1 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:09,880 This is ERC Sundays, the messages from Emmaus Rd. 2 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:13,320 Church in DeWitt, Iowa. ERC is a Church of people 3 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:16,239 devoted to knowing Jesus and making him known to others 4 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:18,760 through our faith, words and actions. 5 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:23,000 Find out more about our church at emmausrdonline.org. 6 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:30,760 Here's this week's message well. First and foremost, Michaela 7 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:32,520 Plumley, everybody, why don't we welcome her? 8 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:42,160 So as a brief, as a brief kind of how did we get here today 9 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:46,920 with Michaela in particular confirmation at ERC, it looks 10 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:51,080 like 2 pretty intensive years. And so over these last two 11 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:57,320 years, Michaela has taken in 46 particular theological lessons 12 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:00,840 that all have a point. And the point of all those 13 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:05,000 theological lessons is to see a need and reliance for Jesus 14 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:07,480 Christ. Because if we are not teaching 15 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:10,280 that kind of theology, then I don't really know what we're 16 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:13,600 teaching. And so as Michaela has come to 17 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:19,400 this day all by her lonesome, it would seem, we are so incredibly 18 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:23,800 proud of her. Now I will say this, and this is 19 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:27,600 a a feather in your cap, I hope that if there was ever a good 20 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:31,760 year for her to only be one student, it might be this year. 21 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:35,760 Quite honestly, looking into next year, I think we have 7 22 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:40,600 students who will be likely confirmed next year, which it 23 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:44,240 put Michaela in a strange position because I had 24 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:47,760 originally told her, I said Michaela you have that preaching 25 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:49,880 half hour. Good luck. 26 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:55,440 It's going to go great. But then she in, in some ways I 27 00:01:55,440 --> 00:02:00,120 wasn't surprised, but but, but in other ways, I was surprised 28 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:05,120 because Michaela has chosen a topic that I think speaks to 29 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:08,600 what she's learned and it speaks to the nature of how she 30 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:10,479 understands this Christian faith. 31 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:13,160 And she's just done such a wonderful job. 32 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:19,880 Now, I will say this, before we allow Michaela to take over a 33 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:23,600 little bit, I would like you guys to stand again. 34 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:27,840 And now you might say, why are we standing? 35 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:34,880 It's because we are going to confess again the faith into 36 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:38,120 which Michaela has been learning about and studying the last two 37 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:39,760 years. Now you might say to me, but 38 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:41,560 Pastor Chris, we've already done this today. 39 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:46,120 Sorry, friends, get used to it because quite frankly, we can 40 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:51,560 never set the foundation enough. When we talk about being great 41 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:54,760 at anything, I don't care what it is, whether it's a sport or 42 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:57,760 if it's a career thing or whatever that is, if we are not 43 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:02,960 set in the basics, if we are not settled in our foundation, we 44 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:06,600 will never succeed. So in addition to that, I'll 45 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:09,560 give you a preview come this summer, we are preaching through 46 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:14,240 the Apostles Creed and that will be a powerful, powerful sermon 47 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:18,280 series that I am really, really excited to to help lead us in. 48 00:03:18,640 --> 00:03:23,280 But why don't we confess this faith, this foundation of what 49 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:27,400 we believe one more time that Michaela has studied so hard 50 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:32,000 over the last two years? I believe in God the Father 51 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:36,360 Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his 52 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:40,160 only Son, our Lord, who's conceived by the Holy Spirit, 53 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:44,240 born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, 54 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:49,560 was crucified, died and buried. He descended into hell the third 55 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:51,520 day. He rose again from the dead. 56 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:55,840 He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the 57 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:59,080 Father Almighty. From there he will come to judge 58 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:02,640 the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, 59 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:06,800 the Holy Christian Church, the communion of Saints, the 60 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:10,520 forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and 61 00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:12,800 life everlasting. Amen. 62 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:17,399 You may be seated now, you might even ask me as an aside, why do 63 00:04:17,399 --> 00:04:23,040 we stand when you say that? We stand on the confession of 64 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:26,800 our faith, right? We stand on the confessions of 65 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:29,600 our faith. And so quite literally, we have 66 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:32,200 you stand up, right? There might be other reasons for 67 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:35,480 that, but that's the reason that I think is most relevant. 