1 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:05,720 You're listening to Key Life Fellowships Pulpit ministry 2 00:00:05,720 --> 00:00:08,920 podcast. We thank you for tuning in as we 3 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:12,320 learn from God's Word together. If you would like more 4 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:15,760 information regarding Key Life or to speak with one of our 5 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:20,960 pastors, please visit us at keylifefellow-ship.com. 6 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:32,800 Amen. I am, and I know many of you are 7 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:37,200 as well, thankful that His mercy is more. 8 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:41,840 More than all of the sin that we have ever done, more of all than 9 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:45,280 all of the unrighteous acts that we could ever commit. 10 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:51,280 It is grace, and His mercy is more than the worst thing that 11 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:57,080 you could ever imagine doing. So we celebrate that this 12 00:00:57,080 --> 00:01:04,120 morning, the mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and we 13 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:09,280 go to the cross today and we remember where that mercy was 14 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:15,880 poured out, where that mercy was displayed every first Sunday of 15 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:19,360 every new year that the Lord has blessed us with at Key Life 16 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:22,960 Fellowship. We take time to do what we are 17 00:01:22,960 --> 00:01:28,240 going to do this morning. We don't do something new, 18 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:33,400 something hip, something cool or creative. 19 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:40,560 We don't start some flashy canned life help life hack 20 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:43,280 series that'll help you get going in your new year. 21 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:49,360 We definitely don't give you 7 steps to a better you. 22 00:01:53,040 --> 00:02:00,480 We simply begin the year approaching the Lord's Table to 23 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:03,520 remember the communion and the fellowship that we have with the 24 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:06,080 Lord because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. 25 00:02:10,199 --> 00:02:16,040 Every first Sunday of the new year, we remember the body and 26 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:19,360 the blood of Jesus Christ and what that means. 27 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:22,880 Now, I know that we live in a time where that can be rather 28 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:26,720 confusing to many people because we don't take the time often 29 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:31,280 when we observe the Lord's Supper to speak of the magnitude 30 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:34,600 of what this ordinance really is and what it means. 31 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:38,360 So today what I want to do is I want to make sure that everyone 32 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:44,360 here has a clear understanding as to why we would even do such 33 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:49,200 a thing. Why does the church remember the 34 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:51,440 body and the blood of Jesus Christ? 35 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:55,640 And why is this so important? So let us begin this year 36 00:02:55,640 --> 00:02:58,400 remembering why? Remembering who? 37 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:04,640 Remembering exactly what Christ did for us at the cross. 38 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:10,000 Because if you're in Christ, the whole reason that you're here 39 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:13,240 this morning is because of Christ and what he did for you 40 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:17,280 at the cross, or you would have no reason to be here. 41 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:21,680 And so today, as we open the Bible to 1st Corinthians Chapter 42 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:24,320 11, where we get some instructions from Paul to the 43 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:29,960 church regarding the Lord's Supper, what many have called 44 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:36,200 communion, which represents our fellowship with God through the 45 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:40,120 body and the blood of Christ. Paul is going to give 46 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:42,280 instructions here in first Corinthians Chapter 11. 47 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:45,840 I'll give you a moment to get there in your Bible so you can 48 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:49,360 see exactly what he is saying, so that you don't miss any of 49 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:54,520 this, because all of it is of great importance when we are 50 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:58,200 preparing to approach the table of the Lord and to partake of 51 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:05,040 the Lord's Supper. Paul here in the first 52 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:07,640 Corinthian letter, the 11th chapter, is giving some 53 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:11,080 correction to the Corinthian believers who have mishandled 54 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:15,240 the Lord's Supper. They've made it into a drunken 55 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:20,959 party, a festival of gluttony. They've turned it into something 56 00:04:20,959 --> 00:04:23,720 that it never was intended on being. 57 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:28,520 Paul has gotten wind of this and Paul's going to give correction 58 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:33,080 from the teachings that he received from the Lord 59 00:04:33,280 --> 00:04:37,440 specifically. And we see that teaching here in 60 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:40,640 the 23rd verse of the 11th chapter where he says this. 61 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:45,040 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you. 62 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:49,000 He says that what I'm going to teach you came directly from 63 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:52,320 Christ himself in that encounter that he had where he was taught 64 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:55,280 by the Lord. He said the Lord Jesus, on the 65 00:04:55,280 --> 00:04:58,440 night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given 66 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:03,280 things, he broke it and said, This is my body which is for 67 00:05:03,280 --> 00:05:07,880 you. Do this in remembrance of me. 68 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:13,200 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying This cup is 69 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:18,920 the new covenant in my blood. Do this whenever you drink it in 70 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:22,720 remembrance of me. But whenever you eat this bread 71 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:29,520 and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 72 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:35,080 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the 73 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:40,880 Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the 74 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:47,840 body and blood of the Lord. He says in verse 28, a man ought 75 00:05:47,840 --> 00:05:52,800 to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of 76 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:56,840 the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks 77 00:05:56,840 --> 00:06:01,000 without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks 78 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:06,600 judgment on himself. That is why many among you are 79 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:12,400 weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 80 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:17,160 But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. 