WEBVTT 00:00:04.519 --> 00:00:07.620 Thank you, Carol and Meredith. Would you open 00:00:07.620 --> 00:00:09.759 your Bible with me, please, to Ephesians chapter 00:00:09.759 --> 00:00:12.439 4. Today we are observing together the Lord's 00:00:12.439 --> 00:00:14.960 Supper, and therefore the remainder of our service 00:00:14.960 --> 00:00:20.519 is going to be different than usual. Our remarks 00:00:20.519 --> 00:00:22.960 in preparation for our observance come from the 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:27.219 fourth verse of Ephesians 4, where it says, There 00:00:27.219 --> 00:00:30.899 is one body and one spirit, just as also you 00:00:30.899 --> 00:00:35.390 were called in one hope of your calling. So we 00:00:35.390 --> 00:00:37.909 are returning today to this statement outlining 00:00:37.909 --> 00:00:40.590 the sevenfold uniqueness of the Christian faith. 00:00:41.250 --> 00:00:45.369 To focus on one particular clause dealing with 00:00:45.369 --> 00:00:48.590 the calling we share together as members of the 00:00:48.590 --> 00:00:52.369 family of God. The first occasion of the word 00:00:52.369 --> 00:00:56.130 calling in the book of Ephesians is in the first 00:00:56.130 --> 00:00:59.549 chapter in the 18th verse. For there it speaks 00:00:59.549 --> 00:01:06.170 of the hope of his calling. It's the same calling 00:01:06.170 --> 00:01:09.390 that's in view in both locations. However, in 00:01:09.390 --> 00:01:13.510 Ephesians 1, the calling is from the perspective 00:01:13.510 --> 00:01:17.790 of the originator of the calling. It's his calling. 00:01:18.349 --> 00:01:20.849 Whereas here in the fourth chapter, it's from 00:01:20.849 --> 00:01:24.230 the perspective of the recipient. It's called 00:01:24.230 --> 00:01:29.870 your calling. This calling is our calling to 00:01:29.870 --> 00:01:35.079 salvation. It is the summons of God. to partake 00:01:35.079 --> 00:01:39.980 of the blessings of salvation. We recognize that 00:01:39.980 --> 00:01:43.000 the Bible teaches there is a general external 00:01:43.000 --> 00:01:48.140 call which is given to all men, and an invitation 00:01:48.140 --> 00:01:52.859 is given to receive the blessings of salvation 00:01:52.859 --> 00:01:57.959 through it. But there is also an effective or 00:01:57.959 --> 00:02:02.140 effectual internal call of the Spirit of God 00:02:02.140 --> 00:02:06.239 to some. whom the Bible calls vessels of mercy. 00:02:06.980 --> 00:02:11.259 This call results not only in their hearing the 00:02:11.259 --> 00:02:15.620 gospel, but in their believing response to it. 00:02:16.800 --> 00:02:21.719 All genuine children of God share in this effectual 00:02:21.719 --> 00:02:26.580 calling of the Holy Spirit to the blessings of 00:02:26.580 --> 00:02:31.479 salvation. We share together this calling and 00:02:31.479 --> 00:02:35.560 its accompanying hope. Consider with me this 00:02:35.560 --> 00:02:38.919 morning three aspects of this shared calling 00:02:38.919 --> 00:02:42.659 that we have as a people. In the first place, 00:02:42.759 --> 00:02:46.219 it is a calling that is personal. You notice 00:02:46.219 --> 00:02:50.439 he says, you were called in one hope of your 00:02:50.439 --> 00:02:55.159 calling. You and your, it's a personal calling. 00:02:56.379 --> 00:03:02.060 God indeed does have purposes for groups. of 00:03:02.060 --> 00:03:06.879 people or for entire nations. An example would 00:03:06.879 --> 00:03:10.060 be, of course, national Israel in the Old Testament, 00:03:10.139 --> 00:03:13.860 or even those Gentile nations at that time to 00:03:13.860 --> 00:03:19.719 whom the prophets like Isaiah wrote. God has 00:03:19.719 --> 00:03:24.159 a purpose for the church as a whole, as a corporate 00:03:24.159 --> 00:03:28.120 body of people. But the point I'm making here 00:03:28.120 --> 00:03:32.280 is that the calling to salvation It is an individual 00:03:32.280 --> 00:03:37.599 calling of God. God does not save whole groups 00:03:37.599 --> 00:03:42.520 of people except that he does it one at a time. 00:03:43.879 --> 00:03:47.120 Because, you see, salvation is a personal matter. 