Billions And Billions Served

Billions and Billions Served

1 Cor. 10:14-22

June 4, 2006 FBC, Chester Mike Fogerson, Pastor

I Introduction

A Sermonspice video or signing of "How Beautiful"

B Special occasions in our lives are marked by special meals

1 Birthdays, Thanksgiving, Easter, Christmas, anniversaries, funerals.

a Over the last month, several people have had funerals at the church

b At service time, the church smelled of bacon fat which made me salivate like Pavlov’s dog

c Couldn’t wait to hear, "come to the table!"

2 This morning, Jesus has set His table & is inviting us, "come to My table"

3 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men; you judge what I say. 16 Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? 17 Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Look at the nation Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices sharers in the altar? 19 What do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than He, are we? 1 Cor 10:14-22 (NASB)

C As we come to His table, there are several things we need to bring with us.

Let’s look at these things as we allow the Holy Spirit to prepare our hearts as we come to the table that has been shared by billions & billions of believers through the ages.

II Before we sit down, we need to have clean hands.

A In 1992, I was working at a NAPA store in Centralia.

1 A man who worked for the garbage disposal (Triple T) would come in for parts with grease-caked hands.

a I saw him at Wendy’s one day on my lunch hour, eating a burger.

b His hands were dirty, & the bun had stripes of grease where his fingers had touched the bun.

2 Before we eat, most of us wash up first if we’ve been in the garden, garage, skinning a deer or cleaning fish.

B The Bible tells us to examine our lives before receiving communion.

1 As we examine our hearts, we may find things that need to be confessed, cleaned up.

a We come to Jesus with remorse/repentance & He gives us forgiveness/restoration & an invitation to His table.

b Every time, that’s what He gives.

2 Some people get so burdened by their sins, they figure God deems them unworthy, & they pass the plate on down.

a None of us are worthy, but if we’ve trusted Christ, He makes us worthy.

b He invites/authorizes us to come to the table.

TS: Clean hands are the beginning, but there’s more.

III Before dining, we also need a great appetite.

A A rookie mistake that is often made by minor-league eaters is the "salad and breadstick error."

1 Fill up on appetizers before the main dish shows up (good stuff).

a We get filled up on "junk" so that we have no appetite for the good stuff.

b Secret? Pass on the salad/breadsticks/poppers/blooming onion.

2 That way, you can enjoy the steak, pasta, etc. (good stuff)

B 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.

1 God offers us a meal that will satisfy us spiritually.

a Bread/cup won’t fill you up physically.

b Spiritually...bursting at the seams.

2 If we fill up on the junk food of sin, we will not have an appetite for the banquet God has prepared.

3 God wants us to eat at His table exclusively. 22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than He, are we?

a My Nana used to own a restaurant & if her family ate anywhere else she felt disappointed, hurt.

b She wanted them at her table, bring their friends, tell others to come to her table.

c God is a jealous God!

aa No substitutes. He demands our loyalty

bb No junk food, no eating at other tables.

IV When dining, we also need time to enjoy the meal.

A I’ve read that Burger King & McDonald’s intentionally install uncomfortable seats in order to get you out of the restaurant to make room for the next person.