1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:08,000 Just singing a gospel song. 2 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:59,980 Let's pray. 3 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:29,980 Let's pray. 4 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:59,980 Let's pray. 5 00:04:59,980 --> 00:05:29,960 Yeah, I grabbed one. I actually sent ... Yeah, last Sunday I was like, "Oh no." 6 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:59,940 I think you're off the hook from having to hand stuff out, Linda. 7 00:05:59,940 --> 00:06:29,920 All right. Good morning. It's good to be here with you this morning as we get ready to gather for worship. I'm going to begin with a word of prayer, and then we'll read Scripture together and sing together for a few moments. Let's go ahead and pray. Father in heaven, I am so thankful for being here this morning. I'm so thankful for your people. I'm so thankful for 8 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:59,900 your church and for your word, and I just ask that you would be with us, that your spirit would be working in us to convict us and to strengthen us and to help us to see your truth. Be with us as we sing and as we pray together, as we gather around the table. May you encourage us and help us. It is in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. We're going to begin by reading from the 100th Psalm. We're going to read the first four verses at the beginning 9 00:06:59,900 --> 00:07:29,880 and the last four verses at the end. And so let's go ahead and be standing, and we will read together. Dave, it's so good to see you. Warms up my heart every time you walk in the door. All right, let's read from the 100th Psalm together. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the 10 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:59,860 Lord with gladness. Come into his presence with singing. Know the Lord. He is God. He made us, and we are his. We are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name. This is the word of the Lord. 11 00:07:59,860 --> 00:08:29,840 We consider that in those words, the sheep of his pasture. I was taking part in a baby dedication yesterday, and we were reading through the 23rd Psalm, and that reality that the Lord is our shepherd, and he is the one who leads us to refreshment and to nourishment, but also he is the one who walks with us in those dark moments, in the valley of the shadow of death, who prepares a table before us, even when surrounded by our enemies. 12 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:42,840 That is a truth that is worth rejoicing in. And so, we're going to sing "Glorious Day," followed by "Battle Belongs," and then we'll move into our prayer and share time. 13 00:08:42,840 --> 00:09:09,840 I was buried beneath my shame. Who could carry that kind of weight? It was my turn. 14 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:36,840 Till I met you. I was breathing but not alive. All my failures I tried to hide. It was my turn. 15 00:09:36,840 --> 00:10:03,840 Till I met you. You called my name. And I ran out of that grave. Out of the darkness. Into your glorious day. You called my name. And I ran out of that grave. 16 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:30,840 And I ran out of that grave. Out of the darkness. Into your glorious day. Now your mercy has saved my soul. 17 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:57,840 Now your freedom is all that I know. The old made new. Jesus, when I met you, you called my name. And I ran out of that grave. Out of the darkness. 18 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:24,840 To your glorious day. You called my name. And I ran out of that grave. Out of the darkness. To your glorious day. 19 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:43,840 I needed rescue. My sin was heavy. The chains break at the weight of your glory. I needed shelter. I was an orphan. Now you call me a citizen of heaven. 20 00:11:43,840 --> 00:12:04,840 When I was broken, you were my healing. Now your love is the air that I'm breathing. I have a future. My eyes are open. 'Cause when you call my name, I ran out of that grave. 21 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:29,840 Out of the darkness into your glorious day. You call my name, and I ran out of that grave. Out of the darkness into your glorious day. 22 00:12:34,840 --> 00:13:03,840 The End 23 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:32,840 When all I see is the battle, you see my victory. When all I see is the mountain, you see a mountain moved. And as I walk through this shadow, your love surrounds me. 24 00:13:32,840 --> 00:14:01,840 There's nothing to fear now, for I'm safe with you. So when I fight, I'll fight on my knees, with my hands lifted high. Oh God, the battle belongs to you. And every fear I lay at your feet. 25 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:30,840 I'll sing through the night. Oh God, the battle belongs to you. And if you are for me, who can be against me? For Jesus, there's nothing impossible. 26 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:59,840 for you. When all I see are the ashes, you see the beauty. When all I see is a cross, God, you see the empty tomb. So when I fight, I'll fight on my cross. 