WEBVTT 00:00:02.250 --> 00:00:05.269 Welcome to the Life Bible Church podcast. We 00:00:05.269 --> 00:00:07.669 want to thank you for joining us today, and we 00:00:07.669 --> 00:00:10.169 hope you find today's sermon impacting as you 00:00:10.169 --> 00:00:12.689 listen to it wherever you are in your daily walk. 00:00:12.910 --> 00:00:15.929 To find service times and watch messages online, 00:00:16.210 --> 00:00:20.109 see our website at lifebiblechurch .org. Now, 00:00:20.149 --> 00:00:24.550 enjoy this week's message. You can be seated. 00:00:24.609 --> 00:00:28.170 We're going to have the ushers begin to prepare 00:00:28.170 --> 00:00:32.340 the tables this morning. I'm going to have the 00:00:32.340 --> 00:00:36.780 band stay. This is going to be a bit of a unique 00:00:36.780 --> 00:00:41.960 service at Life Bible. We know communion, we 00:00:41.960 --> 00:00:47.380 try to receive this supper once every month at 00:00:47.380 --> 00:00:52.899 minimum. I felt very distinct from the Lord this 00:00:52.899 --> 00:00:57.359 morning that there was a theme that he wanted 00:00:57.359 --> 00:01:05.480 to deal with. Friday and Saturday as I was waiting 00:01:05.480 --> 00:01:08.500 on the Lord and as I was writing scriptures down 00:01:08.500 --> 00:01:12.959 and just trying to just get the mind of Christ 00:01:12.959 --> 00:01:16.459 for what he had for us as a family this morning. 00:01:17.500 --> 00:01:23.519 And I woke up this morning and I, as I usually 00:01:23.519 --> 00:01:26.819 do, I get up first thing. It's kind of my thing. 00:01:26.879 --> 00:01:30.260 I have a certain chair I go to. I just kind of, 00:01:31.019 --> 00:01:36.620 Begin to just get my mind both on the Lord and 00:01:36.620 --> 00:01:41.959 just the things of the day. It's different than 00:01:41.959 --> 00:01:46.760 most times. As I sat there, I felt compelled 00:01:46.760 --> 00:01:52.280 to begin to just put on music that would draw 00:01:52.280 --> 00:01:54.920 me immediately into fellowship. Just kind of 00:01:54.920 --> 00:01:58.980 break my... if you will, my routine of how I 00:01:58.980 --> 00:02:02.700 just get used to the day and prayer and information 00:02:02.700 --> 00:02:04.739 and understanding, especially for Sunday, looking 00:02:04.739 --> 00:02:08.620 at the scriptures. That was set aside and the 00:02:08.620 --> 00:02:13.259 Lord drew me to some music that was just instrumental, 00:02:13.479 --> 00:02:17.659 but that was very tender. And I heard the Holy 00:02:17.659 --> 00:02:21.860 Spirit say this morning that in this meal, he 00:02:21.860 --> 00:02:26.310 wants to fellowship with us. And we know that 00:02:26.310 --> 00:02:28.469 that's true. This is the table of fellowship. 00:02:28.689 --> 00:02:33.449 I mean, when you go to a meal, when you go to 00:02:33.449 --> 00:02:36.849 anyone's house, hopefully there's conversation. 00:02:38.030 --> 00:02:40.430 It's kind of weird if people just looked at you 00:02:40.430 --> 00:02:44.530 and didn't say anything. Right? You'd kind of 00:02:44.530 --> 00:02:49.669 get creeped out for about 30 minutes, just kind 00:02:49.669 --> 00:02:51.569 of just staring at one another, just kind of 00:02:51.569 --> 00:02:54.830 looking. And you'd walk away going, well, that... 00:02:55.210 --> 00:02:58.409 The hospitality was nice, but that was weird. 00:02:59.969 --> 00:03:02.430 Do you know we often do that in the Lord's house? 00:03:04.090 --> 00:03:08.490 We often do that. The fact is we'll take this 00:03:08.490 --> 00:03:11.710 meal and there won't be any time to actually 00:03:11.710 --> 00:03:14.650 fellowship with the Lord. And I felt very strongly 00:03:14.650 --> 00:03:18.449 today. The Lord said, I want you to create places. 00:03:20.889 --> 00:03:22.949 It's going to look different. I want you to create 00:03:22.949 --> 00:03:27.800 moments. Between the questions you ask, as they 00:03:27.800 --> 00:03:30.240 come to my table, as they come into my presence, 00:03:30.500 --> 00:03:34.599 I want you to create spaces for them to fellowship 00:03:34.599 --> 00:03:38.939 with me. And I think that has to be paramount 00:03:38.939 --> 00:03:41.379 today. So if you're visiting for the first time, 00:03:41.419 --> 00:03:43.780 thank you for being here. But we're going to 00:03:43.780 --> 00:03:48.259 kind of do this together. Let me first give to 00:03:48.259 --> 00:03:51.860 you what I sense the Lord was highlighting this 00:03:51.860 --> 00:03:57.120 morning. And it really comes on the heels of 00:03:57.120 --> 00:04:01.580 understanding that communion came out of an understanding 00:04:01.580 --> 00:04:04.979 of Passover. I know we've been on this theme, 00:04:05.080 --> 00:04:09.340 but I just keep asking the Lord to reveal the 00:04:09.340 --> 00:04:14.580 truths of how Passover was that beginning setting 00:04:14.580 --> 00:04:18.660 that set the table for us, if you will, for communion 00:04:18.660 --> 00:04:23.100 and now a better covenant. And our scripture 00:04:23.100 --> 00:04:24.939 this morning, if we could put it on the screen, 00:04:25.000 --> 00:04:30.079 is Luke 22, verse 8 and 9. Now, there's a lot 00:04:30.079 --> 00:04:33.399 to be said in the lead up to this, and I'll try 00:04:33.399 --> 00:04:36.459 not to give too much background, but this is 00:04:36.459 --> 00:04:40.899 where this is going to be the last supper. And 00:04:40.899 --> 00:04:43.000 there's many things as you begin to look in the 00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:46.019 Gospels, you can begin to see that... John's 00:04:46.019 --> 00:04:48.579 gospel is a little bit different than Matthew, 00:04:48.680 --> 00:04:51.300 Mark, and Luke. John includes the foot washing. 