1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,560 Hi, this is Dave Olson. I'm the senior leader of 2 00:00:02,560 --> 00:00:04,600 Heartland Church located in Ankeny, IA. 3 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:08,039 I hope the following message challenges, encourages, and 4 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:11,120 ultimately changes you. Thanks for joining us. 5 00:00:11,120 --> 00:00:14,880 Good morning. What a beautiful day, huh? 6 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:18,760 God is good. Beautiful outside, presence 7 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:20,720 inside. It's going to be a good day. 8 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:24,560 Turn with me to 1st Corinthians Chapter 11. 9 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:29,640 We are going to receive the Lord's Supper Communion, however 10 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:31,600 you want to refer to it. We're going to look at that 11 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:35,720 today. I want to do a little teaching 12 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:39,120 on it. I from time to time, we want to 13 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:45,760 relook at this amazing prophetic act that we participate in. 14 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:52,040 You know, any scripture, there are many facets to any passage. 15 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:54,800 So you're never going to be able to Plumb the depths of 16 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:56,160 Scripture. You're never going to be able to 17 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:58,280 just the Bible will never be a book. 18 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:03,320 You say, well, yeah, I read that you, you can spend the we will 19 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:07,240 spend eternity unpacking this thing and we're still going to 20 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:10,280 be in 10,000 years from now, God will open up a little facet. 21 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:14,280 We'll fall on our face for about 3 years and ah, and then we'll 22 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:16,680 get back up. And just so we cover from that 23 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:17,960 one, he'll show us another piece. 24 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:23,000 So we're never going to be able to grasp the full depth of this 25 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:26,760 beautiful prophetic meal that we're going to participate in 26 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:28,880 this morning. But I do want to point out one 27 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:31,800 facet of it this morning. I want to look at one, look at 28 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:33,480 it from 1 angle, one perspective. 29 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:38,320 So if you want to look with me at verse 17, First Corinthians 30 00:01:38,320 --> 00:01:43,680 Chapter 11, I would propose to you that Chapter 11 and 12 31 00:01:43,960 --> 00:01:48,440 culminate in chapter 13. Now we know that chapter 12 is 32 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:52,360 about spiritual gifts, chapter 13 about love, but I would 33 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:55,040 propose to you Chapter 11 is in that same vein. 34 00:01:55,720 --> 00:02:02,000 The book of First Corinthians is one of the most corrective books 35 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,120 that Paul wrote. He had to correct those guys a 36 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:07,800 lot. And so some people say, well, 37 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:09,600 you know, they were the most charismatic church. 38 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:12,320 No, they were just, you could say they were the most 39 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:16,800 charismaniac church. They were they, they needed the 40 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:19,680 most instruction. All the New Testament churches 41 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:22,640 were charismatic. All the New Testament churches 42 00:02:22,640 --> 00:02:26,320 operated in the gifts. But the problem with Corinth is 43 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:29,040 they lacked no spiritual gift, Paul said. 44 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:32,200 But they did lack character. And so there were issues that 45 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:35,760 needed to be addressed. And this is right along in that 46 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:37,960 vein. And so Paul is driving towards 47 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:42,080 the answer, which is love. But he's going to he's going to 48 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:43,960 address some things in this passage. 49 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:49,160 And so we see in verse 17. And before we read it, let's 50 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:50,120 pray. Father. 51 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:53,080 Lord, I ask that you would speak to us. 52 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:57,800 And Father, I ask that the plow blade of your word would go deep 53 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:01,320 into the soil of our heart. And Lord, it would turn over any 54 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:04,400 stone, any unyielding area of our life. 55 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:07,360 Lord, anything that would be a hindrance to the seed of your 56 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:10,680 word, we ask that you would take it out this morning. 57 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:18,040 Father, we ask for surgery in our hearts in Jesus name, Amen. 58 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:21,640 All right, verse 17. But in the following 59 00:03:21,640 --> 00:03:26,600 instructions, I do not commend you because when you come 60 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:29,520 together, it is not for the better but for the worse. 61 00:03:29,920 --> 00:03:31,480 Paul just comes right out of the gate. 62 00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:35,280 He says your gatherings actually do more harm than good. 63 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:38,960 That's what he's saying, that when you come together you end 64 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:40,960 up in a worse place than when you entered in. 65 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:43,320 That's a sobering rebuke, isn't it? 66 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:48,160 He says in the following instructions, I do not commend 67 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:49,760 you, not condemn you, commend you. 68 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:53,080 I can't commend you in this. He, he reiterates this. 69 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:56,440 If you look at the end of chapter verse 22, he said, what 70 00:03:56,440 --> 00:03:58,400 shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? 71 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:01,840 No, I will not. And so he's rebuking them, 72 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:07,480 correcting them about a misuse of the Lord's Supper. 73 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:10,160 So he says, but in the following instructions, I do not commend 74 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:13,320 you because when you come together it is for better and 75 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:15,480 not it is not for better, but for the worse. 76 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:19,399 He says that three times when you come together, when you come 77 00:04:19,399 --> 00:04:22,840 together, anytime you're studying a passage, you want to 78 00:04:22,840 --> 00:04:27,360 look at repeated words, phrases and ideas. 79 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:30,840 So if there are certain words, phrases, or ideas that are 80 00:04:30,840 --> 00:04:35,160 repeated, that repetition shows that there's something that that 81 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:38,120 author, that the Spirit of God on that human author is really 82 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:39,960 wanting to push to the forefront. 83 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:43,120 And so he says when you come together, it is not for better 84 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:45,080 for the better, it's for the worse. 85 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:48,600 Then he says down the next verse, for in the 1st place, 86 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:51,440 when you come together as a church, I hear there are 87 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:54,280 divisions among you. Then in verse 20, when you come 88 00:04:54,280 --> 00:04:57,560 together, it is not the Lord's Supper that you eat. 89 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:02,560 That's a sobering statement. He says what you think is the 90 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:05,960 Lord's Supper really doesn't qualify as the Lord's Supper. 91 00:05:06,840 --> 00:05:09,840 You think you're taking communion, but you're not 92 00:05:11,280 --> 00:05:15,080 because your heart posture going into this thing violates the 93 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:16,800 very spirit of the Lord's Supper. 94 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:19,800 So we may say, hey, we're going to take communion this morning 95 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:25,840 and the Lord said we'll see. God evaluates it by what He 96 00:05:25,840 --> 00:05:28,760 unpacks here. Are we really participating in 97 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:34,240 communion? And so my computer is beeping 98 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:35,840 with texts up here. OK. 99 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:38,600 But in the following instructions, I do not commend 100 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:39,880 you. What are the instructions? 