27 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:24,840 I'll fight on my knees, with my hands lifted high. Oh, God, the battle belongs to you. And every fear I lay at your feet, I'll sing through the night. Oh, God, the battle belongs to you. 28 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:47,840 Almighty fortress, you go before us. Nothing can stand against the power of our God. You shine in the shadow. You win every battle. Nothing can stand against the power of our God. 29 00:15:47,840 --> 00:16:10,840 Almighty fortress, you go before us. Nothing can stand against the power of our God. You shine in the shadow. You win every battle. Nothing can stand against the power of our God. 30 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:38,840 So when I fight, I'll fight on my knees, with my hands lifted high. Oh God, the battle belongs to you. In every field I lay at your feet, I'll sing through the night. Oh God, the battle belongs to you. 31 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:45,840 Oh God, the battle belongs to you. 32 00:17:08,840 --> 00:17:10,840 Let's pray. 33 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:40,840 Let's pray. 34 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:10,840 Let's pray. 35 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:10,840 Amen. 36 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:40,840 Amen. 37 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:10,840 Amen. 38 00:30:38,840 --> 00:31:05,840 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:35,820 We've been working on learning a new song, "Firm Foundation," which I think has to be true of us in our life if our foundation is not good. Jesus tells us in the parable that this song is based upon that our house in times of storm comes crashing down. So we're going to sing this song, and then we're going to do something a little different than we normally do in terms of our order of service. Normally, we would move into our time around the table celebrating the Lord's Supper. 40 00:31:35,820 --> 00:32:05,800 together, but as we are in November, seeking to remember God's goodness and His grace to us, we are going to do that at the end of our message. So we're going to let our message this morning from the 22nd chapter of Luke lead us and bring us to this table. So we're going to sing and then we will jump into our message this morning. So we're going to sing "Firm Foundation." 41 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:35,780 Christ is my firm foundation. The rock on which I stand when everything around me is shaken. I've never been more glad that I put my faith in Jesus. 42 00:32:35,780 --> 00:33:05,760 Cause He's never let me down. He's faithful through generations. So why would He fail now? He won't. He won't. I've still got joy in chaos. 43 00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:35,740 That makes no sense. So I won't be going under. I'm not held by my own strength. Cause I built my life on Jesus. He's never let me down. He's faithful in every season. 44 00:33:35,740 --> 00:34:05,720 He won't. He won't. He won't fail. He won't fail. He won't. He won't. 45 00:34:05,720 --> 00:34:35,700 He won't fail. He won't fail. Rain came, wind blew. My house was built on you. I'll say with you, I'm gonna make it through. 46 00:34:35,700 --> 00:35:05,680 Rain came, wind blew. My house was built on you. I'm safe with you. I'm gonna make it through. Yeah, I'm gonna make it through. 'Cause I'm standing strong on you. 47 00:35:05,680 --> 00:35:35,660 I'm gonna make it through. 'Cause my house is built on you. Christ is my firm foundation. The rock on which I stand. When everything around me is shaken. I've never been more glad that I put my faith in Jesus. 48 00:35:35,660 --> 00:36:05,640 'Cause He's never let me down. He's faithful through generations. So why would He fail now? He won't. He won't. He won't fail. 49 00:36:05,640 --> 00:36:35,620 He won't fail. He won't. 50 00:36:35,620 --> 00:37:05,600 And he said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves, for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." 51 00:37:05,600 --> 00:37:35,580 He broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." And likewise the cup, after they had eaten, saying, "This cup that's poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table." This is the word of the Lord. 52 00:37:35,580 --> 00:38:05,560 And to this account, I ask that you would help us to see your love and your goodness, that you would help us to remember, that you would help us to fix our eyes on you, that as we walk through this life as individuals and as a church, that you would be our firm foundation, that you would help us to dig down deep and to remember 53 00:38:05,560 --> 00:38:35,540 to see your goodness. It is in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. One of, I think, the great differences between a leader and a boss is that a boss tells you what to do, but a leader comes alongside of you and helps you to do it or shows you how to do it. And as we move through the Bible from almost sort of the very beginning of God's people as a big group, God doesn't simply 54 00:38:35,540 --> 00:39:05,520 call them to remember God's deliverance and his promises and his goodness, but he helps them to do so. We'll take a look this morning in just a few moments at a glimpse of how God does that through instituting a meal of the Passover, but also when they come into the promised land. He says, get some rocks and make a tower so that when your kids come by, you can ask, what are those rocks doing there? You can tell them what God has done. 55 00:39:05,520 --> 00:39:35,500 And you see that God throughout Scripture, not just in these places or in these examples, calls us to remember. And so the Lord's Supper instituted at Passover as a place to remember God's salvation. And so that's where we're going to be this morning, taking a look at the salvation that is found through Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross. 56 00:39:35,500 --> 00:40:05,480 God's salvation. In Exodus 12:14, the context for these words in Luke is the Passover. And God will say this to his people, "This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations, as a statute forever. You shall keep it as a feast." 