross to bear the sin of many; that is, for the forgiveness of our sin.

Jesus uses his last supper to show his disciples the meaning of his death on the cross. Jesus died so that all who believe in him may have life. Not mere existence but abundant life, life free from sin and free from the fear of death. Life defined by righteousness and friendship with God.

Conclusion:

Jesus concludes on a note of hope, saying: “I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”   

‘Fruit of the vine’ is a poetic way of talking about wine. Jesus is looking forward here, beyond his death, to that time when he and his friends will sit down in the Kingdom of Heaven and enjoy the Messianic banquet together. We read about this banquet in Isaiah 25…

6 On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine—the best of meats and the finest of wines. 7 On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; 8 he will swallow up death forever.

The last supper is not actually Jesus’ last supper. Jesus’ death swallows up death forever. Jesus’ death and resurrection is our hope of eternal life. Our hope of sharing in the Messianic banquet in heaven. This is the cream on top of the trifle. Or perhaps it is more accurate to say, eternal life is the whole trifle, as it should be, without the shepherds’ pie of betrayal.

Let us pray…

Lord Jesus, our life is hidden in you. You are our hope, our righteousness, our loyalty. You open the door of redemption. You seal the covenant of friendship with God. Help us to remember you, holding together grace and truth, especially when the trifle of this world tastes like feet. Amen.  

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • What would you do if you knew you were going to die tomorrow?  How would you spend your time? Why would you spend your last hours like this?
  • What does the Jewish Passover communicate about the meaning of Jesus’ death? 
  • Why is Jesus discreet about Judas’ plan to betray him? 
  • How do we hold grace and truth together when someone betrays us? How do we hold grace and truth together when we realise we have betrayed someone else?
  • Discuss / reflect on Jesus’ words in verses 26-30. What are these words saying about the meaning of Jesus’ death? What do these words mean in the context of Jeremiah 31 and Isaiah 25 & 53? What do these words mean for you personally?
  • You may like to share communion with those in your small group. 

Outtakes

As part of the same (Passover) meal the people were to bake unleavened bread. Unleavened bread is bread without yeast in it. It’s sort of like flat bread. Baking bread with yeast takes quite a bit of time. The people were told to make unleavened bread because they had to leave Egypt in a hurry and unleavened bread is relatively quick to make. One of the rituals of preparation for the Jewish Passover was going through the house and getting rid of any yeast. Yeast, in that context, was symbolic of sin.  

Notice though how Judas addresses Jesus as Rabbi, when all the other disciples have addressed Jesus as ‘Lord’. In the gospel of Matthew, the disciples normally address Jesus as ‘Lord’ and those outside the group of Jesus’ followers tend to address him as ‘Rabbi’, which means teacher. Matthew is making the point that Judas is addressing Jesus here as an outsider, not as a true disciple.  

Tawa Baptist

Pentecost

Scripture: Deuteronomy 16:9-12

Video Link: https://youtu.be/Ix2Ecqso8L8

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Count – rhythm 
  • Give – gratitude
  • Include – communion
  • Conclusion – remember

Introduction:

Kia ora koutou and good morning everyone.

Today is Pentecost Sunday, a time in the church calendar when we remember and celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit provides a connection between Jesus and his followers. The Holy Spirit makes Jesus close and real.

Although today is Pentecost, the Holy Spirit is not bound by the church calendar. He can move at any time. But having a special day to remember the gift of the Spirit helps us.

Pentecost gets its name from the Greek word for fiftieth, because Pentecost is celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter.

Ten days after Jesus’ ascension to heaven, while the disciples were waiting in Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit descended on them, empowering the disciples to proclaim the good news about Jesus in a whole host of foreign languages. We read about this in chapter 2 of the book of Acts. 

Pentecost wasn’t always a Christian festival though. Pentecost was originally the Jewish Festival of Weeks. Sometimes called the harvest festival. As it happens we learn about the feast of weeks in the book of Deuteronomy. From chapter 16, verses 9-12, we read…    

9 Count off seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain. 10 Then celebrate the Festival of Weeks to the Lord your God by giving a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings the Lord your God has given you. 11 And rejoice before the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, the Levites in your towns, and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows living among you. 12 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and follow carefully these decrees.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

In these verses Moses gives the Israelites a number of instructions. Moses tells the people to count the weeks, celebrate by giving and include the whole community in your celebration. Count, give and include.

Counting is about rhythm. Giving is about gratitude and including is about communion. First let’s consider the instruction to count.

Count – rhythm:

Have you ever noticed the rhythms that naturally occur in this world? The sun rises in the east and sets in the west and so we have the rhythm of night and day, sleeping and waking.

The ocean’s tide rises and falls with the gravitational pull of the moon. The moon itself goes through its own cycle from full moon to half-moon to new moon. The seasons have their rhythm too, of spring, summer, autumn and winter. Your heart also beats to a rhythm. We could go on but you get the point.

These rhythms support life and they become a measure for time. Without these natural rhythms the world would revert to chaos and life would not be functional or sustainable.

Deuteronomy places quite a bit of importance on the idea of time. We see this in the way Moses prescribed a rhythm of three main religious festivals each year. These holidays were pilgrimages in which the people of Israel travelled to one central place to participate in worship.

The three main festivals were Passover, which remembered God’s deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt. The festival of Weeks, which happened at the end of the grain harvest. And Tabernacles (also known as the festival of shelters) which remembered Israel’s 40 years in the wilderness when they lived in tents.

Christians don’t need to celebrate the Jewish festivals. The three main events for Christians are Easter, Pentecost and Christmas, each of which find their meaning in Jesus.

From verse 9 of Deuteronomy 16 we read…

9 Count off seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain. 10 Then celebrate the Festival of Weeks to the Lord your God

If you’ve ever done long distance running, then you will know the importance of keeping your rhythm. If you have to stop and start all the time it takes a lot more energy and the run is less enjoyable.

The Passover festival and the festival of Weeks book ended the barley and wheat harvests. This fifty-day harvest period was a busy time if you were a farmer. It was like running a marathon. When you are really busy and working hard you need a rhythm to sustain you and you need something to look forward to, a celebration or a holiday at the end of it.

Counting the days and the weeks gives you a lift, that motivation you need to get the job done. Only five more weeks till the school holidays. Only three more weeks to another long weekend. 

There is a thoughtfulness and a consideration for what people need in this command to count the weeks to the end of harvest. It provides a rhythm and something to look forward to. 

The last two or three years have been challenging, like a long distance run. Although we have much to be thankful for here in New Zealand, Covid has disrupted many of our natural rhythms. We’ve had to stop and start repeatedly and this has left us feeling more tired than we normally would.

The other thing about Covid and the various lockdowns we went through, is that we never really knew when it would all end. So counting off the weeks wasn’t possible. Hard to look forward to something when you can’t see the finish line.

What rhythms do you have to support your health & well-being? Perhaps eating meals and going to sleep at the same time every day. Maybe having a 30-minute walk in the morning. Or not bringing work home in the weekend, so you can look forward to a break.

What rhythms do you have to support your faith and hope? Perhaps starting and finishing the day with a dedicated prayer time. Perhaps stopping to be silent and still three or four times a week. Maybe meeting with your Bible study group once a fortnight. Hopefully Sunday worship features as well.  