101 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:43,960 He's going to unpack what those instructions are starting in 102 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:48,000 verse 23. There's he he received a direct 103 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:51,200 communication from the Lord. He's going to drop the word of 104 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:53,320 the Lord on the Corinthians is what he's going to do. 105 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:55,720 And so he says, but in the following instructions, I do not 106 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:57,800 commend you because when you come together, it's not for the 107 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:00,880 better but for the worse. For in the 1st place, when you 108 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:04,200 come together as a church, I hear there are divisions among 109 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:06,960 you. And he says, and I believe it in 110 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:10,520 part, for there must be factions among you in order that those 111 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:13,520 who are genuine may be recognized. 112 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:17,840 And so he said that there's there are those who are really 113 00:06:17,840 --> 00:06:20,480 going after this thing and then there's the hangers on on the 114 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:24,640 side, there's always that. But he said we we don't want to 115 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:27,360 accommodate, we don't want to cultivate, we don't want to 116 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:30,320 tolerate divisions. We want to go after this thing. 117 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:34,120 So we're all going together in this thing called the church. 118 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:38,560 So when you come together three times in this passage where he's 119 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:42,720 talking about the Lord's Supper or communion, he uses the word 120 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:44,880 when you or the phrase when you come together. 121 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:51,760 And one of the takeaways of this is that communion is a corporate 122 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:56,120 practice. Now, that's not to say that you 123 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:59,280 cannot take communion alone. I know that there are people, 124 00:06:59,920 --> 00:07:04,040 dear friends of mine, that do that quite often they 125 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:08,240 participate in communion or the Lord's Supper in private as part 126 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:10,120 of their devotional life. And that's fine. 127 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:12,880 But I'm telling you what Paul's really after here. 128 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:15,760 You can, you can touch some things, you can appreciate some 129 00:07:15,760 --> 00:07:18,200 things. You can participate in that in a 130 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:21,320 limited basis just between you and the Lord. 131 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:26,840 But the real end game of this thing is common union communion, 132 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:32,120 that we are in unity together around a commonality called 133 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:35,400 Christ, and that we're entering into this thing together. 134 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:37,880 And that's why Paul says when you come together, when you come 135 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:41,440 together, when you come together, this is part of the 136 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:46,360 the whole thing of communion. And so it's a corporate meal in 137 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:51,080 which we fellowship around the thing we have in common and the 138 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:54,320 thing which unites us, and that is Christ. 139 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:57,440 So he says, for in the 1st place, when you come together as 140 00:07:57,440 --> 00:07:59,280 a church, I hear there are divisions among you. 141 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:02,720 Jump down to verse 20. When you come together, it is 142 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:04,760 not the Lord's Supper that you eat. 143 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:09,000 So Paul is saying just because we think it is, doesn't mean it 144 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:11,240 is. Are we meeting the criteria? 145 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:14,400 What is that criteria? Listen to what he rebukes him 146 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:16,840 now. He says for an eating, each one 147 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:22,000 goes ahead with his own meal. That violates the spirit of what 148 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:25,120 Paul's trying to communicate to us, that this is a corporate 149 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:29,760 meal, not an individual meal. And so they would literally have 150 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:31,840 a meal together. They were called love feasts. 151 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:34,480 And so they would gather together and they'd sit down and 152 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,000 everybody would bring their their food and they would sit 153 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:40,000 down to fellowship. And some were poor and didn't 154 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:41,960 have anything. Others were wealthy and had a 155 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:44,240 lot. And he says, man, we start 156 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:47,040 community and everybody just eats on their own, eats their 157 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:49,320 own meal. Someone man goes hungry and 158 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:51,920 another man gets drunk. I would think that's a problem. 159 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:56,920 This is not good. And so Paul is rebuking them and 160 00:08:56,920 --> 00:09:02,400 he says, do you not have houses to eat and drink in or do you 161 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:08,040 despise the Church of God and humiliate those who have 162 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:11,080 nothing? Are you opening those who don't 163 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:14,520 have anything to bring to the table to shame because you're 164 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:16,800 not sharing with them? It's all about you. 165 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:18,640 You're bringing your own thing and you're just going to Burrow 166 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:20,360 through this thing. And this is I'm having 167 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:21,840 communion. It's me and Jesus. 168 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:25,200 And what Paul is saying is, listen, if you only have this 169 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:27,280 and you don't have this, then this closes. 170 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:32,480 If you're crying out for an open heaven, but you have a closed 171 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,440 heart towards your brothers and sisters, then the heavens will 172 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:38,960 close. And there are many applications 173 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:41,360 of this. Just one is that very, very, 174 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:43,840 very troubling verse to us as husbands. 175 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:47,320 First Peter chapter 1, is it chapter 4 where it says 176 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:52,000 husbands, dwell with your wives according to knowledge that your 177 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:57,520 prayers may be heard. Now that should trouble every 178 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:02,120 husband in this room. Dwell with your wife according 179 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:04,840 to knowledge. In other words, make one of the 180 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:09,320 primary pursuits of your life figuring that human being in a 181 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:11,320 female form, which is such a mystery. 182 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:15,120 The very thing that drew us to her is now frustrates us about 183 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:16,560 her because we don't understand her. 184 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:19,760 I've told you this before, but I've got a book in my office. 185 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:22,480 I've got thousands of books and I've got one. 186 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:25,600 It's it says what men know about women. 187 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:28,240 It's about this big, it's about this thick. 188 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:32,160 You open up and it's blank. And what men know about women, 189 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:35,760 they are a mystery. But he says, husbands, dwell 190 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:37,360 with your wife according to knowledge. 