The Power of Choice

The Jews were careful to avoid observing times and seasons which might make room for superstition. Moses had given strict commandments about letting anything detract from the worship of Jehovah or giving Him the praise and credit for anything that transpired in life.

They did not celebrate birth dates, moon phases, or the beginning of new years. It's not that such things did not exist. They were a part of the ancient culture from which God had called Abraham and his descendants. It is, rather, that they were never to allow even the entertainment of an idea that these things had any bearing on their lives. Astrology, palm reading, astrological signs, and other forms of occult practice to "foresee" the future, were severely warned against and were punishable by death. In the pagan societies around them, "soothsaying" was a big business. God strictly forbade it for His people. He still does.

Today, however, we mark the passing of time in weeks, months, and years as a way of marking progress. Birthdays are a measure of maturity. Hopefully we are better educated as to the nil effect of the seasons on our lives and only a relative few who remain "willfully ignorant", trust their paths and futures to the "stars" and "luck".

Our observance of times and seasons is more like when the Israelites, having left the slavery of Egypt, journeyed through the Sinai wilderness for 40 years and finally stood at the edge of the Jordan river and heard the challenge of Joshua to make a choice. This is the time and place! This is where you enter God's promises to you. It's time to decide! You can go no further until you make a choice.

The Israelites would soon face challenges that would dwarf what they had faced in their past, but the difference would be that they would participate in the conquest and establishment of their homeland. God had promised it to them and victory was assured IF they were willing to follow His leading and be responsible for their choices.

The time to decide that was before they ever set foot in the promised land.
We have a similar situation at the end of every year and the beginning of the new year and, if we are people of faith, we must decide anew what we will have faith in and what we believe. This is critical to the results because it is a basic human dynamic that our actions will be determined by our belief. No way around it.

For fifteen hundred years the Jews had commemorated the events of the passover in Egypt when God, with the leadership of Moses, had liberated them from 150 years of slavery. According to Exodus 12, the annual passover observance was from that night on, to become the first month of their new year. The observance was, however, to be the PASSOVER, and not the celebration of the beginning of a new year. The menu for the passover supper had included some type of bitter herbs like mustard greens, unleavened bread, a dry-roasted lamb, and wine to signify the blood of the lamb which shielded them from the angel of death. This meal held at the end of the seven- day observance of eating only unleavened bread, reflected the hastily prepared camp meal eaten in a rush in the hours before their departure from Egypt.

On one particular evening the disciples were sitting at a table with Jesus and a catered Passover meal was spread before them in a rented dining room of a local inn. Probably the house of one of many such enterprising locals.

"I have really been anticipating this particular passover with all of you", Jesus said, after the traditional prayer and blessing were said.

The meal began and continued in courses. The mood was solemn and respectful, but the closeness of each others' company and the anticipation of what Jesus might do to take leadership of the seething undercurrent of rebellion against Rome kept them on edge. Their thoughts raced like children freed from the classroom at noon, and the excitement passed between them in glances and nods, quick smiles flickering at the corners of their mouths as they ate the food, and sang the psalms, clapping in rhythm.

Then, suddenly, the shocking news that He would be betrayed into the hands of His enemies that night! By whom, Master?! They all asked, "Is it me?" Jesus murmured something to Judas who slipped out quietly, and more food was brought in with more wine.

Now The Lord called for their attention and, taking up the unleavened bread, He said to them, "Take this and eat it. But from this day forward, every time you observe this feast, you will eat the unleavened bread, not in remembrance of the Egyptian Passover, but in remembrance of ME! This broken bread represents my body that is to be broken for you."

With the dry, tasteless bread in their mouths, they wondered at His words and tried to take in their meaning. "...His broken body?" Then Jesus was speaking again. "This cup of wine represents the new covenant of MY blood which is spilled for you."
...His blood?..Wh,what? Spilled? What does He mean?! "Every time you drink it in holy observance, do it as a memorial of my shed blood." The Passover lamb of 1,500 years ago no longer counts! It is now my blood and the death of my body that saves you!"

We observe the "Sacrement" or "Communion" in our churches today, and I have to confess that as a young boy there was more fear instilled in me than faith. I dreaded the New Year service because I would have to decide if I was "worthy" (sinless) enough to accept that small wafer and tiny sip of grape juice. Oh, how I missed the point!

In I Corinthians, the apostle Paul reminded the church of the Lord's words and admonished us that in taking the bread and wine of communion, we were re-affirming (showing) the death of the Lord. In other words, we come to that table and make a choice. We must decide afresh in our hearts whether or not His death counted for us personally. We determine if we will put our faith entirely in His shed blood.

If you participate in a communion service at the beginning of this year, do so with faith. Acknowledge your sin before Him, and then determine if His blood was enough for it. Was His death sufficient? Do you believe it? Do you trust it to satisfy the justice of God? Does God count it sufficient to pay for ALL sin? Is that what saves you? If you do believe it, then partake with a grateful heart and sheltered spirit! If you don't think His sacrifice was enough but that God brushes that blood aside and demands more of you to atone for your sin, then do not partake! To partake "unworthily" is not about having sin or being a sinner. "Examining yourselves" is not about cleansing yourselves or repenting. His blood does that as we "walk in the light"! It is about DECIDING. It is about trusting Christ or turning away from Him. It is about committing to follow Christ with "full assurance" and participating in the unfolding promise of God or not!
I hope you all have the opportunity to join in a Communion Service. If your church does not provide it (or even if they do), gather your family together and let the head of the household hold a Communion Service in faith and help each family member to go into 2010 with a renewed trust in the power of The Blood of Jesus Christ!
With this I wish you all a Happy New Year!