Oak Chapel United Methodist Church

All Sermons are © Copyrighted and may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the express permission of the author.

At wedding rehearsals there is often a clumsy moment when I ask the bride and groom to join right hands. That's not the usual way men and women hold hands. I point out that this is what people do when they "shake" on something, when they have agreed on a price, or a contract or some plan of action. For marriage is, in fact, a contract (the old word was "covenant") -- a contract, or covenant, between two people, made before God and family and friends, complete with signs and tokens. The marriage covenant is what makes our coupling something more than what the animals do. Why would anyone not want the protection of such a covenant?

Receiving God's Love and Returning it to our Brothers and Sisters

In regard to the Lord's Supper, and Jesus' last night on earth, Paul tells us that a new covenant was established that evening, a new contract between man and God. "Drink this cup," Jesus said. "It's the new covenant in my blood." The benefits of this contract (made publicly, with signs and tokens-- bread and wine) inure greatly to human beings, for it does, in fact, lift our status from that of servants (obeyers and enforcers of the household rules) to that of adopted sons and daughters. God was not simply amending the old contract -- scratching out a word here, adding one there, and asking us to initial in the margins. No, No. Through Jesus, Paul said, God gave us a new contract altogether, with terms far more favorable.

That was a huge claim -- that in Jesus the very foundation documents changed. For a moment we feel lost and confused. But then, when we see what the new contract, the New Testament, says, we are speechless. For now, under the new covenant, no longer servants but children of God, we will be judged not by our obedience but by our faith and trust -- and by our love for him and for our brothers and sisters in his house.

Grace is at the Root of Things

If the fundamental constitution of the universe is law, then obedience to the law is our sole requirement, and we're in big trouble. But, if grace is at the root of things, love which knows no measure, then the necessary response is faith and trust, and we can do it. It is not natural for us to trust anyone but ourselves, but we can pull it off. The change is so thorough, so totally inclusive, that we often say the words but don't let the meaning sink in.

The disciples came to the dinner table that night with troubled souls. These men, some of them little more than boys, had big dreams. They saw themselves in the vanguard of a political uprising, one which even now was having its ticket punched in Jerusalem, one which would soon seize power -- they hassled each other, in private, about who would get the best jobs in the new administration. But, at the same time, something terrible was happening. The fickle tide of public opinion was turning. The authorities were seeking their leader to arrest him. At this very moment, Jesus had been reduced to hiding in an upper room, so that he could eat the Passover with them in peace, but he, himself, seemed morbidly pre-occupied. Their Titanic had struck an iceberg, they were in deep water, and this would indeed be a night to remember. (We are still remembering it -- tonight.)

The Fullness of Christ's Gift

He had just washed their feet. Now he would give them the wine and bread of Passover with new words. The verbs he chose were compelling: Take and eat (the Greek word means not eat daintily and politely, not to "dine," but bite it off, chew it up thoroughly and swallow it down. This is my body, "chow down" on this.). And of the wine, which was his blood, he said it was poured out (not dribbled, not carefully decanted at all, but dumped, spilled.) When you see me on the cross tomorrow, I want you to know that there is no holding back in what I am doing, I'm all yours, not a mite would I withhold. Take and eat. Take and drink. My blood is poured out for you.

Foolishly Generous with Self-Emptying Love

The new covenant of Jesus is based on self-emptying love, love that is foolishly generous, love that gives itself away. First God does it to us, and then we to others. It is a perfect flip-flop from the values of this world. Many of us, who return to this table tonight, remembering what Jesus said and did, and pledging allegiance to our absent King -- many of us understand the New Covenant he instituted, how it conflicts with everything in the world around us. But some are still living by a creed outworn. Some of us are still trying to find God by obeying the rules, instead of by trusting him in faith. He will take our faith and count it to us as righteousness. He has opened heaven's doors by the giving of himself. We have the key to the city of God in our hand, and it is this man Jesus who is called Christ...