81 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:21,040 When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that 82 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:25,040 we will not be condemned with the world. 83 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:27,400 Let's pray together. Father, in the name of Jesus, we 84 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:29,880 come to you. We thank you for your word that 85 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:33,120 you have preserved for us all of this time. 86 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:36,880 That we may approach the Lord's Table today properly. 87 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:40,840 That we may remember properly the body and the blood of Jesus 88 00:06:40,840 --> 00:06:43,680 Christ. That we may examine our lives 89 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:49,040 properly as you have called us to do before partaking God. 90 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:52,280 That today we would honor the Lord Jesus Christ. 91 00:06:54,760 --> 00:07:00,720 We would honor him and worship and adoration as we approach the 92 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:02,920 Lord's Supper properly, biblically. 93 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:08,440 God, I pray as we do just that, that you would be honored and 94 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:12,080 you would be exalted, that you would be glorified in this 95 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:15,400 place, the Lord. I also pray for those who are 96 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:17,520 here today who are not in Christ. 97 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:20,960 They have no communion with the Father because they have no 98 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:24,920 communion with the Son. There is no communion with the 99 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:28,120 Father apart from communing with the Son. 100 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:34,400 And I pray that you make known to them today that this table is 101 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:38,040 not for them. In fact, your word declares that 102 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:42,200 they are alienated from this fellowship and this table. 103 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:47,040 God, I pray today that they see the only way to be reconciled. 104 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:51,200 It's through the sacrifice that we are remembering today. 105 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:54,880 And that in seeing that, they would see the gospel clearly and 106 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:58,040 their need for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to cover them and 107 00:07:58,040 --> 00:07:59,320 forgive them of all of their sin. 108 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:04,120 And then they would cry out to you by faith, trusting in Jesus 109 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:09,400 as Lord and Savior today, that you would truly welcome them to 110 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:15,800 your table to feast with your children and to commune with 111 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:18,600 you. Lord, we'll give you praise and 112 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:21,760 honor and glory, what you're going to do today as the word of 113 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:23,960 God is proclaimed. And we pray and we ask all of 114 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:26,080 these things in the mighty name of Jesus. 115 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:30,960 Amen. So as we open the Bible, as we 116 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:34,440 look at Paul's teaching on the Lord's Supper, we have to take 117 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:38,000 note of this. In our church culture, in the 118 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:42,159 day and the time that we live in, many people are confused 119 00:08:42,159 --> 00:08:46,560 about what the purpose of the Lord's Supper is, what this 120 00:08:46,560 --> 00:08:49,320 means, what what does this signify? 121 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:53,480 In fact, they treat it as we are going to talk about in a moment, 122 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:57,200 with total irreverence. They're lackadaisical in 123 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:01,400 approaching the table of the Lord, as if it's somehow just 124 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:05,520 some ritual that we just exercise for the sake of 125 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:08,880 exercising. But I want us to learn today 126 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:12,080 from the Word of God that there is so much more to the Lord's 127 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:18,000 Supper than just to simply passing out an unleavened wafer 128 00:09:18,680 --> 00:09:21,240 and a cup that is from the fruit of the vine. 129 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:27,400 That when we observe the Lord's Supper, we are remembering 130 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:31,680 Christ, and we are remembering Christ for who He is and for 131 00:09:31,680 --> 00:09:35,640 what he accomplished through his sacrifice. 132 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:41,000 If you're in Christ, you're indebted to that sacrifice, not 133 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:45,200 just now, but for all eternity. You will be indebted to that 134 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:48,640 sacrifice because it is. That sacrifice, as we will see 135 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:53,600 it, has rescued you from the penalty of your own sin. 136 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:58,720 But as we approach this, may this be a time of explanation 137 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:03,280 because Paul here in verses 23 through 25, he gives 138 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:06,280 explanation, in fact, the explanation that he gives, the 139 00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:09,960 instructions that he's giving to the Corinthian church, He says I 140 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:12,320 received this directly from the Lord. 141 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:16,800 He is actually teaching them properly and it's interesting 142 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:20,320 that he rebukes them, but then he comes back and he teaches 143 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:22,280 them. Nothing wrong with rebuke as 144 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:25,560 long as it's followed with correction and teaching. 145 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:29,480 And So what he's going to do, he's going to correctly teach 146 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:31,320 them. And he's going to teach them 147 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:34,800 that this is a time of explanation that needs to really 148 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:39,480 be paid close attention to. And he explains to them 149 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:44,240 concerning the body of Christ. He wants them to clearly 150 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:47,720 understand what we are remembering when we do 151 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:50,080 participate in the Lord's Supper. 152 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:54,000 He wants them to know that this broken, unleavened bread 153 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:58,240 represents the broken body of Christ. 154 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:03,440 It was broken and crushed for all who will believe and trust 155 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:06,160 in Him. He wants the people to know that 156 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:12,000 this is a time to remember just how Jesus was crushed, just as 157 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:16,520 Isaiah said that he would be. We can go back several 100 years 158 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:22,000 prior to Christ and Isaiah prophesied the Christ would be 159 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:26,280 crushed at his body would be broken. 