210328 Communion: Faith and Forgiveness

40 Minutes Prep Time

If you have not already done so, please remove the cellophane wrapper on top of the wafer so that the wrapper is not a distraction during communion.

During our time of communion this morning I would like to focus on the ideas of Faith and Forgiveness. Some of us are acutely aware that without forgiveness there is no relationship that can last very long. Friendships die over miscommunications. They fail when issues are unresolved. Sin piles up and if there is no forgiveness that sin begins to form a barrier to full relationship, to fellowship, to friendship. All it takes is a little unforgiveness, a little hardness in our own heart, a little failing to see it from the others perspective and our pride, entitlement and self-righteousness run wild. We become blinded to our own state and demand what we do not think we ourselves need.

Our own need, our own greatest need is for unrestricted, full fellowship with God and each other. To get this we need to believe that what the Bible says about the Lord is true. That He is compassionate, longsuffering, full of grace and desires to forgive.

Our principle text is in Luke 5:17-26 - please feel free to open your texts if you would like

17 One day He (JESUS) was teaching; and there were some Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing.

18 And some men were carrying on a bed a man who was paralyzed; and they were trying to bring him in and to set him down in front of Him.

19 But not finding any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus.

20 Seeing their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.”

21 The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?”

22 But Jesus, aware of their reasonings, answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts?

23 “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins have been forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?

24 “But, so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,”—He said to the paralytic—“I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.”

25 Immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God.

26 They were all struck with astonishment and began glorifying God; and they were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen remarkable things today.”

I want to call a couple of ideas before we go to our time of repentance.

First, Jesus knows our greatest need - it isn’t our physical infirmities, it’s our need for forgiveness.

Secondly, there was a response to God’s grace - it was glorifying Him. Jesus, is willing, be cleansed from your unrighteousness, repent and believe that His forgiveness is sufficient and then go. Show you understand the magnitude of your forgiveness by mirroring what Your Savior has done by repeating it to others.

We are going to take a whole minute now for this process. Allow the Holy Spirit to spotlight sin and areas at issue.

WAIT FOR ONE WHOLE MINUTE

Close in prayer.

Dan Organ_________ will you ask the blessing on the bread?

...the Lord Jesus in the night in which 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.” 1 Corinthians 11:23–24

Everett_________ will you ask the blessing on the cup?

In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 1 Corinthians 11:25

PAUSE 1 Corinthians 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

LETS PRAY