68 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:41,600 So every year or every week we have what we affectionately call 69 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:43,680 the Catechism question of the week. 70 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:46,520 And it's really great. And I do it just like that every 71 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:49,520 single week. I really do because I'm kind of 72 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:51,640 strange. But I get excited about 73 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:55,160 catechism questions again because it is foundational truth 74 00:04:55,600 --> 00:05:00,960 for what the Bible says. So Michaela has been asked to 75 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:04,600 choose a catechism question that she would like to answer. 76 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:10,320 And so Michaela's catechism question that she chose is what 77 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:14,800 kind of Redeemer is necessary to bring us back to God it. 78 00:05:15,280 --> 00:05:20,880 Was it was Jesus because he is a 100% human and 100% God. 79 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:24,880 This is important because God understands our feelings and He, 80 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:27,760 and yet He has the power of resurrection. 81 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:33,320 Very good. 100% man, 100% God. Excellent. 82 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:38,400 Well, at this time, I am going to leave the floor to Michaela, 83 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:43,160 her topic that she chose because every conferment gets to choose 84 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:47,200 a topic that they found most interesting or most or most 85 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:49,760 moving to them. And as we talked about the 86 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:54,320 Apostle Paul, this is somebody and the topic that Michaela has 87 00:05:54,320 --> 00:06:00,160 latched onto quite well. And so I would like to leave all 88 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,640 of you to her teaching. Thank you, Michaela. 89 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:09,360 The Apostle Paul was a Pharisee who God changed in many ways 90 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:12,720 because at first he was either killing or putting Christians in 91 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:15,240 jail. And here's why he and here's why 92 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:18,560 he did that. Paul believed he was a believed 93 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:20,960 Jesus was a fraud. And like other religious 94 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:23,720 leaders, he felt threatened by Jesus and his followers. 95 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:28,000 He believed the church, the church community, was preaching 96 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:32,640 a false mess, false message, and so he felt justified to 97 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:38,040 persecute them. But he wasn't the first one to 98 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:42,960 make a mistake and harm someone. For example, Moses thought he 99 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:45,800 was doing the right thing killing the Egyptian who was 100 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:48,760 harming one of the Israelites. Paul thought he was doing the 101 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:50,760 right thing by imprisoning Christians. 102 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:57,600 If we read Acts 9 one through 9, we see Paul's conversion moment. 103 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:01,600 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats 104 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:06,080 against Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and 105 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:11,920 asked for asked him for letters to the synagogue's and in 106 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:16,920 Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the 107 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:20,640 way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to 108 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:24,760 Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his 109 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:29,120 journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 110 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:33,840 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, Saul, Saul, 111 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:37,160 why do you persecute me? Who are you, Lord? 112 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:39,880 He asked. I am Jesus whom you are 113 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:43,760 persecuting, He replied. Now get up and go to the city, 114 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:45,800 and you will be told what you must do. 115 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:50,560 The men travelling with Saul stood there speechless. 116 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:54,720 They heard the sound, but did not see them any did not see 117 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:57,360 anyone. Saul got up from the ground and 118 00:07:57,360 --> 00:07:59,640 when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. 119 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:02,960 So they led him by the hand to Damascus. 120 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:06,960 For three days he was blind and he did not eat or drink 121 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:10,240 anything. Essentially Jesus was saying, 122 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:13,680 why are you hurting me? Jesus means that he can feel 123 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:17,120 what we all are feeling and he understands because he is one of 124 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:20,600 us. He was one of us, fully human 125 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:23,040 and fully God. And that makes sense. 