Transformative Communion: Embracing the Gospel's Power

Devotional

Day 1: Communion as a Personal Encounter

Communion is more than a ritual; it is a deeply personal act of remembrance that invites believers to reflect on the profound sacrifice of Jesus Christ. As we partake in communion, we are reminded of Jesus' body broken and His blood shed for our sins, a sacrifice made willingly for our redemption. This sacred act is a multisensory experience that draws us into the reality of Christ's sacrifice, transforming us from enemies to friends of God. It is a moment to acknowledge the personal impact of Jesus' sacrifice in our lives and the grace that covers all our sins. [20:40]

"For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when 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 also he took the cup, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.'" (1 Corinthians 11:23-25, ESV)

Reflection: As you prepare for your next communion, consider what specific aspect of Jesus' sacrifice you are most grateful for today. How can this gratitude shape your actions and attitudes this week?

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Day 2: The Gospel's Transformative Power

The gospel presents both the stark reality of our spiritual state and the incredible solution God offers. While we were once enemies of God, through Jesus, we are reconciled and made blameless. This transformation is not merely about forgiveness but about being adopted into God's eternal family, where pain and sorrow will one day be no more. The gospel is a message of hope and transformation, inviting us to embrace our new identity in Christ and live as members of God's family. [33:14]

"And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him." (Colossians 1:21-22, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt distant from God. How does the truth of being reconciled and adopted into His family change your perspective on that experience?

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Day 3: Living with Anticipation

As believers, we are called to live distinctively, reflecting the character of Jesus in our daily lives as we anticipate His return. The traits outlined in 1 Thessalonians 5—joy, prayer, gratitude, and discernment—are essential practices that align us with God's will and prepare us for His coming. These are not mere suggestions but vital aspects of living the "Jesus way," shaping our interactions and decisions as we await His return. [42:37]

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one of the traits from 1 Thessalonians 5 that you find challenging. What practical steps can you take this week to cultivate this trait in your life?

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Day 4: Empowered by the Holy Spirit

Our journey of faith is not a solo endeavor. The Holy Spirit empowers us, transforming us from the inside out. We are called to remain open to His work, rejecting anything that hinders our relationship with God and embracing the goodness He calls us to reflect. The Spirit's presence in our lives is a source of strength and guidance, helping us navigate life's challenges and grow in our faith. [55:14]

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." (John 14:26, ESV)

Reflection: Consider an area of your life where you feel spiritually stagnant. How can you invite the Holy Spirit to work in this area and bring about transformation?

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Day 5: God's Faithfulness in Our Journey

God is faithful, and He will complete the work He has begun in us. Our role is to trust Him, follow Him, and surrender to His leading. As we navigate life's challenges, we can be confident that He is at work in us, shaping us to be more like Jesus. This assurance of God's faithfulness encourages us to persevere, knowing that He is with us every step of the way. [01:06:16]

"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6, ESV)

Reflection: Think about a current challenge you are facing. How can you actively trust in God's faithfulness and allow Him to guide you through this situation?

Sermon Summary

In our time together, we reflected on the profound significance of communion and the transformative power of the gospel. Communion is a sacred act of remembrance, a multisensory experience that draws us into the reality of Christ's sacrifice. Jesus' body was broken, and His blood was shed for our sins, a sacrifice He made willingly for our redemption. This act of remembrance is not just a ritual but a personal acknowledgment of what Jesus has done for each of us. As we partake, we are reminded of the grace that covers all our sins and transforms us from enemies to friends of God.

We also explored the wonder of the gospel, which presents both the bad news of our spiritual state and the incredible good news of God's solution. Colossians 1 reveals that while we were once enemies of God, through Jesus, we are now reconciled and made blameless. This transformation is not just about forgiveness but about being adopted into God's eternal family, where pain and sorrow will one day be no more.

As we anticipate the return of Jesus, we are called to live distinctively, reflecting His character in our daily lives. The passage from 1 Thessalonians 5 provides a blueprint for living the "Jesus way," emphasizing traits such as joy, prayer, gratitude, and discernment. These are not mere suggestions but essential practices that align us with God's will and prepare us for His coming.

In our journey, we are not alone. The Holy Spirit empowers us, transforming us from the inside out. Our role is to remain open to His work, rejecting anything that hinders our relationship with God and embracing the goodness He calls us to reflect. As we navigate life's challenges, we are reminded that God is faithful, and He will complete the work He has begun in us.