160 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:32,160 As we read the Gospels, we know that this came to pass. 161 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:37,280 Those Roman soldiers, soldiers took the cat of nine towels and 162 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:42,000 they ripped literal flesh and sinew from the body of Christ, 163 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:46,360 but they pressed a crown of thorns down in his head. 164 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:52,800 They tortured Him, and He suffered great pain and agony 165 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:57,600 and ultimately death. And He suffered this pain and 166 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:05,080 this agony and this death because He was being crushed by 167 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:10,000 the wrath of the Father. He was being crushed by the 168 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:14,320 weight of our sin. Isaiah 53, the prophet says this 169 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:17,720 verse 5 But He was pierced for our transgressions. 170 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:20,000 He was crushed for our iniquities. 171 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:24,440 The punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by His 172 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:28,720 wounds we are healed. He goes on and says, And six, we 173 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:30,480 all, like sheep, have gone astray. 174 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:35,240 Each of us has turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on 175 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:40,800 him the Christ, the iniquity of us all. 176 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:45,440 Verse 10 goes on to say this. Yet it was the Lord's will to 177 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:49,720 crush him and cause him to suffer. 178 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:55,120 It was the will and the plan of the Father to have the body of 179 00:12:55,120 --> 00:13:01,360 the Son crushed under the weight and the wrath that belonged to 180 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:03,200 us. I want you to stop for a moment 181 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:06,360 and think about that as we prepare to approach the Lord's 182 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:08,320 Table. When you take this piece of 183 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:12,920 unleavened bread that represents the body of Christ, may we 184 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:18,840 remember that it was His body, not ours, though we should have 185 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:23,840 been there. It was our sin, not His that He 186 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:28,040 bore the wrath for. It is just as Paul said in 187 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:32,920 Second Corinthians chapter 5 verse 21, that God made him who 188 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:38,360 had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the 189 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:43,760 righteousness of God. What happened at the cross? 190 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:52,400 Here's what happened. The body of Christ was crushed 191 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:59,280 under the weight of our sin. He bore the penalty upon his 192 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:03,520 back that we deserve, that you deserve, and that I deserve. 193 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:08,040 And he bore that in our place. Now watch this exchange. 194 00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:12,080 He took the punishment for our sin. 195 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:17,160 He bore the wrath and the weight that belonged to us, and then 196 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:22,400 upon doing that, He then imputed His righteousness to our 197 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:26,600 account, so that we now can stand before the Father, 198 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:31,240 reconciled to God. We can watch us commune with the 199 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:36,240 Father because the Son was crushed according to the will of 200 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:42,240 the same Father. O may we today, in remembering 201 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:45,880 the crushed body of Christ, know that God the Father had a plan. 202 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:52,720 It was according to His pure, pleasing and perfect will that 203 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:58,720 His Son was crushed on our behalf so that we might become 204 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:05,520 the righteousness of God. When you partake of the body 205 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:10,960 today, that piece of unleavened bread, don't just approach it in 206 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:13,720 a nonchalant manner. Approach it understanding that 207 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:17,360 this points to the crushed body of Jesus Christ. 208 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:26,840 And if He had not bore the wrath of God in your place, you would 209 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:32,400 never have experienced the righteousness that He's given us 210 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:36,320 by His grace. You could never stand before God 211 00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:43,000 acceptable, but because of Christ and his body that was 212 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:47,560 crushed, we can. So this is a time of explanation 213 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:50,560 so that we can understand concerning the body of Christ, 214 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:52,600 but also concerning the blood of Christ. 215 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:57,600 We talk about the blood of Christ and the symbolism that is 216 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:00,880 here at the Lord's Supper. We see that the Lord took the 217 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:04,840 cup of the vine. Many want to argue at this 218 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:09,120 point, was it really wine? Was it grape juice? 219 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:11,640 Was it alcoholic? Was it fermented? 220 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:15,760 How fermented was it? Let me help all of you in the 221 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:19,680 room. If you are using the fruit of 222 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:23,880 the vine from the Lord's Supper to try to justify your drinking 223 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:29,240 of alcohol, shame on you. That is not what this is about. 224 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:31,760 It is about the fruit of the vine. 225 00:16:31,800 --> 00:16:35,080 Whether it had alcoholic content or not, I don't know. 226 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:37,000 I wasn't there. I have to assume that it 227 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:38,880 probably did. But I can tell you this. 228 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:42,480 It had so little that none of them became drunk because 229 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:47,000 drunkenness is a sin. God would have never promoted 230 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:52,640 sin through the Lord's Supper. What we can't agree on is when 231 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:57,920 we talk about the blood of Christ, that this cup represents 232 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:03,840 His sinless blood offering, that blood offering that was poured 233 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:07,720 out as a propitiation, as an atonement for the sin, as the 234 00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:12,000 Word of God said of many and the many are those who will believe 235 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:17,640 Jesus Christ offering His blood for those that the Father had 236 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:19,920 ordained and willed would come to him. 237 00:17:22,319 --> 00:17:25,400 Why his blood? Why is that so important? 