57 00:40:05,480 --> 00:40:35,460 That God saves. And it's a moment in the midst of their lives where they focus on hope and thanksgiving, not just that God has saved in the past, but that he has cared for his people and has promised to do so in the future. And it is not just a general, "God is so good." Sometimes it's very easy for us, as we remember what God has done, or to thank him for what he has done, to do so in sort of 58 00:40:35,460 --> 00:41:05,440 a general way. For example, "Well, we thank you for this day." But God, as he institutes this meal, helps them and helps us to see specifics of that remembrance. And so in Exodus chapter 6, you have these two verses that are essentially the backbone for the Passover meal. 59 00:41:05,440 --> 00:41:35,420 And I will bring you out from under the burden of the Egyptians. I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. And I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 60 00:41:35,420 --> 00:42:05,400 And His disciples would celebrate the Passover meal. These two verses from Exodus would essentially form the skeleton of this celebration. Because in these verses are four promises of God, that God will bring His people out, that God will deliver His people, that God will redeem His people, and He will take them, and they will be His people. They won't belong to anybody else. 61 00:42:05,400 --> 00:42:35,380 From where they were in Egypt, in the brokenness and heartbreak, it is a wonderful promise. And the way these form, sort of the outline of Passover, is during the Passover celebration, you would drink and refill your cup four times as you're celebrating. And at each of these four times, you would stop and you would remember this promise of God, that God would be the one who would bring you out and you would drink from the cup. 62 00:42:35,380 --> 00:43:05,360 During the outline of the service, you would drink to remember God's deliverance. And drink to remember God's redemption. And drink to remember this promise that they would be God's people. And so you would be remembering continually these very specific promises of God. And if you notice in this text in Luke that we are in, Luke references two cups. 63 00:43:05,360 --> 00:43:35,340 We read this text around the communion table, and there's a cup, and then he breaks the bread, and there's another cup. And we wonder why is there a cup and then bread and then another cup. Jesus, before he institutes the Lord's Supper, he celebrates during the Passover service this cup of deliverance. And after supper, when he takes the bread, which in the Passover service is either set aside, depending on if you're just a group of adults, they would set aside some bread. 64 00:43:35,340 --> 00:44:05,320 If you had kids with you, you would hide it around the room, and then you would send them on a scavenger hunt, and whoever finds the bread and brings it back to the table gets a little reward. They would take this after-dinner bread. And Jesus takes this bread, showing the sort of the continued providence of God, and he breaks it, and then he celebrates with this cup of redemption. And so as we're called and invited to this table with Jesus, 65 00:44:05,320 --> 00:44:35,300 there's three things I want you to know and three things I want you to drive deep into your heart. And the first is this, that in Christ, you are accepted. Luke 22:14 says this, "When the hour came, he reclined at the tables and the apostles with him." Now, our posture can tell us a lot about our attitudes. It communicates something about us, right? We can tell when somebody is relaxed. We can tell when somebody is 66 00:44:35,300 --> 00:45:05,280 10 and we can tell when somebody is nervous or you can tell when somebody is excited. You can tell when you're talking to somebody if they're happy to talk to you or they're annoyed to talk to you or whether they're putting up walls sort of against you, closing off their body language. And we sort of pick up on it and think about it naturally. But Passover, in part, was all about body language. The first Passover is eaten at an extreme herd. 67 00:45:05,280 --> 00:45:35,260 Exodus 12:11 says this, "In this manner you shall eat it, with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, your staff in your hand, and you shall eat it in haste, for it is the Lord's Passover." And it reminds me is when we were kids and our cousins were all visiting and we'd been playing outside and we got called in for dinner and there's just a little bit of daylight left and we would run in with all of our stuff and we would eat as fast as we can and run 68 00:45:35,260 --> 00:46:05,240 back out the door. Right? That's the picture here. These guys are not sort of sitting down, taking off your jackets, you know, putting your bag or your purse over to the side and