00:03:47.360 --> 00:03:52.219 It is an individual relationship between the 00:03:52.219 --> 00:03:57.080 believing sinner and God. When the Spirit of 00:03:57.080 --> 00:04:01.409 God calls, he calls individual peoples. not units 00:04:01.409 --> 00:04:05.969 of them or groupings of them. No one can be convicted 00:04:05.969 --> 00:04:09.469 for a group or for one other person for that 00:04:09.469 --> 00:04:12.729 matter. Each person must be convicted for himself. 00:04:13.789 --> 00:04:17.149 And when the sinner responds, he does so as an 00:04:17.149 --> 00:04:21.470 individual person. No one can repent for anyone 00:04:21.470 --> 00:04:27.589 else. No one can believe for someone else. Salvation 00:04:27.589 --> 00:04:32.089 is an individual calling. This truth is suggested, 00:04:32.310 --> 00:04:34.490 I think, in the way that God identifies himself 00:04:34.490 --> 00:04:37.889 in the Old Testament with this name, the God 00:04:37.889 --> 00:04:42.610 of Abraham and others. Is that what it says? 00:04:42.709 --> 00:04:46.410 No. It doesn't even say the God of Abraham and 00:04:46.410 --> 00:04:50.689 his family. But rather it says, I am the God 00:04:50.689 --> 00:04:55.029 of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob. You see, 00:04:55.069 --> 00:04:58.970 the emphasis is upon the individual believing. 00:05:00.199 --> 00:05:06.139 The promise of God. Now my point is this. Just 00:05:06.139 --> 00:05:09.720 because others in your family or in your church 00:05:09.720 --> 00:05:13.639 or in your peer group may have trusted Christ 00:05:13.639 --> 00:05:17.160 and been saved, that is no reason for you to 00:05:17.160 --> 00:05:20.100 presume that you yourself are therefore saved. 00:05:21.100 --> 00:05:24.959 One can be raised in a godly, fine, Christian 00:05:24.959 --> 00:05:29.850 home. and still go into eternity at death without 00:05:29.850 --> 00:05:36.029 Jesus Christ as personal Savior. This calling 00:05:36.029 --> 00:05:39.529 that we share together in Christ Jesus is a personal 00:05:39.529 --> 00:05:43.370 calling. The gate to life is narrow, my friend. 00:05:43.449 --> 00:05:47.149 In fact, it is so narrow that only one person 00:05:47.149 --> 00:05:52.329 may enter it at a time. And it may be that this 00:05:52.329 --> 00:05:54.810 today is your time. You know, the Bible says, 00:05:55.259 --> 00:05:59.259 Today is the accepted time. Today is the day 00:05:59.259 --> 00:06:03.420 of salvation. And so it is that while you and 00:06:03.420 --> 00:06:06.139 I hear the voice of the Spirit of God within 00:06:06.139 --> 00:06:12.279 us speaking, that is the time to respond. At 00:06:12.279 --> 00:06:14.759 that moment that we hear Him, that is our day 00:06:14.759 --> 00:06:17.839 of salvation. And if today you hear the Spirit 00:06:17.839 --> 00:06:21.600 of God speaking within you, calling you to personal 00:06:21.600 --> 00:06:25.610 faith in Jesus Christ, if you hear Him rowing 00:06:25.610 --> 00:06:28.050 you away from all that you've trusted in before 00:06:28.050 --> 00:06:31.990 to place your faith solely and alone in Jesus 00:06:31.990 --> 00:06:35.829 Christ for your soul's salvation, then I beg 00:06:35.829 --> 00:06:40.670 you today to respond. This is the accepted time 00:06:40.670 --> 00:06:45.470 for you. Trust in Him today. That calling of 00:06:45.470 --> 00:06:48.230 God is a personal calling between you and Him. 00:06:48.490 --> 00:06:52.060 Oh, I plead with you. to respond to the voice 00:06:52.060 --> 00:06:55.199 of God's Spirit and trust Jesus Christ today. 