238 00:17:27,319 --> 00:17:30,400 We know that the Bible says that without the shedding of blood 239 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:34,440 there is no remission of sin. But in the same book we also 240 00:17:34,440 --> 00:17:39,400 learned this that the blood of bulls and of goats can never 241 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:44,600 truly atone for sin. All those sacrifices were were 242 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:50,520 annual, annual reminders of the fact that we are sinners in need 243 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:57,200 of atonement. But when Christ came, the 244 00:17:57,200 --> 00:18:02,520 perfect atonement was made, the perfect propitiation was made, A 245 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:09,120 sacrifice once for all, a sacrifice that does take away 246 00:18:09,120 --> 00:18:11,200 sin. Are you thankful this morning if 247 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:14,280 you were in Christ, that your sin has been forgiven, that your 248 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:20,360 sin has been removed, that you are clean before a holy God and 249 00:18:20,360 --> 00:18:23,720 you are not clean before a holy God because you are a good 250 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:28,080 person. You're clean before a holy God 251 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:30,920 because Christ sacrificed. His blood was acceptable to the 252 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:36,560 Father as He truly was a lamb without spot, without blemish. 253 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:42,920 His blood truly is pure enough to cleanse the most wicked and 254 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:46,120 vile of Sinner. How can this be? 255 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:52,760 Christ was not born in the same manner in which we were born. 256 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:57,280 It is through tainted, sinful blood that we inherited the sin 257 00:18:57,280 --> 00:19:04,120 of our fathers, the sin of our Father Adam. 258 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:10,120 But it is through the pure, perfect and holy blood of 259 00:19:10,120 --> 00:19:17,360 Christ, the one who was born of the seed of God, born of a 260 00:19:17,360 --> 00:19:21,680 virgin, as we have spoken of a lot at this time of year. 261 00:19:23,520 --> 00:19:28,880 Therefore His blood was worthy to cleanse the most wicked and 262 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:33,320 vile of sinners. His sacrifice was acceptable. 263 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:36,960 In fact, in Ephesians chapter one verse 7, it says in Him we 264 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:41,280 have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins 265 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:44,720 in accordance with the riches of God's grace. 266 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:49,120 It is God's grace that provided for us a greater sacrifice, A 267 00:19:49,120 --> 00:19:56,000 sacrifice greater in the blood of sheep or goats or bulls, but 268 00:19:56,000 --> 00:20:01,800 the sacrifice of His only begotten Son, God Incarnate. 269 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:07,240 The eternal Son of God who came to this earth as God Incarnate, 270 00:20:07,720 --> 00:20:15,840 truly God, truly man, fully God, fully man, offering his self as 271 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:20,400 a sacrifice of atonement for all who would believe according to 272 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:27,320 God's grace. First John chapter one verse 7 273 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:29,760 John says this he said, but if we walk in the light as he is in 274 00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:32,280 the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood 275 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:36,760 of Jesus his Son purifies us from all sin. 276 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:42,720 Oh don't you love that word all there in a moment when we 277 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:45,320 remember the cup of the Lord Jesus Christ. 278 00:20:45,320 --> 00:20:49,840 Remember it is the blood of the Son that purifies us from all 279 00:20:50,360 --> 00:20:53,720 sin. I would encourage you to 280 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:57,600 remember all sin, all the sin that you can think of, all of 281 00:20:57,600 --> 00:21:00,360 the defilement that you have ever had in your life, all of 282 00:21:00,360 --> 00:21:05,920 the blasphemy, all of the blatant spitting in God's face 283 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:07,720 that you have done in your lifetime. 284 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:12,960 Know this, that in Christ, and because of His blood, you have 285 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:18,600 been forgiven of all of that. See the blood sacrifice of 286 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:21,920 Christ for what it is. It is the sacrifice of 287 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:26,040 atonement, Paul says to the Romans in chapter 3 verse 25. 288 00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:30,240 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement through 289 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:37,480 the shedding of his blood. It's Christ blood that atones 290 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:42,280 for our sin. It satisfies the requirement of 291 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:47,440 a pure and a perfect sacrifice. I'll be thankful today when you 292 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:52,600 approach the table, that blood that was poured out, the blood 293 00:21:53,360 --> 00:21:56,560 of the New Covenant. This is a time of explanation. 294 00:21:56,560 --> 00:21:59,200 Let us understand those things. Let us understand why we are 295 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:03,000 partaking of the body, why we are partaking of the blood, and 296 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:05,560 to remember the body in the blood properly. 297 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:09,960 It's a time of explanation, but it's also a time of exaltation. 298 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:16,840 This is a time of worship. This is a time where we ought to 299 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:23,880 bow in humility and brokenness. As we read it again in Chapter 300 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:27,520 11, in the 24th and the 25th verse. 301 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:30,400 This isn't when He had given thanks. 302 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:32,960 He broke it and said, this is My body, which is for you. 303 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:37,520 Do this in remembrance of Me. This is a time to remember and 304 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:41,480 to memorialize Christ, to literally worship Him. 305 00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:44,160 He said in the same way after the Supper He took the cup, 306 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:46,600 saying, this is the cup in the New covenant in my blood. 307 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:50,240 Do this whenever you drink it in remembrance of me. 308 00:22:50,360 --> 00:22:55,080 This ought to be a time of worship, because if you're 309 00:22:55,080 --> 00:23:00,560 really in Christ and you think on the body and the blood of 310 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:05,040 Christ, it ought to bring you to a position of worship. 311 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:08,160 It ought to bring you to your knees. 312 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:14,760 It ought to bring you to a point of awe in your life, for you 313 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:20,320 rightfully remember Jesus. I believe this is true. 314 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:22,840 We can't think on these things. We can't meditate on these 315 00:23:22,840 --> 00:23:24,320 things surrounding the Lord's Supper. 316 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:26,480 Not be moved to a place of worship. 