getting ready to relax and enjoy a dinner together. They are eating as fast as they can because in a moment they may have to run out the door. But what's interesting is all subsequent Passover meals were eaten in comfort and relaxation, enjoying the delivery 69 00:46:05,240 --> 00:46:35,220 reverence that God had accomplished. That Jesus, as he reclines, which was the custom of the day around this day, it's not just an interesting cultural note, but it's a message for those of us who are in crisis that you don't have to be ready to run or move, that God has done it. You can rest in your salvation. But also Jesus will say, "I wanted to eat this Passover with you." 70 00:46:35,220 --> 00:47:05,200 Who you ate with matters. Your meal companion said something about you. It's a little bit like today when you drive and you see people with bumper stickers, right? They declare their causes, right? They declare who they support. They declare my favorite, and in fact, my brother-in-law's car at the bottom of the parking lot has one. It says, "Do you really follow Jesus this closely?" And I wish I had that the other day when I was driving. But bumper stickers, they tend to tell 71 00:47:05,200 --> 00:47:35,180 what we're excited about, or what we support, or they sort of mark us out as who we are. And in Jesus' day, the companions with who you ate did the same thing, right? These are my people. I support them. They are my friends. This is where I stand, unlike today, where we can eat pretty much with whoever we want. Most people, some might, but most people will. Not judging Jesus' day was like putting a bumper sticker on your car. 72 00:47:35,180 --> 00:48:05,160 That's why the Pharisees get so angry about Jesus and say, "You're eating with tax collectors and sinners." So who is Jesus eating with during this Passover meal? The disciples of Jesus are a pretty funny group. Different vocations, different personalities, different political views. So you have fishermen, and then you have the guy who taxes the fishermen, and then you have a zealot. 73 00:48:05,160 --> 00:48:35,140 He is the terrorist who wants to kill the guy who taxes the fishermen, right? There is a lot going on just in a few of Jesus' disciples. And even more as the church gets bigger and bigger. There are different personalities who really are only known in the Gospels for bringing people to Jesus. In the middle of it all, there are, sitting around that table, people with political differences. 74 00:48:35,140 --> 00:49:05,120 We hear Matthew, the tax collector, and the zealot who in a previous life would have killed that tax collector talking about where they stood. It's a pretty relevant group around the table for today. Now we likely know what happens after this meal, but if you don't, Jesus goes to the cross to save these guys. And that's what Jesus is focused on. And that's what is on his mind. 75 00:49:05,120 --> 00:49:24,120 In this moment, that I want you to see his love as he has this group of people surrounding him, and he goes, "Earnestly, I have desired to eat this meal with you." And it's like, "My hunger is hungry," is how that literally comes out, but not for the food, but for these people. 76 00:49:24,120 --> 00:49:35,100 So what's on the disciples' mind in this moment? In verse 24, just a few verses later, "A dispute arose among them as to which of them was regarded to be the greatest." 77 00:49:35,100 --> 00:50:05,080 It's not a new argument. James and John will actually tag their mom in to be part of this argument at one point. And over the next few hours, some of the disciples will sleep. All of them will flee. Peter will deny him. These guys around the table are rough and humble. They're selfish. They're sinful. They are afraid. And Jesus loves all of them. 78 00:50:05,080 --> 00:50:22,080 Maybe you believe that you have to somehow just be good enough for Jesus, that you have to earn a place at the table. But when you come to Jesus, you are accepted, loved, and transformed and brought in. And I want you to see in Christ that you are accepted. 79 00:50:22,080 --> 00:50:35,060 One of the things growing up that was kind of a status for us was we have a kind of a big extended family and we would gather either for Christmas or Thanksgiving. Most of the time it was at our 80 00:50:35,060 --> 00:51:05,040 house there would be several separate tables. And the main part of the dining room would be the main table where all the grown-ups got to sit. And then over kind of along the wall in there would be another table where those of us cousins who were old enough got to sit. And then around the corner in the living room was a table where the little kids got to sit. And in part it was because they were so excited because of all their family and everything going on. They didn't eat a lot anyway. 81 00:51:05,040 --> 00:51:35,020 They grew up as you sort of moved from table to table. So if sometimes there wasn't enough room and maybe you got stuck at the little kids table, it was kind of an insult, right? I don't belong at this table. Or maybe sometimes when somebody gets promoted ahead of time, say they don't belong at the big people table. And the adult table, it seems like when all dessert was brought out, it was always served on the adult table, right? We didn't put it on the counter with the rest of the food. All the adults sit, all the pies and everything there. 