191 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:40,240 Get to know her, get to understand her, get to 192 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:44,200 understand what she really means when she says such and such. 193 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:47,920 And there's nuances to the the female psyche I can feel 194 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:49,360 getting, I'm getting on thin ice now. 195 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:52,800 Let's just say that women are a mystery. 196 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:56,160 That's why we love you ladies, but we don't understand you. 197 00:10:56,160 --> 00:10:59,560 And part of what God is doing is he's drawn us into marriage. 198 00:10:59,960 --> 00:11:02,840 Let me put it this way. Marriage is one of God's primary 199 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:06,080 discipleship plans. The reason it's not good for a 200 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:08,960 man to be alone is because very few men can ever become what 201 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:12,680 they're called to be without a woman by their side, without a 202 00:11:12,680 --> 00:11:16,680 woman imposing upon them. They're imposing and saying, I 203 00:11:16,680 --> 00:11:20,240 need you to produce. I need you to step up and be the 204 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:24,520 man God you made you to be. And very few of us will be that 205 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:26,400 without a woman putting demands on us. 206 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:29,760 And the fact is, ladies, it's not good for a woman to be alone 207 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:31,920 either. But the Bible doesn't say that. 208 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:33,680 I'm saying that, but I'm telling you it's true. 209 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:37,840 But it's not as true as men. Women fare better single than 210 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:41,400 men do. And so we need that imposition. 211 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:45,440 And so and, and the fact is, in general, we as believers, we 212 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:48,800 need one another. There are things in you that God 213 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:51,280 will never get out of you without other people putting a 214 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:54,720 demand upon you. There are problems that you have 215 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:57,800 you will never recognize outside of relationship. 216 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:00,720 It's the context of relationship that brings those to the 217 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:03,520 surface. I've often said I, I was a very 218 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:05,760 patient man. I had no anger problem till I 219 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:08,400 got married. And so it must have been my 220 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:11,920 wife's fault because I I was a very patient person till I 221 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:17,080 married her because no, there was no one to put that demand on 222 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:19,280 me in my free time. I had all this time. 223 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:22,600 It was all about Dave come home at night, close the door and it 224 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:25,800 just indulge in me. I'd, I'd I'd spent, I could 225 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:27,920 spend hours with the Lord in the middle of the night. 226 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:31,600 It was glorious. And then I had a wife and that 227 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:33,720 was harder. And then you have babies. 228 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:37,160 If you do a God's ways, you get a spouse and then he kills off 229 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:40,080 the rest with children. You know what he starts with a 230 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:41,520 spouse. You'll just finish off with 231 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:44,120 children because at least your spouse, you can reason with them 232 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:45,840 a little bit. A crying baby, there's no 233 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:47,800 reasoning with it. It'll bring it up out of your 234 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:49,160 heart. You got to face it. 235 00:12:49,560 --> 00:12:55,960 I'm I'm only half joking. OK, so relationships are very, 236 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:58,800 very important. And so this whole thing about 237 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:02,720 communion, when you come together, are we coming together 238 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:06,080 with other believers? If your Christian experience is 239 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:09,200 looking at the part in the hair in front of the person of the 240 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:16,120 person in front of you every Sunday, then you need to avail 241 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:19,080 yourself to the body of Christ so you can grow because you have 242 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:21,760 sentenced yourself to an immature expression of 243 00:13:21,760 --> 00:13:23,200 Christianity. If this is your Christian 244 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:26,520 experience, listen to a talking head on a platform and looking 245 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:29,680 at someone's head. And so we need to have 246 00:13:29,680 --> 00:13:33,880 relationships because there are things in US we'll never good 247 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:36,680 and bad that will never come out outside of relationship. 248 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:41,320 There's things that God wants to show you that you'll never see 249 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:43,640 in the word on your own. He's going to show you it 250 00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:49,000 through someone else. The fullness of Christ is the 251 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:51,760 body of Christ, Paul says in Ephesians a couple of times. 252 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:56,280 The fullness of Christ is a body of Christ and you have a limited 253 00:13:56,440 --> 00:14:01,000 expression on your own and the only way to access the rest is 254 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:03,840 to join the body of Christ. And that body of Christ will 255 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:08,800 have people in there that irritate you and rightly so. 256 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:11,280 And sometimes the people you need the most are the people 257 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:12,760 that you don't want to be around. 258 00:14:13,560 --> 00:14:18,240 You want to be around the least. Years ago when I worked for Teen 259 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:21,320 Challenge, we, we had started a family program. 260 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:24,680 So we took men and women and whole families, kids and had 261 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:26,880 them on campus and we were discipling them there. 262 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:29,960 You know, they had drug issues and you know, just life 263 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:32,080 controlling problems. And let me just say that was a 264 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:34,760 hoot. Now the whole family, let me 265 00:14:34,760 --> 00:14:36,480 just say that we stopped doing that. 266 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:39,600 It was, it was a challenge. It was only one other center in 267 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:42,920 the nation that did it, and that was one out in Texas. 268 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:46,480 And so we had the the director come in one time and they had 269 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:49,080 this, you know, all these families living on this campus 270 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:50,960 together. And I'll never forget out of 271 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:53,480 this passage, he preached a message with three points. 272 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:55,240 And I can still remember what they were. 273 00:14:55,240 --> 00:15:00,640 This was 30 years ago at least. Covenant conflict, communion. 274 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:04,800 Here's the point. God enters us into covenant with 275 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:06,840 him. And in covenant with Him, we 276 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:08,560 enter into covenant with one another. 277 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:12,640 When I am wed to Jesus, he is the head and you are the body. 278 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:15,600 And it's a package deal. I can't have a relationship with 279 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:20,840 Him and reject you. You can't do that with human 280 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:23,200 beings. I really appreciate your face, 281 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:26,120 but your body, not so much. You won't have much of a 282 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:30,240 relationship with that person, and so it's a package deal. 283 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:34,400 So God enters us into covenant knowing that these different 284 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:37,040 people that we're in covenant with is going to create 285 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:39,480 conflict. I remember during that season, I 286 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:42,120 looked across the room and there were two Teen Challenge students 287 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:44,640 arguing with each other. And I, I was just laughing 288 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:47,760 inside. One was a big, old, tall cowboy 289 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:52,120 from California, and the other was a dead head from Nebraska. 