317 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:28,800 If you're a true believer, you'll be moved to a place of 318 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:31,560 worship. And if you're not moved to a 319 00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:34,040 place of worship after contemplating the body and the 320 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:37,320 blood of Jesus Christ, after contemplating His selfless 321 00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:41,200 sacrifice that he made on your behalf, if you're not moved to a 322 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:44,040 place of worship, you don't yet know Christ. 323 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:52,960 Because I'll tell you this, only an unbeliever can shrug the 324 00:23:52,960 --> 00:23:57,720 shoulder instead of bowing the knee in regard to the Lord's 325 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:01,600 Supper. Because for the true believer, 326 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:12,280 he remembers the crushed body of the Lord, the shed blood of the 327 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:17,200 sacrifice of the Lord. He's moved to a position of 328 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:20,240 praise. He's moved to a position of 329 00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:23,800 humility. He's moved to a position of 330 00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:29,200 adoration. He bows his heart, he bows his 331 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:33,760 knees, he bows his head, and he says, thank you, Lord, what you 332 00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:36,240 did for me at the cross that I did not deserve. 333 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:40,920 Thank you for your sacrifice. He rightfully remembers Jesus 334 00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:43,800 bringing him to a place of exaltation. 335 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:49,160 Know it be true that he rightfully remembers Jesus. 336 00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:53,920 That is also true when we remember the body and the blood 337 00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:59,440 of Christ and this time of exaltation, it ought to cause us 338 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:04,440 to reverently worship Jesus. A true believer will come to a 339 00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:06,680 point of reverently worshipping Jesus. 340 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:09,240 And I think we need to pause for a second and talk about this 341 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:12,520 just a little bit because we live in a day and a time in a 342 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:15,200 church culture where people are satisfied with just, you know 343 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:16,440 what? We don't want to really take the 344 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:19,880 Lord's Supper and use it in our worship service, but So what? 345 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:22,920 We can do for the sake of time, because they would rather be in 346 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:28,320 here entertaining you than teaching you for the sake of 347 00:25:28,320 --> 00:25:29,680 time. What we'll do is we'll set up a 348 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:32,360 little kiosk around the building with a wafer and some grape 349 00:25:32,360 --> 00:25:34,960 juice, and as people pass by, they can observe the Lord's 350 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:37,720 Supper for themselves. The problem with that is that is 351 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:41,120 all messed up and it's not the due reverence that the Lord 352 00:25:41,120 --> 00:25:46,480 deserve because we as the body of Christ ought to reverently 353 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:51,280 come together and we ought to observe the Lord's Supper 354 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:53,320 together. Being taught the truth that 355 00:25:53,320 --> 00:25:55,840 Scripture contained in regard to the Lord's Supper. 356 00:25:56,480 --> 00:25:59,800 Letting this not just be some ritual that we do in the hallway 357 00:25:59,960 --> 00:26:07,120 or in the foyer, but approaching the Lord's Supper with an 358 00:26:07,120 --> 00:26:10,640 attitude of complete and utter reverence. 359 00:26:12,040 --> 00:26:17,920 Oh, in our irreverent church culture of the day, it's not a 360 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:21,600 surprise to me that we have irreverently trampled over the 361 00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:25,440 Lord's Supper I mentioned in the first service. 362 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:28,560 I wouldn't be surprised if some of these hip, cool and relevant 363 00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:32,640 churches don't begin to launch the Lord's Supper elements out 364 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:38,600 with some type of potato gun into the audience because we see 365 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:42,760 this ridiculousness going on over and over and over again 366 00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:45,640 with every element of the church. 367 00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:49,240 But may not be. So here. 368 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:54,080 May the body and the blood of Jesus Christ cause us to 369 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:59,840 reverently worship Jesus, to approach Him properly, giving 370 00:26:59,840 --> 00:27:05,400 Him the proper reverence that He is truly due, considering once 371 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:08,280 again His willing sacrifice. His willing sacrifice. 372 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:09,920 You know and remember what Jesus said. 373 00:27:10,120 --> 00:27:12,800 No man takes my life, but I lay it down. 374 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:18,720 He laid down His life for us. How can we approach that 375 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:21,880 irreverently, as if somehow we were entitled to it? 376 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:27,160 Let us not approach the table with the attitude of 377 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:31,600 entitlement. Let us approach the table in 378 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:38,280 reverence and appreciation, full humility toward Christ for what 379 00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:41,520 He did for us at the cross. Let's consider His willing 380 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:47,840 sacrifice, the fact that God Incarnate, the Word made flesh, 381 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:57,360 willingly died in our place, that he was buried, and that he 382 00:27:57,360 --> 00:28:02,360 rose again three days later. To prove that he truly is the 383 00:28:02,360 --> 00:28:08,360 Son of the living God, let us give him the reverence that he's 384 00:28:08,360 --> 00:28:11,080 due. Let us worship him this morning 385 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:17,360 as we approach the table. Thirdly, we see Paul and his 386 00:28:17,360 --> 00:28:20,720 directives encouraging the church to remember that this is 387 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:25,000 a time of expectation. Verse 26. 388 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:28,400 He makes sure that they understand that the weight that 389 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:30,920 they are enduring is just temporary. 390 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:34,960 He's just for whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, 391 00:28:34,960 --> 00:28:38,400 you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 392 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:41,080 Now if you were here last week, you know this. 393 00:28:41,080 --> 00:28:44,080 We spent a lot of time talking about the return of Christ. 394 00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:46,720 I'm not going to belabor the point this morning. 395 00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:49,240 I am going to reiterate some things. 