126 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:26,880 And here's why we should We could understand that when your 127 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:29,000 friend is getting bullied, you also feel a hurt. 128 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:34,720 When you love someone who was sick, you feel the pain with 129 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:38,520 them because we love them in the same way with Jesus. 130 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:41,400 He loves us so he feels that way too. 131 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:46,120 But Paul. But God helped Paul do a 180 in 132 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:51,080 his life. Paul then Paul then felt the the 133 00:08:52,680 --> 00:08:55,480 Paul then felt what the Christians were feeling when he 134 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:58,920 was imprisoning and was threatening them because that's 135 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:03,160 what was happening now to see to him when he since he changed. 136 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:07,440 Some examples are Paul. Paul survived A shipwreck, then 137 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:10,080 washed up on an island and then then made a fire. 138 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:13,840 When the flame was getting bigger a snake came out and Paul 139 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:16,800 got bitten by the poisonous snake and the native people 140 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:19,880 thought he deserved that. They were saying, oh he must be 141 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:25,480 a murderer, he will die. But when he never died, the 142 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:28,880 natives thought, oh he must be a God since he never died. 143 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:34,400 You can find that in Acts 28. Paul was also thrown into prison 144 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:38,000 and after being bit beaten he was put in chains. 145 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:42,680 But when an earthquake came and the prison well shook, 146 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:46,880 everyone's chains were broken. But Paul stayed in his cell and 147 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:51,080 the prison guard was going to take his own life since he since 148 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:54,560 he wasn't just going to lose his job, he would be killed for the 149 00:09:54,560 --> 00:10:00,720 prisoners escaping, Paul sent Paul saved his life and his 150 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:03,720 attorney as he gave him the good news of the gospel. 151 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:08,840 He and his household were baptized, finding faith in Jesus 152 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:10,400 Christ. This moment was right. 153 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:13,680 This moment was recorded in Acts 16. 154 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:17,560 Another interesting moment in Paul's life was when he was 155 00:10:17,560 --> 00:10:21,520 preaching for hours on end, maybe just slightly longer than 156 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:26,520 Pastor Chris talks and a kid fell asleep. 157 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:31,040 When Paul was was preaching and he fell out of three story 158 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:34,640 building. Although he died, Paul went down 159 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:37,280 and bent over him taking him in his arms. 160 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:40,640 He said do not be alarmed, his life is in him. 161 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:46,600 So although Paul started as a murderer of Christians, he was 162 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:50,000 now bringing them back to life. That moment was recorded in Acts 163 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:54,600 20. There are many other interesting 164 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:57,440 moments in Paul's life, but we know. 165 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:00,920 But we know at the end of his life he was convinced that 166 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:05,360 gospel was real, he was doing God's mission, and he was OK 167 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:10,480 with his fate. And Second Timothy 468, 6 168 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:14,640 through 8, he says, For I am already being poured out at pour 169 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:18,720 out as a drink offering, and at the time of my departure has 170 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:22,280 come, I have fought the good fight, I finished the race, I've 171 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:26,640 kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for 172 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:30,200 me the throne of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous 173 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:35,360 Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but 174 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:38,760 also to all who have loved his appearing. 175 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:44,880 This all proves that God can change people's lives and even 176 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:50,800 when he sin, when we sin, he still forgives us and loves us. 177 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:55,520 God can help guide us to do a 180 in our lives and He proved 178 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:58,280 that with Paul. All this means that God can 179 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:01,720 strengthen our faith, change our minds, and change our hearts. 180 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:06,640 His life proves that Jesus will pick people we would never have 181 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:10,760 expected, like Paul or even Mary Magdalene, who was the first 182 00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:42,460 witness to his resurrection. Wow, so well done truly hearing 183 00:12:42,460 --> 00:12:52,160 from Michaela today. I'm very proud of her and I'm 184 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:57,200 sure her family is too, and I hope our entire church family is 185 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:03,000 as well. Her presentation of Paul's 180, 186 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:05,560 as Michaela said, it's remarkable. 187 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:09,040 It's remarkable. And that's the thing. 