00:04:51.480 --> 00:04:57.019 John includes a lot of intimate fellowship. Let 00:04:57.019 --> 00:05:00.100 me just say that again. Intimate fellowship conversation 00:05:00.100 --> 00:05:05.800 around the table. The other gospels include things, 00:05:05.920 --> 00:05:10.699 but not to the depth of relationship that John 00:05:10.699 --> 00:05:13.879 took it. But I'm pulling out of Luke because 00:05:13.879 --> 00:05:17.639 it reminds us of the process of what we need 00:05:17.639 --> 00:05:20.800 to do today because the disciples asked, they 00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:26.720 said, Lord, where do you want us to go and prepare 00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:31.000 Passover? And Jesus sent, here's the verse, Luke 00:05:31.000 --> 00:05:38.000 22, 8, Jesus sent Peter and John saying, go and 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:43.060 prepare Passover. the Passover for us, that we 00:05:43.060 --> 00:05:47.459 may eat it. Now, it's important to note that 00:05:47.459 --> 00:05:49.939 from the beginning of a Passover meal in the 00:05:49.939 --> 00:05:53.220 Old Testament, God gave things that had to be 00:05:53.220 --> 00:05:55.800 done by regulation. And we've looked at some 00:05:55.800 --> 00:05:59.660 of those in the past months of just how he started 00:05:59.660 --> 00:06:02.519 it in the book of Exodus with the original Passover 00:06:02.519 --> 00:06:05.500 of the death angel, of the lamb slain and the 00:06:05.500 --> 00:06:08.139 bitter herbs and the removing of the leaven. 00:06:08.939 --> 00:06:11.740 And we can see that God designed Passover in 00:06:11.740 --> 00:06:15.459 many ways to be the template for our New Testament 00:06:15.459 --> 00:06:19.720 communion. So as we bring this from old covenant, 00:06:19.800 --> 00:06:23.920 let's look at the foundation stones that actually 00:06:23.920 --> 00:06:27.379 give us new covenant understanding. The whole 00:06:27.379 --> 00:06:32.420 process of preparation is important to communion. 00:06:34.379 --> 00:06:40.699 The time that we give it. the priority that should 00:06:40.699 --> 00:06:43.439 be involved. You see, in the Old Testament, it 00:06:43.439 --> 00:06:48.480 was about the preparation of the lamb, how to 00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:53.699 get the blood on the doorpost, how to sacrifice 00:06:53.699 --> 00:06:58.959 the lamb and eat the lamb properly. The wonderful 00:06:58.959 --> 00:07:02.120 thing about the New Testament is everything is 00:07:02.120 --> 00:07:08.710 Jesus as the lamb has been prepared. Everything. 00:07:08.710 --> 00:07:14.089 He did it all. But our process now is spiritual. 00:07:15.170 --> 00:07:18.649 It's not physical. Sometimes people say, man, 00:07:18.689 --> 00:07:21.170 if I could just do something in the natural, 00:07:21.269 --> 00:07:23.569 make this thing so much easier. Well, not really. 00:07:24.930 --> 00:07:29.199 No, it really wouldn't. The preparation of the 00:07:29.199 --> 00:07:32.339 perfect lamb was done on our behalf. We didn't 00:07:32.339 --> 00:07:34.899 have to raise a natural lamb. We didn't have 00:07:34.899 --> 00:07:39.100 to take it to a mediator and a priest to do the 00:07:39.100 --> 00:07:43.139 work of sacrificing it. We get the job now. Now, 00:07:43.180 --> 00:07:47.660 I find it interesting that Jesus uses Peter and 00:07:47.660 --> 00:07:54.939 John to go do this. I don't know if I, I mean, 00:07:54.939 --> 00:08:00.449 I get John. But the Peter one kind of is a quandary 00:08:00.449 --> 00:08:05.069 to me. Of course, they were all in the, these 00:08:05.069 --> 00:08:08.149 were part of the three that Jesus took them, 00:08:08.189 --> 00:08:11.149 Peter, James, and John. James is not included 00:08:11.149 --> 00:08:15.430 in this. Peter and John go to prepare. And I 00:08:15.430 --> 00:08:19.189 think it's significant. I think that little truth 00:08:19.189 --> 00:08:23.970 is actually saying, hey, the one that's been 00:08:23.970 --> 00:08:28.089 my best friend on earth, John, I'm sending him 00:08:28.089 --> 00:08:34.350 to prepare. But Peter, the one who lied about 00:08:34.350 --> 00:08:38.830 me, the one who betrayed me, is still the one 00:08:38.830 --> 00:08:42.889 I love as I called him. And whether you're my 00:08:42.889 --> 00:08:46.929 best friend or whether you failed, your love 00:08:46.929 --> 00:08:49.970 for me and my love for you overrides everything. 00:08:51.009 --> 00:08:55.330 I want the two of them together to prepare a 00:08:55.330 --> 00:08:59.220 place for me. Now we take that now, not preparing 00:08:59.220 --> 00:09:02.080 the lamb, but for us it means wherever you're 00:09:02.080 --> 00:09:07.360 at this morning in your journey with Jesus, whether 00:09:07.360 --> 00:09:09.659 you've been the best friend all along or you've 00:09:09.659 --> 00:09:12.200 been like Peter, that you've stepped off the 00:09:12.200 --> 00:09:17.919 track a time or two. Maybe you've put your foot 00:09:17.919 --> 00:09:19.860 in your mouth more than you care to realize. 00:09:25.820 --> 00:09:32.759 Jesus, wants you to prepare him a place. You 00:09:32.759 --> 00:09:35.600 see, the key was for the disciples, there was 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:38.559 an upper room that had already been furnished. 00:09:38.940 --> 00:09:42.960 Their job was to prepare the lamb and the meal. 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:48.100 In the new covenant, it's different. It's switched. 00:09:48.940 --> 00:09:52.379 Old covenant, you prepared the lamb and the meal. 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:55.480 Jesus already had an upper room that somebody 00:09:55.480 --> 00:09:57.899 had already prepared for the disciples. They 00:09:57.899 --> 00:10:01.840 were focused on the lamb itself. We're focused 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:04.500 on the lamb itself, but the lamb has already 00:10:04.500 --> 00:10:07.120 been prepared. Our job is to prepare the room. 00:10:09.460 --> 00:10:13.840 Our job is to prepare the room. Everything in 00:10:13.840 --> 00:10:17.820 the New Testament comes down to, are you preparing 00:10:17.820 --> 00:10:27.669 a room to dine with Jesus? You see, it's not 00:10:27.669 --> 00:10:32.330 a works thing. It's a heart thing. It's a principle 00:10:32.330 --> 00:10:37.950 of honor and sacredness. It's both a time of 00:10:37.950 --> 00:10:42.129 celebrating God's love for us, his love and his 00:10:42.129 --> 00:10:46.929 forgiveness, and it is a time of honoring that 00:10:46.929 --> 00:10:53.549 only his love could create and move into and... 00:10:54.320 --> 00:10:57.299 move into the holiness and the righteousness 00:10:57.299 --> 00:11:02.899 of God to actually gain a place for us. That's 00:11:02.899 --> 00:11:05.940 why the Bible says in so many areas in Hebrews, 00:11:06.039 --> 00:11:10.820 it says, and he through the new and living way, 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:13.600 that is through the veil of his flesh, opened 00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:19.559 the way. The new and living way. See, prior to 00:11:19.559 --> 00:11:24.649 that, it was always a dead way. Sacrifice always 00:11:24.649 --> 00:11:28.350 ended in death and there was no resurrection. 