290 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:53,360 Now you know what a dead head is. 291 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:57,320 It was his claim to fame was that he had gone to over 100 292 00:15:57,320 --> 00:16:00,680 Grateful Dead concerts. Daddy, he was a hippie man. 293 00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:04,000 He was a he was a leftover from the he was younger than me, but 294 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:07,280 he was he was born about 30 years too soon. 295 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:11,320 And so when Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead died, he wore a a 296 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:14,720 suit three days in mourning and finally we said, lose the suit. 297 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:19,520 Dude, this is dysfunctional He. But part of what really tickled 298 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:22,080 me was that you would have thought the dead head was be 299 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:24,800 from California and the cowboy from western Nebraska. 300 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:29,280 But no, they were. These two guys would have never 301 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:32,160 hung out together. The only reason they even talked 302 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:35,880 with each other was because they had a common union, Jesus. 303 00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:41,080 So covenant bound them together and they irritated the snot out 304 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:44,520 of each other and I just had to get me tickled thinking man 305 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:47,000 these guys would have never talked to each other outside of 306 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:51,440 Jesus. This is hilarious and and the 307 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:53,560 fact is some of us are the same way. 308 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:56,360 We just, we would not have anything in common outside of 309 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:58,720 Jesus. Most of you would not have 310 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:00,800 wanted to hang out with me before Jesus. 311 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:03,720 You sure would not let your kids hang out with me. 312 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:08,079 But here we are, and what we have in common is Jesus, and 313 00:17:08,079 --> 00:17:11,760 there's so much forfeited if we only hang out in our little echo 314 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:15,599 Chamber of what we would choose. So Jesus pulls them from every 315 00:17:15,599 --> 00:17:19,640 tongue and tribe and background. And there's something really 316 00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:23,359 healthy about a church having all these different demographics 317 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:25,920 and different ways. And you begin to rub shoulders 318 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:29,480 and you see things in the kaleidoscope of God's creativity 319 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:31,600 that you'd have never saw on your own. 320 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:35,400 It's beautiful, it's awesome, and it's irritating. 321 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:39,720 So covenant will lead to conflict. 322 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:43,640 And then in the midst of the conflict, the communion cup 323 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:47,640 comes down the aisle and we've got to examine ourselves. 324 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:52,600 Are we recognizing the body? So I would add a fourth T 325 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:56,600 covenant conflict. Communion is what will produce 326 00:17:56,600 --> 00:18:02,280 character. So communion in a very real 327 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:05,880 sense is like the, it's like the pit stop on the race of life. 328 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:08,800 We pull in and we got to examine some things and look at, hey, 329 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:13,400 are you OK with other people? Is there anybody you need to 330 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:15,720 forgive? Is there anybody you need to 331 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:18,120 really begin to pray for because they're irritating you? 332 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:21,760 Is there somebody that God is wanting you to get close to that 333 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:24,080 you're not? And is that an indication of 334 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:26,120 something in you that God's wanting to get at? 335 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:31,160 Much of what God does in our life is through human 336 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:35,120 relationships. We like to over spiritualize 337 00:18:35,120 --> 00:18:37,040 things. And oh, I just, no, I soak for 338 00:18:37,040 --> 00:18:38,680 hours alone. Yeah. 339 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:42,040 And there are things that are in you that God wants out of you, 340 00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:45,320 both good and bad, that will never come out of you without 341 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:48,920 you getting around other people. And they'll put a demand on you 342 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:52,680 and they'll, they'll frustrate you and inspire you and you'll 343 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:54,480 become all that God called you to be. 344 00:18:56,800 --> 00:18:58,560 And so we're very limited on our own. 345 00:18:58,640 --> 00:19:01,080 And so Paul says, when you come together, when you come 346 00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:02,320 together, when you come together. 347 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:08,400 So to be honest, I don't remember what I preached, what 348 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:10,720 I've said thus far, what I said the first service. 349 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:14,200 So if I repeat myself, I'm just a little tired this morning. 350 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:19,320 So you don't have to be worried that that's that felt heavy. 351 00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:26,320 I mean, look, so he says for in eating each one goes ahead with 352 00:19:26,320 --> 00:19:28,320 his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets 353 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:30,200 drunk. What don't you have houses to 354 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:32,600 eat in? He says, can I commend you in 355 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:33,360 this? No. 356 00:19:33,360 --> 00:19:37,920 And then he says this verse 23 for I received from the Lord 357 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:41,240 what I also delivered to you. He's referring back. 358 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:44,800 He said the instructions that he was going to give this, these 359 00:19:44,800 --> 00:19:47,680 are them. But he says, this is Paul's 360 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:49,800 little way of saying, and I already told you guys this 361 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:53,720 before, I've already addressed this with you before. 362 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:57,360 He said what I received from the Lord and what I also delivered 363 00:19:57,360 --> 00:20:02,320 to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night he was betrayed, took 364 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:04,480 bread. And that's really where we want 365 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:08,120 to focus this morning. It's such a beautiful phrase. 366 00:20:08,360 --> 00:20:11,320 The timing of this thing is very, very important. 367 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:14,120 Paul said, Paul didn't just say, yeah, Jesus Institute of 368 00:20:14,120 --> 00:20:16,160 Communion, and he took some bread and he broke it. 369 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:20,280 He said on the night he was betrayed, he took bread. 370 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:25,640 The whole idea of breaking bread has taken on a life of its own. 371 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:29,480 It's a euphemism that we use. It's it's used by secular people 372 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:31,640 that don't even realize it comes from this passage. 373 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:34,400 But the idea is that when we're breaking bread, we're entering 374 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:37,760 into relationship. We're reconciling, hey, let's 375 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:40,080 break bread. And people that don't even know 376 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:43,000 the Lord will use that terminology because it's become 377 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:48,640 so embedded in Western culture. But that's what it meant so much 378 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:51,600 so that Paul said if there's a brother that claims to know 379 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:56,760 Jesus is walking with the Lord but is living in stubborn sin. 380 00:20:56,760 --> 00:20:59,960 In particular, he's saying in sexual sin in first Corinthians 381 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:03,520 and he unrepentant sexual sin and he doesn't want to hear it, 382 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:06,200 doesn't want to won't won't be confronted acts like 383 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:09,800 everything's OK Paul said don't even eat with him because in 384 00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:11,840 eating with him, you're coming into agreement. 