Give – gratitude:

A few years ago now, when the kids were younger, Robyn’s parents gave our family a voucher to visit Hobbiton, near Matamata in the Waikato. At Hobbiton there is this amazing tree, known in Tolkien’s books as the party tree. It is where they filmed Bilbo Baggins’ birthday party for the movie. 

The tour guide asked the group what was different about the way Hobbits celebrate birthdays and no one knew, so I felt I had to answer. Hobbits don’t receive presents on their birthday, instead they give presents to all their guests. 

In verse 10 of Deuteronomy 16 Moses gives the instruction to celebrate the Festival of weeks to the Lord your God by giving a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings the Lord your God has given you.

The thing that strikes me here is that the people are to celebrate by giving. This is a bit like the way Hobbits celebrate their birthdays. Not by receiving presents but by giving gifts. Cool aye.

The other thing I find interesting here is that, in Deuteronomy, Moses places the emphasis on the freewill offering aspect of the festival.

The protocol for observing the Festival of Weeks is detailed in the book of Numbers and in Leviticus as well. But both those accounts focus on the mandatory aspects of the celebration. For example, the priests had to sacrifice two bulls, seven lambs, a ram and a goat, along with grain and drink offerings as well.[1]

In addition to this legal requirement, people could also make freewill offerings.    

In Deuteronomy, Moses shines a spotlight on the freewill aspect of the feast of Weeks. The technical details are not in view here, as much as one’s gratitude for the blessings the Lord your God has given you.

A freewill offering means exactly that. It is an offering you make to God of your own freewill. Not because you have to but because you want to. Not because you must but because you can.

In the gospels we hear of a woman of ill repute who anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume. She did this of her own freewill, out of gratitude and love for what Jesus had done for her. Those who have been forgiven much, love much.

Likewise, in the book of Acts we read of Barnabas selling a field he owned and giving the proceeds to the apostles. No one was forcing Barnabas to do this. He was moved by the Spirit, in an act of gratitude and love.

Although there is a rhythm with Israel’s worship, Moses did not want this rhythm to become routine or like an empty ritual, where the people just tick a box. Nor did he want people to think that somehow their giving put God under obligation.

In giving to God we are not securing for ourselves some influence over God. We cannot keep God in our pocket. The Lord Almighty cannot be bought. To the contrary. All that we have is a gift from God. Our giving to God is meant to be a response of gratitude for his blessing in our lives.

Celebrating by giving provides an antidote to greed and avarice. What’s more, gratitude in worship keeps our feet on the ground, it keeps us humble. Gratitude saves us from the self-righteous contempt that often characterised the Pharisees. 

The point here is that giving is good for us. We don’t give because God is short of cash. God is not short on resources. Giving supports the life and well-being of the individual donor and the community.

Moses tells the people to count the weeks, celebrate by giving and include the whole community in your celebration. Count, give and include. Counting is about rhythm. Giving is about gratitude and including is about communion.

Include – communion:

In verse 11 Moses says…

11 And rejoice before the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name…

Moses is referring here to a central place of worship. This one place was to be the hub of Israel’s life in the land. It was to hold the wheel of Israel’s cultic worship together.

Having one central place of worship was also meant to provide coherence and integrity for Israel’s thinking about God. Without a central place of worship, the people would be inclined to conform to the influence of their pagan neighbours, with the result that Israel’s religion would become indistinguishable from pagan practices.  

One central place of worship reinforced the idea that there is one God and he is holy, set apart, different from the gods of the Canaanites and Philistines. 

During the time of Eli, Hannah and Samuel, that one central place of worship was Shiloh. But God’s name was brought into disrepute there, so the central place of worship became Jerusalem, during the time of David and Solomon.

In the gospel of John chapter 4, Jesus has a conversation with a Samaritan woman by a well. The Samaritans believed that their mountain, in Samaria, was the special place chosen by God, while the Jews maintained the temple in Jerusalem was the place.

Jesus said, “Believe me woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem… 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

For Christians, worship of God is not centred around a geographical place. For us, worship is centred in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus replaces the Jerusalem temple. In and through Jesus we are reconciled to God and we enjoy communion with God. In Jesus, God’s name, his character and reputation, dwells in fullness.

Returning to Deuteronomy 16. Verse 11 goes on to say that everyone is to be included in the celebration.

When we think of ancient Israel making sacrifices, we might imagine the slaughter and burning of whole animals. Livestock and grain going up in smoke. And while some sacrifices were treated in this way, other offerings and sacrifices took the form of a shared meal for the whole community, sort of like a Hobbit party.

The freewill offering attached to the Feast of Weeks was a party to which everyone was invited. Not just people in your own family but also your male and female servants. So women were included along with men.

The Levites were also to be included. It was the Levites’ job to look after the special tent of God’s presence and to assist with the ritual sacrifices and other religious duties. The Levites were set apart for God’s service and, as such, were not allocated any land. The Lord was their portion.

But wait there’s more. Moses says that foreigners, or resident aliens, living among you must be included in the feasting as well. And we cannot forget the orphans and widows. They were not to miss out either.  

What we notice here is that the Levites, the foreigners, the widows and the fatherless were in no position to contribute anything to the feast. Doesn’t matter though. Not being able to bring a plate should not exclude anyone.

What we have in this community meal, in which everyone is included, is a kind of communion. The food, the lamb, the bread, the grain, the wine was offered to God and belongs to him anyway because it came from him in the first place. So that makes God the host of the party and the host can invite anyone he wants.

And so, in the Festival of Weeks (and other religious practices of ancient Israel), we have a form of social welfare, where those who cannot provide for themselves are provided for.

Once again we see how the festivals and sacrifices Israel was instructed to make were beneficial for them. Israel’s rhythm of worship was not meant to be a heavy burden. It was meant to support the life and well-being of the individual and the whole community.

Deuteronomy’s instructions for the Feast of Weeks finishes with these words…

12 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and follow carefully these decrees.

We hear this phrase about Israel being slaves in Egypt a number of times in the Old Testament. Deuteronomy is peppered with it. In the context of chapter 16, the call to remember makes the Feast of Weeks a memorial meal.

But why frame the memory in this way? Why say, remember that you were slaves in Egypt, when you could just as easily say, remember God’s deliverance or remember your release or something more positive like that? After all, the Feast of Weeks is meant to be a party, a celebration, isn’t it?

Well, it is characteristic of Moses, and of ancient Israel generally, to make room for lament. Lament allows grief and sadness to be acknowledged and expressed. Something like 40% of the Psalms are laments, to say nothing of the prophetic writings like Jeremiah and Lamentations.

The longer you live the more you have to grieve. True rejoicing cannot really take place if grief and loss is ignored or swept under the carpet.

It is rude and insensitive to laugh and joke and drink too much, when there are children in the room who have lost their father or a woman who has just gone through a divorce or refugees who have been forced to leave their land.  

Remembering the pain of their slavery in Egypt goes hand in hand with including refugees, orphans and widows. It is a way of honouring those who have suffered loss and standing in solidarity with them. You’ve got scars? I’ve got scars from where I come from too?

The white middle class western culture I was born into is pretty buttoned down when it comes to lament. We are not very good at expressing our grief. But as repressed as we are, we still have the social sensibility to keep things real.