00:11:28.429 --> 00:11:33.110 It happened year after year after year of atonement 00:11:33.110 --> 00:11:38.509 to pay for sins once a year to be put off. But 00:11:38.509 --> 00:11:42.750 Jesus through the veil of his flesh now gives 00:11:42.750 --> 00:11:49.230 us a new and living way to go into the presence 00:11:49.230 --> 00:11:54.620 of God. How? Because of his holy. blood. Because 00:11:54.620 --> 00:11:59.860 of his righteousness. Because he is and was and 00:11:59.860 --> 00:12:08.779 is still God. And the blood of God paid for the 00:12:08.779 --> 00:12:14.899 distance that happened clear back in Genesis. 00:12:16.159 --> 00:12:20.200 It wasn't that God stopped loving. It's that 00:12:20.200 --> 00:12:26.029 God could only love at a distance. Now, Jesus 00:12:26.029 --> 00:12:31.149 Christ closed the distance. He closes the distance. 00:12:32.070 --> 00:12:39.629 He moves it from a phone call and hopefully we 00:12:39.629 --> 00:12:46.070 connect to personal encounter and visitation 00:12:46.070 --> 00:12:51.470 to where he invites fellowship. That's why it's 00:12:51.470 --> 00:12:59.629 a table. This is the aspect of the great sacredness 00:12:59.629 --> 00:13:03.029 of this meal, the value of this meal, the deep 00:13:03.029 --> 00:13:06.429 appreciation and honor that should fill our hearts 00:13:06.429 --> 00:13:10.090 and our minds for the Lord and who he is. Just 00:13:10.090 --> 00:13:14.090 as the disciples prepared the meal for Passover, 00:13:14.269 --> 00:13:19.769 we now get the opportunity to prepare our hearts. 00:13:20.590 --> 00:13:26.370 for the Holy Spirit to begin to reveal to us 00:13:26.370 --> 00:13:34.370 his heart, his voice, his love, his grace. We 00:13:34.370 --> 00:13:39.250 get to set aside time. We prepare our hearts 00:13:39.250 --> 00:13:41.450 to receive the work and the Holy Commission, 00:13:41.570 --> 00:13:48.710 to receive what his suffering accomplished. And 00:13:48.710 --> 00:13:52.149 how his obedience to the Father is such a model 00:13:52.149 --> 00:13:58.250 for us. His obedience to the Father's will above 00:13:58.250 --> 00:14:04.490 all that he faced. What an awesome and holy meal 00:14:04.490 --> 00:14:11.250 we are going to partake. It is our honor. It's 00:14:11.250 --> 00:14:15.250 our honor in communion that we get to prepare 00:14:15.250 --> 00:14:18.649 for him. Let me give you just a couple of scriptures. 00:14:20.210 --> 00:14:25.750 Revelation 19, 6. Then I heard what seemed to 00:14:25.750 --> 00:14:31.850 be a voice of a great multitude, like the roar 00:14:31.850 --> 00:14:37.350 of many waters, and like the sound of mighty 00:14:37.350 --> 00:14:42.070 peals of thunder crying out, Hallelujah, for 00:14:42.070 --> 00:14:46.250 the Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice 00:14:46.250 --> 00:14:50.730 and exalt and give him glory for the marriage 00:14:50.730 --> 00:14:55.269 of the Lamb has come. Now listen to this. His 00:14:55.269 --> 00:15:02.929 bride has made herself ready. And it was granted 00:15:02.929 --> 00:15:05.629 to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright 00:15:05.629 --> 00:15:10.490 and pure, for fine linen is the righteous deeds 00:15:10.490 --> 00:15:14.259 of the saints. And the angel said to me, write 00:15:14.259 --> 00:15:19.480 this, blessed, blessed are those who are invited 00:15:19.480 --> 00:15:23.100 to the marriage supper of the lamb. And then 00:15:23.100 --> 00:15:25.639 he said to me, you got to get the picture of 00:15:25.639 --> 00:15:32.299 this. And then he said to me, these are the true 00:15:32.299 --> 00:15:37.200 words of God. Now, if you know anything about 00:15:37.200 --> 00:15:40.159 the book of Revelation, you understand that the 00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:43.039 whole thing is about being in the atmosphere 00:15:43.039 --> 00:15:45.960 of heaven around all that is holy and righteous 00:15:45.960 --> 00:15:49.620 and true. And the fact that God would reemphasize 00:15:49.620 --> 00:15:55.059 again to John that he had to remind John that 00:15:55.059 --> 00:15:58.159 God is true and in him there is no lie or shadow. 00:15:58.279 --> 00:16:01.440 He was emphasizing again for you and I as the 00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:03.700 church to say, you need to understand something. 00:16:05.059 --> 00:16:08.899 Not only is God going to come back for his bride, 00:16:10.220 --> 00:16:14.240 But the bride has done what? She's made herself 00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:20.120 ready. Now notice he says, these are the true 00:16:20.120 --> 00:16:24.480 words of God. Meaning what? Jesus is coming back 00:16:24.480 --> 00:16:28.539 for a bride. True. A bride that makes herself 00:16:28.539 --> 00:16:36.919 ready. True. Hebrews 10, 19 puts it this way. 00:16:37.559 --> 00:16:41.200 Brothers and sisters, Since we have confidence 00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:48.340 to enter the holy places. Notice it doesn't say 00:16:48.340 --> 00:16:53.279 the holy place. That's a whole message in itself. 00:16:55.059 --> 00:17:01.779 Holy places. Enter his courts with what? Enter 00:17:01.779 --> 00:17:07.359 his gates with. Those are places. Are you there? 00:17:10.920 --> 00:17:14.000 By the blood of Jesus is the only way you can 00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:18.279 enter it. You can't enter just with praise and 00:17:18.279 --> 00:17:23.819 thanksgiving. I'm going to say that again. You 00:17:23.819 --> 00:17:28.640 cannot enter just with praise and thanksgiving. 00:17:28.680 --> 00:17:32.789 They're better. Be blood of Jesus Christ with 00:17:32.789 --> 00:17:35.829 your praise and thanksgiving. That's why your 00:17:35.829 --> 00:17:38.569 praise and thanksgiving actually moves you there. 00:17:38.690 --> 00:17:43.190 Why? You've been redeemed and you're in the place. 