82 00:51:35,020 --> 00:52:05,000 And what I want you to know is there are no separate tables in the kingdom of God. Young, old, men, women, doesn't matter who you are, what you've done, what you've accomplished, if you are in Christ, there is a place at the table for you bought by the blood of Jesus. And you are loved and accepted. 83 00:52:05,000 --> 00:52:16,000 Acceptance that Jesus does and move in to look more specifically that in Christ we are loved. Jesus says, "I earnestly desire to eat this Passover with you." 84 00:52:16,000 --> 00:52:30,000 It's the last meal before the cross. And Jesus knows and he understands this reality. And I think most of us facing this, we wouldn't be very hungry. 85 00:52:30,000 --> 00:52:34,980 But Jesus says this about the meal, "I have earnestly desired to eat this meal with you." 86 00:52:34,980 --> 00:52:46,980 And the question is, is Jesus excited for this roast lamb, the bitter herbs, sitting around a table for hours walking through a worship service that involves a meal? 87 00:52:46,980 --> 00:52:51,980 Is Jesus going, "Man, I can't wait for that roast lamb. Hopefully it's not too dry this year." 88 00:52:51,980 --> 00:52:57,980 Or those bitter herbs that bring tears to your eyes to remember the tears of slavery. 89 00:52:57,980 --> 00:53:04,960 Jesus isn't talking here about the food. 90 00:53:04,960 --> 00:53:10,960 Jesus is like, "Man, I really just love all the selection of food for this Passover meal." 91 00:53:10,960 --> 00:53:28,960 What Jesus is saying is this in John 13, "Now before the feast of Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in this world, he loved them until the end." 92 00:53:28,960 --> 00:53:37,960 Jesus' desire is not reluctant. It's based in love. 93 00:53:37,960 --> 00:53:43,960 Have you ever had to do something you didn't want to do? How quickly do you move? 94 00:53:43,960 --> 00:53:55,960 When we go and do our work with horses on Monday, it's one of those things you realize you maybe don't think about until it happens, but it's rain or shine, it's warm or cold. 95 00:53:55,960 --> 00:54:00,960 And I'll tell you what, there are some days it's like, "Man, I'm just going to sit in the car and let the kids go do the work." Right? 96 00:54:00,960 --> 00:54:05,960 Let them get cold. Let them get wet. Jesus isn't like that. 97 00:54:05,960 --> 00:54:14,960 He's not reluctant in His love for you. He doesn't look at you and go, "Man, I know I should love Him." He's not obligated. 98 00:54:14,960 --> 00:54:24,960 He is doing this because He loves you. His love is not based in being deserved. 99 00:54:24,960 --> 00:54:32,960 The goodness of the disciples, in the next few hours they're going to argue, fall asleep, abandon, and Peter will deny Jesus. 100 00:54:32,960 --> 00:54:40,960 And if His love for them is not based on their goodness, why would you think His love for you is based on your goodness? 101 00:54:40,960 --> 00:54:47,960 I want you to see as Jesus sits with this meal that He brings one big table. 102 00:54:47,960 --> 00:54:57,960 He loves the people who surround this table. And in Jesus, there is hope. In Christ, there is hope. 103 00:54:57,960 --> 00:55:04,960 I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And He took a cup, and when He had given thanks, He said, 104 00:55:04,960 --> 00:55:12,960 "Take this and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you, from now on, I will not drink the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." 105 00:55:12,960 --> 00:55:20,960 And often we see this celebration, especially when we come to communion, as looking back to the past. 106 00:55:20,960 --> 00:55:23,960 But Jesus says, "This is also a call to look forward." 107 00:55:23,960 --> 00:55:29,960 Not to bring the parents from Egypt, where He brings you out, and He redeems you, and makes you His people, 108 00:55:29,960 --> 00:55:38,960 but also to look forward to the substance of what that represents. It's why Paul says this in 1 Corinthians 16, 109 00:55:38,960 --> 00:55:46,960 "For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes." 110 00:55:46,960 --> 00:55:52,960 We live in a broken world, and we can see it, and we can feel it, and we can hear it, and we are surrounded by it. 111 00:55:52,960 --> 00:56:00,960 We see it in conflict, in society, in our families, in our relationships. We see brokenness, and we see evil. 112 00:56:00,960 --> 00:56:10,960 And Romans 8 will say this, that creation cries out, is groaning, because they feel the weight that you and I feel in the depth of our soul 113 00:56:10,960 --> 00:56:16,960 about the brokenness of this world, and that things are not as they should be. 114 00:56:16,960 --> 00:56:23,960 It's why the book of Revelation, this glorious vision of Jesus, ends with these words from John, and he just says, 115 00:56:23,960 --> 00:56:33,960 "Come, Lord Jesus, the groanings of my soul, and to see you in how you make it right, how you defeat the dragon, and you bring us home." 116 00:56:33,960 --> 00:56:46,960 And he says, "Come, Lord Jesus." Horatio Spafford, in the midst of loss of his businesses and his four children, will say this, 117 00:56:46,960 --> 00:57:06,960 "Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight. The clouds be rolled back as a scroll. The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend. Even so, it is well with my soul." 118 00:57:06,960 --> 00:57:22,960 In his darkest moment, what does he say? "Lord, haste the day. I've lost my business. I've lost my children. My wife has just encountered a shipwreck. She sent me a telegram that says, "Saved alone." 