188 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:13,640 God allows us through his Son Jesus Christ to do that exact 189 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:19,560 same 180 that we might go from sinners, broken and lost in our 190 00:13:19,560 --> 00:13:26,120 sin, often times unwilling to repent, often times just holding 191 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:31,680 on so tightly to our pride to become people like Paul who end 192 00:13:31,680 --> 00:13:34,560 up working and giving their lives for the very thing that 193 00:13:34,560 --> 00:13:38,040 they once hated. This is exceptional. 194 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:42,080 And again, Michaela, you've done an exceptional job. 195 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:45,440 The hit on me was nice too. That was nice. 196 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:50,960 But then again, you know, if if I had listened to me for two 197 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:53,920 years throughout confirmation on any given Sunday, I might say 198 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:56,160 the same thing. So whatever, I don't have to 199 00:13:56,160 --> 00:13:58,000 listen to me. I just have to say the things, 200 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:00,560 right. But thank you, that's so well 201 00:14:00,560 --> 00:14:03,200 done. And The thing is, we are right. 202 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:07,000 We are right in congratulating Michaela today. 203 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:09,520 We are right in celebrating Michaela today. 204 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:15,280 Michaela is doing something different, though, that maybe we 205 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:19,600 haven't totally thought about. Often times within the church 206 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:25,000 capital C, we see confirmation as not just a moment to kind of 207 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:29,160 mark, but we see it as a graduation from church, a 208 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:32,080 graduation from needing to continue to learn. 209 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:35,080 That couldn't be further from the truth. 210 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:37,600 Michaela is just getting started. 211 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:41,800 Because you see, from the day that we were born until we draw 212 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:47,040 our very last breath, God is calling us to grow in His grace 213 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:51,040 and grow in His Word and through His community. 214 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:57,000 God calls us into a lifetime, an entire lifetime of learning and 215 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:00,200 growing in all of the ways that only He can do. 216 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:07,800 I remember when I finished my master's degree in seminary, I 217 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:10,400 had worked harder than I ever had before. 218 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:15,360 Three years of just grinding and studying and trying to pronounce 219 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:17,520 Hebrew words that I still can't pronounce. 220 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:21,200 Three years of that. And when I finally came to 221 00:15:21,200 --> 00:15:23,520 graduation, you know what they told me? 222 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:26,400 Good job, you're just getting started. 223 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:31,880 That's what they said, honestly. And they were right. 224 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:33,680 That's the thing, they were right. 225 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:38,680 We are to never stop growing or learning about our Lord and 226 00:15:38,680 --> 00:15:42,320 Savior Jesus Christ, not ever, not ever. 227 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:46,880 So church, before we come to the Lord's Table today, we get to 228 00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:49,160 receive His body and blood through communion. 229 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:52,400 But before we do that, I want to share just a few verses with you 230 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:54,640 And Michaela, I promise I won't talk too long. 231 00:15:55,560 --> 00:16:00,360 I promise I'll try. But I would like to share just a 232 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:05,440 few verses with you from Psalm 9212 through 15 and it goes like 233 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:09,280 this. The righteous flourish like the 234 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:12,520 palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 235 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:15,400 They are planted in the House of the Lord. 236 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:18,280 They flourish in the courts of our God. 237 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:21,560 They still bear fruit in old age. 238 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:27,040 They are ever full of SAP and green to declare that the Lord 239 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:31,160 is upright. He is my rock and there is no 240 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:34,280 unrighteousness in him. Here in this reading of God's 241 00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:39,000 Word again, you see, the psalmist says that we will 242 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:42,320 flourish and grow, flourish and grow. 243 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:46,240 This is not an accident of of words. 244 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:52,400 We flourish and grow because, as the Psalm says, we are planted 245 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:56,880 in the House of the Lord. And that also means something 246 00:16:56,880 --> 00:17:01,800 very important. If, friends, we are not growing, 247 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:05,920 if we are not growing in our faith and knowledge and 248 00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:09,280 understanding and grace of Jesus Christ and love for Him. 249 00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:12,400 If we're not growing, it means we're planted in the wrong 250 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:16,040 place. We have put down our roots in 251 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:20,520 the wrong place, and we are trying to take nourishment from 252 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:25,040 soil that ultimately will not grow us but kill us. 253 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:31,760 Because here's the thing about our Lord, as Michaela so clearly 254 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:34,800 put it. He will rightly save us wherever 255 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:38,000 we are, even if we're like the Apostle Paul. 256 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:41,320 But He never wants us to stay where we started. 