00:17:43.230 --> 00:17:52.589 Listen, in that place. You doing okay? By the, 00:17:52.690 --> 00:17:55.630 and I'm reinforcing this, by the new and living 00:17:55.630 --> 00:18:00.289 way that Jesus. open for us through the curtain 00:18:00.289 --> 00:18:04.490 that is through his flesh and since we have a 00:18:04.490 --> 00:18:07.730 great high priest over the house of God who's 00:18:07.730 --> 00:18:12.190 he talking about Jesus under the order of Melchizedek 00:18:12.190 --> 00:18:15.950 Jesus is operating as what an eternal priest 00:18:15.950 --> 00:18:21.849 right now an eternal priest right now he's operating 00:18:21.849 --> 00:18:26.140 in that he is what partnering with you to receive 00:18:26.140 --> 00:18:29.619 the thanksgiving and to receive the praise and 00:18:29.619 --> 00:18:33.359 to actually mediate as he is standing before 00:18:33.359 --> 00:18:37.579 the father that's his job as the one who intercedes 00:18:37.579 --> 00:18:41.940 and has brought us to him through the great high 00:18:41.940 --> 00:18:49.000 priest over the house of god let us draw near 00:18:49.000 --> 00:18:54.460 with a true heart in full assurance of faith, 00:18:54.640 --> 00:19:00.680 having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience 00:19:00.680 --> 00:19:05.579 and our bodies washed with pure water. If you 00:19:05.579 --> 00:19:09.240 know anything of what that's saying, he was taking 00:19:09.240 --> 00:19:15.859 direct, absolute, direct language right from 00:19:15.859 --> 00:19:21.619 the priesthood of Aaron. about the priest that 00:19:21.619 --> 00:19:24.519 had to sprinkle the blood on the altar, about 00:19:24.519 --> 00:19:27.579 then washing with the brazen labor after the 00:19:27.579 --> 00:19:31.140 sacrifices and being clean. He was taking Old 00:19:31.140 --> 00:19:34.099 Testament language, bringing it directly over 00:19:34.099 --> 00:19:37.279 into the New Testament and saying, now all that 00:19:37.279 --> 00:19:41.279 was done in type and shadow by a priest that 00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:44.440 could only go in one time is now being taken 00:19:44.440 --> 00:19:48.559 over to you, to a priest that's in the presence 00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:52.849 of God. all the time and inviting you always. 00:19:53.650 --> 00:19:57.970 And this is your joy of getting to come in now. 00:19:58.329 --> 00:20:02.730 You can use the blood of Jesus for the sprinkling 00:20:02.730 --> 00:20:06.470 of an evil conscience and the water of the word 00:20:06.470 --> 00:20:11.450 is meant to wash you. No more does it go against 00:20:11.450 --> 00:20:17.130 a golden altar on a mercy seat. No, the mercy 00:20:17.130 --> 00:20:21.500 of God and the blood, comes on us why he comes 00:20:21.500 --> 00:20:28.400 to fill you in your temple come on come on and 00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:32.400 the water of the word isn't for my hands of ritual 00:20:32.400 --> 00:20:37.500 it's for what for cleansing my garments cleansing 00:20:37.500 --> 00:20:42.579 my thoughts cleansing me so that i might think 00:20:42.579 --> 00:20:48.549 and be renewed according to who he is So when 00:20:48.549 --> 00:20:53.430 we come into the communion part, and I'm not 00:20:53.430 --> 00:20:55.509 here to talk about what others do. I'm here to 00:20:55.509 --> 00:20:58.329 talk about what Jesus is speaking to us as a 00:20:58.329 --> 00:21:01.670 church and a family right now. He's saying, now, 00:21:01.849 --> 00:21:10.049 draw near. Draw near. And he says, verse 23, 00:21:10.210 --> 00:21:15.490 hold fast to the confession of your hope without 00:21:15.490 --> 00:21:20.390 wavering. Because he who promised you is faithful. 00:21:20.529 --> 00:21:22.849 What does he take you back into the place of 00:21:22.849 --> 00:21:26.750 drawing near? He's taking you back to the place 00:21:26.750 --> 00:21:31.130 of saying, re -anchor yourself in his character 00:21:31.130 --> 00:21:35.289 and in his nature of all that he's promised you. 00:21:36.670 --> 00:21:43.190 And leave doubt. Forsake it. And hold fast to 00:21:43.190 --> 00:21:47.099 him. See, when you hold fast to something, you 00:21:47.099 --> 00:21:51.480 have to what? You have to draw near to it. Have 00:21:51.480 --> 00:21:54.099 you noticed that? If you hold something fast, 00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:58.480 you can't hold something fast long term outside 00:21:58.480 --> 00:22:02.039 of your body. If you're going to cling to something, 00:22:02.259 --> 00:22:03.960 what do you have to do? Even if you're going 00:22:03.960 --> 00:22:05.970 to hold it, you're going to put your. It's gonna 00:22:05.970 --> 00:22:08.309 just sit right in. You're gonna put your elbow 00:22:08.309 --> 00:22:10.650 around in it. You're gonna draw yourself. If 00:22:10.650 --> 00:22:13.809 I'm holding fast to the storms of life and activity, 00:22:14.069 --> 00:22:21.190 I have to, by proximity, bring it in. There's 00:22:21.190 --> 00:22:28.150 no more taking communion at a distance. You're 00:22:28.150 --> 00:22:31.390 drawing the Spirit of God in and holding fast. 00:22:31.509 --> 00:22:34.789 Why? Because it's about fellowship. It's about 00:22:34.789 --> 00:22:42.289 proximity. We have a God that wants us to live 00:22:42.289 --> 00:22:45.690 in union with him. And we're given the privilege 00:22:45.690 --> 00:22:50.390 to bring that which is not of him or from him 00:22:50.390 --> 00:22:55.250 to his presence and ask for the blood of Jesus 00:22:55.250 --> 00:23:01.470 and the water of the word to cleanse us. To wash 00:23:01.470 --> 00:23:05.390 our thinking. To wash our faith. judgments to 00:23:05.390 --> 00:23:12.849 wash our mindsets and to not just stay in that 00:23:12.849 --> 00:23:16.769 shower but then to be dried off with the love 00:23:16.769 --> 00:23:21.690 of God and to be clothed in right understanding 00:23:21.690 --> 00:23:26.349 of his presence and of his deeds because faith 00:23:26.349 --> 00:23:33.420 that has real faith has deeds to it Allows us 00:23:33.420 --> 00:23:39.500 to walk from that place of cleansing now. Being 00:23:39.500 --> 00:23:41.900 ready to be quickened. Why? Because we're not 00:23:41.900 --> 00:23:45.140 distant. We're close. And in that fellowship, 00:23:45.359 --> 00:23:54.079 we hear and we respond. Our focus. It's our privilege 00:23:54.079 --> 00:23:56.960 for the Lord to say, now, clean out the leaven. 