The Lavish Love of Jesus

This morning, I feel like I’m preaching to the choir

The message that I have is one that we know well. But we need to be reminded of this.

Because this morning we are gathered together to celebrate communion.

And the celebration of communion is really a celebration of the Gospel.

We only celebrate communion because of what Jesus has done

But as I’ve said on a number of occasions, I remember in my growing up years this solemnity and secrecy about taking part in communion.

We had to be very careful that we weren’t contaminated by people who didn’t “believe” like us.

What that meant, I wasn’t sure exactly. But if a lady didn’t wear a veiling, I was pretty sure she was out anyway.

But as I read the Gospels and the NT, I continue to be struck with two things

The simplicity and the profound nature of the Gospel

The Gospel is so simple that a 3-year old can understand it, yet so profound that it stumps the wisest theologians

The unity of all who confess the Lordship of Jesus

And this is what communion commemorates: The Gospel of Jesus, and the unity of His followers.

And I long to grab a hold of that in a new and fresh way

John 5:

John 5:23 ESV

23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

John 5:24 ESV

24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

This verse, on its surface, is simple. We see 3 elements of the Gospel

Hearing

Believing

Passing from death to life

So simple, yet so profound