Dakota Community Church
February 8, 2009
Communion Pics
I Corinthians 11:23-26
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: 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." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
In the Facebook age it is so easy to get pictures of friends and loved ones. I have been loading a new software program that helps manage congregational issues and one of the options is to load a picture of each person and eventually print a photo directory. Almost all of you are available in a photo on Facebook.
The great thing about photos is that they empower us to remember.
Think about your earliest childhood memories; do you really remember the incidents or are you really only recalling the photos that you have viewed repeatedly through the years?
Here are a few of my favorite memory enhancing pics.
What about this idea of remembering Jesus as we partake of communion? There are not too many pictures available of Him.
I found his graduation photo on-line and a nice group shot; but that’s about it.
This morning I want to give you four photos of Jesus to help in this communion remembrance.
1. Jesus on the Mount of Olives
I want you to remember Jesus the preacher, the teacher, taking his followers aside to feed them the word of God and introduce them to the Fathers plan for redemption.
Jesus has been baptized by John, returned from the temptation in the wilderness and now He begins His teaching and preaching ministry: What did we learn that the kingdom of God begins with? – Repentance!
Matthew 4:17
From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."
Matthew 4:23
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
Matthew 5:1-21
Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Murder
"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ’Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ’Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ’You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
Jesus was a teacher and preacher who taught the law to convict and the gospel to bring freedom.
Notice how He makes the sinless claim when He says He has come to fulfill the Law.
Notice how He raises the bar on murder and adultery in order to highlight the impossibility of keeping it, notice what it takes to be blessed.
Poor in spirit – recognize our spiritual bankruptcy.
Mourning – dead to our own abilities
Meek – empty of foolish pride and self-righteousness
Hungry for righteousness – a righteousness not our own
And then:
Merciful, pure, and peacemaking
Finally persecuted for righteousness sake.
This morning we are remembering our blessed preacher and teacher who in His preaching and teaching urges us to trust Him alone for our salvation.
2. In the raging storm
Mark 4:35-41
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?"
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
Jesus is not worried about the storm. WDJD – should be “What DID Jesus Do?”
Jesus expects His followers to trust Him even when life is on the line.
They don’t trust Him because they don’t know who He is.
This morning we are remembering our blessed preacher and teacher who in His preaching and teaching urges us to trust Him alone for our salvation.
This morning we are remembering Jesus in the midst of the storm who urges us to trust Him alone for our salvation even when the wind is howling and waves are roaring.
3. In a crowded street
Mark 5:21-43
When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." So Jesus went with him.
A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"
"You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, ’Who touched me?’ "
But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."
While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher anymore?"
Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don’t be afraid; just believe."
He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him.
After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" ). Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.
Two daughters on deaths door, one an unclean societal outcast, the other the child of the synagogue ruler.
One has suffered and been rejected for 12 years.
One has been growing up in the synagogue rulers home for the same 12 years.
If you touch the unclean you become unclean and Jesus is on the way to the synagogue rulers home. He touches the lepers, he touches the unclean woman, Jesus forces her to reveal herself, to trust Him and He calls her daughter.
Put yourself in Jairus’ shoes. He likely knows this woman; he has probably had to make judgments about her, and now she is the cause of the delay that costs him his little girl.
What does Jesus require as He makes His way down the crowded street?
This morning we are remembering our blessed preacher and teacher who in His preaching and teaching urges us to trust Him alone for our salvation.
This morning we are remembering Jesus in the midst of the storm who urges us to trust Him alone for our salvation even when the wind is howling and waves are roaring.
This morning we are remembering Jesus who urges everyone in the crowd from the lowly outcast to the highest seat of religious authority to trust in Him alone for our salvation.
4. On the rugged cross
Luke 23:33-46
When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One."
The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself."
There was a written notice above him, which read: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don’t you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
This final picture of Jesus on the cross we see Him calling for mercy on the undeserving.
Last week we saw how the blood of Jesus cries out something better than the blood of righteous Abel. Righteous Abel cried out for justice, righteous Jesus cries out for mercy!
This morning we are remembering our blessed preacher and teacher who in His preaching and teaching urges us to trust Him alone for our salvation.
This morning we are remembering Jesus in the midst of the storm who urges us even when the wind is howling and waves are roaring to trust Him alone for our salvation.
This morning we are remembering Jesus who urges everyone in the crowd from the lowly outcast to the highest seat of religious authority to trust in Him alone for our salvation.
This morning we are remembering Jesus on the rugged cross rewarding a guilty condemned man with salvation because he trusted in Him alone.
Take this bread remembering.
Take this cup… remembering!
Come for prayer if you are wanting to trust Him.
PowerPoint available (Free of charge) on request dcormie@mts.net