396 00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:54,120 But what Paul is teaching the church here is as we are waiting 397 00:28:54,120 --> 00:28:58,360 for the return of Christ, every time that we remember the body 398 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:01,880 and the blood of Jesus Christ, let us also remember that He has 399 00:29:01,880 --> 00:29:04,440 made us a promise. And that promise is that He is 400 00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:09,880 going to return for His bride. And again later on, we can hash 401 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:16,040 out all eschatological views on that, but he will return for his 402 00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:21,240 bride just as he has promised that he would do. 403 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:24,160 And Paul's instructing the Corinthian church, and he's 404 00:29:24,160 --> 00:29:26,960 saying this as we observe the Lord's Supper. 405 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:29,920 Let this be a time of great expectation. 406 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:33,840 Let it be your desire, let it be your prayer. 407 00:29:33,840 --> 00:29:37,440 Lord, I'm going to observe the body and the blood of Christ and 408 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:39,040 remember Him today on this earth. 409 00:29:39,040 --> 00:29:44,800 One more time on what a joy it would be that this would be the 410 00:29:44,800 --> 00:29:49,640 last time that we observe it in this manner, but that the next 411 00:29:49,640 --> 00:29:52,920 time that we remember the Lord in this way will be in His 412 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:55,600 presence, dining with Him, something with Him, and 413 00:29:55,600 --> 00:30:01,160 fellowship for all eternity. Let us think on those things 414 00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:05,200 this morning. Let it be a time of expectation. 415 00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:09,480 If it really is a time of expectation, shouldn't we look 416 00:30:09,560 --> 00:30:13,240 with anticipation? Again, I know that I talked 417 00:30:13,240 --> 00:30:15,920 about much of this last week, but I'm thankful that it all 418 00:30:15,920 --> 00:30:22,080 goes hand in hand. We ought to be anticipating the 419 00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:27,960 return of Christ, especially when we observe the ordinance of 420 00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:32,200 the Lord's Supper, knowing that, yes, it is true, His body was 421 00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:34,160 crushed for me according to the will of the Father. 422 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:37,240 His blood was shed as an acceptable atoning, propitiation 423 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:41,920 and sacrifice. And it is true that because He 424 00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:46,920 went to that extent to save me, He will also rescue me from this 425 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:53,040 world, as He has promised. It's a time of great 426 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:58,600 anticipation until He comes longing for our Redeemer. 427 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:03,360 Are you longing for Him? Are you longing for him? 428 00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:07,120 As Paul said that he had longed for him, as he closed out his 429 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:12,480 earthly ministry, as he spoke to Timothy, where he said that I 430 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:16,800 have fought the good fight, I finished the course, I have kept 431 00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:21,280 the faith, and now there is a crown of righteousness that is 432 00:31:21,280 --> 00:31:25,640 kept for me. And he goes on, and he says, and 433 00:31:25,640 --> 00:31:31,720 not for me only, but for all those who long for his 434 00:31:31,880 --> 00:31:35,920 appearing, may we observe the body and the blood of Jesus 435 00:31:35,920 --> 00:31:36,520 Christ. Today. 436 00:31:36,520 --> 00:31:42,560 A man calls us to long for his appearing, all the more to long 437 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:45,760 for that promise crown of righteousness, that victor's 438 00:31:45,760 --> 00:31:51,040 crown, that he promises to all who endure to the end for 439 00:31:51,040 --> 00:31:57,840 Christ. Maybe remember the body and the 440 00:31:57,840 --> 00:32:01,280 blood of Jesus Christ bringing us to a place of anticipation, 441 00:32:02,600 --> 00:32:06,480 longing for that Redeemer, looking for our Redeemer. 442 00:32:07,040 --> 00:32:09,280 Or do you spend any time looking for the Redeemer? 443 00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:13,680 I know there are many people who have heard me say this, that I 444 00:32:13,680 --> 00:32:20,160 don't miss the sunset and I don't I sunrise and I don't I 445 00:32:20,160 --> 00:32:25,200 don't miss the sunrise. Every morning I get up. 446 00:32:25,200 --> 00:32:30,120 I spend time with the Lord in prayer and in Bible study. 447 00:32:32,640 --> 00:32:34,240 If I can go outside, I go outside. 448 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:35,440 If I can, I'll look out the window. 449 00:32:39,240 --> 00:32:43,080 A sun comes up in the eastern sky every single morning. 450 00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:47,400 I know that His compassion's are renewed every day. 451 00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:55,240 I praise Him for it, but I also look to the east, and I long for 452 00:32:55,240 --> 00:32:56,960 my Savior, and I look for my Savior. 453 00:32:56,960 --> 00:33:03,280 Lord, could today be the day? Could today be the day for the 454 00:33:03,280 --> 00:33:07,960 eastern sky is open wide, and you come for your bride. 455 00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:12,360 Could today be that day? Oh Lord, let it be that day. 456 00:33:14,280 --> 00:33:19,040 Let us approach the return of Christ with great expectation, 457 00:33:19,040 --> 00:33:23,040 looking for our Redeemer. As you partake of the Lord's 458 00:33:23,040 --> 00:33:29,440 Supper today, it calls you to be anticipating all the more the 459 00:33:29,440 --> 00:33:33,920 promise of the return of Christ. We should look with 460 00:33:33,920 --> 00:33:37,080 anticipation. But you know what else, Church, 461 00:33:37,080 --> 00:33:40,240 We should look with excitement. I wish we shouldn't be afraid 462 00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:42,320 when we look to the eastern sky. This is the day. 463 00:33:42,440 --> 00:33:48,600 Let it be the day. Let it be the day, Lord, for you 464 00:33:48,600 --> 00:33:53,560 prove to everyone that you are who your Word says that you are, 465 00:33:54,520 --> 00:33:58,920 that you show your faithfulness again and again as you have from 466 00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:02,760 generation to generation to generation to fulfill everything 467 00:34:02,760 --> 00:34:07,640 that you have promised. Oh, may we be excited about 468 00:34:07,640 --> 00:34:10,960 that. As you think the body and the 469 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:14,120 blood of Jesus Christ today, that makes that hope possible. 470 00:34:14,120 --> 00:34:16,560 Did you know without the body and blood of Christ there would 471 00:34:16,560 --> 00:34:18,800 be no hope for you for all eternity. 472 00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:25,840 It would only be fearful expectation of fiery judgment 473 00:34:25,840 --> 00:34:30,239 that awaits the unbeliever. Oh, may we see the hope that we 474 00:34:30,239 --> 00:34:35,600 have in Christ, and may it cause us with excitement look for our 475 00:34:35,600 --> 00:34:42,040 Savior, desiring to see face to face the One who died in our 476 00:34:42,040 --> 00:34:45,040 place. Are there any Christians who 477 00:34:45,040 --> 00:34:53,199 long for that anymore? See Him face to face? 478 00:34:54,440 --> 00:34:58,880 Oh, that was the desire of the Saints of old to see the face of 479 00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:04,480 God. One day we shall meet Him, face 480 00:35:05,320 --> 00:35:12,720 the face, and for the believer, oh what a day that will be when 481 00:35:12,720 --> 00:35:18,840 my Jesus, I shall see, when I look upon his face, the one who 482 00:35:18,840 --> 00:35:24,960 saved me by His grace, when he takes me by the hand, leads me 483 00:35:24,960 --> 00:35:30,480 through the promised Land. What a day, glorious day that 484 00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:32,920 will be. Pretty longing for that day with 485 00:35:32,920 --> 00:35:36,240 excitement. You have a desire to see Him. 486 00:35:36,360 --> 00:35:38,480 May you have a desire to see Him today. 487 00:35:38,640 --> 00:35:42,520 As you meditate on and you concentrate on the body and the 488 00:35:42,520 --> 00:35:47,400 blood of Christ, may it stir within you an excitement to see 489 00:35:47,400 --> 00:35:51,640 Him face to face. Why long for that day? 490 00:35:53,160 --> 00:35:57,800 I pray that you do the same. This is a time of expectation. 