Sermon Synopsis for October 12, 2008

“A Small Group Activity” Matthew 26:20-30

We live in days of tumultuous days
We can be concerned about making a living, the economy, family problems, and the elections, among other things.

In the midst of a changing world something doesn’t change ...
the church gathering to celebrate the Lord’s Supper and wash each other’s feet (Communion)

In good times / in bad times – people gathered around a table to remember what Jesus did for them.

Communion does two things (hopefully):
Reinforces our relationship with God
Reinforces our relationship with each other

NOT A RITUAL
Maybe you heard ...
A new missionary recruit went to Venezuela for the first time. He was struggling with the language and didn't understand much of what was going on. He went to visit a local church, but got lost and arrived late. The church was already packed. The only pew left was the one on the front row.

To fit in, he decided to imitate the man sitting next to him. As they sang, the man clapped his hands, so the missionary recruit clapped too. When the man stood up to pray, the missionary recruit stood up too. When the man sat down, he sat down. When the man held the cup and bread for the Lord's Supper, he held the cup and bread. During the preaching, the recruit didn't understand a thing. He just sat there and tried to look just like that man in the front pew. Then he perceived that the preacher was giving announcements. People clapped, so he looked to see if the man was clapping. He was, and so the recruit clapped too.

Then the man next to him stood up; so he stood up too. Suddenly a hush fell over the entire congregation. A few people gasped. He looked around and saw that nobody else was standing. So he sat down.

After the service ended, the preacher stood at the door shaking the hands of those who were leaving. When the missionary recruit stretched out his hand to greet the preacher, the preacher said, in English: "I take it you don't speak Spanish."

The missionary recruit replied: "No I don't. It's that obvious?"

"Well yes," said the preacher, "I announced that the Acosta family had a newborn baby boy and would the proud father please stand up."

Communion is much more than a ritual; it’s much more than going through the motions.

NOT JUST ANOTHER MEAL
In the Gospels, Jesus has many meals –
Wedding at Cana
Eating grain picked on the Sabbath
Feeding 4 and 5 thousand at a time
Most notable are meals with despicable people (like Levi or Zacchaeus)

This meal is unlike any other meal.

SMALL GROUPS
Characteristic of a healthy church #6: A healthy church has holistic small groups.

Jesus dealt with crowds, but he knew that much of the most important ministry was done in a small group. At the end there were 13 in the group (Jesus and 12 disciples)

They enjoyed 3 years of ministry

The last week was a big week: triumphal entry, clearing temple, confrontations with many, lots of teaching

JESUS SMALL GROUP ACTIVITY
Passover: celebration of God’s deliverance from Egypt and the forming of a people, based on God’s love and forgiveness. [God passed over the houses of the Israelites, because he loved them, he did not pass judgment on t hem]

Some of the disciples were in charge of making the arrangements.

Find a meeting room – Jerusalem was crowded for the holidays “Next year in Jerusalem” The city swelled to half a million or more during the Passover of Jesus’ time. Jesus and the disciples gathered in an upper room of a large house.

Go to the Temple: purchase lamb (perfect, one per household) / sacrifice at temple court (for sins) / blood poured at foot of the altar (Josephus describes blood flowing from the temple mount because of the tens of thousands of lambs that were offered for Passover / fat burnt on alter (there were many altars due to number of sacrifices)

Back home: Passover ritual (sweet and bitter / remembrance of God’s deliverance from slavery (and sin).

Two weeks ago I spoke about: “But we never did it that way” / Jesus changed the Passover ritual.

That bothered some of the group.

COMMUNION
The word “Communion” implies being together.
How can you have communion alone?
Communion just with God?

We call it communion because we recognize two things:

1. We have communion with God (the reason for the practice)

2. We have communion with each other

A DIVERSE GROUP (OF BACKGROUNDS)
As we look at Jesus’ small group we see a diverse group. (Not typical for the time, or maybe anytime)

Peter & Andrew (brothers) and Philip (all probably legalistic Pharisees)
James & John (“sons of thunder”) – trouble makers
Simon the Zealot – revolutionary or “terrorist”
Levi (Matthew) – establishment, tax collector, Sadducee?
Judas Iscariot – treasurer, betrayal

How in the world did Jesus get this group to unite?

Jesus seeks to bring people together, not divide people.

Elections: dividing Christians (Maybe it’s why Mennonites historically stayed out of politics)

Point: Communion brings us together.

A DIVERSE GROUP (OF CONCERNS)
Each of the disciples came together on that evening with different concerns weighing on their hearts.

Much centered on the coming of the Kingdom of God.
It meant different things to those of different backgrounds (Compare Pharisees and Zealots for example)

COMMUNION ON THE BORDER
At Friendship Park, on the border south of San Diego, Methodist Pastor John Fanestil has offered communion to believers on both sides of the border (through the border fence).

A double fence is being built – part of anti terrorist act. “Passing Communion bread through the border fence is now a customs violation.” Pastor John is considered a “terrorist” by Homeland Security.

Jesus came to bring people together (under the cross and forgiveness), not to build fences.
Communion is bringing diverse people together at the cross of Christ.
(Christian Century, Oct 7, 2008, p.22 & ff.)

KJV 1 Cor 10:16 “The cup of blessing we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?” (NIV says “participation”)

THIS SIDE OF THE CROSS
Jesus asks the disciples to remember (commemorate) his death (broken body, shed blood).
He doesn’t ask them to remember his birth, life, miracles, etc. – he wants them to remember his death.

It is the ultimate act of sacrifice – for our sins, for our salvation.

We celebrate Communion on this side of the cross
We have an advantage over Jesus’ small group

As we come together:
We remember what Jesus did for us – because He loves us.
“God so loved the world, he sent Jesus”

Jesus wants to bring us together – like the disciples of old, we’re a diverse group.
What brings us together?
Forgiveness of our sins, Jesus body and blood.


WHAT’S NEXT
Jesus used a small group to form disciples.
Communion is the last activity of the group before Jesus’ death and resurrection.
It was the impulse to move the group to go and form more disciples.

When we have communion with God and with each other, it will result in others coming to Christ.

I showed the children some things that can help us remember important things: my agenda book, post it notes, a string on the finger.
We looked at the words carved on the front of the Communion Table: “In Remembrance of me” (i.e. “Don’t Forget Jesus”)

We mustn’t forget Jesus’ sacrifice for us.
Broken Body – Shed Blood

We need to remember why.
God loves us (all of us); God sent Jesus for us; God wants to live in our lives; God is sending Jesus back for us; God wants us to be together forever.

Consider the following when you come to the Communion table …
How is your relationship with God? Are you in communion with God?
How is your relationship with others? Are you in communion with the people with whom we share this bread and cup?