2005-01-16 Communion Dedication - Baldwin Christian Church

The apostle Paul wrote, (1 Cor 11:27-28) "...whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink [this] cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of [that] bread, and drink of [that] cup.

unworthy = (GSN 371) anaxios = not weighing

As we lift this tiny piece of light bread, and this tiny cup of juice, let's consider how heavy they really are; let's consider the weight of those words from His own people as they screamed, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him. We have no king but Caesar." (John 19:15); let's consider the weight of that hammer driving nails through His hands and feet; let's consider the unimaginable weight of all our sins pulling Him down from the cross, but He clung to it with love; let's consider the the heaviness of His last breath, right before He cried, "It is finished."

Psalm 25 A Psalm of David.

1. Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.
2. O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.
3. Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.
4. Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.
5. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.
6. Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.
7. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.

8. Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.
9. The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
10. All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11. For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.
12. What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
13. His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.
14. The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

15. Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
16. Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.
17. The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.
18. Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.
19. Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.
20. O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.
21. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.
22. Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

Now let us consider the weight of the stone covering the exit of the sepulchre where Jesus was laid. That stone was removed without hands. The same is true about the stone covering the death and decay in our hearts today. It's already rolled away, so what is it that keeps us inside that sepulchre? What keeps us in the past, and keeps us from moving forward? That weight. We want to keep that weight for ourselves. We don't want to give it to Him. Pride is the problem. We want to be able to say that we rolled that stone away.

How many times has this happened to you? Someone takes credit for something good that you did, and they do this right in front of you. How hard is it for you to remain silent, letting them receive the honor, the glory, the weight for something that you know you did? Now you know how God must feel whenever we take credit.

David was a man ahead of his time. He understood God's grace. Many times he had committed acts worthy of death. We could look at David's "rap sheet" and easily judge him as unworthy. Let's thank the Lord that we aren't judges, and thank Him for showing us mercy when we act like we are. Let's thank David for showing us how to give weight to the Lord, how to remember Him and seek this fellowship in a worthy manner, how to be men and women after God's own heart (Acts 13:22, Psalm 89).

Pride is my problem. Let's consider now the weight that He removed, and let's give Him the weight He deserves.