00:23:57.700 --> 00:24:02.420 To sweep our thoughts and our tendencies. We're 00:24:02.420 --> 00:24:04.799 invited to the table, not in our righteousness, 00:24:05.019 --> 00:24:09.319 but in his. And so our focus is on the holiness 00:24:09.319 --> 00:24:13.000 and the sacredness of what he did for us. Our 00:24:13.000 --> 00:24:17.460 focus is about sharing the life of God that he 00:24:17.460 --> 00:24:22.640 granted us and asks us to receive. Our focus 00:24:22.640 --> 00:24:26.900 is to be on the love and grace of God that he 00:24:26.900 --> 00:24:32.460 gives us to live in close proximity. You see, 00:24:32.480 --> 00:24:34.819 if I could just drop this on you this morning 00:24:34.819 --> 00:24:39.700 without going deeper, you're in Christ spiritually. 00:24:41.619 --> 00:24:45.420 But as you partner in fellowship with him, you're 00:24:45.420 --> 00:24:50.579 actually desiring to move in proximity, to live 00:24:50.579 --> 00:24:54.240 in greater communion and fellowship with him. 00:24:56.059 --> 00:25:00.779 Are we in his presence? Yes. But there are some, 00:25:01.369 --> 00:25:05.769 that choose to walk further, closer, more intimate 00:25:05.769 --> 00:25:08.230 with him. That doesn't mean a knowledge. That 00:25:08.230 --> 00:25:13.109 means what? Removing the hindrances and staying 00:25:13.109 --> 00:25:22.029 in a place of closeness. First John three, excuse 00:25:22.029 --> 00:25:25.549 me, first John one, verse three says this. Indeed, 00:25:25.829 --> 00:25:31.740 our fellowship is with the father. And with his 00:25:31.740 --> 00:25:36.740 son Jesus Christ. First Corinthians 1 .9. Paul 00:25:36.740 --> 00:25:41.940 says. God is faithful. Whom you were called into 00:25:41.940 --> 00:25:46.859 the fellowship. Of his son Jesus Christ. You 00:25:46.859 --> 00:25:54.519 see. You are. Who you surround yourself with. 00:25:55.579 --> 00:25:59.960 Or a better statement would be this. It's a truism. 00:26:01.000 --> 00:26:05.339 you become like the people you spend time with. 00:26:07.579 --> 00:26:14.059 So fellowship is a term, koinonia, the Greek 00:26:14.059 --> 00:26:18.599 word. Fellowship is a term used in what? Relationship. 00:26:18.640 --> 00:26:26.559 For what? Frequency. If I'm in fellowship, you 00:26:26.559 --> 00:26:30.960 know why so many churches in the 80s named their 00:26:30.960 --> 00:26:34.319 churches fellowship at the end instead of church. 00:26:34.500 --> 00:26:38.140 It was this truth actually was expanded in their 00:26:38.140 --> 00:26:42.680 mind and in their heart. Why? It meant frequency 00:26:42.680 --> 00:26:48.900 of fellowship. Not only did it mean a common 00:26:48.900 --> 00:26:52.660 purse or a common vision or a common thing they 00:26:52.660 --> 00:26:55.059 surround themselves with, but the essence of 00:26:55.059 --> 00:27:02.380 it was we did this was a place of So when it 00:27:02.380 --> 00:27:05.960 says, and we have fellowship, it's not just talking 00:27:05.960 --> 00:27:09.819 about the privilege. Again, old covenant is once 00:27:09.819 --> 00:27:14.680 a year or once in a while. New covenant is what? 00:27:15.619 --> 00:27:22.000 Fellowship of frequency. Fellowship then is more 00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:27.200 than that. It means participation in sharing 00:27:27.200 --> 00:27:37.160 life. That's the big deal at this table. Fellowship 00:27:37.160 --> 00:27:42.740 is participation in sharing your life with him 00:27:42.740 --> 00:27:51.660 and his life with you. So as we partner with 00:27:51.660 --> 00:27:56.559 the Holy Spirit, before we ever come to the table 00:27:56.559 --> 00:28:02.539 this morning, I want us just to kind of set the 00:28:02.539 --> 00:28:10.240 stage that I'm going to ask some questions. And 00:28:10.240 --> 00:28:12.539 after each question, I'm going to give us some 00:28:12.539 --> 00:28:17.400 time to wait on the Lord as a family, but as 00:28:17.400 --> 00:28:20.779 an individual. This is part of what the table 00:28:20.779 --> 00:28:23.819 means. It's a table for two, but it was set for 00:28:23.819 --> 00:28:28.380 a table of 12. So you get to spend time with 00:28:28.380 --> 00:28:31.930 Jesus. We're getting to spend time with Jesus 00:28:31.930 --> 00:28:38.910 as a table for 330 or 400, whatever we are. The 00:28:38.910 --> 00:28:43.230 reality is we're going to allow fellowship of 00:28:43.230 --> 00:28:45.390 the Spirit of God. And then we're going to maybe 00:28:45.390 --> 00:28:50.109 move into worship after that time of each question. 00:28:51.230 --> 00:28:53.950 Allowing the Spirit of God just to minister to 00:28:53.950 --> 00:28:57.069 us and us to Him as we get vulnerable. Can we 00:28:57.069 --> 00:29:00.700 do that a little bit today? All right. Well, 00:29:00.740 --> 00:29:06.059 we're going to. Thank you. It's the Holy Spirit 00:29:06.059 --> 00:29:09.779 that leads us. It's the Holy Spirit that helps 00:29:09.779 --> 00:29:15.480 us prepare our hearts. He guides us. He renews 00:29:15.480 --> 00:29:19.359 us. He washes us. He cleanses us. Think of it, 00:29:19.380 --> 00:29:24.940 the upper room. You're already clean, but I'm 00:29:24.940 --> 00:29:29.710 washing your feet. You see, spiritually, if you've 00:29:29.710 --> 00:29:32.769 asked Christ into your heart, you're already 00:29:32.769 --> 00:29:36.230 clean, but he has to what? Wash your feet. It's 00:29:36.230 --> 00:29:38.490 where you walk. It's where you live. It's the 00:29:38.490 --> 00:29:41.089 fellowship of your thinking and of your mindset. 00:29:41.349 --> 00:29:45.930 This is new covenant understanding of getting 00:29:45.930 --> 00:29:49.970 right and spending time with the Lord. Let's 00:29:49.970 --> 00:29:57.059 allow him to do that. First question. So how 00:29:57.059 --> 00:30:02.720 do we prepare to receive the pure bread and the 00:30:02.720 --> 00:30:12.160 true cup? Jesus said, this is my body, which 00:30:12.160 --> 00:30:15.039 is broken for you in the cup in the same way. 00:30:15.059 --> 00:30:20.240 Do this in remembrance of me. The first thing 00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:25.920 that we must come to understand is We recognize 00:30:25.920 --> 00:30:29.000 the holiness of God that we could not come to 00:30:29.000 --> 00:30:34.720 God except it were by his body and his blood. 