Where I come from it is not unusual for someone at a party to give a heartfelt speech and make a toast to absent friends. It might be a time to celebrate, like a birthday party or a wedding anniversary, but that doesn’t mean we have to pretend everything in our life is perfect or whole.

Conclusion:

This morning we celebrate communion. Communion is a memorial meal, bringing to mind Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection.

As well as remembering Jesus’ scars, we also remember others in the room with us. Those who have suffered much to be here.

Communion isn’t just a personal thing, between you and God. Communion is something we share with each other as well. Communion transcends differences in gender and ethnicity and social status.  

Maybe your circumstances right now are a bit rubbish. Communion remembers forward as well as back. Communion looks forward to that time when God will wipe away every tear and heal every hurt. A time when we will participate in the Messianic banquet with Jesus in heaven.

Let us pray…

Eternal God, help us to find our rhythm as we walk humbly with you.    

Generous God, open our hands to pay forward what you have given us.

Compassionate God, open our hearts and minds to include others.

Suffering God, help us to remember where we come from and where we are headed. Through Jesus we pray. Amen. 

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • What rhythms do we observe in the natural world and in our own bodies? How do these rhythms create order and support life?
  • What rhythms do you have to support your health & well-being? What rhythms do you have to support your faith and hope? What are you looking forward to in the short to medium term?
  • Why do you think Moses highlights the freewill aspect of the Feast of Weeks in Deuteronomy? What are the benefits of giving, both for the donor and the community?
  • Why did Israel have one central place of worship? Discuss / reflect on the ways Jesus replaces the Jerusalem temple.
  • How did the Feast of Weeks (and other religious rituals) contribute to the social welfare system of ancient Israel? Who are the foreigners, fatherless and widows in our society today? How might we include them?
  • Why is it important to make room for lament even as we celebrate? How might we do this in our context today?
  • Take some time this week to reflect on the connections between the Jewish festival of Weeks and the Christian festival of Pentecost. What do these two festivals share in common? How are they different? 

[1] Numbers 28:26-31

Tawa Baptist

Communion

Scripture: Luke 22:14-20

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • The Exodus
  • The Bread
  • The Cup
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

If you want to create a connection and send a message to someone you might arrange for a bouquet of flowers to be delivered. Different types of flowers symbolize different things. You just need to know how to interpret their meaning.   

We all know that Red Roses signify romantic love and desire but you wouldn’t want to send your beloved a bunch of Rhododendrons because Rhododendrons are poisonous; they say beware.[1]

Irises stand for wisdom and respect. So if you send a bunch of Irises to someone you are saying something along the lines of, ‘I respect your advice’. You might give Irises to a special teacher or mentor in your life.

If you receive some Verbena, then the sender may be asking you for help. Verbena say: ‘Pray for me’. They also represent protection from evil.  

Daffodils symbolize new beginnings. So you might give someone a bunch of daffodils when they are making a transition in their life; starting a new job or moving into a new house. 

Please turn with me to Luke chapter 22. This morning’s message focuses on Jesus’ last supper with his disciples, the night before his crucifixion and death. The ritual of communion finds its genesis in the last supper. Although it is called the last supper it is also a new beginning at the same time. Every new beginning starts with some other beginning’s end. From Luke 22, verses 14-20 we read…

14 When the hour came, Jesus took his place at the table with the apostles. 15 He said to them, “I have wanted so much to eat this Passover meal with you before I suffer! 16 For I tell you, I will never eat it until it is given its full meaning in the Kingdom of God.”

17 Then Jesus took a cup, gave thanks to God, and said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 I tell you that from now on I will not drink this wine until the Kingdom of God comes.”

19 Then he took a piece of bread, gave thanks to God, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.” 20 In the same way, he gave them the cup after the supper, saying, “This cup is God’s new covenant sealed with my blood, which is poured out for you.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.   

The Exodus:

There are a number of flowers which signify remembrance. Forget Me Not’s obviously and Zinnias. But also Pansies. The Pansy symbolizes thoughtfulness and remembrance, which fits well with the message of communion.

Forget me nots lean more towards not forgetting a romantic interest. And Zinnias are about remembering absent friends. Pansies though, carry the nuance of practical remembrance which shows care and consideration for others. Like remembering to leave the toilet seat down and remembering your wife’s birthday or remembering not to serve sugary food to a person with diabetes. 

In Luke 22, verses 15-16, Jesus says to his disciples: “I have wanted so much to eat this Passover meal with you before I suffer! 16 For I tell you, I will never eat it until it is given its full meaning in the Kingdom of God.”

Just as flowers have their own language, sending a symbolic message, so too the Passover meal is packed with symbolism for those who know how to interpret it. Jesus was looking forward to this particular meal because it provided him the opportune moment and means for explaining his imminent suffering and death.

Jesus was basically using the Passover meal to interpret his own death, so his disciples could find meaning in the events of Easter after he had gone. 

So what is the Passover meal? Well, it was an annual Jewish ritual which remembered and celebrated the Exodus of the people of Israel from Egypt. During the meal special food was eaten and the story of the Exodus was retold. Each of the elements of food bore symbolic meaning, relating to the Exodus.

By celebrating this ritual meal, every year, the memory of what God did to save Israel (all those centuries ago) was preserved. 

So what is the Exodus? The word Exodus simply means exit. For many years the ancient Israelites were slaves in Egypt. They cried out to God for justice.

Incidentally, the flower which signifies justice is the Black Eyed Susan. I’m not sure if the Black Eyed Susan grows in Egypt (probably not) but in any case, God’s act of delivering the people of Israel from slavery was like sending acres of Black Eyed Susan flowers. God’s justice set his people free.

Jesus is taking the symbolism of the Passover meal and using it help his followers interpret his death on the cross. Just as God delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt, so too Jesus delivers humanity from slavery to sin.

On the night the nation was to exit Egypt, Moses commanded the people to sacrifice a lamb and paint the blood of the lamb over their door posts. The angel of death passed over those houses who had the blood of the lamb on their doors. So the blood of the lamb became a symbol of God’s protection.

Just as the blood of the sacrificial lamb protected the Israelites from death, so too Jesus’ blood poured out for us on the cross, protects us from death.

The Bread:

If you want to say ‘thank you’ to someone then the flower you need is the Sweet Pea. Sweet peas say thanks very much. The Passover meal is punctuated with little prayers and hymns which say ‘thank you’ to God for his provision and salvation. 

On that first Passover night the people were instructed to eat unleavened bread. Sort of like pita pockets or flat bread. Unleavened bread doesn’t use yeast and so it is quicker and easier to make. You don’t have to wait around for the bread to rise. The people couldn’t waste any time. They needed to be packed and ready to go so they could make a speedy exodus when the hour came.

With this in mind unleavened bread is a symbol of the obedience of faith that leads to salvation. By implication yeast became a symbol for sin. As the Passover tradition evolved Jewish families would take all the yeast out of their homes in the days leading up to the festival, sort of like an acted out parable of preparing for God’s salvation by ridding their lives of sin. That is, making sure they were free of anything that might hold them back from obeying God.   

In verse 19 of Luke 22 we read how Jesus took a piece of bread, gave thanks to God, broke it and gave it to his disciples saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.”

