THANKFUL? FOR WHAT!?
Mark 14:1-26
Sermon Objective: A Communion sermon designed to provoke thankfulness by sharing the Good News of God’s grace and salvation.
Supporting Scripture: Exodus 12:13-27; Exodus 24:8; Jeremiah 31:31-33; John 6:35-59;
INTRO:
Thankful? For What!?
Those were the words of an acquaintance of mine. I will never forget them.
From his vantage point there was very little, if anything, to be thankful about in life. From my vantage point, he had plenty to be thankful for.
I have discovered that thankfulness is more a matter of character and choice than it is life circumstances. No one better illustrates that to me than Jesus Himself.
Listen to this lengthy story from Mark 14. While doing so, place yourself in Jesus’ shoes and see if you can find reason to be thankful.
1Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him. 2"But not during the Feast," they said, "or the people may riot."
3While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.
4Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume? 5It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly.
6"Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."
10Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. 11They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
12On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?"
13So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14Say to the owner of the house he enters, ’The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there."
16The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.
17When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. 18While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me."
19They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, "Surely not I?"
20"It is one of the Twelve," he replied, "one who dips bread into the bowl with me. 21The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."
22While they were eating, Jesus took bread, GAVE THANKS and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body."
23Then he took the cup, GAVE THANKS and offered it to them, and they all drank from it.
24"This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them. 25"I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God."
26When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
In many circles the Lord’s Supper is known as the “Eucharist.” The word comes from verse 23 and means “thanksgiving. It is called the “Eucharist” because of Jesus’ thankfulness and demeanor of gratitude.
The Eucharist (communion) has always been a central point in the life and worship of the church. It seems ironic on this dismal day from the last week of Jesus’ life … only 24 hours away from His death. But, yes, there were reasons that inspired Jesus (and us) to give thanks.
But the setting sure seems counterproductive doesn’t it? I mean, Jesus knew full well what awaited. He knew the very details that were forthcoming. If any one ever had reason to be grim instead of thankful Jesus.
So, what exactly was Jesus thankful for on this Thursday before his death? In the midst of fighting and discord amongst his disciples, confirmation and anointing of his impending death, the betrayal by a close friend, and the grim reminder of the gruesome way he would die embedded within the Passover ritual; Jesus gives thanks.
I think Jesus was thankful for:
1. THE BOND OF BROTHERHOOD
It must have filled Jesus’ heart with joy to see his friends with him for this final meal. He had poured his life into them for the last three years; they would be the ones to carry on His message and ministry.
These twelve represented the church in embryo. Like the church today it was human, prone to fail, but filled with God’s Spirit and transformed into an agent of grace and mercy. Like these men, Jesus still has confidence in the Church. God has prophesied of its success and His deep, unending love for her. With all its faults, it is still the genius of God and God’s plan for making men into His image – to abandon, reject, or attempt to replace the church places one at odds with the Savior.
I have four siblings. There are times that we fought … really fought. But our love for one another was never in question and our bond was very tight. Once we learned how to handle our differences in a more mature way the fighting stopped and we began to enjoy each other’s company more.
Jesus’ disciples had to learn to handle differences in a manner that was Biblical, Spirit-filled and mature. Once they did, their bond strengthened.
The catalyst for this strengthened bond was only a few weeks away from the time they ate this meal with Jesus … Pentecost. The Holy Spirit brought a new dynamic to their relationships; a new purpose. They were still Peter and the gang but their identity was melded together and they had one purpose … a brotherhood.
The desire of Jesus that would be turned into a prayer in John 17 was realized and actualized in these men. Listen to a portion of that prayer:
6"I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one.
What these men had is still present in the Church. In fact, whenever there is discord and fighting and dissonance in God’s Church I can assure you that the Holy Spirit is not the author.
As Jesus ate this last meal he surely looked around the room at these men. He thought about how far they had come and how much they were yet to grow when the Holy Spirit filled them. I am certain it brought joy to him and he realized that God would indeed grant His recorded prayer in John 17.
And that story carries forward today in us and He prays for and has confidence in the church of today.
It brought reason to give praise (“eulogeo” v. 22) and thanks (“eucharist” v. 23) to God during this sober and somber time.
I think Jesus was thankful for:
1. THE BOND OF BROTHERHOOD
2. EVIDENCE THAT GOD (AND HIS LOVE) WERE ACTIVELY PRESENT
Everything was coming together as it was intended. Even the circumstances surrounding this specific meal show signs of divine involvement. God was still present and still working on behalf of His people and His Son.
After the resurrection this takes on an ever deeper meaning. Jesus said “this is my body.” In communion it is not that God is present … it is that Jesus is present with us. It is a moment in time when something supernatural happens … something mystical … an interlock or overlap of Heaven and earth happens.
