Introduction:
HOW TO CATCH A MONKEY------ Native hunters in the jungles of Africa; have a clever way of trapping monkeys. They slice a coconut in two, hollow it out, and in one half of the shell cut a hole just big enough for a monkey’s hand to pass through. Then they place an orange in the other coconut half before fastening together the two halves of the coconut shell. Finally, they secure the coconut to a tree with a rope, retreat into the jungle, and wait. Sooner or later, an unsuspecting monkey swings by, smells the delicious orange, and discovers its location inside the coconut. The monkey then slips his hand through the small hole, grasps the orange, and tries to pull it through the hole. Of course, the orange won’t come out; it’s too big for the hole. To no avail the persistent monkey continues to pull and pull, never realizing the danger he is in. While the monkey struggles with the orange, the hunters simply stroll in and capture the monkey by throwing a net over him. As long as the monkey keeps his fist wrapped around the orange, the monkey is trapped. It’s too bad-the poor monkey could save its own life if it would let go of the orange. It rarely occurs to a monkey, however, that it can’t have both the orange and its freedom. That delicious orange becomes a deadly trap. The world sets traps for you that are not unlike the monkey trap. You hear constantly that if you just have enough money, enough stuff, enough power, and enough prestige-then you’ll be happy. Under that illusion people spend their whole lives thinking you must have it all. The call of Christianity is unlike that of the world.
Some people say they want to believe when they really don’t want to believe. They would have to change their way of living, they would have to change their way of thinking; they would have to change the way they relate to people. There was once an atheist who asked a young believer, “Do you really believe there is a God who knows my name?” “That is what I believe.” “Do you believe the Bible is true? That baby was born from a virgin and dead people came out of a cemetery?” “Yes, that is what I believe.” Then the atheist said with great emotion, I would give anything to believe that. I have traveled all over the world see that most people are most miserable. The only people who really seem to be getting out of life what they want those who say they believe like you do. I just can’t believe what you do because my head keeps getting in the way!”
There is the story about the ex-marine who said, “I’m miserable. I have a wife and family, making lots of money, sleeping with every woman in town and I hate myself. I need your help but do not give me any of that God talk because I can’t believe it.” The minister said, “Your problem is not that you can’t believe but because you do not want to give up those things that help you get through the night.”
The real reason that one becomes a believer is because they choose to. Listen to a few verses from the Bible. John 7:17 “Jesus says, If a man chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching come from God or whether I speak on my own.” John 12:37 “Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in Him.” vs. 39 “For this reason they could not believe.” They made a decision of their will to deny the message of the miracles, the evidence that Jesus is God because they did not want to change.
We do not have Jesus in the flesh with us so we do not see the miracles first hand but the Bible is clear in telling us that “FAITH is the evidence of things not seen.” Jesus is the only one t hat is supported by the evidence of history, archaeology, literature and changed lives. Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see that Lord is good.” If one believes God will show Himself to.
THE MESSAGE:
ARE WE SHARING IN THE LORD’S SUPPER WITH OUT MEANING TO OUR SPIRITUAL BEING?
1 Cor. 11:28, 29
Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks from the Lord’s cup in an unworthy manner will be held responsible for the Lord’s body and blood. But let a man examine himself”
When we partake of the Lord’s Supper no one but Christ should be honored. We must be careful not to have a service that is manufactured by man that will distract from the meaning of this sacred service. Let us look at what the Lord will accept as pleasing to him and to do this we must first understand some that did not please Him.
What we do that is not acceptable to God unless we do what is right.
1. IT MUST REFLECT WHAT WE BRING TO THE LORD. Genesis 4:3, 5-7 God when he created people made them with a knowing from right and wrong. Cain choose to disobey what he knew was the right thing to do. He got angry and killed his brother. Cain knew what the right thing to do was and God even asked him to stop doing wrong and do right but he refused. This week in the news they reported of a man who was flunking his classes at Arizona University. Instead of trying harder he killed three of his teachers and then himself. This is very much a picture that we can choose to do right or wrong.
2. IT MUST REFLECT THAT WE ARE LIVING IN OBEDIENCE TO WHAT GOD TELLS US. 1 Samuel 15:10-13, 19, 22, 24, 26. Saul knew what God wanted him to do but he chose to disobey and God had to reject him. Because of his disobedience Saul kept moving farther and farther away from God to the place he finally committed suicide.
3. IT MUST REFLECT OUR PRAYER LIFE. Matthew 6:5-8 Where is your secret place? How much time have you spent there? How have you been rewarded openly? Do you believe that your Father knows your needs before your ask for them?
4. IT MUST REFLECT A HEART THAT IS CHEERFUL IN GIVING. 2 Cor. 9:7 how cheerful are you when you are receiving the offering plate? God gave to us unconditionally.
Paul is very clear here in the words he uses as to how we are to take the Lord’s Supper.
We need to consider the words that are used here in our partaking of the Supper of the Lord.
“In an unworthy manner (It should not be in a shameful, foolish, unwise, Hasty, thoughtless grasping greedy, selfish manner) will be responsible (to be to blame, insensitive, offensive, thoughtless, reckless, neglectful) of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.”
Before we take in this sacrament some things we should question in our hearts:
Jesus took up His cross... Have I taken up the cross?
Jesus had a forgiving spirit.... Have I forgiven all?
Jesus had compassion with people...Do I love people?
Jesus loved the Word... Is the Word the guide to my life?
Jesus loved the church... Am I only in church because it is Sunday?
Jesus was a man of prayer... Does my life reveal that I pray?
Jesus took time to worship... Is my life a reflection of worship?
Conclusion: This Scripture includes a statement that I want you to do before you partake of this sacrament. “Let a person examine themselves before they eat the bread and drinks of the cup