Jesus wasn’t saying here that the bread is literally his body. Rather, Jesus is taking an ordinary common object, like bread, and giving it a special meaning and significance far beyond what it normally has. Jesus is the unleavened bread from heaven. He is the sinless sustenance of God. It is the obedience of faith in Jesus that leads to salvation.

By saying, “This is my body, which is given for you…”, Jesus is indicating that his death has sacrificial significance. Just as we rely on bread for our physical survival, so too we rely on the sacrifice of Jesus’ body for our spiritual survival. 

Bread is something we take into ourselves. Likewise, Jesus is someone we must take into ourselves by faith. By using bread as a symbol for himself, Jesus is describing a deep personal inner connection with him. Jesus is not distant or remote. He is close and intimate in the ordinary everyday stuff of life.

Following this train of thought, bread in the Old Testament was also a symbol of God’s presence with his people. So when we eat the communion bread (a symbol of Christ) we aren’t just recalling something that happened 2000 years ago. We are remembering that Jesus is present with us now, today, by his Spirit.

The Cup:

The same kind of flower can mean different things depending on the colour of that flower. Take Lilies for example: white ones signify purity, pink ones signify prosperity, red lilies represent passion, orange ones symbolise pride, and yellow lilies stand for gratitude.

But the symbolism of the colours doesn’t necessarily transfer to other flowers. If you send someone white Carnations you are saying, ‘I think you are sweet and lovely’. And if you send them pink Carnations the message is, ‘I will never forget you’. But if you send a yellow Carnation, well that signifies disdain, while the two toned variety says, ‘I cannot be with you’. Harsh. That’s like breaking up by bouquet.   

In Luke’s version of the last supper we read that Jesus served two cups. One before the bread and the other after the bread. The ritual of the Passover meal actually involves four cups of wine each watered down and drunk at different stages throughout the meal.

In verses 17-18 we are told that Jesus took a cup, gave thanks to God, and said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 I tell you that from now on I will not drink this wine until the Kingdom of God comes.”

The cup is a bit like a carnation. It can symbolise quite different things. Sometimes the cup signifies abundance, blessing and fellowship, as in the 23rd Psalm where we read, you prepare a table for me… my cup overflows.  

Other times though, the cup is a symbol of God’s wrath and judgment. Like where it says in Isaiah 51:17, Jerusalem… You have drunk the cup of punishment that the Lord in his anger gave you to drink; you drank it down and it made you stagger. 

So which cup is meant here? Well, the cup the disciples drank (and the cup we drink) is not a cup of punishment. It is a cup of blessing and fellowship, made possible by Jesus’ sacrifice.

We notice that Jesus instructed his disciples to share the cup and so the cup is a symbol of unity. Often, when we share communion, I invite people to hold the cup that we may take it as one. It is a symbolic way of saying we are all connected through Jesus. Communion is both a personal faith thing and a community faith thing.   

Hyssop is the flower that symbolizes sacrifice and cleansing. ‘Purify me with hyssop and I will be clean’ the Psalmist says. Then, at Jesus’ crucifixion, it was a branch of hyssop that was dipped in vinegar and held to Jesus’ lips as he hung on the cross. Jesus’ sacrifice cleanses us of our sin. It removes our guilt.

Chrysanthemum flowers have a simple message: honesty. Communion is not something we take lightly. We need to approach the communion table honestly, with reverence and respect. Communion is not a place to pretend. It is a place where we face the truth about ourselves and remember our need for forgiveness.

The Purple Hyacinth says: I am sorry, please forgive me. You might give purple hyacinth to your wife or your husband after a row. Figuratively speaking we come to the communion table with Purple Hyacinth in hand, mindful of our need for God’s grace.   

Jesus talks about not drinking this wine until the Kingdom of God comes. One of the key symbols of the Kingdom of God is a wedding banquet, a party, or a feast. The Kingdom of God is a celebration, when God’s will is done perfectly.

Jesus is looking forward to the consummation of history when heaven comes to earth. When God wipes away every tear and there is no more war or famine or COVID or suffering or death. The Kingdom of God does not operate in the same way this world does. It is not more of the same.

When we celebrate communion, we not only look back in remembrance of Jesus’ death & resurrection. We also look forward to Jesus’ return in glory. But the coming of God’s Kingdom in its fullness isn’t just an external thing. The Kingdom of God is also within us; in our hearts and minds, both the conscious and unconscious aspects of our psyche (or our soul).

I think it is the Kingdom within that Jesus is getting at when he serves the cup after supper saying, “This cup is God’s new covenant sealed with my blood, which is poured out for you.

A covenant is a sacred agreement that cannot be broken. It is more than a contract. At its best marriage is a covenant. Sadly, marriage has lost its meaning for many people in the world today, so I’m not sure our society has an adequate symbol for the idea of covenant anymore.

Just outside the door of our house we have a little patch of Violets growing. Violets signify loyalty, devotion and faithfulness. The kind of loyalty, devotion and faithfulness that Ruth showed to Naomi. The kind of loyalty, devotion and faithfulness that God shows to us. And the kind of loyalty, devotion and faithfulness that God wants from us.

After the Israelites had left Egypt, and while they were still in the wilderness of Sinai, God made a covenant with the nation. He agreed to be their God and take care of them, if they kept his laws as summarized in the ten commandments. The covenant was sealed when the blood of a sacrificial animal was thrown over the people. 

Sadly, the people broke their covenant with God. They cheated on God basically. And so, in Jeremiah 31, the prophet spoke of a new covenant…

31 The Lord says, “The time is coming when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32 It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of Egypt. Although I was like a husband to them, they did not keep that covenant. 33 The new covenant that I will make with the people of Israel will be this: I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 None of them will have to teach a neighbour to know the Lord, because all will know me, from the least to the greatest. I will forgive their sins and I will no longer remember their wrongs. I, the Lord, have spoken.”

When Jesus said, ‘this is the cup of the new covenant’, he most likely had Jeremiah 31 in mind. The new covenant is different from the old because God’s law of love (His will) is written on our hearts, so that our greatest desire is to do what God wants. It is the Kingdom within.

Jesus seals the new covenant with his blood which is poured out for you. Once again, this speaks of Jesus’ sacrificial death. Jesus wants his followers to interpret his death, not as a pointless waste of life, but rather as the sealing or establishment of the new covenant Jeremiah had been talking about.  

Conclusion:

If we were to put together a bouquet of flowers symbolizing what we celebrate in sharing communion, we would have…  

Daffodils to recognise the new beginning Jesus makes possible for us,

Pansies to symbolize thoughtfulness and remembrance,

Chrysanthemums to keep us honest,

Purple Hyacinth to say ‘sorry, please forgive me’,

Hyssop to remind us that we are cleansed by Jesus’ sacrifice,

Sweet Peas to say ‘thank you’,

And Violets to represent the loyalty, devotion and faithfulness of God’s new covenant, the covenant within.

There is one other flower we might have in the bouquet; the Lotus. Lotus flowers grow in the mud. Each night, they return to the mud, and then miraculously re-bloom in the morning. In many Eastern cultures, they signify rebirth, purity, and enlightenment.