385 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:16,240 There's something about food that is communal. 386 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:20,360 There's something relational about breaking bread to with one 387 00:21:20,360 --> 00:21:23,240 another. And so when when Paul mentions 388 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:27,640 this, he said Jesus on the night he was betrayed, broke bread. 389 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:31,240 Now we see what God and let me just pause here. 390 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:34,000 This is so fascinating to me and I know I've mentioned this 391 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:38,200 before, but I I want to make sure this doesn't escape us that 392 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:42,440 Paul was not there. Paul was not a follower of Jesus 393 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:46,880 in Jesus earthly ministry. Paul called himself one born out 394 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:51,360 of season. The other disciples were with 395 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:53,800 Jesus. Paul was not. 396 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:57,280 But Paul said I received this from the Lord. 397 00:21:57,800 --> 00:21:59,400 Paul didn't hear the second hand. 398 00:21:59,880 --> 00:22:04,920 The Lord Jesus Christ thought this was so very important for 399 00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:08,520 us to understand that he dropped in with Paul and said, Paul, I 400 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:11,920 need to bring you in on something that I instituted at 401 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:15,480 the end of my earthly ministry before I launched my church. 402 00:22:16,360 --> 00:22:18,920 And he gets this download. We don't know how that happened. 403 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:21,000 We don't know if it was a vision, a dream, whatever, but 404 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:24,160 he said what I received from the Lord and I gave to you guys 405 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:29,080 before and that should highlight to you and I the the, the 406 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:33,000 essential nature of the principle Paul is getting AT and 407 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:36,840 the that that is summed up in this prophetic act called 408 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:39,120 communion. This is very, very important. 409 00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:44,560 And he said that I got it from the Lord on the night that he 410 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:48,200 was betrayed, he broke bread. Now, Paul doesn't tell us this, 411 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:51,320 but if we cross reference it for the Gospels that tell this 412 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:56,160 story, we know that Judas was at the table and Jesus is breaking 413 00:22:56,160 --> 00:22:58,040 bread. And he said, and the one who 414 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:00,080 will betray me is around this table. 415 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:03,160 And all of them are saying, you think it's me? 416 00:23:03,360 --> 00:23:04,440 Is it you? Is it me? 417 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:07,280 And you know what? That's a very healthy thing. 418 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:09,800 It's unhealthy when you say, yeah, I know which one it is. 419 00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:13,840 Yeah, I bet it's so and so that's unhealthy. 420 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:15,920 But they were all searching the heart. 421 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,600 Lord, would it be me? Lord, are you seeing something 422 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:21,240 in me? There was a humility there that 423 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:23,520 they understood their capability. 424 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:29,080 And we say, well, Pastor, that's that's just walking and 425 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:31,840 unbelief. No, Peter, the one that was most 426 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:34,400 self confident that he wouldn't betray him did. 427 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:39,720 And so we, we need to realize that every one of us are, have 428 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:42,000 the capability of walking away from the Lord. 429 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:48,800 We really do. And so Paul says on the night he 430 00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:52,720 was betrayed, the gospels tell us that they Jesus said, hey, 431 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:55,400 the one who's going to betray me, he's around the table and he 432 00:23:55,400 --> 00:24:01,920 dips the bread in the aju and hands it to Judas. 433 00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:03,440 They're all wondered, is it me? Is it me? 434 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:05,520 And he says what you're going to do do quickly. 435 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:10,560 It was a preemptive strike against the bitterness of 436 00:24:10,560 --> 00:24:13,520 betrayal. He said I'm I'm already breaking 437 00:24:13,520 --> 00:24:16,440 bread with you. I'm I'm taking a preemptive 438 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:18,200 strike. I'm on the front end. 439 00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:21,760 I'm already posturing my heart. If you betray me, I'm staying in 440 00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:25,000 covenant with you. I'm I'm as as much as it is on 441 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:27,840 my ability. I'm going to walk in forgiveness 442 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:29,520 towards you. Let's turn really quick. 443 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:33,240 We got to someone pray that time would stand still like Joseph 444 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:37,880 Joshua did rather. OK, let's look at Psalm Psalm 445 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:43,840 55. I'm trying to get there and my 446 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:47,720 computer doesn't want to cooperate. 447 00:24:47,720 --> 00:24:49,920 Psalm 55. I want to just read you a couple 448 00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:52,640 verses here. This is an interesting Psalm, 449 00:24:55,320 --> 00:25:00,640 Psalm 55. It says it's a it's a Psalm of 450 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:02,720 David. Give ear to my prayer, O God, 451 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:05,800 hide not yourself from my plea. Now remember, we've been looking 452 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:08,040 at the Psalms and the Psalms are not just poetry. 453 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:12,320 This isn't this isn't Dave David just being poetic. 454 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:15,400 He's talking about his gut level, heart wrenching 455 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:18,720 experiences. He says attend to me, answer my 456 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:20,760 prayers. I'm restless, my complaint and I 457 00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:24,200 moan because of the noise of my enemy, because of the oppression 458 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:27,360 of the wicked, for they drop trouble upon me and anger. 459 00:25:27,360 --> 00:25:29,960 They bear a grudge against me. My heart is in anguish within 460 00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:32,000 me. The tears of death have fallen 461 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:35,120 upon me. David's not just using flowery 462 00:25:35,120 --> 00:25:36,680 language, he's living this thing. 463 00:25:36,680 --> 00:25:39,480 This is accurate description of his situation. 464 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:43,040 He says in verse 6, I would, if I had the wings of a dove, I'd 465 00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:45,920 fly away and be at rest. Yes, I would wander far away. 466 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:48,440 I would lodge. I would lodge in the wilderness. 467 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:51,680 He's longing for that retreat away from his problems. 468 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:54,040 Well, what's going on here? Look at verse 12. 469 00:25:54,360 --> 00:25:57,760 For it is not an enemy who taunts me, then I could bear it. 470 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:02,000 It is not an adversary who deals insolent with, insolently with 471 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:03,920 me. Then I could hide from it. 472 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:08,400 But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar 473 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:11,120 friend. We used to take sweet counsel 474 00:26:11,120 --> 00:26:14,240 together within God's house. We walked in the throng. 