491 00:35:58,400 --> 00:36:02,160 You expect him to be faithful. He's been faithful to everything 492 00:36:02,160 --> 00:36:04,160 else up until this point. You can trust him. 493 00:36:05,640 --> 00:36:10,120 He will be faithful to return for those that he sacrificed 494 00:36:10,120 --> 00:36:14,920 himself for. So we have seen a time of 495 00:36:14,920 --> 00:36:20,200 explanation, a time of exaltation, time of expectation. 496 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:26,400 I want you to pay especially close attention to this one. 497 00:36:27,960 --> 00:36:30,720 This is also a time of examination. 498 00:36:32,880 --> 00:36:36,720 In the 27th verse to the 32nd verse, Paul is going to speak in 499 00:36:36,720 --> 00:36:41,720 some rather harsh term, and he's going to do it from a heart of 500 00:36:41,720 --> 00:36:45,520 love, but he's not going to somehow skirt the topic. 501 00:36:45,520 --> 00:36:47,200 He's going to address it head on. 502 00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:50,080 And that's what I desire to do today. 503 00:36:50,080 --> 00:36:55,760 In the same manner as we read these words, verse 27, he says, 504 00:36:55,760 --> 00:36:58,280 therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the 505 00:36:58,280 --> 00:37:01,720 Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the 506 00:37:01,720 --> 00:37:05,400 body and the blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself 507 00:37:05,400 --> 00:37:07,640 before he eats the bread and drinks the cup. 508 00:37:08,560 --> 00:37:13,000 Or anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of 509 00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:16,000 the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. 510 00:37:17,280 --> 00:37:19,520 And he says this to the believer who might do this. 511 00:37:19,520 --> 00:37:25,240 That is why many among you are weak and sick and a number of 512 00:37:25,240 --> 00:37:28,040 you have fallen asleep. That term fallen asleep is a 513 00:37:28,040 --> 00:37:30,240 reference to the death of a believer. 514 00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:33,000 He's not talking about unbelievers here. 515 00:37:33,600 --> 00:37:37,000 He is talking about a believer who has been judged by God in 516 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:40,560 the form of death to no longer bring reproach upon the name of 517 00:37:40,560 --> 00:37:44,240 Christ on this earth. He says in verse 31, But if we 518 00:37:44,240 --> 00:37:47,720 judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. 519 00:37:47,720 --> 00:37:49,760 What is he saying? Church, judge yourself. 520 00:37:49,760 --> 00:37:51,720 Why? Judgment begins in the House of 521 00:37:51,720 --> 00:37:54,800 God. This is where it should begin. 522 00:37:55,200 --> 00:37:57,800 We ought to examine ourselves. We ought to take inventory of 523 00:37:57,800 --> 00:37:59,360 our lives. We ought to do it as 524 00:37:59,360 --> 00:38:01,240 individuals. We ought to do it as a whole. 525 00:38:03,400 --> 00:38:05,280 He says, but if we judged ourselves, we would not come 526 00:38:05,280 --> 00:38:08,040 under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, 527 00:38:08,040 --> 00:38:10,760 we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with 528 00:38:10,760 --> 00:38:14,040 the world. Be thankful all is letting them 529 00:38:14,040 --> 00:38:15,240 know. Be thankful that He's not going 530 00:38:15,240 --> 00:38:16,840 to let you be condemned with the world. 531 00:38:16,840 --> 00:38:18,800 If you're mishandling the Lord's Supper, they're going to be 532 00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:21,200 consequences. Many of among you are sick and 533 00:38:21,200 --> 00:38:22,920 weak, and some of you have fallen asleep. 534 00:38:24,440 --> 00:38:27,080 Please see His grace and His mercy and that He still rescued 535 00:38:27,080 --> 00:38:28,160 you eternally. Why? 536 00:38:28,160 --> 00:38:31,160 Because of the body and the blood of Jesus Christ that you 537 00:38:31,160 --> 00:38:35,920 were trampling over. You're mishandling. 538 00:38:37,160 --> 00:38:39,280 You're partaking of in an unworthy manner. 539 00:38:39,720 --> 00:38:42,800 Let it not be so. Paul's warning the church so 540 00:38:42,800 --> 00:38:45,640 that they can avoid this, so that they will take the proper 541 00:38:45,640 --> 00:38:48,240 measures to take a time of examination. 542 00:38:49,040 --> 00:38:52,000 And this time of examination ought to be prior to approaching 543 00:38:52,000 --> 00:38:55,200 the table, and you ought not to observe the Lord's Supper and 544 00:38:55,200 --> 00:38:57,120 then after. So we'll say, you know, I 545 00:38:57,120 --> 00:39:00,200 probably shouldn't have observed that because I have this in my 546 00:39:00,200 --> 00:39:02,040 life. No, what we ought to do is we 547 00:39:02,040 --> 00:39:04,880 want to think on the body and the blood of Jesus Christ and 548 00:39:04,880 --> 00:39:08,760 what He endured for us, and that ought to move us away from sin. 549 00:39:09,040 --> 00:39:11,720 That ought to move us away from anything that would be counted, 550 00:39:11,800 --> 00:39:15,640 founded, or considered as an unworthy thing in our life. 551 00:39:17,400 --> 00:39:20,280 We ought to repent of that. We ought to confess that. 552 00:39:21,240 --> 00:39:23,960 We ought to trust the Lord's forgiveness that comes through 553 00:39:23,960 --> 00:39:26,000 his sacrifice. And what does he say that if we 554 00:39:26,000 --> 00:39:30,040 confess our sin first, John 19, He is what? 555 00:39:30,040 --> 00:39:33,240 Faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from 556 00:39:33,560 --> 00:39:37,240 all unrighteousness. So I would encourage every 557 00:39:37,240 --> 00:39:39,480 believer here today, examine yourself. 558 00:39:40,360 --> 00:39:43,920 Is there any unconfessed, unrepented of sin in your life 559 00:39:43,920 --> 00:39:45,440 right now? You know what I'm talking about. 560 00:39:45,440 --> 00:39:47,520 You know the little secret sin that you've been holding on to, 561 00:39:50,400 --> 00:39:52,520 the one that the Spirit has convicted you about over and 562 00:39:52,520 --> 00:39:54,640 over and over again, and you continue to ignore that 563 00:39:54,640 --> 00:39:57,840 conviction. What Paul is warning the church 564 00:39:57,840 --> 00:40:01,120 is this. He's saying you could approach 565 00:40:01,120 --> 00:40:04,840 the Lord's table today and it could result in you becoming 566 00:40:04,840 --> 00:40:08,560 weak, weak, you becoming sick, or you even losing your life on 567 00:40:08,560 --> 00:40:11,920 this earth. I know the question that the 568 00:40:11,920 --> 00:40:15,240 American church immediately has, does God still do this? 569 00:40:15,240 --> 00:40:20,280 Yes, Make very clear that he said this about himself and 570 00:40:20,280 --> 00:40:22,560 Malachi. I, the Lord your God, do not 571 00:40:22,560 --> 00:40:28,440 change. Yes, He still disciplines his 572 00:40:28,440 --> 00:40:34,000 children, and He disciplines His children however he sees fit to 573 00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:36,520 do it. And the only way for you to 574 00:40:36,520 --> 00:40:40,600 avoid that discipline is to confess your sin and to walk in 575 00:40:40,600 --> 00:40:44,080 the forgiveness that Christ paid for you to have continually. 576 00:40:45,640 --> 00:40:50,480 So I would encourage you today to repent if need be, to confess 577 00:40:50,480 --> 00:40:55,440 to the Lord if need be, so that you don't approach the table in 578 00:40:55,440 --> 00:40:58,520 an unworthy manner. That unforgiveness that you have 579 00:40:58,520 --> 00:41:02,120 toward a loved one, That unforgiveness that you have 580 00:41:02,120 --> 00:41:04,880 toward a family member or maybe another member of this church 581 00:41:04,880 --> 00:41:09,120 that needs to be reconciled today before you approach the 582 00:41:09,120 --> 00:41:14,120 Lord's table. Why? 583 00:41:15,960 --> 00:41:19,960 So that you don't eat or drink judgment upon yourself from the 584 00:41:19,960 --> 00:41:22,440 Lord. It's that plain and simple. 585 00:41:24,320 --> 00:41:29,600 Because I have lived long enough to tell you plainly, I have seen 586 00:41:29,600 --> 00:41:36,360 people who have partaken of the Lord's Supper with active and 587 00:41:36,360 --> 00:41:40,040 public sin in their life, resulting in the discipline of 588 00:41:40,040 --> 00:41:45,360 God in their life. He is still the same God, and He 589 00:41:45,360 --> 00:41:52,040 does still work in the same way. And so please fear Him properly 590 00:41:52,920 --> 00:41:57,000 prior to approaching His table. You need to examine yourself 591 00:41:57,000 --> 00:41:58,320 first. Ask yourself this question. 