October 7, World Communion Sunday, Communion Sunday

Lesson: Matthew 6.13b

Sermon Title: Rescue Me!

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INTRODUCTION:

  1. August 6, 2007: We were all affected by the pictures that appeared on television when the Crandall Canyon mine collapsed trapping six miners underground.

    1. A massive rescue effort was initiated. Holes were drilled and listening devices were lowered by those who were listening for any sign of the missing miners.

    2. The rescue effort was not successful.

      1. The bodies of the six miners are entombed in the mine.

      2. A further rescue effort resulted in three more of the rescue group losing their lives.

  2. This is not the most important or massive rescue attempt.

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MAIN BODY:

  1. God initiated a rescue efforts.

    1. Read what Jesus has to say in the Gospel of John:

      1. 14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life, (John 3:14-16, NRSVA).

      2. 27"Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say--'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." 29The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." 30Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. 31Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. 32And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself," (John 12:27-32, NRSVA).

    2. God's rescue mission for humankind includes all people.

  2. Humankind has different ways of responding to God's rescue efforts.

    1. Some members of the human family don't want to be rescued.

A hiker was hiking one day when he lost his footing while looking over a cliff. The hiker fell off the cliff, but he was able to grab onto a branch before plummeting to his death. He had a firm grip on the branch; however, he could not climb to safety and the drop would surely kill him.

He had been hanging there and yelling for help for a few minutes. Finally, the hiker heard a voice from the top of the cliff. The hiker's voice became even more urgent, "Help me. Someone help me."

A calm voice from the top of the cliff asked, "Are you hurt?"

The hiker replied, "No, please help me."

The voice from the top of the cliff tells the hiker, "Remain calm and trust me. It is God. All you have to do is let go of the branch, and I will save you."

The hiker looks down at the ground nearly 500 feet below him and then looks up the cliff... The man takes a deep breath and then yells, "Is there anyone else up there?"

      1. There are some situations where we may be rescued by other people.

        1. This would include floods and fires.

        2. This might include lostness or hunger.

      2. For the prayer that we offer there is no one else.

    1. Some members of the human family don't know how to be rescued.

The Spurned Bible (1)

(The story of the spurned bible is an urban legend, but it is well-used to illustrate the point.)

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was ail he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box.

Curious, and somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angry, he rose his voice to his father and said "with all your money, you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home, and a wonderful family. He had not seen his father since that fateful graduation day. One day he realized that his father was getting older, and he ought to go and see him.

Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.

When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still gift-wrapped Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse, Matt. 7: 11, "And if yet being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father which is in Heaven, give to those who ask Him?"

As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words PAID IN FULL.

      1. What might have happened if he had approached the gift with a different attitude?

      2. Would he have opened the gift and found the tag?

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  1. Jesus rescues those:

    1. Who pray for rescue as this verse from the Lord's Prayer proclaims:

but rescue us from the evil one, (Matthew 6:13b, NRSVA).

    1. These are people who are willing to be rescued

    2. These are people know how to be rescued

    3. These are people who desire to be rescued over everything else.

  1. Rescue comes through the acceptance and implementation of the Covenant.

    1. We are people of the New Covenant.

James A. Harnish, in Walking With Jesus: Forgiveness wrote:

A few years ago a nationwide poll asked, What word or phrase would you most like to hear uttered to you, sincerely? (2) Can you guess the first thing people wanted to hear? You're right: I love you. The second was, You are forgiven. Number three, believe it or not, was, Supper is ready.

How long has it been since we have heard these words spoken to us?

I love you -- God's unconditional love.

You are forgiven -- God's unmerited grace.

Supper is ready -- God's unsurpassed invitation.

    1. What are we going to eat?

After our friend Tom had been a temporary bachelor for several weeks, we stopped by his home to visit him. (3)

My wife asked if he was eating properly. "Well, I do eat a lot of dog food," Tom told her.

"Dog food!" my wife exclaimed, horrified. "I can't believe you would be eating anything like that!"

"Come to the kitchen and I'll show you," Tom replied.

Opening the refrigerator door, he waved his hand at a row of doggie bags from half of the restaurants in town.

      1. We do not have doggie bags.

      2. We do not eat leftovers.

    1. We come to the table because The Lord's Supper is the way, the means, and the life.

22While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, "Take; this is my body." 23Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. 24He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God," (Mark 14:22-25, NRSVA).

      1. The cup represents the blood of Christ.

        1. Israel was forbidden to eat the blood.

        2. The blood is the life.

        3. We are saved by Jesus' life.

      2. The bread represents his body.

        1. His body, his physical presence.

        2. Handle me and see.

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CONCLUSION:

  1. The evil one will tempt and try us, but we can overcome.

    1. It takes time, attention to detail and sensitivity the situation

A man is walking down his street and he falls into a large hole. It is dark and wet in the hole and he gets angry, angry at just about everyone. He tries to find his way out, but he just can't do it. Eventually someone passing by takes pity on him and helps him out of the hole.

On the Second day as he goes down his street to check out that hole again. He looks into the hole, gets too close and falls in. It is still dark and wet in the hole. Again he gets angry, angry at himself. Eventually, with a lot of effort, he manages to find his way out of the hole.

On the third day... the man again walks down his street again. He knows the hole is there and pretends not to see the hole and closes his eyes. Once again he falls into the hole.
This time he remembers and finds his way out of the hole.

On the fourth day... the man walks cautiously down the street. He sees the hole and this time walks around it. He is pleased. But the world goes dark again. He has fallen into a second hole. He climbs out of the second hole and walks home.

On the fifth day the man goes for a walk....and chooses to walk down a different street.

  1. We may choose a different way.

  2. The choice is ours, but we may not have the power to follow it.

  1. The power comes from outside ourselves.

  1. We may and can be rescued from the evil one.

    1. Identify the temptation.

    2. What needs to be done to avoid or overcome it?

    3. What resources do I have to accomplish this task?

Amen!

1. Retrieved from: http://www.snopes.com/religion/gradgift.asp

2. With thanks to James A. Harnish, Walking With Jesus: Forgiveness, Tampa, Fla., March 22, 1998.

3. Received from Steve Sanderson. The Good, Clean Funnies List [gcfl-info@gcfl.net]

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