257 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:46,160 That is not what He wants. That is not what He hopes for 258 00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:48,760 for us. His desires that we would grow 259 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:52,800 in His grace and His truth for the rest of our lives being 260 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:58,720 shaped into His image more and more every single day as we dive 261 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:04,040 deep into the Word of God. In this Psalms metaphor, the 262 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:05,960 roots of the tree, you know what they do? 263 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:12,640 They stretch far and they stretch wide, seeking out that 264 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:17,320 which will grow it. Well, in the same way, every 265 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:21,360 single day of our lives, we are called to stretch wide and we 266 00:18:21,360 --> 00:18:26,640 are called to stretch far into God's Word every single day so 267 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:32,920 that we might grow, so we might flourish, so we might come into 268 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:37,920 a mature relationship with Him and bear really good fruit, 269 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:41,960 really godly fruit. And here's the great thing about 270 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:44,200 this fruit. Here's the most interesting 271 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:49,680 part, I suspect. This fruit that God grows in and 272 00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:54,040 through us, it's not for us. Did you know that? 273 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:59,800 It's not for our good, it's for other people that they might 274 00:18:59,840 --> 00:19:04,080 pluck it out of our lives, that we might give away grace, that 275 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:07,160 we might give away forgiveness, that we might give away the 276 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:13,280 gospel that is so sweet to the taste that people cannot find 277 00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:17,160 anything else like it in the entire world, because there is 278 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:20,040 nothing else like the gospel in the whole world. 279 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:23,480 Therefore, as God grows us through His Word in His 280 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:28,600 community, He fills us with more and more grace, more and more 281 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:32,240 fruit that we might bear that and give that away freely. 282 00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:36,920 That's what He does. Now the last thing I'll say here 283 00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:39,240 before we come to the table is this. 284 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:44,040 This growth is meant to happen for our entire lifetime. 285 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:48,640 Michaela did something pretty amazing today. 286 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:53,800 I suspect for most of us it would be more than nerve racking 287 00:19:53,800 --> 00:19:58,240 to stand up here and present much of anything, let alone a 288 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:00,880 truth so powerful it can change your life. 289 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:03,320 That is a nerve wracking experience. 290 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:06,560 It truly is, even if you've been up here a lot of times. 291 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:09,800 But we are meant to grow our entire lifetime. 292 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:15,640 Verse 14 says that they still, that is our more veteran 293 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:19,280 believers. Let's say they still bear fruit 294 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:22,720 in old age. They're ever full of SAP. 295 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:26,520 And they are green. In other words, at no point in 296 00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:29,600 time should you ever stop being sappy. 297 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:37,640 Yes, I said that and I did it on purpose to get that just sad 298 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:41,600 groan of a dad joke giggle. That's why I do those things, 299 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:43,440 actually. But no, it's true. 300 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:48,120 We are called to be sappy and green forever, so full of the 301 00:20:48,120 --> 00:20:52,040 gospel that it overflows and it pours out of our lives, out of 302 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:55,360 our out of our soul. And so here's the point. 303 00:20:56,160 --> 00:21:01,600 Retirement from God's word, from God's community should not be on 304 00:21:01,600 --> 00:21:05,480 any Christians bingo card. That's not how that works. 305 00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:07,920 You might be able to retire from a job. 306 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:10,960 You might be able to retire from all that kind of stuff, but we 307 00:21:10,960 --> 00:21:15,080 are never called to retire from growing in God's word and 308 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:17,000 growing in and through his community. 