475 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:20,320 David's talking about a deep betrayal from a former friend, a 476 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:24,480 friend who has become an enemy. Have you ever had that? 477 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:26,680 Don't raise your hand and don't look around the room. 478 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:32,000 Have you ever had that happened? One of the deepest, most painful 479 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:35,760 things that can ever happen is to have somebody that you trust 480 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:39,800 and to whom you've entrusted your heart turn on you and that 481 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:43,360 relationship disintegrate. And it's not, it's not that, 482 00:26:43,360 --> 00:26:46,440 well, we're just, we just, you know, kind of grew out of each 483 00:26:46,440 --> 00:26:48,600 other. But now there's an antagonism 484 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:53,640 and a, an adversarial kind of relationship. 485 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:56,160 And, you know, they're talking about you and they're, they're 486 00:26:56,160 --> 00:26:59,640 saying things and maybe you're talking about them and you're 487 00:26:59,640 --> 00:27:01,400 being tempted to say things about them. 488 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:04,920 And it's one of the most painful things. 489 00:27:07,160 --> 00:27:09,800 Look at verse 20. My companion stretched out his 490 00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:12,680 hand against his friends. He violated his covenant. 491 00:27:12,680 --> 00:27:15,560 So now David's giving us a little more insight into the 492 00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:17,480 scenario. It's not just him, but it's a 493 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:19,560 guy. He and his buddies are running 494 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:22,400 with some dude. And now this dude is turned on 495 00:27:22,400 --> 00:27:23,840 them. And he's trying. 496 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:26,360 He's intentionally trying to cause them pain. 497 00:27:26,560 --> 00:27:28,680 And David is hurting in his heart. 498 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:32,880 He violated covenant. His speech was smooth as butter, 499 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:36,040 yet war was in his heart. His words were softer than oil, 500 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:40,560 yet they were drawn swords. And you could make a case for 501 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:43,640 this being a messianic Psalm of Jesus betrayal. 502 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:47,640 But make no mistake about it, David was speaking out of his 503 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:51,560 own personal experience. Because that is the human 504 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:53,520 condition. Those things happen. 505 00:27:54,320 --> 00:27:57,720 It's one of the hardest tests for us to go through and 506 00:27:57,720 --> 00:28:02,960 communion is put in place for these types of scenarios so that 507 00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:07,480 we keep our heart clean because Scripture is very clear. 508 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:09,120 Paul said, I want to say it's in Romans 12. 509 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:15,200 He said if you are, if you bring well, this, this is in the 510 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:17,480 Gospels. He says if you bring your gift 511 00:28:18,560 --> 00:28:21,400 to the Lord and somebody has ought against you, leave it 512 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:24,520 there and go make make amends. Or if you have ought with the 513 00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:26,680 brothers, someone has something against you or you have someone 514 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:29,280 against something against someone else, go and make it 515 00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:32,360 right. I don't know if I told you I'm 516 00:28:32,360 --> 00:28:34,480 telling you I'm having a hard time this morning, but when I 517 00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:41,400 first got married, I was my wife and I were arguing. 518 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:43,960 I'm sure it was my fault, and I'm sure it was the stupidest 519 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:45,400 thing. You wouldn't believe the dumb 520 00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:48,040 things. We most of our arguments when we 521 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:50,360 first got married were about doctrine. 522 00:28:50,480 --> 00:28:52,720 Bible doctrine. Yeah. 523 00:28:53,760 --> 00:28:55,640 That was so silly. You know, we're going to argue 524 00:28:55,640 --> 00:28:58,360 about doctrine. It was so crazy, but we were in 525 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:00,600 an argument and I was mad. So I said I'm just going to go 526 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:02,360 down to my office and spend time with the Lord. 527 00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:05,240 And I got down there and I closed the door behind me and 528 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:08,680 I'm telling you, I heard from God so clearly. 529 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:11,920 And this is what he told me. He said I'm honest to God. 530 00:29:12,080 --> 00:29:13,480 He said, I don't want to hear it. 531 00:29:13,680 --> 00:29:16,000 Go back and make things right with your wife. 532 00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:21,560 He didn't want to spend time with me. 533 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:24,960 He didn't want this going on until this was going on. 534 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:30,320 And we can fool ourselves when we have ought against a brother 535 00:29:30,520 --> 00:29:32,960 and we every time their name comes up, it's just like a 536 00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:36,120 grinding and we're we're we. And when their their name is 537 00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:39,280 brought up with others, we maybe we slander them or maybe we do 538 00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:43,360 the spiritual way. Oh, well, I've had well, I won't 539 00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:47,960 mention what my experiences were because I don't want to gossip. 540 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:51,720 You raise your eyebrows in a holy way. 541 00:29:53,520 --> 00:29:57,840 I don't want to shade their reputation or lack thereof. 542 00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:02,320 O, let's just leave it there. You already did it. 543 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:06,960 And we've got to be so careful because I'm telling you this 544 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:11,160 means everything to God that we've got to deal with this. 545 00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:13,480 And this is what communion is for. 546 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:16,840 It's to deal. This is 1 facet of communion, to 547 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:19,640 deal with this in order for us to have this. 548 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:23,680 It is not a coincidence that the Moravians, the great modern 549 00:30:23,680 --> 00:30:26,840 missions movement that was launched in the earth, it 550 00:30:26,840 --> 00:30:32,480 started with a bunch of Moravians that were refugees. 551 00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:38,840 They found shelter on the compound of Count Zinzendorf, 552 00:30:39,160 --> 00:30:42,720 but they were just always arguing and mad at each other. 553 00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:45,040 And he's ringing his hands thinking, these people that 554 00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:47,720 God's given me to take care of, they're nuts. 555 00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:50,320 They're always fighting. And they had communion. 556 00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:55,120 And what happened was they said we received a baptism of love. 557 00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:57,840 And there were two things that were launched. 558 00:30:58,080 --> 00:31:03,480 The longest prayer meeting in human history, 100 years of 559 00:31:03,480 --> 00:31:07,880 unceasing prayer and the modern missions movement. 560 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:12,200 Both of them came out of communion in getting things 561 00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:17,320 right. They're God give us the nations. 562 00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:20,880 How about dealing with your neighbor 1st. 563 00:31:22,160 --> 00:31:25,400 And when they dealt with this, this thing opened up and it, I 564 00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:28,920 mean, the, the, the stories about the Moravians are amazing, 565 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:33,320 but we can cry out. I'm telling you, God opened the 566 00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:36,120 heavens and God said open your heart. 567 00:31:38,440 --> 00:31:41,960 What is it in, in the when it talks about Noah and the flood, 568 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:47,960 it says the deeps opened up and then the heavens opened up and 569 00:31:47,960 --> 00:31:51,400 poured out the rain. We can cry out for an open 570 00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:54,200 heaven, but first we need to break up the deeps. 571 00:31:55,000 --> 00:31:57,240 We need to have a broken heart for one another. 