In the ritual of communion, we don’t just remember Jesus’ death, as important as that is. We remember too his resurrection. Like the Lotus flower, Jesus rose from the tomb. But unlike the Lotus flower, Jesus does not return to the mud. Jesus ascended to heaven.

And that is why I conclude our time of communion with the words, ‘The Lord is risen’, and you respond with the affirmation, ‘He is risen indeed’.

May grace and peace be yours in abundance.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • Have you ever received (or given) flowers? What kind of flowers were they? What message was the sender trying to convey? How did this make you feel?
  • Jesus used the Passover meal to interpret his suffering and death. What connections can you see between Israel’s exodus from Egypt and Jesus’ ministry (work) through the cross?
  • Why do we celebrate communion? What associations do you have with taking communion? What do you remember? Who do you feel close to?
  • Discuss/reflect on the meaning/symbolism of the unleavened bread. (E.g. presence, sustenance, taking Christ into oneself, obedience of faith, etc.)  What does the bread mean to you?
  • Discuss/reflect on the meaning/symbolism of the cup.  (E.g. blessing and fellowship, blood, sacrifice, covenant, the Kingdom within, etc.) What does the cup mean to you? 
  • Read Jeremiah 31:31-34 again. Then share communion with at least one other believer, using Jesus’ words from Luke 22. What are you in touch with? What might God be saying to you?  

[1] https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/gardening/g2503/surprising-flower-meanings/?slide=21

Tawa Baptist

The Servant Song

Scriptures: Matthew 6:1-4, Mark 15:40-41, John 13:1-17, Matthew 5:41,

Ruth 1:16-17, Romans 12:15, Acts 2:41-46, 1 Peter 4:12-13, Hebrews 10:32-33.

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Service
  • Journey
  • Communion
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

On the 25th January 1992 R and I were married in Hamilton South Baptist Church. It was a sweltering day and humidity was high. It was also a very happy day. By the end of it I had a sore face from smiling so much.

Although the service was the better part of an hour long it seemed to be over in a flash. Nevertheless, I remember many of the details.

I remember the way R looked.

I remember the pastor’s sermon and jokes.

I remember my fingers swelling up with the heat so it was hard to slip the ring on my finger.

I remember the faces of the guests in the congregation.

I remember at least one of the songs we sang.    

And I remember walking out of the sanctuary with the lapel mic still on.

Fortunately, our MC had the presence of mind to make a dash to the sound desk and turn the volume down before I said anything too personal to R after the service had finished.

Today we continue our ‘Anthems’ series. In this series we are looking at the lyrics of one hymn or Christian worship song each week to see how that song informs our thinking about God and how it connects with Scripture and the heritage of our faith.

The song we are looking at this morning is called The Servant Song. And, you guessed it, this was the song we sang on our wedding day. I don’t remember if we chose this song or if it was chosen for us by our pastor. Either way it was a good choice. The words of The Servant Song have held a great deal of meaning for R and I through our married life.

In researching the origins of The Servant Song I was surprised to learn that it was written by a New Zealander, Richard Gillard.

Richard was born in 1953 in England (the eldest of 6 children) and brought to NZ at the age of 3 where he has lived ever since.

Richard’s mother came from an Anglican background and his dad’s side of the family were Pentecostal.  

Richard Gillard started his working life as a Primary School teacher but has held other jobs as well.

He doesn’t have any formal training in music. He is self-taught.

The composition of The Servant Song began in 1977 when Richard was around 24 years’ old. After returning from his OE in Israel and Europe, Richard found the jottings of verse 3 in his guitar case. He then completed the song and it was published in 1978. Written in a folk style, which was popular in the 1970’s, it has become a church classic.

Broadly speaking I see three key themes in the lyrics: service, journey and communion. First let’s consider the theme of service.

Service:

The song starts and finishes with the words…

Brother, sister let me serve you. Let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I might have the grace to let you be my servant, too.

The main idea to hold on to here is that, the way of Christ is the way of a servant. Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. As the followers of Jesus we are to have the attitude of Christ and serve others too.

The idea of serving others sounds romantic and even heroic, especially when we sing it to the lovely tune that Richard Gillard wrote. But, as many of you know, the reality of true service is often more difficult and frustrating and humiliating.

Serving others isn’t just about doing things for other people, like doing the dishes or mowing the lawns or cleaning hair out of the shower drain. It does include those things but true service runs deeper than that. It’s about the attitude or motivation we have in doing things for others. What I mean is, true service doesn’t come with strings attached. It has no agenda except that of seeking the wellbeing of others.

If someone washes your car with the expectation that you will now be in their debt and owe them a favour, then that’s not really true service.  

Or, if someone showers you with compliments so that you will be more inclined to give them what they want, then that’s not service either, that’s manipulation.

Or, if someone helps you out financially and then goes and tells everyone about how they’ve given you money, then they are not really serving you; they are serving their own ego. Jesus preached about this in Matthew 6:1-4 when he said

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honoured by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Jesus is saying a number of things in this passage. One of the things he’s saying is, ‘make sure your service to others is about them and not about you.’

Because if it’s about you, people are going to get hurt. When we make a big deal about helping others we make the people we are supposed to be helping feel small. But when we do our acts of kindness discretely we make the people we are helping feel good and we set them free from any obligation they may feel to us.

God loves a pure heart – so it might seem strange or contradictory that Jesus says God will reward us for the good we do in secret. Well, once again, it is a question of motivation. We don’t do our good deeds in secret so that God will reward us. Doing good is its own reward – there is joy in it. What we find, when we do good in secret, is that it becomes something sacred between God and us. Something pure, something intimate, something valuable, something no one else can touch. And that is the real reward.

Many of the people (perhaps most) who served Jesus in practical ways, without being noticed, were women. In Mark 15 we read about Jesus’ crucifixion and death. Verses 40-41 of Mark 15 tell us how Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph,and Salome. 41 In Galilee these women had followed Jesus and cared for his needs.

These women, who served Jesus during his earthly ministry, also served Jesus in his death. On the first Easter Sunday they went to Jesus’ tomb to anoint his body with spices but the tomb was empty. Their reward was being the first to see the risen Lord Jesus.

Brother, sister let me serve you. Let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I might have the grace to let you be my servant, too.

This verse of the song often reminds me of John 13, where Jesus washes his disciples’ feet. It was the night before Jesus’ crucifixion. As the last supper was being served Jesus got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, put a towel around his waist, poured water into a bowl and started washing his disciples’ feet.

In ancient middle eastern culture washing feet was a job for the lowest servant. There was no glory in it. Washing feet was dirty, humiliating work.

It’s difficult to say what the equivalent would be in our society today. Whatever job no one else wants to do I guess. Like when the school care taker gets the saw dust out to clean up someone’s vomit – that’s like washing people’s feet. But it’s not just janitorial staff who wash people’s feet (metaphorically speaking). Sometimes the boss has to do the unpleasant things that no one else wants to do. Leadership can be lonely, especially when you have to make an unpopular decision, which most people don’t understand but which is actually for the greater good.

Jesus is both our janitor and our leader. He cleans up our messes and he makes the hard and lonely calls of leadership. Going to the cross to die for the sins of world was the most famous way in which Jesus washed our feet. His sacrifice was unpopular and misunderstood but it was also for the greater good. Jesus’ blood cleanses us from our sin. By literally washing his disciples’ feet Jesus acted out a parable of what he was about to do on the cross and he gave his disciples an example to follow.

