How God Gives Us His Love in Holy Communion

I heard such a wonderful sermon yesterday I feel compelled to share it. The sermon was given in the context of Holy Communion. The Scripture reading on which it was based was John 13, in which Jesus, warning His disciples that He doesn't have much more time to be with them, gives them a new commandment: "Love one another as I have loved you."

"What is love?" asked the preacher. He said love is basically 3 things. It's (1) wanting to be with the loved one, (2) wanting to give good gifts to the loved one, and (3) wanting the loved one to be good.

That is how Jesus loves us, and that is how He wants us to love one another. The preacher spoke of how Jesus loves us through Holy Communion. He loves us in Holy Communion because in instituting this sacrament, Jesus demonstrated His desire not only to be with us, but in us. Jesus also loves us in Holy Communion by giving us a gift that is not only good but indeed the very best that He can possibly give us--the gift of Himself. Finally, He loves us through Holy Communion not only by demonstrating His desire that we be good but by actually enabling us to be good through sharing His life with us.

As I said, it was too good not to share.