A Family Celebration!

Part 2

Sermon Notes

October 4, 2009

World Communion Sunday

Rev. Jim O’Neal, Senior Pastor

Sun Lakes United Methodist Church

9248 E. Riggs Road, Sun Lakes, Arizona 85248

(480) 895-8766

 

Hebrews 2:5-12 NRSV

5Now God did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels.  6But someone has testified somewhere, “What are human beings that you are mindful of them, or mortals, that you care for them?  7You have made them for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned them with glory and honor, 8subjecting all things under their feet.”

Now in subjecting all things to them, God left nothing outside their control.  As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them, 9but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

10It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.  11For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father.  For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, 12saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.”

 

A.  Introduction

    1.  Bob Morley  (From the book: AEROBICS FOR THE SPIRIT)

        a.  One summer, before he became a well known Christian pastor, singer and author, Bob Morley was a counselor at a Senior High Church Camp in California.  He was in his twenties, between regular jobs and very much short of cash, but delighted he could give of his time to help others.  Eventually word of Bob’s situation spread around the camp.  The kids on their own took up a special offering and raised over one-hundred dollars which they presented to Mr. Morley.  He was very touched by their kindness.  Then he got to feeling bad about it, because the camp had a tradition of a farewell party on the last full day of their retreat.  The youth would donate money, give it to one of the counselors, and the counselor would drive into town and purchase snack food for the party.  The youth had given the money they had brought to purchase snacks to him.  So Bob’s first impulse was to take some of the money to buy some soft drinks and cookies for the teenagers.  He prayed about it and in his spiritual heart he heard the still small voice say, “Don't rob them of the joy of giving.”

        b.  So Friday night came and they had the farewell party.  Instead of soft drinks, they drank water served in plain little cups.  Instead of eating cookies, they had some dry crackers someone found in the kitchen.  On the surface one might think that this was not much of a celebration.  However, those present would have said that it was the best farewell party they ever had at camp!  The campers and perhaps some for the first time experienced the joy of sacrificial giving.  They had sacrificed their own self-interests for the benefit of someone else.  As Bob put it, “Those little cups of water and crumbly wafers constituted for us what communion was meant to be, not a solemn ritual, but a celebration of mutual self-giving.”

    2.  World Communion Sunday

        a.  Today, all across the world we join with millions of our brothers and sisters in Christ in coming to the Lord’s Table on this World Communion Sunday.  On this day we are reminded that we are One in Christ.  Different languages are spoken and different traditions are observed, but our unity in Christ is unbroken.

        b.  Last Sunday and today we have turned to the Letter to the Hebrews to remind us just what we celebrate and believe concerning our Lord and Savior.  Last week we proclaimed these two truths:  Jesus is the human image of God.  The earthly Jesus was truly one of us; he was a human being.  Today, we are reminded that He died for us.  And that Jesus shows us that we are important to God!

 

B.  Jesus died for us.

    1.  Air Florida Flight 90

        a.  He was a hero, but for many days we did not even know his name.  It was January 13, 1982 and a very cold and snowy day in our Nation’s Capital.  Air Florida Flight 90 took off from Washington National Airport despite the freezing weather and falling snow.  It was ill advised for immediately after takeoff the plane crashed into the 14th Street Bridge, destroyed seven vehicles, and then the jetliner slammed into the Potomac River.  Four people were killed in their cars and 73 of the 79 people on board the plane were killed upon impact.  Six survivors treaded in the ice strewn water over the submerged fuselage.  People watched helplessly from the shore, because there was no way for them to reach the desperate crash victims in the chilly Potomac.  Within twenty minutes a U.S. Park Police helicopter came with a tow line.  Survivors desperately treaded water or clung to the exposed tail of the slowly sinking aircraft waiting for the helicopter to lower the tow line and rescue them.  It was a race against time as hyperthermia was setting in on the desperate little group in the water.  Repeatedly, a balding middle aged man assisted the others by handing them the tow rope and even putting it around their shoulders.  When the other people had been rescued the helicopter returned to save this hero only to discover that he had lost his battle against the elements and slipped beneath the surface of the water and died.  A later autopsy of the victims revealed that, while all the others in the water had died of impact injuries, one man had drowned.  His name:  Arland D. Williams, Jr. a 46 year old bank examiner from Atlanta.  Arland could have put the rope around himself, but instead made sure that everyone else was saved.  He truly gave his life for others. 

        b.  We may not fully understand how it worked, but Jesus did the same for us.  Jesus gave His life that we might live.  He who lived a perfect life was the only person who ever could stand before the throne of God and say, “I have obeyed every law and have earned my place with the Creator in Heaven forever.”  Instead, Jesus willingly took our punishment as symbolized by His death upon the cross, and gave to us His righteousness that all have the opportunity to be with God both now and forever more.  All we have to do is receive the gift.