119 00:57:22,960 --> 00:57:34,960 And he says, "Even so, haste the day when you come back and you fix the groaning of my soul." And it's interesting, that last line that maybe you've sung that says, "Even so, it is well with my soul." 120 00:57:34,960 --> 00:57:49,960 It's not originally that. He originally writes this: "It's a song in the night, O my soul." It's what Job says in the midst of the darkness, that God is the one who gives me a song in the darkest night. 121 00:57:49,960 --> 00:58:02,960 Job's song, Horatio Spafford's song in the night is Jesus. Let's take a look at the broken bread and the poured out cup. 122 00:58:02,960 --> 00:58:15,960 The broken bread and the poured out cup in Luke 22:19. He took the bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." 123 00:58:15,960 --> 00:58:23,960 And likewise, the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood." 124 00:58:23,960 --> 00:58:30,960 What happens here is in two directions. For the disciples in this moment, Jesus is showing them what is about to happen. 125 00:58:30,960 --> 00:58:36,960 The true Passover lamb is about to be sacrificed. True redemption was about to be accomplished. 126 00:58:36,960 --> 00:58:44,960 True deliverance was at hand. Truly being made a person, or people, or being brought into the family of God that was going to happen. 127 00:58:44,960 --> 00:58:55,960 The Son of God, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, is about to step into the darkness so these people and we can be brought into the light. 128 00:58:55,960 --> 00:59:07,960 And the question here is this: What other person would take all of your bad brokenness and give you all of his goodness intentionally? 129 00:59:07,960 --> 00:59:14,960 Romans 5 says, "For while we were weak, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly." 130 00:59:14,960 --> 00:59:19,960 But God shows his love for us that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 131 00:59:19,960 --> 00:59:25,960 For the disciples, this was about to happen. For you and me in Christ, this is what has happened. 132 00:59:25,960 --> 00:59:32,960 And when we hear this, and we hear those words, "The remembrance of me," or we remember Jesus. 133 00:59:32,960 --> 00:59:42,960 And as we come to this table, I want you to see these things. First of all, Jesus suffers intentionally and willingly for you. 134 00:59:42,960 --> 00:59:52,960 He said to them earnestly, "I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." 135 00:59:52,960 --> 00:59:57,960 The decision for Jesus to go to the cross is intentional. 136 00:59:57,960 --> 01:00:09,960 He says, "Willing," not given, or he says, "I've given," not taken, not forced, not coerced, but my body, given for you. 137 01:00:09,960 --> 01:00:17,960 And he took bread, and when he gave thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. 138 01:00:17,960 --> 01:00:24,960 This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood." I want you to hear the language that Jesus uses. 139 01:00:24,960 --> 01:00:31,960 "I earnestly desire before I suffer. My body is given. This cup, my blood is poured out." 140 01:00:31,960 --> 01:00:38,960 Jesus willingly gives his life, knowing that he is about to suffer. 141 01:00:38,960 --> 01:00:46,960 I want you to see that Jesus goes to the cross willingly, and he goes for you. 142 01:00:47,960 --> 01:00:57,960 The arrest that follows, the mocking, the beating, the flogging, the crown of thorns, the cross is for you. 143 01:00:57,960 --> 01:01:01,960 And this meal that we are about to partake of is a nourishment for our souls. 144 01:01:01,960 --> 01:01:04,960 You and I are really good at hiding the hunger of our souls. 145 01:01:04,960 --> 01:01:10,960 We drown it out by entertaining ourselves. We push it aside with busyness. 146 01:01:10,960 --> 01:01:17,960 However, in the quiet times, if we're honest, we feel that we need something more. 147 01:01:17,960 --> 01:01:22,960 In the times of struggle and difficulty, we feel our weakness and emptiness. 148 01:01:22,960 --> 01:01:30,960 And even sometimes when joy and goodness comes, and we're excited, it may be with a tiny tinge of discontentment. 149 01:01:30,960 --> 01:01:33,960 I thought this would make me happier. 150 01:01:33,960 --> 01:01:37,960 That feeling is the hunger of your soul. 151 01:01:37,960 --> 01:01:46,960 And it's not a physical hunger, but it is a deep and abiding spiritual hunger that I need to be loved truly. 152 01:01:46,960 --> 01:01:50,960 I need hope. I need a future. 153 01:01:50,960 --> 01:01:55,960 And Jesus says, "Do this in remembrance of me." 154 01:01:55,960 --> 01:02:03,960 Mostly, when we hear this, we think about the spiritual significance of Jesus' death and burial and resurrection. 155 01:02:03,960 --> 01:02:12,960 And this is right to think that. To think about the spiritual significance that Jesus is about to go and to die in your place for your sins, 156 01:02:12,960 --> 01:02:20,960 to carry the weight of your sin upon His shoulders, to go into the darkness so that you can be brought into the light. 157 01:02:20,960 --> 01:02:32,960 It says, "For your sake, He was made poor who was rich, so that in Him we can have all these riches." 158 01:02:32,960 --> 01:02:40,960 And we think about the spiritual significance. But also, I think, this is just simply saying, "Remember Jesus." 159 01:02:40,960 --> 01:02:49,960 And it might be easy for us to say, "I would never forget Jesus," but it literally happens with the people sitting at the table with Him moments later. 