This is one reason we refer to communion as a sacrament. A sacrament is a means by which God bestows and reveals His grace. The Lord’s Supper does more than just give us something to reflect on like in an ordinance … is gives us a trust to ACT UPON and RESPOND to.
There are four cups of wine offered throughout the liturgy of the Seder (Passover) meal. Each of these cups represents a different aspect of God’s deliverance of His people. These specifically referred to the Exodus but, by implication refer to God’s redemptive covenant with Israel.
• Cup #1 I will bring you out
• Cup #2 I will rid you of bondage
• Cup #3 I will redeem you
• Cup #4 I will take you for my people and I will be your God
The Passover was an overture of grace. It was God’s acting on behalf of His people. One of the proper responses to such grace is certainly Thankfulness. In fact, it is interesting that the term for giving thanks (Eucharist) possesses the root word for grace; “charis”.
Even during such a time as this Jesus is full of gratitude for the presence and love of God for His people.
And that brings us to another reason Jesus had to be thankful on this dreadful day.
1. THE BOND OF BROTHERHOOD
2. EVIDENCE THAT GOD (AND HIS LOVE) WERE ACTIVELY PRESENT
3. HE KNEW PASSOVER WAS ABOUT TO BE FULLY REALIZED AND SATISFIED.
Jesus knew that humankind was soon to be saved.
The Passover has always been a liturgy or ritual of victory. It was always meant to be festive and full and anticipation. By looking back God’s people found hope for the future.
All Biblical history leads to this point in time. The Paschal lamb was to be slain.
Jesus said, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many."
With these words he was announcing the fulfillment of the Kingdom’s promise. It is the arrival of the future into the present.
AND IN JESUS THAT FUTURE HAS COME!!!
Jesus’ death (that which typically evokes despair and dismay) inaugurated a new era. His death held the promise of victory and salvation.
That’s why Jesus was most thankful. Jesus knew that when He, the Lamb of God, was slain humanity and God could once again have their relationship restored. Jesus knew that all that we had longed for, prayed for, and desperately needed was about to happen … within the span of just another day.
WRAP-UP
When Jesus died it was not with resistance or grudgingly. He surrendered His will to the will of the Father for your salvation (Luke 22:42). The Bible says that, it was “for the joy set before Him” that Jesus “endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2)
Jesus willingly gave his life for you. He willingly paid the penalty so that your sins could be forgiven and you could be restored to relationship with God.
With this truth firmly in mind, we will prepare to receive communion … with thanksgiving.
This sermon is provided by Dr. Kenneth Pell
Potsdam Church of the Nazarene
Potsdam, New York
www.potsdam-naz.org
Children’s Sermon
In Remembrance of Me*
Objects: A family photo album, high school yearbook, or some similar item
Theme: Jesus left us a picture by which to remember him.
This morning I brought one of my family photo albums. I look through my photo albums and remember all of the important people in my life and to think about all of the good times we have had. I would like to share a few of those memories with you this morning.
This first picture is a picture of my mother when she was a young woman. She was a beautiful woman and this picture helps me remember what she looked like when I was a little boy.
This is a picture of my daddy. My dad has always been very thin … it makes you wonder what happen to me doesn’t it?
Here is a picture of my grandmother a few years before she went to be with Jesus in heaven. My Grandmother was one of my favorite people.
And then there is this picture …. Wow! What a handsome little guy that is! Can you guess who that is? That’s right … it’s me!
Looking at these pictures sure brings back a lot of wonderful memories.
When Jesus went back to heaven to be with his Father, he left behind a way for us to remember him too. It isn’t a picture in an album that we can look at and remember what Jesus looked like, but it is a way to remember what Jesus did for us. We call it "The Lord’s Supper" or “Communion”.
The Bible says, 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." 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." (1 Corinthians 11:23-25 )
Just before Jesus was crucified, he called his disciples together for a meal. He took a piece of bread and he told the disciples that the bread was to remind them of his body that would be hung on a cross for them. Then he took a glass of wine and told them that the wine was to be a reminder of his blood that would be shed for them on the cross. He told them that whenever they ate the bread and drank the wine, it was to remind them of what he had done for them. We still take communion today, and when we do, we do it to help us remember what Jesus has done for us.
Lord Jesus, thank you for giving us this picture to remind us of what you did for us when you died on the cross. Help us to remember and be thankful.
This Children’s Sermon is provided by Dr. Kenneth Pell
Potsdam Church of the Nazarene
Potsdam, New York
www.potsdam-naz.org
* Special thanks to the website, http://www.sermons4kids.com/ for the sermon idea.