572 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:05,160 So be careful, keep clean slate when when that stuff starts to 573 00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:08,640 try to take root, then what I know for me, what I've got to do 574 00:32:08,640 --> 00:32:10,760 and God has broken my heart over this. 575 00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:16,640 He's broken my heart and he's told me you there are things 576 00:32:17,760 --> 00:32:21,800 there's things that I see that they don't see and I guarantee 577 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:25,040 you there's things they see that I don't see, but I want to judge 578 00:32:25,040 --> 00:32:28,920 them by the standard that I have because I see something clearly 579 00:32:29,120 --> 00:32:32,240 and usually the reason I see it because it was done against me. 580 00:32:34,080 --> 00:32:37,440 So I see that clearly and then I want to impose upon them the 581 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:40,800 clarity that I have on that given matter and I want to judge 582 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:43,040 them by it when they're not even seeing it. 583 00:32:43,040 --> 00:32:45,640 They what did Jesus say? You know, they know not what 584 00:32:45,640 --> 00:32:47,080 they do. Father, forgive them. 585 00:32:47,240 --> 00:32:52,480 They're blinded. And so we've got to pray. 586 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:55,120 And I know when those things rise up, I've got to pray. 587 00:32:55,120 --> 00:32:57,560 God. Lord, I ask you, just bless 588 00:32:57,560 --> 00:32:59,760 them. Lord, I ask that you would visit 589 00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:03,840 them in their quiet time. You're thinking, Pastor, you 590 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:05,240 really have to do that. Oh, yeah. 591 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:11,520 We've all had people stab us in the back, but they don't know 592 00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:13,640 what they're doing. Hurt people. 593 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:15,840 Hurt people and we've got to go low. 594 00:33:15,840 --> 00:33:19,160 And this I'm telling you, intercession for the nation's 595 00:33:19,320 --> 00:33:22,600 international, intercession for revival, intercession for 596 00:33:22,600 --> 00:33:25,440 breakthrough in our family. A lot of that is done at that 597 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:27,760 level, just going low and dealing with those things, 598 00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:31,360 allowing the Lord to have all the ground of our hearts so that 599 00:33:31,360 --> 00:33:33,000 he can begin to gain ground out there. 600 00:33:33,760 --> 00:33:37,000 But we can forfeit the victory in these bigger things that to 601 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:41,240 us are the the big ticket items, but to God it's relational. 602 00:33:41,240 --> 00:33:43,000 Are we dealing with these things? 603 00:33:45,040 --> 00:33:48,440 So let's look here. Listen to what he says. 604 00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:54,160 He says on the night when he was betrayed, he took bread. 605 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:56,680 And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said this is my 606 00:33:56,680 --> 00:33:59,080 body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me. 607 00:33:59,320 --> 00:34:01,920 And the same way he also took the cup after supper, saying, 608 00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:04,920 this cup is the new covenant in my blood. 609 00:34:06,080 --> 00:34:08,960 Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of Me for it. 610 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:12,800 Often as you eat the bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the 611 00:34:12,800 --> 00:34:16,719 Lord's death until he comes. There is a proclamation of the 612 00:34:16,719 --> 00:34:18,560 gospel in what we're about to do. 613 00:34:19,639 --> 00:34:23,400 But if your life is contradicting, if the gospel of 614 00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:29,120 reconciliation that you are proclaiming with this act is 615 00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:34,360 contradicted by the way you live, your actions cancel out 616 00:34:34,360 --> 00:34:39,320 what your mouth speaks. That old thing that we say, 617 00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:43,159 actions speak louder than words. It's true. 618 00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:49,679 So it look at verse 7. Whoever eats the bread and 619 00:34:49,679 --> 00:34:54,199 drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty 620 00:34:54,600 --> 00:34:56,719 concerning the body and the blood of the Lord. 621 00:34:57,800 --> 00:35:00,520 Unworthy means it. It has to do with scales that 622 00:35:00,520 --> 00:35:03,440 you're not giving the weight to this matter that you need 623 00:35:03,800 --> 00:35:08,640 literally, it means to to not put weight to to the weightiness 624 00:35:08,720 --> 00:35:13,520 of the sacrifice of Jesus needs to be met with the weightiness 625 00:35:13,520 --> 00:35:17,880 of our value in appreciating what he did and in light of 626 00:35:17,880 --> 00:35:21,320 that, reconciling ourselves to others, realizing I've been 627 00:35:21,320 --> 00:35:23,080 forgiven so much, I'm going to forgive. 628 00:35:23,320 --> 00:35:27,960 Nobody owes me anything and living with a clean heart and I 629 00:35:27,960 --> 00:35:29,680 know that listen, I'm your pastor. 630 00:35:29,680 --> 00:35:33,000 I hear all kinds of stories. I know that some of you are in 631 00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:37,320 situations right now that you have done everything you can to 632 00:35:37,320 --> 00:35:42,760 live in unity with that person. It's not like you can leave this 633 00:35:42,760 --> 00:35:45,400 gift at the altar and worship this morning and and if you 634 00:35:45,400 --> 00:35:47,480 would just go talk to them, you they'd reconcile. 635 00:35:47,640 --> 00:35:49,880 There are people that are absolutely unwilling. 636 00:35:49,880 --> 00:35:52,920 They're so blinded and hardened in their heart, they can't 637 00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:56,320 receive. Paul says in Romans 12 he said 638 00:35:56,320 --> 00:36:00,520 do everything that's in your power but once, once it's on 639 00:36:00,520 --> 00:36:03,520 them, then you're clean. But just keep your heart clean. 640 00:36:04,080 --> 00:36:06,240 Don't wish them. I'll don't pray them well. 641 00:36:06,760 --> 00:36:09,440 Keep your heart. Don't let any of that take root. 642 00:36:11,200 --> 00:36:15,840 Hebrews chapter 12 warns against a bitter root that will defile 643 00:36:15,840 --> 00:36:17,680 many. The picture is this, that there 644 00:36:17,680 --> 00:36:20,840 are there's root systems and he's talking about this 645 00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:25,080 underwater water or underground water system and there's wells 646 00:36:25,080 --> 00:36:28,440 that we draw water from them. But if you get a bitter root 647 00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:32,080 that gets into that water, it will taint the taste of that 648 00:36:32,080 --> 00:36:34,800 water so that everybody that drinks from the well of your 649 00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:37,720 spirit will taste that. It's like, what is that? 650 00:36:38,360 --> 00:36:41,960 It's like I always there's this negativity, this, this 651 00:36:41,960 --> 00:36:47,520 sarcastic, just this expectation of the wrong man. 652 00:36:47,520 --> 00:36:50,000 We don't want that. I want when you drink from my 653 00:36:50,000 --> 00:36:52,240 well, that. Oh, man, that's refreshing. 654 00:36:52,680 --> 00:36:55,520 That guy, he's so positive. He must be blind. 655 00:36:56,200 --> 00:36:58,120 Look at, look at. He's overlooking everything. 656 00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:00,920 I'd rather live in that head. Call me naive. 657 00:37:01,080 --> 00:37:03,000 Hallelujah. I want to be free. 658 00:37:03,840 --> 00:37:06,280 One's man's naivety is another man's freedom. 659 00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:10,120 One man's realism is heaven's negativity. 660 00:37:11,720 --> 00:37:15,880 I'm just a realist now. Listen, Bless and do not curse. 661 00:37:16,440 --> 00:37:18,360 Don't let a bitter root defile many. 662 00:37:18,360 --> 00:37:20,840 Keep your heart clean. Pray for those who have done 663 00:37:20,840 --> 00:37:23,720 evil against you. Bless and do not curse. 664 00:37:24,480 --> 00:37:26,600 Do it for yourself. Do it for your family. 665 00:37:26,880 --> 00:37:30,360 Do it for the one God wants to move us. 666 00:37:30,640 --> 00:37:33,040 There's a progression of this thing at one time. 667 00:37:33,040 --> 00:37:34,440 We want to take that before the throne. 668 00:37:34,440 --> 00:37:36,280 You see this in David's Falls, by the way. 669 00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:39,480 Lord, kill him. David's just working through his 670 00:37:39,480 --> 00:37:41,720 pain. He doesn't end with that, OK, 671 00:37:42,080 --> 00:37:45,880 But he, he often starts there. And we, we're the prosecuting 672 00:37:45,880 --> 00:37:47,680 attorney. We want to bring their sins 673 00:37:47,680 --> 00:37:49,560 before God. God, look what they did. 674 00:37:50,240 --> 00:37:52,760 If that's where you're at, the best place to do that is getting 675 00:37:52,760 --> 00:37:55,160 God's presence. Don't do it with your neighbor. 676 00:37:55,480 --> 00:37:58,600 If they are neither part of the problem or part of the solution, 677 00:37:58,720 --> 00:38:01,600 it's none of their business. Don't pollute them with it. 678 00:38:03,080 --> 00:38:04,400 It's a good definition of gossip. 679 00:38:04,400 --> 00:38:06,040 I didn't come up with that. I heard it years ago. 680 00:38:06,240 --> 00:38:08,520 But if someone's neither part of the problem or part of the 681 00:38:08,520 --> 00:38:11,120 solution, then don't share it with them. 682 00:38:11,320 --> 00:38:14,440 Get with the Lord and vent. David. 683 00:38:14,440 --> 00:38:16,640 David did. Just don't end there. 684 00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:19,680 We want to go from being the prosecuting attorney to the one 685 00:38:19,680 --> 00:38:24,560 who says, I, I withdraw my case, I forgive. 