160 01:02:49,960 --> 01:02:57,960 He says, "Remember me," and just a few moments later they're arguing about who's better and who's greater, and they're completely ignoring Jesus. 161 01:02:57,960 --> 01:03:08,960 And just like that, this remembrance is not just a spiritual significance, but it's a remembrance of Jesus and who He is. 162 01:03:08,960 --> 01:03:15,960 Jesus is sitting with them, showing them His sacrifice. And some of these people have followed because they have heard John the baptizer say, 163 01:03:15,960 --> 01:03:22,960 "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." And they know what that means in terms of lambs and Passovers. 164 01:03:22,960 --> 01:03:29,960 And moments later they've forgotten Jesus. We are much the same. 165 01:03:29,960 --> 01:03:40,960 On January 7th of 1855, Charles Spurgeon preaches a sermon called "The Remembrance of Christ." 166 01:03:40,960 --> 01:03:45,960 And he says this, not about the people listening to his sermon, but about himself. 167 01:03:45,960 --> 01:03:53,960 He says this, as he talks about remembering Jesus, "Far too many other things attract and occupy me." 168 01:03:53,960 --> 01:04:04,960 And he'll picture the moon and the sun, and he uses this illustration of the sun with all of its largeness, and it's brighter, and it's more significant than the moon. 169 01:04:04,960 --> 01:04:14,960 Yet the moon, upon our planet, exercises a lot more influence in terms of how our oceans move. 170 01:04:14,960 --> 01:04:23,960 And Spurgeon makes the point that the reason the moon has so much influence is because it is close. 171 01:04:23,960 --> 01:04:28,960 And he says, "Here is my problem when it comes to forgetting Christ." 172 01:04:28,960 --> 01:04:38,960 He says this, "So I have find that the little crawling worm of earth has more effect upon my soul than the glorious Christ of heaven. 173 01:04:38,960 --> 01:04:45,960 A handful of golden earth," and he means money, "A puff of fame, a shout of applause, a thriving business. 174 01:04:45,960 --> 01:04:53,960 My house, my home will affect me more than all the glories of heaven simply." 175 01:04:53,960 --> 01:04:59,960 He says, "To me, earth is near and heaven seems far away." 176 01:04:59,960 --> 01:05:05,960 And what God does in His glorious providence is He gives us a meal that brings us close. 177 01:05:05,960 --> 01:05:11,960 This bread and this cup is not just directing our minds to the theological work of Jesus, 178 01:05:11,960 --> 01:05:16,960 although it certainly is, but it's directing us to Jesus Himself. 179 01:05:16,960 --> 01:05:22,960 To His birth, He will be called Emmanuel, which means God with us. 180 01:05:22,960 --> 01:05:27,960 To His baptism where it is proclaimed, "This is my Son with whom I am well pleased." 181 01:05:27,960 --> 01:05:33,960 To His ministry and power and might, both in words, as people say, "Who teaches like this?" 182 01:05:33,960 --> 01:05:38,960 And His miracles who say, "How is it that the wind and the waves obey Him?" 183 01:05:38,960 --> 01:05:44,960 "Who gives sight to the blind and hope to the outcast? Who can forgive sins?" 184 01:05:44,960 --> 01:05:50,960 And then to the suffering in the garden, to the high priest, to the Sanhedrin. 185 01:05:50,960 --> 01:05:54,960 And ultimately Jesus suffers under the hands of Pontius Pilate. 186 01:05:54,960 --> 01:05:59,960 He is crucified, died, and buried, and on the third day He rises from the dead. 187 01:05:59,960 --> 01:06:05,960 He ascends to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, 188 01:06:05,960 --> 01:06:10,960 from whom He will come to judge the living and the dead. 189 01:06:10,960 --> 01:06:18,960 This meal for God's people directs us to remember Jesus. 190 01:06:18,960 --> 01:06:26,960 So what we are going to do is we are going to pray, and then we will partake together of this. 191 01:06:26,960 --> 01:06:35,960 Father in heaven, help us, as the writer of Hebrews encourages us to fix our eyes on Jesus, 192 01:06:35,960 --> 01:06:43,960 the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, despising the shame, 193 01:06:43,960 --> 01:06:49,960 has went to the cross on our behalf. It is now seated at your right hand. 194 01:06:49,960 --> 01:06:53,960 Help us as we eat this bread. May you nourish our souls. 195 01:06:53,960 --> 01:07:00,960 As we come around this table to drink the cup, together with our brothers and sisters in Christ, 196 01:07:00,960 --> 01:07:09,960 this table that you have prepared for us, may you strengthen us, and may we dwell in your house forever. 197 01:07:09,960 --> 01:07:16,960 I ask that you bless this bread and this cup. It is in Jesus' name that I pray. Amen. 198 01:07:16,960 --> 01:07:27,960 So if you will take the bread with me. As Jesus shares with His disciples, and He says this, 199 01:07:27,960 --> 01:07:39,960 "This is my body, which is forgiven for you. Do this in remembrance of me." Let's partake together. 200 01:07:39,960 --> 01:08:06,960 And then He takes the cup, the one after supper, the cup of redemption that reminds us of that promise from Exodus chapter 6, "I will redeem you with an outstretched arm." And Jesus, who is about to stretch out His arms to redeem His people, says this, "This cup is poured out for you as the new covenant in my blood." Let's partake together. 201 01:08:06,960 --> 01:08:21,960 And as we focus our minds on Jesus, we proclaim Him, as Paul says, through this meal until He comes again. Let's stand, and let's sing what we just celebrated. 