00:30:37.019 --> 00:30:40.019 And we come to that place that every person has 00:30:40.019 --> 00:30:42.779 to come to before we take this meal. Fact is, 00:30:42.779 --> 00:30:45.539 if you're in this room this morning and as I'm 00:30:45.539 --> 00:30:50.079 talking about this, this is part of a salvation 00:30:50.079 --> 00:30:54.480 altar call as well. This means that This meal 00:30:54.480 --> 00:30:58.400 is sacred and it's holy. It means that every 00:30:58.400 --> 00:31:03.640 one of us never ever loses sight of the cross, 00:31:03.740 --> 00:31:06.779 which was the first place that we had to encounter. 00:31:06.900 --> 00:31:13.339 It stays with us. We don't get on it. Jesus is 00:31:13.339 --> 00:31:17.359 the one that's on it. But it becomes that, if 00:31:17.359 --> 00:31:20.339 you will, altar or that place where everyone 00:31:20.339 --> 00:31:23.829 has to kneel. And everyone, every knee shall 00:31:23.829 --> 00:31:27.049 bow, every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ 00:31:27.049 --> 00:31:30.750 is Lord. The cross is the place where I surrendered 00:31:30.750 --> 00:31:35.730 my will and I pick up his. Oh, the wonderful 00:31:35.730 --> 00:31:44.670 cross. So Lord, in this moment, we first come 00:31:44.670 --> 00:31:47.309 to the table, we come through the confession 00:31:47.309 --> 00:31:54.869 of all known sin. And our chosen will to forsake 00:31:54.869 --> 00:32:01.230 it. No matter the cost. Lord, our cost is nothing 00:32:01.230 --> 00:32:05.970 compared to your cost. We might have moved into 00:32:05.970 --> 00:32:10.809 circumstances where we need to separate. Because 00:32:10.809 --> 00:32:17.009 we're living in an unholy state. It might cost 00:32:17.009 --> 00:32:20.589 us a little financially. It might cost us. emotionally. 00:32:20.630 --> 00:32:24.990 It might cost us relationally. Lord, if we've 00:32:24.990 --> 00:32:29.250 made any decision, Lord, that is outside the 00:32:29.250 --> 00:32:32.309 scope of your will, your word, and your way, 00:32:32.410 --> 00:32:35.450 I'm asking you to reveal it. And I'm asking now, 00:32:35.549 --> 00:32:38.289 as we get ready to come to the table, that you 00:32:38.289 --> 00:32:41.369 would, as they bring it to you and confess it, 00:32:41.450 --> 00:32:47.450 Lord, you would forgive it and cleanse it. Lord, 00:32:47.609 --> 00:32:51.420 they'd be willing. as you are willing as just 00:32:51.420 --> 00:32:54.579 to forgive them of all unrighteousness, they 00:32:54.579 --> 00:32:58.480 would then be willing to forsake it, loving you 00:32:58.480 --> 00:33:04.559 more than their situation. Let's just wait on 00:33:04.559 --> 00:33:26.009 the Lord a little bit. Lord, thank you for the 00:33:26.009 --> 00:33:30.990 blood of Christ. Thank you for cleansing. God, 00:33:31.029 --> 00:33:36.769 I pray for strength now. Holy Spirit given strength 00:33:36.769 --> 00:33:39.309 that would now come to your people, Lord, as 00:33:39.309 --> 00:33:43.150 they confess before you. You would give them 00:33:43.150 --> 00:33:47.170 now grace, the grace of God, the strength of 00:33:47.170 --> 00:33:53.069 God to serve you. And to walk out of any compromised 00:33:53.069 --> 00:33:57.750 situation. Lord, the love of God would begin 00:33:57.750 --> 00:34:02.930 to fill them. Grace would meet them right now 00:34:02.930 --> 00:34:05.970 in that place of surrender. And the love of God 00:34:05.970 --> 00:34:08.829 would begin to fill them with strength. Lord, 00:34:08.889 --> 00:34:13.219 to walk in a new path and to walk. Lord, outside 00:34:13.219 --> 00:34:17.699 of cycles and of sin. Lord, you are changing 00:34:17.699 --> 00:34:21.059 them. You're transforming them by the renewing 00:34:21.059 --> 00:34:26.219 of their mind and their heart. Lord, we come 00:34:26.219 --> 00:34:33.739 now into a place of gratefulness. Lord, our next 00:34:33.739 --> 00:34:38.780 question is, do we come to your table with gratitude 00:34:38.780 --> 00:34:44.360 and humility of spirit? Lord, bringing a pure 00:34:44.360 --> 00:34:47.900 heart that says you don't owe us anything, but 00:34:47.900 --> 00:34:53.900 all I desire to do is honor you. Forgive me for 00:34:53.900 --> 00:34:57.139 looking at what others have. And Lord, let me 00:34:57.139 --> 00:35:00.880 just set my mind now on what you've done for 00:35:00.880 --> 00:35:05.619 me. Remove from me the other things that would 00:35:05.619 --> 00:35:09.920 try to capture my heart through covetousness 00:35:09.920 --> 00:35:17.789 or comparison. focus on the fact that if you 00:35:17.789 --> 00:35:21.250 never did another thing for me except save me 00:35:21.250 --> 00:35:24.849 and bring me into a place of eternal love and 00:35:24.849 --> 00:35:29.369 acceptance that is enough I know you're more 00:35:29.369 --> 00:35:32.550 than that but I need to settle it in my heart 00:35:32.550 --> 00:35:39.650 you and what you've done is enough and I ask 00:35:39.650 --> 00:35:43.719 you to forgive me For every time I've complained, 00:35:43.860 --> 00:35:46.000 every time I've watched, every time I've looked, 00:35:46.139 --> 00:35:48.980 every time I've heard, and I didn't rejoice with 00:35:48.980 --> 00:35:52.760 others, but internally I used it as a justification 00:35:52.760 --> 00:35:56.659 or I got upset that something's not happening 00:35:56.659 --> 00:36:03.119 in my life to that degree. God, cleanse me. Give 00:36:03.119 --> 00:36:09.900 me a heart of purity, of gratitude, of grace. 00:36:12.130 --> 00:36:23.829 sacredness of grace and how amazing it is. Psalms 00:36:23.829 --> 00:36:27.170 24, three and four says, who shall ascend to 00:36:27.170 --> 00:36:30.909 the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his 00:36:30.909 --> 00:36:37.610 holy place? He says, he who has clean hands and 00:36:37.610 --> 00:36:41.190 a pure heart. Who does not lift up his soul to 00:36:41.190 --> 00:36:45.190 what is false. And does not swear deceitfully. 00:36:46.389 --> 00:36:52.050 Oh God. Search me as David prayed. Search me. 00:36:52.670 --> 00:36:56.969 Know me. See if there be any wicked way in me. 00:36:57.630 --> 00:37:01.789 And remove it. Give me a heart of thanksgiving. 