592 00:41:58,320 --> 00:42:02,000 Am I truly a believer? Why would I ask that question 593 00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:03,320 first? Because this table is not for 594 00:42:03,320 --> 00:42:05,960 the unbeliever. Did you hear me? 595 00:42:08,080 --> 00:42:10,680 If you have not surrendered your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, 596 00:42:10,680 --> 00:42:14,600 you are not welcome to partake of the Lord's Supper. 597 00:42:16,200 --> 00:42:20,560 It's not for you, you say, well, Kirk, I don't like the sound of 598 00:42:20,560 --> 00:42:22,000 that. You don't like the sound of that 599 00:42:22,000 --> 00:42:24,240 because of the inclusive world that you live in. 600 00:42:27,480 --> 00:42:32,080 This table is exclusive. It is exclusively for those who 601 00:42:32,080 --> 00:42:35,920 have trusted by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and 602 00:42:35,920 --> 00:42:39,400 Savior. If you've not trusted in Jesus 603 00:42:39,400 --> 00:42:42,960 Christ as Lord and Savior, you know nothing of his body. 604 00:42:43,120 --> 00:42:47,480 You know nothing of his blood. This is not for you. 605 00:42:49,160 --> 00:42:52,240 Many would say, well, Kurt, won't that push people away? 606 00:42:52,240 --> 00:42:54,560 No, it actually does the opposite. 607 00:42:55,720 --> 00:42:58,400 It actually causes the unbeliever to see that they are 608 00:42:58,400 --> 00:43:01,840 cut off from God, that they are alienated from God, that they 609 00:43:01,840 --> 00:43:04,760 are enemies of God, and that they need to be reconciled. 610 00:43:04,920 --> 00:43:08,880 And upon seeing that, we can say this reconciliation is found 611 00:43:08,880 --> 00:43:12,840 nowhere else other than the body and the blood of Jesus Christ. 612 00:43:12,920 --> 00:43:20,480 That is the gospel. So be reconciled unto God today 613 00:43:20,480 --> 00:43:23,360 through Jesus Christ by surrendering to him as your Lord 614 00:43:23,360 --> 00:43:26,280 and Savior. And then come and dine. 615 00:43:26,440 --> 00:43:30,080 Come to the table freely. Fellowship and commune with God. 616 00:43:30,120 --> 00:43:33,400 Fellowship and commune with the Son, Fellowship and commune with 617 00:43:33,400 --> 00:43:35,640 the Spirit. Fellowship and commune with the 618 00:43:35,640 --> 00:43:43,240 body of Christ, his church. But until then, you're not fit 619 00:43:43,240 --> 00:43:46,200 to partake of the table because Christ has not cleansed you yet. 620 00:43:47,880 --> 00:43:51,440 Oh, but my prayer for you is this, that you would trust Him 621 00:43:51,440 --> 00:43:56,560 to cleanse you today. As wicked and vile as you may 622 00:43:56,560 --> 00:44:01,800 be, the sacrifice is enough to wash you, to cleanse you, to 623 00:44:01,800 --> 00:44:03,480 make you right with your heavenly Father. 624 00:44:04,600 --> 00:44:09,920 This is a time of examination. Look at yourself, see who you 625 00:44:09,920 --> 00:44:15,320 really are or who you aren't. What a great day it would be if 626 00:44:15,320 --> 00:44:19,560 one of you here today. I've heard these truths and God 627 00:44:19,560 --> 00:44:25,400 uses them to draw you unto Himself to receive the sacrifice 628 00:44:25,400 --> 00:44:33,120 of Jesus Christ, your life, the time of examination, it's prior 629 00:44:33,120 --> 00:44:37,360 to approaching the table, and it's for the preventing of 630 00:44:37,360 --> 00:44:39,800 judgment for the unworthy participant. 631 00:44:41,160 --> 00:44:43,800 That's what this is designed for, preventing judgment for 632 00:44:43,800 --> 00:44:50,000 unworthy participation. That is why we examine ourselves 633 00:44:52,520 --> 00:44:57,360 so that we don't step off into the Lord's discipline in our 634 00:44:57,360 --> 00:44:59,800 life. It's a serious issue. 635 00:45:00,320 --> 00:45:02,160 Why is it a serious issue? Because there's serious 636 00:45:02,160 --> 00:45:05,840 consequences. How many church services have I 637 00:45:05,840 --> 00:45:09,960 set in? But they encourage us to partake 638 00:45:09,960 --> 00:45:13,480 in the Lord's Supper, but never tell us the truth about when we 639 00:45:13,480 --> 00:45:19,720 do it incorrectly. We're in grave danger of 640 00:45:19,720 --> 00:45:25,080 offending God, making ourselves candidates for His discipline in 641 00:45:25,080 --> 00:45:29,240 our life. Oh, I understand that I'm 642 00:45:29,240 --> 00:45:32,320 probably not going to win a popularity contest for teaching 643 00:45:32,320 --> 00:45:35,160 you the whole truth about this. But will you please hear it 644 00:45:35,160 --> 00:45:41,040 today? This is the whole truth that we 645 00:45:41,040 --> 00:45:47,640 must examine ourselves and we must cry out to the Holy Spirit. 646 00:45:47,640 --> 00:45:52,560 Lord, search me, know me, show me anything, any defilement in 647 00:45:52,560 --> 00:45:54,680 my life. Show me any conviction that I 648 00:45:54,680 --> 00:45:57,520 have ignored. Show me because when I approach 649 00:45:57,520 --> 00:46:00,040 the table, I want to approach the table. 650 00:46:00,160 --> 00:46:05,240 As righteous as Christ died for me to be, I want to approach the 651 00:46:05,720 --> 00:46:10,800 table in a worthy manner, in a manner that brings honor and 652 00:46:10,800 --> 00:46:13,320 glory to the one who gave himself for me. 653 00:46:16,080 --> 00:46:20,600 The time of examination so that you will prevent the inevitable 654 00:46:20,600 --> 00:46:25,200 judgment that will come upon anyone who participates in an 655 00:46:25,200 --> 00:46:29,520 unworthy manner. Know the consequences, fear the 656 00:46:29,520 --> 00:46:32,040 Lord. I know in our hip, cool and 657 00:46:32,040 --> 00:46:35,160 relevant society and church culture, we never talk about 658 00:46:35,160 --> 00:46:40,240 fearing the Lord anymore. I would encourage you never stop 659 00:46:40,240 --> 00:46:43,880 fearing the Lord, Never stop fearing Him. 660 00:46:45,920 --> 00:46:52,280 Approach him properly, knowing that who He loves, he 661 00:46:52,280 --> 00:46:55,560 disciplines. He chastens you with a rod. 662 00:46:56,400 --> 00:46:58,840 And if you were without discipline, you're illegitimate, 663 00:46:59,560 --> 00:47:04,000 as the author of Hebrews says. So as legitimate children of God 664 00:47:04,000 --> 00:47:09,520 in Christ, let us avoid that type of discipline. 665 00:47:09,520 --> 00:47:13,080 Let us prevent it. It's a simple measure, isn't it? 666 00:47:14,600 --> 00:47:20,880 Lord, show me, show me. Is there any defilement in my 667 00:47:20,880 --> 00:47:24,320 life? Confess it to him. 668 00:47:25,080 --> 00:47:28,800 Confess again your need for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. 669 00:47:28,800 --> 00:47:33,840 Continually thank Him for the forgiveness that He and He alone 670 00:47:33,880 --> 00:47:38,920 offers you, and then walk in and enjoy that forgiveness all the 671 00:47:38,920 --> 00:47:41,560 way to His table. We need not approach His table 672 00:47:41,560 --> 00:47:44,840 in shame. Christ died to bear our shame 673 00:47:44,840 --> 00:47:48,360 and to take it away. Perhaps you've picked it up 674 00:47:48,360 --> 00:47:50,320 again. Discard it. 675 00:47:51,600 --> 00:47:53,880 Throw it back where it belongs, at the feet of Jesus. 676 00:47:55,200 --> 00:47:56,840 Confess your sin. He's faithful and just to 677 00:47:56,840 --> 00:47:58,800 forgive your sin. Cleanse you from all 678 00:47:58,800 --> 00:48:02,880 unrighteousness and join us at the table. 679 00:48:04,040 --> 00:48:07,480 We fellowship and we commune with the Father and with the Son 680 00:48:07,480 --> 00:48:12,760 through his sacrifice. So as we prepare our hearts this 681 00:48:12,760 --> 00:48:17,120 morning to do what we've talked about to observe the Lord's 682 00:48:17,120 --> 00:48:22,200 Supper, may we adhere to the teachings of the apostle Paul 683 00:48:22,200 --> 00:48:24,240 here in First Corinthians Chapter 11. 684 00:48:24,240 --> 00:48:34,920 To the Church believers, may you prepare your heart to partake of 685 00:48:34,920 --> 00:48:40,160 the Lord's Table. To the unbeliever, I would 686 00:48:40,160 --> 00:48:42,480 encourage you today, repent of your sin. 687 00:48:44,320 --> 00:48:49,680 Trust in Jesus Christ alone as the only acceptable sacrifice 688 00:48:50,160 --> 00:48:57,440 unto God, to cry out to Him for mercy and forgiveness and 689 00:48:57,440 --> 00:49:02,840 restoration and healing. Repent of your sin, turn to 690 00:49:02,840 --> 00:49:09,640 Christ and have fellowship and communion. 691 00:49:11,080 --> 00:49:14,440 An intimate relationship with the Father restored because of 692 00:49:14,440 --> 00:49:16,880 the body and the blood of Jesus Christ. 693 00:49:16,880 --> 00:49:21,440 Be saved today. Would you stand to your feet 694 00:49:21,440 --> 00:49:23,000 now? Heads are bowed and eyes are 695 00:49:23,000 --> 00:49:25,800 closed. You've been listening to Key 696 00:49:25,800 --> 00:49:28,560 Life Fellowships Pulpit Ministry podcast. 697 00:49:28,960 --> 00:49:32,120 Join us each week for more teaching from God's Word. 698 00:49:32,400 --> 00:49:32,520 Yeah.