Now, in many ways, I’m preaching to the choir. Generally speaking, people at Tawa Baptist are ready and willing to serve others. Practical acts of service are one of our church values. It’s woven into the fabric of who we are. Perhaps where we aren’t so strong is having the grace to let others serve us.  

Verse 6 of John 13 tells us that when Jesus came to wash Peter’s feet, Peter refused. He thought this was beneath Jesus. Interestingly, Jesus did not wash Peter’s feet by force. Rather he gave Peter an informed choice saying, Unless I wash you, you have no part in me. Only then did Peter accept.   

Richard Gillard’s song says, …let me serve you, let me be as Christ to you…

Service cannot be forced on people. We can only serve others if they allow it. We kiwis (New Zealanders) are fiercely independent. We’ve had to be. Our ancestors came here from thousands of miles away without support and had to do things for themselves. And it has become part of our ethos too. We feel uncomfortable being served. It’s not the kiwi way. But it is the Jesus way.

…pray that I am may have the grace to let you be my servant too. It takes a special kind of grace to accept what other people offer. We see this grace in the way Jesus accepted the woman who washed his feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. By accepting her act of love and devotion Jesus was essentially accepting her. To reject her service would be to reject her.

Journey:

The next verse of Richard Gillard’s song reads…                

We are pilgrims on a journey. We are brothers on the road.
We are here to help each other, walk the mile and bear the load.

This verse picks up one of the central threads of the Biblical story – that of journey. Abraham was not settled in one place. He was a pilgrim (a sojourner) following God in faith.

The people of Israel made a number of great journeys. They left slavery in Egypt and journeyed in the wilderness for 40 years before entering the Promised Land. Then, some centuries later, they were taken into exile in Babylon before making the journey back to Judah.

Jesus was often on the road during his public ministry. Never staying in one town for long. Always on the move toward Jerusalem.

Likewise, the apostles travelled far and wide spreading the good news about Jesus outward from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. 

We too are on a journey of faith through this life but we don’t walk alone. We walk beside each other, supporting one another.

…walk the mile and bear the load is probably a reference to Matthew 5:41 where Jesus is talking about not resisting an evil person and loving your enemies. Jesus says, If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. It is from this verse that we get the expression, ‘going the extra mile.’

You see, 2000 years ago the land of Israel was occupied by the Romans. A Roman soldier had the legal right to make a Jew carry their pack for one mile. Jesus was saying, if a soldier stops you and forces you to carry his pack, surprise him by carrying it an extra mile. That is an incredibly unpopular (foot washing type) thing for Jesus to say to an oppressed people. No one wanted to carry the Romans’ baggage.

We don’t have soldiers or police forcing us to carry their loads these days but we are sometimes forced to carry things we don’t want to.

Maybe we are carrying a load of grief from the death of a loved one.

Or maybe we are carrying a load of sickness or a load of prejudice.

Maybe we are carrying a load of guilt from something we did in the past or, even worse, a load of false guilt from something we only imagined we did.

Maybe we are carrying the baggage of an abusive childhood or a childhood raised in poverty.

Or maybe we are carrying a load of depression and anxiety.

We might pray for release from the tyranny of these heavy loads and sometimes we get a miracle, sometimes God sets us free.

Other times though it seems God is slow to answer. Some bullets we just can’t dodge. There are no short cuts with grief, for example.

What does Jesus have to say about these unwanted loads? Jesus says, share them with each other. Don’t carry them on your own.

We share the load in a whole variety of ways. Verses 3 and 4 of the song describe some of those ways. Verse 3 reads…

I will hold the Christ-light for you in the night time of your fear.
I will hold my hand out to you; speak the peace you long to hear.

Jesus is the light of world. Among other things, light is a metaphor for truth.

When we are in the dark we can’t see the truth – we lack the knowledge we need and that makes us feel afraid. To hold the Christ-light is to speak the truth (or impart the knowledge) someone needs so they are not afraid anymore.

This doesn’t mean having all the answers. It may be as simple as saying, ‘You are not alone. I am here with you. We’ll get through this together’.

I will hold my hand out to you; this line indicates an invitation. Once again, we offer, we don’t force.

As I reflect on this verse of the song I am reminded of the movie Good Will Hunting, starring Matt Damon and Robin Williams. Matt Damon plays the part of a young man (Will Hunting) who works as a janitor cleaning up other people’s messes. Will, who has had a troubled childhood, ends up in court and is required by the judge to get counselling. At first he treats the people who are trying to help him with contempt. But eventually he is able to respect one man, Dr Sean Maguire, a trained therapist and Vietnam vet.

Sean helps Will to face the night time of his past. In one of their counselling sessions Sean holds his hand out and speaks the peace Will longs to hear saying, “It’s not your fault’. Sean has to keep saying this several times before Will accepts it. In the end the light of truth finds its way through Will’s defenses and the message hits home.

What we notice about this story is that Sean Maguire had to walk with Will Hunting for quite a long time – he had to go the extra mile with him, sharing the load – in order to earn Will’s trust. If Sean had tried to tell Will it wasn’t his fault at the beginning, without doing the hard yards first, then Will would never have believed him. 

Who are you walking with? Who is your Will Hunting? Who is your Sean Maguire? What is the peace you long to hear?  

Verse 4 of Richard Gillard’s song continues the theme of journey – going the extra mile with people and carrying each other’s loads.


I will weep when you are weeping. When you laugh, I’ll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow till we’ve seen this journey through.

This verse of the song puts me in touch with two passages of Scripture. The first is from Romans chapter 12, verse 15, where Paul is describing what it means to offer ourselves as living sacrifices. Paul says, ‘Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.’  In other words, I will weep when you are weeping. When you laugh, I’ll laugh with you.

The other passage of Scripture that comes to mind is from the story of Ruth. Naomi has lost her husband and her two sons. She has no grandchildren and it seems nothing to live for. Naomi is living abroad, in the land of Moab, and decides to return home to Bethlehem, in Judah. As she says good-bye, one of her daughters-in-law (Ruth) says to her…

“Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried…   

In other words, I will share your joy and sorrow till we’ve seen this journey through. Ruth, the Moabite, the one no one expected, did the unexpected and committed herself to Naomi in an act of loyal love.

Mother Teresa is quoted as saying, “The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved.” I think Ruth understood that. Ruth served Naomi with a pure heart and God rewarded her. Ruth became the ancestor of king David.

Communion:

The first and last verse of the song are about service. The middle verses are about journey and the fifth verse is about communion…

When we sing to God in heaven, we shall find such harmony.
Born of all we’ve known together of Christ’s love and agony.

I find it hard to sing this verse without choking up. In my view it is the most powerful verse of The Servant Song. These words are talking about the communion of Christ’s followers.  

‘Communion’ is a word which means sharing or exchanging intimate thoughts and feelings, especially on a mental or spiritual level.

‘Communion’ comes from a Latin word. The Greek equivalent, used in the New Testament, is koinonia.

Koinonia describes a certain quality of fellowship and unity within the church. And by fellowship we don’t just mean making small talk over a cup of tea or coffee. The fellowship or communion of koinonia is more profound than that.