00:37:03.750 --> 00:37:09.699 And humility. In your presence. Now just talk 00:37:09.699 --> 00:37:14.019 to the Lord. Do business right now. Let him search 00:37:14.019 --> 00:37:23.559 you. Lord, let the light of your glory come now. 00:37:25.079 --> 00:37:36.119 I want to ascend to your holy hill. With gratitude 00:37:36.119 --> 00:37:44.230 and thanksgiving. That my heart, soul will not 00:37:44.230 --> 00:37:49.730 be lifted up with pride. Forgive me. Any form 00:37:49.730 --> 00:37:57.570 of measuring of myself against others. Reveal 00:37:57.570 --> 00:38:04.550 to me, Lord. Where those places and those pockets 00:38:04.550 --> 00:38:13.440 are. That would be a clean vessel before you, 00:38:13.480 --> 00:38:36.860 Lord. The next question was this as you stay 00:38:36.860 --> 00:38:41.400 standing. I come to the table now, Lord, in a 00:38:41.400 --> 00:38:48.280 genuine spirit of love. Love of God and love 00:38:48.280 --> 00:38:52.340 for others. I come to surrender and to worship 00:38:52.340 --> 00:38:55.059 the risen Lord with everything that is in me. 00:38:55.840 --> 00:38:59.460 For everything he's done and for the life that 00:38:59.460 --> 00:39:05.340 he gives me. John 4, 23. But the hour is coming 00:39:05.340 --> 00:39:11.510 and now is here. When true worshipers will worship 00:39:11.510 --> 00:39:15.969 the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father 00:39:15.969 --> 00:39:21.349 is seeking such people to worship him. And God 00:39:21.349 --> 00:39:26.889 is spirit. And those who worship him must worship 00:39:26.889 --> 00:39:37.630 him in spirit and in truth. Father. Jesus, you 00:39:37.630 --> 00:39:41.989 said what is the greatest command of all? You 00:39:41.989 --> 00:39:45.409 said on everything hang the old covenant law. 00:39:45.550 --> 00:39:48.230 On the law and the prophets hang on this word 00:39:48.230 --> 00:39:51.710 to love the Lord your God with all your heart, 00:39:51.809 --> 00:39:56.730 mind, soul, and strength. And the second is like 00:39:56.730 --> 00:40:02.309 it to love your neighbor as yourself. Lord, out 00:40:02.309 --> 00:40:06.539 of the summation of all that the law is, The 00:40:06.539 --> 00:40:10.500 New Testament, Lord, absolutely embraces the 00:40:10.500 --> 00:40:17.039 fullness of those truths. Without all of the 00:40:17.039 --> 00:40:23.260 regulations of the feasts and the washings and 00:40:23.260 --> 00:40:30.019 the days, Lord, you bring it right down to love 00:40:30.019 --> 00:40:33.070 the Lord our God with all our heart. With all 00:40:33.070 --> 00:40:35.710 our mind, with all our soul, with all our strength. 00:40:36.269 --> 00:40:39.329 And with that love, extend it to love neighbors 00:40:39.329 --> 00:40:44.250 as we would ourselves. And to love them, to honor 00:40:44.250 --> 00:40:52.670 them. Would you just take a moment and ask the 00:40:52.670 --> 00:40:59.369 Lord to show you if you've held anything back 00:40:59.369 --> 00:41:05.269 from Him. Is there anything that I have reserved 00:41:05.269 --> 00:41:10.710 in my mind, in my heart, in my emotions, in my 00:41:10.710 --> 00:41:15.130 body where I have been more afraid of humility 00:41:15.130 --> 00:41:19.730 or being humbled or fearful or uncomfortable 00:41:19.730 --> 00:41:24.750 to bow my will and to allow me to worship you 00:41:24.750 --> 00:41:28.809 freely? Lord, forgive me. Remove the restraints. 00:41:29.440 --> 00:41:34.340 from my soul. Remove the restraints from my heart 00:41:34.340 --> 00:41:39.920 and my thinking. I choose to worship you in purity 00:41:39.920 --> 00:41:45.860 and let that love now begin to spill out to others. 00:41:47.639 --> 00:41:51.610 I will not keep to myself if I've kept... myself 00:41:51.610 --> 00:41:54.650 from God how can I keep myself I'll keep myself 00:41:54.650 --> 00:41:58.190 from my fellow man let me give myself to you 00:41:58.190 --> 00:42:01.829 so that I can give myself to others in Jesus 00:42:01.829 --> 00:42:12.929 name oh spirit of God last question this morning 00:42:12.929 --> 00:42:23.489 Lord as I now come to the table Reveal in me, 00:42:23.590 --> 00:42:32.670 Lord, the place of my faith. God, begin to stir 00:42:32.670 --> 00:42:38.630 and pour in an expectancy that I can receive 00:42:38.630 --> 00:42:44.969 more of your life, more of your strength through 00:42:44.969 --> 00:42:47.929 fellowship and love that has freely been given. 00:42:50.550 --> 00:42:55.539 Lord, let me remove the barriers or the places 00:42:55.539 --> 00:43:02.480 where my faith has been stuck and as I come to 00:43:02.480 --> 00:43:07.880 the table God you have promised provision this 00:43:07.880 --> 00:43:13.539 is not a religious service this is not a token 00:43:13.539 --> 00:43:18.900 this is life in the spirit that I might receive 00:43:18.900 --> 00:43:25.159 bread From heaven. And I might receive provision. 00:43:25.300 --> 00:43:31.099 That was guaranteed. At your cross. By your stripes. 00:43:31.780 --> 00:43:37.579 I have. Been healed. By your stripes. I receive 00:43:37.579 --> 00:43:41.880 healing. In this covenant meal. By your work 00:43:41.880 --> 00:43:46.760 on the cross. I receive provision. I receive. 00:43:47.320 --> 00:43:52.360 Supernatural help. God, I'm asking you to break 00:43:52.360 --> 00:43:57.699 us out of every place, Lord, where faith has 00:43:57.699 --> 00:44:04.679 been boxed. God, you would change it. You would 00:44:04.679 --> 00:44:08.920 change me. You would change my perspective. Even 00:44:08.920 --> 00:44:12.699 now, as we wait on you, as we stand in your holy 00:44:12.699 --> 00:44:18.019 presence, you said two things in Mark 11, 22 00:44:18.019 --> 00:44:22.519 and 23. Through 25, you said, have the faith 00:44:22.519 --> 00:44:27.519 of God. Lord, I must remove the doubt to have 00:44:27.519 --> 00:44:31.760 perfect faith. The faith of God, the faith that 00:44:31.760 --> 00:44:34.940 Jesus walked in, is he knew who his father was, 00:44:35.039 --> 00:44:38.400 he knew his will, and there was no place for 00:44:38.400 --> 00:44:43.300 anything else. You can speak to a circumstance, 00:44:43.480 --> 00:44:47.780 speak to a tree, speak to a mountain. And it 00:44:47.780 --> 00:44:52.559 will be removed. Lord, in this table, strengthen 00:44:52.559 --> 00:44:58.880 my faith. Strengthen my trust in you. Lord, in 00:44:58.880 --> 00:45:03.679 the same passage, you said, and when you stand 00:45:03.679 --> 00:45:08.960 praying, if you have anything against anyone, 00:45:09.260 --> 00:45:17.280 forgive them of their trespass. Gospel of Matthew 00:45:17.280 --> 00:45:20.960 chapter five said, and as you bring your gift 00:45:20.960 --> 00:45:24.659 to the altar, if you remember that there is an 00:45:24.659 --> 00:45:29.219 offense between you and your brother, leave the 00:45:29.219 --> 00:45:33.340 gift at the altar and be reconciled and restored 00:45:33.340 --> 00:45:36.940 with your brother. Lord, it's in this moment 00:45:36.940 --> 00:45:44.570 now where faith becomes sight. It's in this moment 00:45:44.570 --> 00:45:50.170 where faith, hope, and love operate together. 