686 00:38:25,440 --> 00:38:29,280 But God wants to take us beyond that where we actually, as an 687 00:38:29,280 --> 00:38:32,400 intercessor, become the defense attorney and we begin to bring 688 00:38:32,400 --> 00:38:35,680 them before the throne. God, they are the one that needs 689 00:38:35,680 --> 00:38:38,600 rescued. Lord, they don't realize what 690 00:38:38,600 --> 00:38:40,520 they're doing. Lord, I'm free. 691 00:38:40,520 --> 00:38:43,440 You've you've given me freedom. Lord, I want them to know that 692 00:38:43,440 --> 00:38:45,920 kind of freedom. Not so they'll grovel back and 693 00:38:45,920 --> 00:38:48,520 say they're sorry, but so they can really be free. 694 00:38:48,640 --> 00:38:52,680 They're in danger when they live with that, that kind of posture. 695 00:38:52,680 --> 00:38:55,880 And so, Lord, let me be an intercessor for those who have, 696 00:38:56,520 --> 00:38:59,440 you know, had I'll intent. That's where true freedom is. 697 00:38:59,680 --> 00:39:01,400 If you can really do that. And I'm telling you it's 698 00:39:01,400 --> 00:39:05,040 possible by the grace of God and communion is the pause, the 699 00:39:05,040 --> 00:39:07,760 little pit stop where we examine and think, Oh better tighten 700 00:39:07,760 --> 00:39:11,360 those tires up because your your wheels are going to come off. 701 00:39:11,360 --> 00:39:16,200 OK. So listen what he says. 702 00:39:18,840 --> 00:39:20,840 Let a person examine himself them. 703 00:39:20,880 --> 00:39:23,880 And this is verse 28. So eat of the bread and drink of 704 00:39:23,880 --> 00:39:27,200 the cup for anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the 705 00:39:27,200 --> 00:39:29,400 body eats and drinks. Judge among himself. 706 00:39:29,680 --> 00:39:31,520 He doesn't say discerning the blood. 707 00:39:31,720 --> 00:39:33,440 He doesn't say discerning the cup. 708 00:39:33,600 --> 00:39:39,600 He says discerning the body. Why Paul is always speaking on 709 00:39:39,600 --> 00:39:42,120 many levels. The body is the bread, but the 710 00:39:42,120 --> 00:39:46,920 body is the broken body that was crucified for you and I, but the 711 00:39:46,920 --> 00:39:51,680 body is also. When you come together, are you 712 00:39:51,680 --> 00:39:56,360 recognizing the unity that we need to be in, that we look and 713 00:39:56,360 --> 00:40:00,560 we have no ill will in the room, no ill will outside this room, 714 00:40:00,560 --> 00:40:03,880 But Lord we our life becomes a cry. 715 00:40:03,880 --> 00:40:06,960 Lord, let everybody be reconciled to God. 716 00:40:06,960 --> 00:40:11,760 Hold not their sin against them. You can't really pray that if 717 00:40:11,760 --> 00:40:13,560 you're holding their sin against you, them. 718 00:40:15,840 --> 00:40:18,400 So what does Paul say? That is why many are weak and 719 00:40:18,400 --> 00:40:22,440 ill and some have died. This is very, very serious. 720 00:40:24,080 --> 00:40:28,840 We can actually bring sickness on ourself by partaking of this 721 00:40:28,840 --> 00:40:32,560 holy thing and not examining ourselves. 722 00:40:32,560 --> 00:40:34,280 So what does Paul say in verse 31? 723 00:40:34,400 --> 00:40:35,840 Go ahead and stand. So you know, I'm going to quit. 724 00:40:36,040 --> 00:40:39,480 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 725 00:40:39,840 --> 00:40:43,040 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that 726 00:40:43,040 --> 00:40:45,440 we may not be condemned along with the world. 727 00:40:45,720 --> 00:40:50,960 And that little verse, verse 31, he says if we judge ourself, 728 00:40:52,040 --> 00:40:55,840 then we will not be we will not be judged when we are 729 00:40:55,840 --> 00:40:58,640 disciplined. And why does God discipline us 730 00:40:58,880 --> 00:41:01,360 so that we will not be condemned with the world? 731 00:41:01,560 --> 00:41:04,240 There's three forms of judgment, Paul and Pax here. 732 00:41:05,080 --> 00:41:10,080 Self judgment is called repentance that I'm going to say 733 00:41:10,080 --> 00:41:14,280 God, Lord, I'm the guilty. 1 Lord, I'm asking Lord, shine 734 00:41:14,280 --> 00:41:16,760 your light. Show me Lord, I have such a 735 00:41:16,760 --> 00:41:20,280 propensity to justify my own behavior. 736 00:41:20,440 --> 00:41:23,480 I need you to rescue me again and again and again. 737 00:41:23,640 --> 00:41:27,640 Help me to see where I'm wrong. And repentance will keep us from 738 00:41:27,640 --> 00:41:31,040 having to be entering into the second type of judgment that is 739 00:41:31,400 --> 00:41:35,000 temporary judgment, which Paul says is the discipline of the 740 00:41:35,000 --> 00:41:37,680 Lord. And you know the purpose that he 741 00:41:37,680 --> 00:41:42,200 said so that you are not condemned with the world in 742 00:41:42,200 --> 00:41:47,880 eternal judgment. So you want to miss eternal 743 00:41:47,880 --> 00:41:51,040 judgment then enter into the temporary judgment. 744 00:41:51,120 --> 00:41:54,480 And there's two ways to enter that by self evaluation and you 745 00:41:54,480 --> 00:41:57,360 repent on your own. Otherwise what God will do. 746 00:41:58,160 --> 00:42:01,800 Psalm 32 do not be like the horse or mule who must be 747 00:42:01,800 --> 00:42:05,280 steered with bitten bridle. I would guide you with mine eye. 748 00:42:05,720 --> 00:42:08,720 In other words, he said I'd rather be able to point these 749 00:42:08,720 --> 00:42:11,200 things out to you. I want to lead you with a look. 750 00:42:11,480 --> 00:42:13,720 We're face to face all the time and I look at you. 751 00:42:13,720 --> 00:42:16,440 I'll give you that look. You know that look and you 752 00:42:16,440 --> 00:42:19,040 respond, yes, Lord. Lord, what do you, what do you? 753 00:42:19,360 --> 00:42:21,800 What's going on, Lord? I'm ready to lay it down. 754 00:42:22,080 --> 00:42:26,360 You're Lord, I'm not. The other alternative is God 755 00:42:26,360 --> 00:42:28,520 loves us enough that He'll discipline us. 756 00:42:28,840 --> 00:42:33,680 He will lead us with pain. A horse or mule, they put an 757 00:42:33,680 --> 00:42:37,080 iron rod in their mouth with two eye holes at the back, pull it 758 00:42:37,080 --> 00:42:40,960 back towards the cheek flaps. And if you want to go right, you 759 00:42:41,240 --> 00:42:44,360 cause great pain on the right side of that horse's mouth till 760 00:42:44,360 --> 00:42:46,600 he starts going right and you want to go left, He'll cause 761 00:42:46,600 --> 00:42:49,600 pain on the left side. And what God is saying is I love 762 00:42:49,600 --> 00:42:53,000 you enough to lead you with pain, but I want to lead you 763 00:42:53,000 --> 00:42:56,600 with a look. And if we respond to neither, 764 00:42:57,080 --> 00:42:59,200 then we're in danger of the ultimate judgment. 765 00:42:59,200 --> 00:43:06,240 That's what Paul's saying. So are we recognizing the body 766 00:43:06,240 --> 00:43:09,880 of the Lord today? We are the body of Christ. 767 00:43:10,160 --> 00:43:12,400 I don't have the luxury of saying I love Jesus, but I 768 00:43:12,400 --> 00:43:16,240 reject his people there. It's a package deal. 769 00:43:17,040 --> 00:43:19,920 I don't get him without getting you because much of what I get 770 00:43:20,000 --> 00:43:26,560 of Him comes through you. And so let's take this in our 771 00:43:26,560 --> 00:43:29,800 hand. I'm going to ask you to hold up 772 00:43:29,800 --> 00:43:33,840 the the bread. We didn't get into the blood 773 00:43:33,840 --> 00:43:37,360 today and we will if you need communion elements, just raise 774 00:43:37,360 --> 00:43:38,520 your hand. We have them right here. 775 00:43:38,920 --> 00:43:40,880 Sorry about that. I should have said that earlier, 776 00:43:41,520 --> 00:43:46,080 but let's hold, hold the body, the the bread before the Lord. 777 00:43:47,040 --> 00:43:53,000 Father, we thank you that you sent your Son Jesus. 778 00:43:53,000 --> 00:43:59,000 We thank you that you took on human flesh and became one of 779 00:43:59,000 --> 00:44:03,280 us. And Lord, we thank you that you 780 00:44:03,280 --> 00:44:08,400 allowed yourself to be nailed to a tree, beaten and bruised and 781 00:44:08,400 --> 00:44:11,240 tortured and mocked on our behalf. 782 00:44:13,240 --> 00:44:17,600 And Lord, we thank you that we've now been made part of the 783 00:44:17,600 --> 00:44:26,680 body of Christ. Thank you, Lord, the Lord we ask 784 00:44:28,440 --> 00:44:34,280 to examine our hearts. Grace us to overcome our 785 00:44:34,280 --> 00:44:37,960 justifications. Lord, if there's somebody we 786 00:44:37,960 --> 00:44:43,840 need to forgive, grace us to forgive and establish that as a 787 00:44:43,840 --> 00:44:47,840 permanent state of our heart. If there's someone we need to go 788 00:44:47,840 --> 00:44:53,560 to, Lord, grace us to do so. There's somebody we need to 789 00:44:53,560 --> 00:44:56,960 continue to pray for. Grace us to do so. 790 00:44:56,960 --> 00:45:02,240 Lord, we thank you, Jesus. Let's receive the body. 791 00:45:05,880 --> 00:45:08,040 In Jesus, we thank you for your blood. 792 00:45:09,800 --> 00:45:18,160 She took on human flesh and faced every temptation on our 793 00:45:18,160 --> 00:45:22,240 behalf. And once made perfect, you 794 00:45:22,240 --> 00:45:24,520 became the source of eternal salvation. 795 00:45:25,360 --> 00:45:27,120 We receive your blood this morning. 796 00:45:29,760 --> 00:45:34,360 Now let me just pass to you for one more minute here. 797 00:45:34,800 --> 00:45:40,720 Listen, if there's somebody that you have had secret bitterness 798 00:45:40,720 --> 00:45:43,800 towards, you don't need to go to them and say I've really, I've 799 00:45:43,800 --> 00:45:46,800 really been irritated with you. You've gotten on on my nerves 800 00:45:46,800 --> 00:45:48,560 for a long time. But I want you to know I forgive 801 00:45:48,560 --> 00:45:51,320 you and you just kind of bounce off and you're good. 802 00:45:51,320 --> 00:45:53,320 But now they're kind of struggling. 803 00:45:53,760 --> 00:45:55,040 You don't need to put that in their head. 804 00:45:56,240 --> 00:46:00,040 If they know there's a breach in the relationship, then it may be 805 00:46:01,160 --> 00:46:05,320 let the Lord lead you make make that right as much as is in your 806 00:46:05,320 --> 00:46:09,800 ability to live at peace with all men, but don't do it at 807 00:46:09,800 --> 00:46:11,080 their expense. Amen. 808 00:46:12,400 --> 00:46:14,240 Thanks for listening to our podcast. 809 00:46:14,240 --> 00:46:16,720 If you'd like to help more people hear this message, you 810 00:46:16,720 --> 00:46:19,360 can get the word out by subscribing and sharing it on 811 00:46:19,360 --> 00:46:21,640 social media. If you'd like to support the 812 00:46:21,640 --> 00:46:24,520 ministries of Heartland Church, you can do so at Heartland 813 00:46:24,520 --> 00:46:26,720 Church online.com/give.