For example, in Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit is given at Pentecost, we read, Those who accepted Peter’s message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship [that is, koinonia], to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Acts 2, goes on to describe the quality of communion or fellowship enjoyed by the early church in Jerusalem: 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.

What we notice in Acts 2 is that koinonia (or fellowship) was created by a shared belief in Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Their koinonia was characterised by harmony.

Verse 5 of the song starts by looking forward to heaven: When we sing to God in heaven, we shall find such harmony.

Notice it says, ‘When we sing to God in heaven’. It’s going to happen. Our hope is secure. 

‘Harmony’ is not when everyone sings the same note. Harmony is when people make a beautiful sound singing different notes at the same time. Harmony indicates agreement, accord and peace as different parts work together.

If the first half of verse 5 of the song looks forward to heaven, the second half acknowledges the reality Christian believers experience in this life: Born of all we’ve known together of Christ’s love and agony.

Agony speaks of pain – intense pain, horrible pain. It reminds us of the cross. Love and agony go together. Jesus suffered a great deal because of his love for God and humanity. As followers of Christ we too share in Christ’s sufferings.

In 1st Peter 4:12-13 we read: Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed.

The word translated there as ‘sharing’ comes from the Greek word koinonia. The idea is that if we share in Christ’s sufferings we will share in his glory too. 

We also read about the communion (or koinonia) of suffering in the book of Hebrews chapter 10: 32 But recall those earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and persecution, and sometimes being partners with those so treated.

Again, the word translated as ‘partners’ is derived from koinonia.

What we notice, in the New Testament, is that there is a certain kind of communion in suffering together.   

Soldiers who have been through battle together share the common bond of koinonia. Theirs is a communion forged by fire.

Likewise, survivors of an earthquake or a plane crash or a pandemic or some other catastrophe, share koinonia through that experience.

The disciples of Jesus were all quite different from each other. Each one sounded a different note. But at the same time they shared one thing in common – Jesus. They were all witnesses to the ministry, the suffering, the death and resurrection of Jesus. They saw Jesus’ love and agony first hand. They smelled his sweat. They felt his passion. They walked the mile with him.    

You know suffering is never pleasant at the time. When we are going through it we just want it to be over. But sometimes God is doing his best work, in our relationships, while we are suffering. Suffering can be a gift – it is the gift of intimacy (or closeness) with Jesus and communion with one another.

It is no accident that The Servant Song was first published on an album by Scripture in Song called “Father Make Us One”.  

Conclusion:

In a few moments we will have the opportunity to share the ritual of communion at home in our bubbles. Normally we would do this together as a gathered community, but that’s not possible while we are in lockdown. Even though we are physically separated from each other, we are not spiritually separated. We are connected with each other by the Spirit of Jesus. God is making us one as we share in Christ’s love and agony for the world.

Let’s sing The Servant Song now as we prepare to receive communion…

The Servant Song

Brother, sister let me serve you.
Let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I might have the grace
To let you be my servant, too.

We are pilgrims on a journey.
We are brothers on the road.
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load.

I will hold the Christ-light for you
In the night time of your fear.
I will hold my hand out to you;
Speak the peace you long to hear.

I will weep when you are weeping.
When you laugh, I’ll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow
Till we’ve seen this journey through.

When we sing to God in heaven,
We shall find such harmony
Born of all we’ve known together
Of Christ’s love and agony.

Brother, sister let me serve you.
Let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I might have the grace
To let you be my servant, too.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

Listen to ‘The Servant Song’.  What are you in touch with as you listen to this song? (What connections, memories or feelings does the song evoke for you?) 

How would you describe true service?

Why did Jesus caution us to keep our good deeds a secret? What do you think Jesus meant when he talked about God rewarding us for the good we do in secret?

Why did Jesus wash his disciples’ feet? What would be some modern day equivalents of washing someone’s feet?

Are you carrying an unwanted load at the moment? What is it? Is there someone sharing the load with you? If not, who might you ask to help you? What is the peace you long to hear?

What is the meaning of communion (or koinonia)? How is koinonia created?

How might suffering bring us closer to Jesus and closer to each other?     

Tawa Baptist

Covenant

Scripture: Exodus 24:1-11

Title: Covenant

Key Idea: A covenant is a sacred agreement for attachment

 

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Communication
  • Commitment
  • Communion
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

[Display slide 1]

 

On the wall here we have three images…

  • Some rope, a paper clip and a mother & baby having a cuddle
  • One word connects them. Can anyone tell me that word? [Wait]
  • Yes, that’s right – attachment

[Stop displaying slide 1]

This morning we are talking about covenant

  • A covenant is a sacred agreement for attachment
  • A covenant connects people – it holds relationships together

Please turn with me to Exodus chapter 24, page 85 in your pew Bibles

  • Today we continue our series on Moses
  • Last week we heard about the Decalogue – God’s 10 words in Exodus 20
  • These words of instruction are His recipe for living well
  • This week, in Exodus 24, we are still at Mt Sinai where the covenant between God & Israel is formalised. From verse 1 we read…

Read Exodus 24:1-11

 

May we be aware of God’s presence with us now

Today’s reading describes how the covenant between God & Israel was formalised

  • More than just a regular contract a covenant is a sacred agreement for attachment
  • A covenant goes above and beyond a regular contract to bind relationships together
  • There are three aspects to a covenantal agreement, each of which support attachment. They are: Communication, commitment and communion

Communication:

Cell phones – it is difficult for many of us to remember how we ever got on without them

  • They are so convenient and helpful for keeping us in contact with each other. It’s the same with the internet
  • Cell phones & internet give us a feeling of attachment
  • It’s not real attachment – it’s only virtual – but we can still get a bit anxious if someone doesn’t reply to our text or email quickly enough

Of course to be able to use a cell phone or the internet you need a network provider – whether that’s 2 Degrees or Spark or Vodafone or whatever

  • There isn’t much loyalty with network providers these days – we tend to go with whoever happens to be offering the best deal at the time
  • You might be on a contract with some company but a contract is different from a covenant
  • With a covenant both parties to the agreement have a sense of loyalty to each other
  • So a covenant is more permanent – less fickle – than a contract

As I mentioned before one of the key aspects of a covenant is communication

  • Communication supports attachment by creating a shared understanding, which in turn enables an agreement to be reached

What we see in the Bible is that God initiates the communication

  • From chapter 19 of the book of Exodus God has been communicating the terms of His offer to Moses
  • Now in verses 3-8 of Exodus 24 Moses leads the people through a ritual of communication & commitment to formalise the covenant

The ritual of communication begins with Moses telling the people all the Lord’s commands & instructions and the people respond by giving a verbal agreement

  • Then Moses puts it in writing
  • So far it is looking very much like a regular commercial contract
  • Except the way you seal a covenant is different from the way you seal a contract
  • You seal a contract by signing it – with your signature
  • But you don’t sign a covenant – you cut a covenant
  • Sealing a covenant, therefore, involves the shedding of blood

Blood is an interesting thing to use for sealing the deal

  • Unlike ink, blood is potent – it represents life
  • If you have a wound or an infection in some part of your body, it is the flow of blood which heals it – without blood flow the wound won’t heal
  • Using blood to seal the agreement gives the covenant more weight, more significance, more meaning
  • This covenant between God & Israel is a sacred agreement for life and healing