00:45:52.030 --> 00:45:56.550 God, you are that which puts hope inside of us. 00:45:56.889 --> 00:45:59.889 You've granted us the measure of faith. We are 00:45:59.889 --> 00:46:04.349 to build and walk in more faith as you grant 00:46:04.349 --> 00:46:10.269 it to us. And we are to live in love. Now I'm 00:46:10.269 --> 00:46:13.679 asking, Lord, As each of us now stands before 00:46:13.679 --> 00:46:21.119 you. Before we take this meal. Before we. Eat. 00:46:22.179 --> 00:46:27.920 Of the son of man. Drink. Of his love and sacrifice. 00:46:28.119 --> 00:46:35.940 Lord. Show us the places where our faith. Needs. 00:46:36.039 --> 00:46:40.519 A touch. Lord reveal to us if there's anything. 00:46:41.960 --> 00:46:44.599 that we're holding on to that would hinder prayer 00:46:44.599 --> 00:46:49.059 and hinder the breakthrough because this meal 00:46:49.059 --> 00:46:54.059 is touching you and touching every element of 00:46:54.059 --> 00:46:58.199 your kingdom. Would you just begin to reveal 00:46:58.199 --> 00:47:06.679 that now, Lord? Thank you, Jesus. We stand before 00:47:06.679 --> 00:47:16.340 you. Lord, as the scripture says, and if we would, 00:47:16.380 --> 00:47:20.239 1 Corinthians 11, if we would judge ourselves, 00:47:20.519 --> 00:47:24.860 we would not be judged. Lord, that's not a negative 00:47:24.860 --> 00:47:27.039 thing. That's a positive thing that we would 00:47:27.039 --> 00:47:31.559 come and prepare you room, prepare the room, 00:47:31.659 --> 00:47:36.460 removing the leaven, removing anything of insincerity. 00:47:37.920 --> 00:47:41.900 And as the scripture says, In 1 Corinthians 5 00:47:41.900 --> 00:47:45.099 .8, we're no longer going to keep a feast with 00:47:45.099 --> 00:47:47.619 old leaven or the malice of wickedness, but with 00:47:47.619 --> 00:47:54.019 unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Lord, 00:47:54.079 --> 00:48:01.099 that word means clearness, purity, quality of 00:48:01.099 --> 00:48:06.199 sincerity expressed in untainted and pure motives. 00:48:08.400 --> 00:48:11.019 Thank you for washing us. Thank you for cleansing 00:48:11.019 --> 00:48:14.840 us. Thank you for removing from us. Lord, the 00:48:14.840 --> 00:48:20.960 things that would, Lord, stop us from being transformed 00:48:20.960 --> 00:48:25.659 into your image, into your likeness and that 00:48:25.659 --> 00:48:28.460 the word of God would fill us and the presence 00:48:28.460 --> 00:48:35.239 of God would fill us. So Lord, we keep this meal. 00:48:39.239 --> 00:48:44.159 Father, I pray over it now. I ask you to bless 00:48:44.159 --> 00:48:49.639 it. I ask for that which is truth and life of 00:48:49.639 --> 00:48:55.280 your spirit to be, Lord, vibrant. And that the 00:48:55.280 --> 00:49:00.920 people's faith, Lord, would absolutely be stirred 00:49:00.920 --> 00:49:05.260 today. And that your presence would be so, so 00:49:05.260 --> 00:49:12.780 great. I want you to be able to come to the table 00:49:12.780 --> 00:49:15.739 in just a moment here to take the bread and the 00:49:15.739 --> 00:49:18.659 cup. I want to read. We're going to also bring 00:49:18.659 --> 00:49:22.179 our offering this morning. And I want to read 00:49:22.179 --> 00:49:25.920 to you. Bring your tithes and offerings. You 00:49:25.920 --> 00:49:28.119 can just bring it at the table. Listen to what 00:49:28.119 --> 00:49:34.679 Jeremiah 33 8 says. I will cleanse them from 00:49:34.679 --> 00:49:38.489 all their iniquity. By which they have sinned 00:49:38.489 --> 00:49:42.309 against me. And I will pardon all their iniquities. 00:49:42.869 --> 00:49:45.329 By which they have sinned and by which they've 00:49:45.329 --> 00:49:49.389 transgressed. And they shall be to me a name 00:49:49.389 --> 00:49:55.550 of joy. A praise. And an honor before all nations 00:49:55.550 --> 00:49:59.690 of the earth. Who shall hear all the good that 00:49:59.690 --> 00:50:03.050 I do to them. And they shall fear and tremble 00:50:03.050 --> 00:50:06.250 for all the goodness. And all the prosperity 00:50:06.250 --> 00:50:12.989 that I will provide for them. Jeremiah 31, 13 00:50:12.989 --> 00:50:16.170 says this. I will turn grief into gladness and 00:50:16.170 --> 00:50:18.869 I will give comfort and joy in the place of sorrow. 00:50:19.349 --> 00:50:22.250 I will provide for them with abundant provisions. 00:50:22.369 --> 00:50:25.849 My people will be filled to the full of the good 00:50:25.849 --> 00:50:31.389 things that I, the Lord, shall provide. In Ephesians 00:50:31.389 --> 00:50:35.349 5, Paul says it this way. He said, in the past 00:50:35.349 --> 00:50:39.349 you were full of darkness, but now you are full 00:50:39.349 --> 00:50:43.630 of light. So now live like children that belong 00:50:43.630 --> 00:50:48.650 to the light. For the light brings every kind 00:50:48.650 --> 00:50:53.710 of goodness, right living, and truth. As we take 00:50:53.710 --> 00:50:56.130 this bread and this cup as a family, you'll take 00:50:56.130 --> 00:50:58.070 the bread and the cup. We'll take it together 00:50:58.070 --> 00:51:00.150 as you return to your seat. We're going to worship 00:51:00.150 --> 00:51:02.929 the Lord. Will you take it in the joy now? I 00:51:02.929 --> 00:51:04.349 don't know if you could feel that, but I can 00:51:04.349 --> 00:51:07.130 feel the joy of the Lord in the room. Will you 00:51:07.130 --> 00:51:09.130 take it in the blessing of the Lord? You bring 00:51:09.130 --> 00:51:12.269 your offering. You bring your praise. You honor 00:51:12.269 --> 00:51:16.050 the Lord. We are his and we rejoice in all of 00:51:16.050 --> 00:51:18.909 his truth. Come, let's receive of the table of 00:51:18.909 --> 00:51:43.619 the Lord. You may come, Jenny. If you are in 00:51:43.619 --> 00:51:46.480 need of prayer, send us a text message at 541 00:51:46.480 --> 00:51:51.360 -625 -1365. We would love to pray with you.