309 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:19,080 Not ever. Not ever. 310 00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:24,640 So whether you're Michaela's age or you're my age or you're 311 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:29,040 Richard Walker's age, no matter what age you are, there is. 312 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:35,600 Yeah. Hi, see, I can call people out 313 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:38,000 too. That's fun, isn't it? 314 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:43,520 But no matter what our age, we are never called to stop 315 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:48,080 seeking, stop growing, stop flourishing inside of God's 316 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:52,520 Word, because God's Word holds the truth not only for today, 317 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:56,760 but it holds the grace that we need to live in eternity with 318 00:21:56,840 --> 00:22:02,120 Jesus Christ forever. So that brings us to our Lord's 319 00:22:02,120 --> 00:22:06,680 Supper, the communion table, because based on this Psalm, if 320 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:10,280 we are in fact trees planted in the House of the Lord, this 321 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:15,680 table is what waters us, this table is what nourishes us. 322 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:20,200 And here this nourishment is the body and blood of Jesus Christ 323 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:23,160 and nothing less. So the Bible tells us this, what 324 00:22:23,240 --> 00:22:26,600 Jesus tells us when he gives the first communion meal. 325 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:30,320 He says this is my body, this is my blood. 326 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:36,040 Now to give you a confirmation lesson, very briefly, we hold 327 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:39,160 that intention, don't we? Because as we receive this 328 00:22:39,160 --> 00:22:42,960 little wafer and as we drink the juice, we go, how is that 329 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:46,440 possible? How is it possible that this is 330 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:49,560 the body of Christ in the blood of Christ? 331 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:54,240 Friends, as a good confirmation teacher, I will tell you the 332 00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:56,760 truth. I don't know. 333 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:04,080 I don't know, but he said it and therefore we believe it. 334 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:09,000 We live in some level of tension of that, but that's OK, because 335 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:12,640 if we could figure out God, he would be too small to worship, 336 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:14,440 wouldn't He? That's right. 337 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:18,560 So communion then reminds us that we don't grow by our own 338 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:22,360 strength, but by his grace. So we come to the communion 339 00:23:22,360 --> 00:23:28,960 table with joy, with humility, hopefully also in repentance of 340 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:33,640 our sins that we know cause us to fall short of God's perfect 341 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:37,400 righteousness and His standard. But in all these things, we are 342 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:39,520 released as we believe in Jesus Christ. 343 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:41,520 We are released back into freedom. 344 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:45,720 Amen. I'd like to invite Miss Michaela 345 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:51,200 back up once again to pray with us to help lead us in the Lord's 346 00:23:51,200 --> 00:24:00,000 Prayer as He taught us. Our Father, who art in heaven, 347 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:04,840 hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done 348 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:08,800 on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day Our Daily 349 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:12,920 Bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those 350 00:24:12,920 --> 00:24:16,880 who have trespassed against us. And lead us not into temptation, 351 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:20,800 but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom and the 352 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:23,560 power and the glory forever and ever. 353 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:25,640 Amen. Thank you, Michaela. 354 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:32,560 God graciously invites us to his table. 355 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:37,480 In fact, he says, come to me all you who are weary and burdened, 356 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:42,560 and I will give you rest. And then famously John 316 and 357 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:45,840 17 says, For God so love the world that he gave his one and 358 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:49,000 only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but 359 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:52,040 have eternal life. For God did not send His Son 360 00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:55,440 into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world 361 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:58,360 through Him. And the Bible also teaches us 362 00:24:58,360 --> 00:25:03,360 that if we confess important word, if we confess our sins, He 363 00:25:03,360 --> 00:25:06,760 is faithful and just and will forgive us of all of our sins 364 00:25:06,760 --> 00:25:09,480 and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 365 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:13,760 So, friends, before we come to the table, the elements will be 366 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:16,920 passed out momentarily. I would ask you to hold on to 367 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:22,120 those. But as the band is playing, this 368 00:25:22,120 --> 00:25:26,000 is a great time maybe not to sing. 369 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:34,320 Sorry, Matt. Maybe not, because maybe as as 370 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:37,240 our worship team plays, maybe we have some business to do with 371 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:38,560 God. Maybe there's some real 372 00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:40,600 confessing that needs to be done. 373 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:44,120 We ought not to be afraid of that. 374 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:47,440 We ought not to be afraid to expose the deepest, darkest 375 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:50,400 corners of our hearts, because God already knows them. 376 00:25:51,920 --> 00:25:55,080 He wants us to leave those things at the foot of the cross 377 00:25:55,560 --> 00:25:58,040 and not look back, not pick them back up again. 378 00:25:58,360 --> 00:26:06,640 So as we receive the elements, pray, confess, make your heart 379 00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:09,280 ready to receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ. 380 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:14,760 Thanks for listening to ERC Sundays. 381 00:26:15,360 --> 00:26:17,760 To support the work that God is doing at Emmaus Rd. 382 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:21,760 Church, visit emmausrdonline.org/giveme.