To cut this covenant, Moses gets some fit young men to sacrifice some animals

  • He takes half the blood and sets it aside in bowls
  • Then he takes the other half of the blood and throws it against the altar
  • This is messy stuff – but essentially the blood on the altar represents God’s signature – His part in cutting the deal

Before getting the people’s signature though, Moses first reads the book of the covenant to the Israelites

  • This details the terms of the agreement – both God’s promises to them and their responsibilities to God and each other

Commitment:

When you attach a trailer to a car you don’t just tie it on with rope or stick it on with masking tape – that would never hold

  • You need something strong, firm and able to take the weight, like a tow bar bolted (or welded) to the frame of your car
  • The coupling at the pointy end of the trailer is attached to the tow ball with a clasp, a bolt to hold the clasp in place and a safety chain

The genius of the tow bar and trailer arrangement is the capacity for movement

  • The attachment to the tow ball allows some pivoting from side to side so you can turn corners and back the trailer
  • If the attachment was completely rigid, allowing no movement at all, something would break or you’d never make it around a bend

The second aspect of covenant is commitment

  • A covenant commitment is firm and strong like a tow bar
  • But it’s not completely rigid
  • There is some room for movement in the commitment

After hearing God’s offer and terms read aloud the people say…

  • “We will obey the Lord and do everything that he has commanded”
  • This shows us the people entered into the agreement knowingly & freely

Then Moses took the blood in the bowls and threw it on the people

  • He said, “This is the blood that seals the covenant which the Lord made with you when he gave you these commands”
  • In other words, ‘This is your signature which seals the deal’
  • Now the people are officially attached by their commitment to Yahweh as He is attached and committed to them

One of the key differences between a covenant and a contract is the strength of the commitment

  • The commitment inherent in a covenant is far greater than the commitment stipulated in a contract
  • The strength of a contract is like masking tape compared to the strength of a covenant, which is like a tow bar

A contractual commitment tends to be limited

  • It is usually for a fixed period of time (like a lease agreement)
  • Or until one of the parties decides they want out (like an employment agreement)
  • But a covenantal commitment is more open ended – it doesn’t have an expiry date
  • A covenant is till death do us part (like with marriage)

This is not to say there is no room for movement with a covenant

  • Like a trailer on a tow ball there is capacity to turn corners and make minor adjustments
  • The point is, a covenant is stronger and more fit for purpose when it comes to carrying anything of weight or substance

The sacrifices made in verse 5 aren’t just a way of obtaining blood to seal the deal – they are also an acted out parable or a visual symbol of the commitment required by the people

  • The message is: Being in a covenant relationship with God will cost you
  • Moses is up front about that cost and so is Jesus
  • ‘Pick up your cross and follow me’, is what Christ said

The Israelites did two things in particular to remember their commitment to God’s covenant

  • The first was male circumcision – cutting the foreskin and shedding the blood of sons at eight days old
  • This was like adding your signature to the covenant in a personal way
  • The second sign of the covenant, for Israel, was keeping the Sabbath
  • Dedicating one day in seven to the Lord by stopping to rest

We Christians also do two things to remember God’s new covenant with us through Christ

  • We commit initially (and personally) by being baptised in water
  • And we remember the covenant on-going by sharing communion together

 

Communion:

Perhaps my favourite image of attachment is that of tree roots in the ground

  • Not only do the roots keep the tree firmly in place through all sorts of weather, they also draw up water & nutrients from the soil to feed the tree
  • There is an organic closeness between the roots and the soil

The third aspect of covenant present in today’s reading from Exodus is communion

  • After the ritual of communication and commitment, Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and the 70 elders of Israel went up the mountain and communed with God

Verse 10 tells us they saw God and beneath His feet was what looked like a pavement of sapphire, as blue as the sky

This verse is shrouded in mystery

  • We don’t get a description of what God looks like, God is indescribable
  • The most we get is a description of God’s footpath

God does not say anything here – He just lets the men gaze in awe and wonder

  • They saw God and then they ate and drank together
  • It is unclear whether this means the men actually ate with God or whether they simply ate with each other after seeing God
  • Either way we know they enjoyed a unique communion with the Lord, for God did not harm these leading men of Israel

Communion – this is perhaps the most important difference between a covenant and a contract

  • The primary purpose of a contract is to protect the parties from each other
  • By contrast the purpose of a covenant is not to protect but to share
  • With a contract the different parties to the agreement are trying to maintain their separateness – this is mine, this is yours
  • But with a covenant the parties are aiming for oneness – what’s mine is yours – like tree roots in the soil
  • Marriage is a covenant in which the two become one

God’s covenant with Israel at Sinai is similar to marriage in that both God and Israel are agreeing to work together (as one) for the same purpose, with each other’s well-being in mind

Conclusion:

This morning we’ve heard how a covenant is a sacred agreement for attachment

  • A covenant holds relationships together with communication, commitment and communion
  • It combines strength with movement – like a tow bar
  • And it allows closeness and sharing – like tree roots in soil

Not every agreement we enter into needs to be a covenant

  • In fact, because covenants are so demanding, we human beings can only handle 1 or 2 at a time
  • Those two being marriage and our relationship with God through Christ

Jesus came to establish a new covenant between God and humanity

  • It is a covenant in which God’s words are written on our heart so that we internalise them and obey God from the inside out
  • It is a covenant in which Jesus is sacrificed on the cross so that His blood seals the deal
  • And it is a covenant which makes communion or closeness with God and each other possible, so that we may share in God’s life

In a few minutes we will remember the new covenant made possible through Christ as we share together in the living ritual of communion

  • To help us prepare let’s stand and sing, ‘Only by grace can we enter…’
  • I ask the communion stewards to come forward at the end of the song

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+24%3A1-11&version=GNT

Tawa Baptist

Communion is Union

COMMUNION IS UNION

 

Last month, when we celebrated communion together, I talked about how communion is about remembering Jesus

  • And that remembering is a past, present and future remembering
  • Remembering what Christ did on the cross 2000 years ago
  • Remembering that Christ is present with us now by His Spirit
  • And remembering that Christ will return in glory one day

 

More than simply remembering though, communion is union

 

Desmond Tutu once said, “We are only lightbulbs and our job is just to remain screwed in”

 

In John chapter 14, the night before his crucifixion and death Jesus said…

  • ‘I am in the Father and you are in me, just as I am in you’
  • Then he went on to talk about how he is the vine and we are the branches and the only way to be fruitful is to remain in him
  • Desmond Tutu’s lightbulb metaphor is a modern day take on this

 

Jesus was talking about our union with him and with God

 

In taking communion (into ourselves) we are reminded of our union with Jesus

  • The bread we eat represents the body of Christ and the grape juice (or the wine) represents his blood
  • When we eat or drink something it becomes a part of us – it sustains us
  • Sort of like electricity sustains the lightbulb so it can give off light
  • Or like the sap from the vine sustains the branches so they may bear fruit

 

There is a certain mystery associated with our union with Christ and with communion itself

  • In some sense, which can’t be explained scientifically, Christ is in us and we are in Him

 

Communion is union and when we have union with God through Christ it is possible to face all manner of suffering with hope & joy