Sunrise Communion: The Heart of God

Intro

**Move them into a circle**

God’s people were not always able to be in the presence of God. “16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ge 2:16–17.

When God says “surely die” He means it. It means you will die die. Like dead. Why? Because Sin has no place in the presence of a Holy God. ‌

We know how the story goes…Adam and Eve take of the fruit, eat it, and the first sin happens. They realize they are naked, they hear God in the Garden, they run and hide…The only reason they did not drop dead on the spot is because they hid from the presence of God. They were now sinners. As sinners, if they had looked at God, if they been fully in God’s presence they would have died. They are no longer allowed to be in the full presence of God.

God Pursues Us

This is where we start to see the heart of God revealed throughout Scripture. He starts to pursue us. God creates a way for his people to be back in His presence by creating the Law that governs Israel. Through certain practices, the people can be with God.

But this isn’t enough for the sinful people of Israel. They disobey the Law time and again. But, God continues to pursue His people. God goes on to unravel this master plan of salvation. A plan that required sending His son to die for us once and for all. Jesus comes to the Earth, lives a perfect life, dies on the cross, and when he died the Bible says, “51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom…”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Mt 27:51.

The curtain of the temple, which once separated people from God’s presence, has been torn. With this one act, God created a way for all people to be in His presence. No curtains, no rituals…Just us and the Father.

Dining In God’s Presence

As believers in Christ, communion is always a special time. An intimate moment that you get to share with the Father of the whole universe. A moment where we are openly invited to the table to dine with Him. A moment we do not deserve.

So, especially on Easter, we approach this meal with just alittle extra…thankfulness, gratefulness, reverence…because we’re not all that different than Adam and Eve. We are weak, vulnerable sinners, who deserve nothing other than to drop dead in the presence of God.

But the curtain is torn, Jesus rose from the dead, and now God looks at us and says, “If you believe in my Son Jesus Christ, you’re invited to sit down right here and dine with me fully in my presence.”

As we take the bread and juice this morning, may we do so humbly and remember the sacrifice Jesus made that now allows us to sit at the table in the full presence of the one true and Holy God.

Let us Pray