Rappahannock Christian Church – 4/12/09
Dr. Kenneth Wilbur
Easter Sunday
Communion Meditation
Question: Why do we meet for church on Sunday?
Of course it’s because Sunday is the first day of the week, the day on which Jesus was raised from the dead. So, in a way, we celebrate Resurrection Day every week. This is as it should be, for it’s important for us to remember the Resurrection of Christ. A lot of people have died in this world – many have even suffered a violent death. The resurrection is the thing that sets Jesus apart from all of these others. Without the resurrection our Lord would be just another failed Messiah want-a-be.
Our worship contains many reminders of Christ’s death, but there are few of the resurrection. Symbols of the cross adorn our churches. We even wear beautiful crosses for jewelry. It’s not this way with the resurrection. Even at this Table we have these elements that are symbols of Christ’s death, but we have none of the resurrection.
We must remember daily that God raised Jesus from the dead, and this is our great hope and promise that we, too, will share in eternal life through Him.
Let me read the story of this first Lord’s Supper as Matthew tells it in his Gospel.
Matthew 26:26-29 – While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom."
“Decisions, Decisions”
This morning our Scripture reading is taken from the Gospel of Luke, the 23rd chapter. This might be a little bit different Easter message, in that it is a story of Jesus death instead of His resurrection.
Luke 23:32-43 - Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 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."
I don’t usually do this – I’m actually going to mention the NY Yankees in my sermon. (You all know that I’m from Boston and, of course, my family and I are Red Sox fans!) The Yankees once had a famous catcher named Yogi Berra. Yogi Berra had many salty sayings. One thing he used to say was, “When you see a fork in the road – take it.”
We have all encountered "forks in the road." There are many decisions that we make each day of our lives. Some are usual, every day, decisions. Others are of momentous importance. We decide with whom we will share our life, choose what school we will attend for our education, decide on a career change or perhaps to make (or not make) an investment.
What would you rank as the top decision you have made about your life?
How has it turned out?
Has this important decision proven to be a huge blessing to you – or a mistake?
Throughout the New Testament, we see people called to make this very important decision: “What are you going to do with Jesus?”
This is more or less the choice that we see in the story of our Scripture. Luke tells us a story about the making of this choice when he tells us of the two criminals who die, one on either side of the Christ. I believe that perhaps Luke sees in this scene the choice that is presented to the whole world.
The reactions of these two men are the reactions that people have taken to Christ throughout the centuries. On one side a fellow sufferer insults the Master. Why would he do this, one has to wonder. Was it because of the pain and the hate that was within him and from which he was desperate to escape? Are his words an attempt to take his mind off of his predicament, to shift the focus to another? Or maybe he, like many of his fellow Jews, hates Jesus because he thinks that Jesus is another failed Messiah. Jesus is supposed to be the Chosen One who will drive away the Roman oppressors. And now where is this great savior? He's gotten himself arrested, and is being put to death by the Romans! Whatever this first criminal is thinking, it is clear that he is not repenting, not remorseful for the crimes he has committed. And he clearly doesn’t accept Jesus.
On the other side, however, the second suffering criminal scolds the first for his insulting words. He says, "We deserve whatever we are getting, but this man has done nothing wrong. He is enduring suffering that He doesn’t even deserve." Then he turns to Jesus and, in a shining, brilliant moment of insight, says, “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus promises, “Today, you will be with me in Paradise.”
The physician, Luke, is the one who wrote this and who wrote the book of Acts as well. Luke was a missionary, traveling with the apostle Paul. Here is a man who dedicated his life to giving people an opportunity to make this choice. Luke and the apostles claim that Jesus was offered as a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the world, and that in Him alone we can choose to have life. Luke sees that this choice lies before us all. He sees that all of us are bound over to death. No escape is possible - just like the two men who were crucified with Jesus. They weren't going anywhere. They were going to die that day. Our situation is similar. We are all going to die. The situation seems hopeless. But we, too, are given this choice. What will you do with the Messiah? Will you reject him or do you place your faith in His grace? Is this Jesus a lunatic, claiming to be sent by God, or is He in fact the Chosen One?
I began my sermon today by asking you to think of what the very most important decision of your life has been. Those of us who have placed our faith in Jesus Christ know that the most important decision we ever made was when we decided to throw ourselves on the mercy of God, the Judge.
I recently read a book that was loaned to me by one of our members. In it the author tells a story about the French emperor, Napoleon. It is said that one of his soldiers committed some grave error, and was scheduled to be executed for it. The soldier's mother came and pleaded with Napoleon to spare the boy's life. "Why should I show him mercy," Napoleon replied. "What has he done to deserve it?" "Sir," the woman replied, "if he deserved it, it wouldn't be mercy!"
The very essence of the Gospel is that if you will believe in this Messiah, you will live. If you do not, then you will surely die without hope. We do not deserve God's mercy. But God, in his great love and compassion, offers it to us through Jesus Christ, the Redeemer. I implore you not to go away from this place today until you have forever cast your lot with the Christ.
Benediction
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14