    2.  Today’s Scripture:  Hebrews 2:9

        a.  The author of Hebrews speaking of this sacrifice tells us:  “But we see Jesus, who for a short time was made lower than the angels.  And now he is wearing a crown of glory and honor because he suffered and died.  And by God’s grace, he died for everyone.” (Hebrews 2:9 NCV)

        b.  Jesus gave His life that you and I might have abundant and eternal life with God.

 

C.  Jesus shows us that we are important to God!

    1.  Father and Son Reunion!

        a.  About fifteen years ago the newspapers carried this interesting story from Camp Pendleton, California.  A nurse in a military hospital there called for a patient named Robert McDonald.  Two men got up and started to follow her for their examinations.  By the treatment being sought and the age listed it was determined that the older fellow was the one being called at that moment.  The younger man, Corporal Robert C. McDonald, Jr. was confused, made some inquiries and discovered that he and the other man both had the same middle initial.  This led to a further conversation between the two men.  And after sixteen years apart they had a father and son reunion right there in the hospital waiting room!

        b.  The McDonald family had dissolved in divorce in 1977.  The son, who hadn’t seen his mother since he was twelve was raised by foster parents.  His father said that after a stint in jail, judges repeatedly denied him visitation with his son and two daughters.  The son, a maintenance repair technician at El Toro Air Station was at the hospital at nearby Camp Pendleton for a checkup on a knee injury.  His father, who had served in the Navy and Air Force had lived on the California base for about ten years as a security guard.  The senior McDonald woke up one Tuesday with the flu and went to the hospital for treatment.  A few weeks earlier was his son’s birthday.  The elder McDonald said he cried and couldn’t sleep thinking about his long lost boy turning twenty-one.  He said, “If I had known that this day was coming, I would have been pretty happy instead!”  A Father and his children reunited.  This is the story of what happened on the cross.  Because of Jesus you have been re-connected to your Heavenly Father.  You are too important to be lost from God and in Jesus God seeks you out and brings you back home!

    2.  Today’s Scripture:  Hebrews 2:10-12

        a.  Jesus offers this God Reunion to all.  The author of Hebrews says this of those who have responded to the invitation:  “Jesus led many of God’s children to be saved and to share in his glory.  Jesus and the people he makes holy all belong to the same family.  That is why he isn’t ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.  He even said to God, ‘I will tell them your name and sing your praises when they come together to worship.’” (Hebrews 2:10c-12  CEV)

        b.  You are so valuable to the Lord.  He loves you and claims you as a part of His family.  We are brothers and sisters.  By whatever name you call it, this celebration today of Holy Communion, the Eucharist, or the Lord’s Supper is a FAMILY CELEBRATION!  By the grace of Jesus we are God’s family.  Rejoice that you are invited to His table!  And as you take the bread and drink from the cup remember who Jesus was and is and be thankful! 

 

D.  Conclusion:  There are four important things that we believe about Jesus and that we celebrated last week and this week:

    1.  Jesus is the human image of God!

    2.  Jesus was one of us.

    3.  Jesus died for us

    4.  Jesus shows us that we are important to God.

 

A Family Celebration!

 

      1.  Jesus is the human image of God!

 

      2.  Jesus was one of us.

 

      3.  Jesus died for us

 

      4.  Jesus shows us that we are important to God.

 

 

Hebrews 1:1-4 NRSV

1Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. 

3He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word.  When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs

 

Hebrews 2:5-12 NRSV

5Now God did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels.  6But someone has testified somewhere, “What are human beings that you are mindful of them, or mortals, that you care for them?  7You have made them for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned them with glory and honor, 8subjecting all things under their feet.”

Now in subjecting all things to them, God left nothing outside their control.  As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them, 9but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

10It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.  11For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father.  For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, 12saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.”