Key Takeaways

1. Communion as a Personal Remembrance: Communion is a deeply personal act of remembering Jesus' sacrifice. It's a moment to reflect on His body broken and blood shed for our sins, reminding us of the grace that transforms us from enemies to friends of God. This sacred act invites us to acknowledge the personal impact of Jesus' sacrifice in our lives. [20:40]
2. The Gospel's Transformative Power: The gospel presents the stark reality of our spiritual state and the incredible solution God offers. While we were once enemies of God, through Jesus, we are reconciled and made blameless. This transformation is not just about forgiveness but about being adopted into God's eternal family, where pain and sorrow will one day be no more. [33:14]
3. Living with Anticipation: As we anticipate Jesus' return, we are called to live distinctively, reflecting His character in our daily lives. The traits outlined in 1 Thessalonians 5—joy, prayer, gratitude, and discernment—are essential practices that align us with God's will and prepare us for His coming. [42:37]
4. Empowered by the Holy Spirit: Our journey is not a solo endeavor. The Holy Spirit empowers us, transforming us from the inside out. We are called to remain open to His work, rejecting anything that hinders our relationship with God and embracing the goodness He calls us to reflect. [55:14]
5. God's Faithfulness in Our Journey: God is faithful, and He will complete the work He has begun in us. Our role is to trust Him, follow Him, and surrender to His leading. As we navigate life's challenges, we can be confident that He is at work in us, shaping us to be more like Jesus. [01:06:16]
** [66:16]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[20:40] - Communion and Remembrance
[33:14] - The Gospel's Bad and Good News
[34:45] - Thanksgiving and God's Eternal Family
[36:54] - Church Growth and Baptisms
[37:59] - Community and Connection
[41:18] - Living the Jesus Way
[42:37] - Anticipation of Jesus' Return
[45:53] - Seven Traits for Believers
[46:44] - Choosing Joy
[48:06] - Joy in Suffering
[49:11] - Lasting Joy from the Spirit
[50:29] - Pain is Real, But Not Ultimate
[51:43] - Never Stop Praying
[53:22] - Giving Thanks in All Circumstances
[55:14] - Do Not Quench the Spirit
[56:26] - Responding to the Spirit's Prompts
[57:21] - Test Words of Prophecy
[58:38] - Holding on to Goodness
[60:12] - Rejecting Evil
[63:01] - Racism and God's Family
[66:16] - God's Faithfulness in Our Journey
[68:00] - Preparing for Jesus' Return
[69:22] - Closing Prayer and Invitation

Sermon Clips

"I want you to remember me by taking the bread in the cup. And the reminders that his body hung on a cross and was treated cruelly so that you and I could be forgiven. His blood was shed as a sacrifice for our sins, a death he didn't deserve, and we did, and yet he did it for us. Such a great Savior. And these elements are really sort of a multisensory reminder as we hold them and we taste them to say, Jesus, what you did, you did for me. You did for me. Such a great Savior we have." [00:19:12] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"That either you and I are going to meet him through death or through his arrival. And we don't know when that day will be, but it leaves us or ought to create within us this sense of anticipation. And we go, he could come again at any time. There's a question I think that comes up and it's this. What does it look like to live the Jesus way this week? Like how do I imitate him?" [00:42:37] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the spirit, do not treat prophecies with contempt, but test them all. Hold on to what is good reject every kind of evil may god himself the god of peace sanctify you through and through may your whole spirit soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our lord jesus christ the one who calls you is faithful and he will do it." [00:43:18] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"While pain is real, it's not ultimate, right? Even as we grieve, underneath it all, there can be this sense of deep joy. As one of my favorite authors put it, on the other side of the valley of the shadow of death is a wedding. A party so full of joy and laughter that we will never again think of any pain or sorrow other than the cross that made everything sad come untrue." [00:50:35] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"What he's calling for here is this posture of dependence on the one who never leaves us or forsakes us. That we can talk to the Lord at any time. He said, I want you to stay in touch with the Lord. I want you to stay in touch with the Lord throughout the day. You don't have to go somewhere in order to pray, right? You don't have to go to a church. You don't have to go light a candle. You don't have to, nothing wrong with those. But you can talk to the Lord in the car, on a walk, during a conversation, in the middle of a meeting at work, wherever you go, wherever you are, he's there, right? He's with you." [00:51:43] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"When we thank him, we shift our focus from what's wrong to what's right. It's an act of trust. Even in hard times, it's a choice. Paul says he just commands it. You don't have to feel like giving thanks. It's not an emotion. It's a gift, and it's at the very core of our worship that we just go, God, I'm thanking you today. You know, when we're going through pain and there's just a sense of the suffering that we just go and we say, God, I'm thanking you in the midst of this, that's worship." [00:53:51] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"The Holy Spirit is described as sort of a fire. In fact, when he first came among the believers, there were tongues of fire over each head, right? Fire in the Old Testament, sense of God's presence. And so there's this metaphor of the fire that's guiding, empowering, comforting us. And so when Paul says, don't quench the Holy Spirit, he's sort of going, don't do anything that will put out the fire of the Spirit's work in you, in your church." [00:55:14] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"Racism has no place in God's family, zero. He created the beauty of diversity. That was his plan. And in heaven one day, we're gonna celebrate that, right? And because we'll celebrate in heaven, we celebrate. We have this God who loves all the different colors and ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. And we say, Lord, thank you." [01:03:06] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hear what he's saying? Live with the wise and become wise. With the end in view, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We said it a number of weeks ago that the second coming of Jesus is mentioned 318 times in 260 New Testament chapters." [01:06:52] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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