1 Corinthians 11:23-26.  Proclamation of the Lord’s death!!                13/4/17

                

(23)  For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, {24} and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." {25} In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." {26} For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Here this evening we begin another Easter celebration. Here now our focus is narrowed right down to that which is of utmost importance to us as Christians. Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection and its absolute importance for us as God’s people. So much so that he here on the night he was betrayed, he establishes a meal so that we never forget our Lord Jesus and what he did for us on the cross. Week by week he wants us to proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

More and more we are seeing why he has done this and why we must spend some time thinking about this meal once more. More and more we are becoming so self-focussed in our lives and our faith, that we are in danger of becoming all about me alone. And this is deadly destructive for us as humanity.

Yes, even the Christian faith is becoming more and more about what we think, feel and want, so we are making ourselves our own gods. Sure we will still talk about God and Jesus and the bible, but they are there simply to serve me, myself and I, rather than the other way around. We determine who God is and what he is like and what he says.

With that we can readily see the downplaying of the Law and of sin. We are changing what God says is right and wrong to suit ourselves and our culture. We simply talk about being loving; but how we do this is determined by ourselves rather than what God says. We don’t need his death on the cross, other than as a great example of self-sacrifice.

So then we also see ourselves as basically good people who only occasionally do some bad things. We fail to acknowledge that we are sinful rebellious people and the bad things we do are signs of what lies underneath. So repentance and confession are glossed over, and the sacraments downplayed. When we do talk about and participate in these things, again it becomes all about ‘me’.

However, God’s Word is quite clear that we all are sinful. We all fall far short of what God expects. None of us are prefect. As I have just spoken about we are rebellious people who have placed ourselves in the position of God. We ever since the Garden of Eden have chosen to do what we want, rather than obey the commands that God has given to us.

The results of this are just as God himself said would happen if we do. This rebellion and sin brings nothing, but troubles, suffering and finally death itself; both here and in eternity. This sin and its consequences has affected each and every one of us. None of us are immune. The future is absolutely disastrous, were it not for Jesus Christ and his death on the cross.

So we all desperately need reminding that God is God, and we are sinful human beings – creations of God. But also then, we need his forgiveness and help. We need reminding of what he has done to help us out of the mess that we are in. We need to be reminded of why Good Friday is essential for us all.

Because God knows that we continually need to be reminded of these things, he on the night he was betrayed establishes a special meal for this very purpose. Each time he wants us to know, remember, and be a part of, the centrality of him and his death on the cross for us. Even now, two thousand years later we still kneel at the foot of the cross and are reminded, receive and proclaim the importance of this important event for us and for our salvation.

He knows that despite our arrogance and bravado, we know deep down that we are sinful and unable to be acceptable to God without his help. He knows that our guilt is ever going to hound us through this life – the devil will ensure that. He knows that we will be distracted by the devil, the world and our sinful selves to take our eyes off of Jesus and the importance of his death on the cross.

So he commands us to regularly gather at this special meal that he establishes for our benefit. He takes some bread, gives thanks and the gives it to his disciples and us and says: "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." Then he takes the cup of wine and gives it to us saying: "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."

Here he is shifting our focus away from ourselves to him who is all important. At the foot of the cross he is giving us his body which is there being punished for our sin and his blood which he shed there for our forgiveness. He is giving his body that is there dying on the cross and his blood, so that we can know for sure that we have forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. That we have a God who loves us and to whom we can look up to.

We also then are receiving Jesus Christ and his death on the cross into our very being. We are thereby reassured that he is with us as go forward day by day in our daily lives. We are there then also reassured of his love and forgiveness as we face all the ups and downs of our lives. Also he is right there with us to help and guide us in everything we say and do. He himself is with us always.

So week by week we are brought to the sobering reality that it is our sin that put him there on the cross. But there our Lord Jesus steps in and does what is necessary for us to be again acceptable to God and have a real hope for the future. As a result of the Lords Supper we are enabled to live as is pleasing to him and truly helpful for us.

We there at the foot of the cross behold this one who has done such a great thing. Surely now at the Altar rail we are again refocussed on that which is essential for us and for our lives every day. Here we are again reminded that the Lord Jesus has come and died so that we can have life and hope for all time. Not in ourselves, but in the Lord’s death on the cross.

In the midst of all that is going on around us and the constant focus on ourselves and our world around us, here we week by week are proclaiming the Lord's death until he comes. God himself is reminding us over and over again of that which is essential for our lives. Without his forgiveness, presence and love we have no hope and no power for living.

Without him and his death on the cross there is no release from the guilt of our sin and the eternal judgement that follows. Without him there is no eternity living in God’s presence, enjoying the very best of everything, free from everything bad and evil. So without him there is no life.

So now we will heed this proclaiming of the importance of Jesus death on the cross. Now we will regularly come forward to the foot of the cross and receive this wonderful food that he has to offer us. In so doing we too will be helping to proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

In him then we will be able to go forward, boldly and confidently, knowing that that in connection to him and his death on the cross we have with us what is truly good and helpful. He alone will be our all in all, and has what is necessary for us each and every day. So to him again then be all glory and honour, now and Always. AMEN.

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish