Communion

Welcome

Good morning TLC.  I hope everyone is having a great morning.  For me, every morning that starts with bacon is a good morning in my books.  For father’s day my daughter, Elliana, gave me an extra hug which was especially nice.  My daughter is 3.5 now, and got it in her mind that licking is the new way to say “I love you.”  Whereas I accept the licks, I hope you can agree there is nothing better than a hug from someone you love.

Announcements

I hope everyone’s father’s day goes well, but there are a few other days I’d like to let you know about.  I have to star with some bad news, the TLC Tailgate is not going to happen on July 2.  The good news is, so that everyone who is away over the 4th of July weekend can attend, we’ve move it to July 16th.  It will still be right after church.  We’ll have food and games, so this would be a good day to invite one of those three people you’re praying for to come to church with you. The cookout will not only be a great time to get to know some more people in the TLC family, but we also have baptisms on July 16th, so we’ll be celebrating the people who have chosen to be baptized as well.  If you have not been baptized, have questions, or feel God prompting you to take that next step, please e-mail [e-mail] and she can help. For those interested in being baptized there will be a meeting next Sunday on June 25th, after church.  We’ll go over exactly what baptism is, what to expect the day of, and answer any questions you may have. Finally, for those who are free this Wednesday, June 21st there will be an opportunity to volunteer, and give back to our community.  There is a handout with your weekly with all the details.  I look forward to seeing lots of you there.

Father’s Day Prayer

Before we enter community time, please join me in praying for the fathers among us. Abba, Father, on this Father’s day we recognize that we all have different experiences with earthly fathers.  Some of us didn’t have a father.  Some of us had a fantastic one.  A lot of us had an experience somewhere in between.  No matter what type of earthly father we had, I thank you for being everyone’s perfect heavenly father.  I pray that you help every married father here to love his wife as your son loves the church as an example for his kids.  I pray that you help every father here to set an example for his children, providing for them, teaching them, and reflecting your unconditional love toward them.   I pray that you give these fathers wisdom, discernment, courage, and … lots of patience.  For those men who are trying to become fathers, I pray that you give them peace and comfort until the time you have set arrives.  As our perfect heavenly father, we trust that you love us, will provide for us, and help us live the life you created us to live now.  We thank you, and we love you, and it is in the powerful name of your Son that we pray, AMEN.

20170618 – Communion Script

My wife and I had been coaching U10 girls’ soccer every summer for the last few years.  My daughter Elliana has always attended the practices and games.  She loves running around with the girls during practices and playing with the girls during games on the sidelines.  We found out the YMCA had a 3-5 year old league and we immediately signed her up. Ellie was so excited to play on her own team.  It was a colossal failure.  It was indoors in a gym when she expected it to be outside in the grass.  She was one of the youngest kids so she felt like she didn’t belong and was not good enough.  It was there at soccer that we learned how shy and embarrassed Ellie can get.  What we learned was that when Ellie gets embarrassed she yells, hits, grunts, and stops talking.  Reality of soccer didn’t match her expectations and she lashed out.  As her father, I wanted to help her understand that I love her no matter how good at soccer she is.  Ellie loves watching my cell phone videos so I made a video.  You want to see it?  Here it is… Play “I love daddy” Video As her father I want my daughter to know that no matter what she does or what is done to her, I still love her.  I got a bonus, when unprompted we changed the song and started singing it back to me. What strikes me is that in many situations I am exactly like my daughter playing soccer.  I have an idea of how things should be and in my own way react badly when things don’t happen as I planned.  Instead of grunting, yelling, or hitting I get frustrated and sarcastically cry out to God.  Jeremiah 29:11 comes to mind.  I feel like saying “hey God, not feeling very prospered right now!  What’s going on?” This experience has changed the way I view communion.  I now view communion as Jesus’ “I love you” video to me, meant to help me remember who He is and that He loves me independently of what I do or don’t do.  Through communion God says “Remember, I love you so much I created you with a purpose that will happen at the right time.”  Through communion God says “Remember, I love you so much I sent my Son, Jesus, to earth to experience the good / bad / ugly of the world, so I can fully understand how you are feeling right now.” Through communion God says “Remember, I love you so much that while on earth, Jesus lived a perfect life so you have an example of the life I created you to live.” Through communion God says “Remember, I love you so much that I let my Son die the worst type of death, taking the penalty of your sin upon Himself, so we can have an eternal relationship.” Through communion God says “Remember, I love you so much that, Jesus rose from the dead, defeating death once and for all giving you comfort that there is life after this one.” Through communion God says “Remember, I love you so much that Jesus ascended back to heaven to pave the way for the Holy Spirit that will help you, teach you, and give you the power you need to live the best life now.”  It is in and through communion that we remember everything that God has done for us, giving us the proper context to face the hard times in life. Today we’re going to experience Jesus’ “I love you video” by observing communion.  At The Local Church we welcome anyone who has accepted Jesus as their personal savior, repents of their sins, and seeks daily to live a God honoring life through the power of the Holy Spirit to partake.  (Kids can partake at the discretion of their parents). Before we partake, please join me in prayer.  Dear God, thanks for the ability to remember.  We so quickly forget the good things that you bring into our lives.  Thanks for pictures, videos, and rituals that help us remember what really matters.  Thank you for the love You have for us, a love so deep that You sacrificed Your Son to restore our relationship with You that was broken through our sin.  Help us to not just remember what you did, but help us share that love with others that You put in our lives, helping them to know You.  We ask that you consecrate the bread and the cup that we are about to partake so that we may receive the spiritual benefits of Christ’s broken body and shed blood.  We thank You and love You, and in the powerful name of Your Son Jesus we pray, AMEN. At this point I hope everyone has their communion elements.  As you receive the elements, please take a moment to think about the love that Jesus has for you and how you can share that love with the people in your life.  As you are unwrapping the bread, please listen to the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:23-24, “The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 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’” (NIV).  Please join me and receive the bread, remembering the sacrifice Christ made on your behalf. As you open the cup, please listen as I read 1 Corinthians 11:25-26, “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.’ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (NIV).  Please join me and receive the cup, remember the blood Christ shed on your behalf.