202 01:08:21,960 --> 01:08:40,960 In Christ alone, my hope is found. He is my light, my strength, my song. This cornerstone, this solid ground. 203 01:08:40,960 --> 01:09:07,960 He is my light, my strength, my song. This cornerstone, this solid ground. Firm through the fiercest drought and storm. What heights of love, what depths of peace. When fears are stilled, when strivings cease. 204 01:09:07,960 --> 01:09:34,960 My comforter, my all in all. Here in the love of Christ I stand. In Christ alone, who took on flesh, fullness of God in helpless faith. This gift of love and righteousness. 205 01:09:34,960 --> 01:10:01,960 And righteousness, scorned by the ones He came to save. Till on that cross, as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied. For every sin on Him was laid. Here in the death of Christ I live. 206 01:10:01,960 --> 01:10:28,960 There in the ground His body lay. Light of the world by darkness slain. Then bursting forth in glorious day. Upon the grave He rose again. 207 01:10:28,960 --> 01:10:55,960 And as He stands in victory. Sin's curse has lost its grip on me. For I am His, and He is mine. Brought with the precious blood of Christ. 208 01:10:55,960 --> 01:11:22,960 In my life. No fear in death. This is the power of Christ in me. From life's first cry. To final breath. Jesus commends my destiny. No power of hell. No scheme of man. 209 01:11:22,960 --> 01:11:49,960 Can ever pluck me from his hand. Till he returns. Or calls me home. Here in the power of Christ I'll stand. No power of hell. No scheme of man. Can ever pluck me from his hand. Till he returns. Or calls me home. 210 01:11:49,960 --> 01:12:00,960 Till he returns. Or calls me home. Here in the power of Christ I'll stand. 211 01:12:00,960 --> 01:12:16,960 Thank you for being with us this morning. A few announcements before we pray, read a verse of Scripture, and sing the doxology. First of all, Wednesday night Bible study. 212 01:12:16,960 --> 01:12:29,960 We are in the last little bit of Colossians as Paul says his goodbyes, and he shares those from whom he is sending greetings, and those to whom he is sending greetings. 213 01:12:29,960 --> 01:12:35,960 Fascinating stories of both faithfulness and struggle. That will be Wednesday night at 6 p.m. 214 01:12:35,960 --> 01:12:44,960 Also, the children's church is the second and fourth Sunday of each month, and so that will be next Sunday. 215 01:12:44,960 --> 01:12:53,960 And then the fourth Sunday, November 20th, which is a Wednesday night, I would like to invite you to come have Thanksgiving dinner with us. 216 01:12:53,960 --> 01:13:00,960 We'll provide the turkeys and invite you to bring a side or bring a friend or bring both if you want. 217 01:13:00,960 --> 01:13:08,960 We like eating Thanksgiving food, and the more Thanksgiving meals, at least from my perspective, the better. 218 01:13:08,960 --> 01:13:13,960 So I'm going to smoke a couple turkeys and bring some sides, and we'll come and eat together and celebrate. 219 01:13:13,960 --> 01:13:17,960 We're also going to do something a little different. We've never done this before. 220 01:13:17,960 --> 01:13:23,960 Generally, on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, we're all kind of very busy and have plans. 221 01:13:23,960 --> 01:13:32,960 But if you do not have plans, this Thanksgiving Eve, we're going to do at 6:00 p.m., kind of a quiet worship service. 222 01:13:32,960 --> 01:13:37,960 I talked to my brother-in-law. He's going to be here, and he's going to lead worship for us. 223 01:13:37,960 --> 01:13:47,960 Kind of a quiet time of joyful Thanksgiving through worship and Scripture as we come into a holiday of Thanksgiving, 224 01:13:47,960 --> 01:13:56,960 a place where Christians are called not just as a holiday for the nation, but to live with every day, living in Thanksgiving. 225 01:13:56,960 --> 01:14:03,960 And so that is Wednesday, November 27th at 6:00 p.m. There's going to be Thanksgiving Eve worship. 226 01:14:03,960 --> 01:14:07,960 I'm going to go ahead and have a word of prayer, and we'll read a verse of Scripture and be dismissed. 227 01:14:07,960 --> 01:14:15,960 Father in heaven, I thank you for Jesus in grace. Thank you for your people and how they encourage and strengthen and walk with us. 228 01:14:15,960 --> 01:14:26,960 Thank you for your church. I thank you that we could gather this morning to stand together and to sing together and to gather around the table to fix our eyes on Jesus. 229 01:14:26,960 --> 01:14:32,960 Help us as we move through this week to do all that we do, remembering his work on the cross. 230 01:14:32,960 --> 01:14:40,960 I thank you for your grace that you have just given us so wonderfully. It's in your son's name we pray. Amen. 231 01:14:40,960 --> 01:14:46,960 The 100th Psalm, which we began with this morning, ends with these words: "The Lord is good. 232 01:14:46,960 --> 01:14:52,960 His steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations." 233 01:14:56,960 --> 01:15:23,960 Praise God, from whom all blessings flow. Praise him, all creatures here below. Praise him, above ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 234 01:15:26,960 --> 01:15:29,960 Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 235 01:15:56,960 --> 01:15:58,960 Amen. 236 01:16:26,960 --> 01:16:28,960 Amen. 237 01:16:56,960 --> 01:16:58,960 Amen. 238 01:17:26,960 --> 01:17:54,240 Let's pray.