00:06:57.259 --> 00:07:00.439 This calling that we share together as the children 00:07:00.439 --> 00:07:03.339 of God is a personal calling, but secondly, I 00:07:03.339 --> 00:07:05.360 want to point out to you that this calling is 00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:09.540 eternal. It says this in our clause in verse 00:07:09.540 --> 00:07:14.540 4, you were called. Notice that verb. It's in 00:07:14.540 --> 00:07:17.220 a tense that indicates that it's a once and for 00:07:17.220 --> 00:07:24.139 all calling. It's settled. I'd like to say three 00:07:24.139 --> 00:07:26.620 things about that. In the first place, this calling, 00:07:26.660 --> 00:07:30.620 which is eternal, was ordained before creation. 00:07:32.259 --> 00:07:35.860 That is, before God brought into existence matter 00:07:35.860 --> 00:07:42.720 and space and time, before Genesis 1 -1 occurred, 00:07:42.959 --> 00:07:49.540 this calling to salvation was ordained. of God. 00:07:50.439 --> 00:07:53.199 We see that back in chapter 1 of Ephesians. Do 00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:57.720 you remember this? Verse 3 reminds us of our 00:07:57.720 --> 00:08:00.360 blessings, and then he begins to enumerate them 00:08:00.360 --> 00:08:04.160 in verse 4. He says, Blessed be the God and Father 00:08:04.160 --> 00:08:07.800 of our Lord Jesus Christ, verse 4, just as He 00:08:07.800 --> 00:08:12.399 chose us in Him, in Christ, before the foundation 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:16.180 of the world. And then he says in verse 5, He 00:08:16.180 --> 00:08:20.040 predestined us to adoption as sons. That is God's 00:08:20.040 --> 00:08:23.980 work. The calling to salvation that you and I 00:08:23.980 --> 00:08:29.480 share is eternal. It was ordained even before 00:08:29.480 --> 00:08:34.320 the creation of the worlds. But secondly, it's 00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:39.240 a calling which was obtained at the cross. Ordained 00:08:39.240 --> 00:08:42.659 before creation, but my friend, obtained at the 00:08:42.659 --> 00:08:45.039 cross, for without the cross there would be no 00:08:45.039 --> 00:08:48.940 salvation. This is suggested to us in verse 7 00:08:48.940 --> 00:08:52.059 of Ephesians 1, where it says, In Him we have 00:08:52.059 --> 00:08:57.580 redemption through His blood. The blood of a 00:08:57.580 --> 00:09:00.639 Savior had to be shed. His life had to be poured 00:09:00.639 --> 00:09:05.059 out so that that calling of God to salvation 00:09:05.059 --> 00:09:08.960 could be realized. It was at the cross that that 00:09:08.960 --> 00:09:12.340 calling was obtained for us. In the second chapter, 00:09:12.830 --> 00:09:15.549 And the 13th verse, it says, but now in Christ 00:09:15.549 --> 00:09:20.070 Jesus, you who formerly were far off have been 00:09:20.070 --> 00:09:25.250 brought near by the blood of Christ. And then 00:09:25.250 --> 00:09:27.690 look down a few more verses to verse 16 where 00:09:27.690 --> 00:09:31.009 it says, and that he might reconcile them both 00:09:31.009 --> 00:09:36.169 in one body to God through the cross. Never lose 00:09:36.169 --> 00:09:39.669 sight of the fact that the cross is central in 00:09:39.669 --> 00:09:44.000 the plan of God's salvation. It is at the cross 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:47.620 that salvation, this calling to salvation, was 00:09:47.620 --> 00:09:50.659 obtained for us. It was paid for through the 00:09:50.659 --> 00:09:54.799 blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, a payment that 00:09:54.799 --> 00:09:58.139 you and I could never make on our own. He made 00:09:58.139 --> 00:10:03.960 it on our behalf as our vicarious Savior. But 00:10:03.960 --> 00:10:05.720 thirdly, I want you to notice regarding this 00:10:05.720 --> 00:10:07.720 eternal calling that it's a calling that was 00:10:07.720 --> 00:10:13.059 obeyed at conversion. That is, you personally 00:10:13.059 --> 00:10:17.120 appropriated this calling at that moment of conversion 00:10:17.120 --> 00:10:20.500 when you believed on Christ. Look again in chapter 00:10:20.500 --> 00:10:24.240 1 and verse 13 where it says, In him, in Christ, 00:10:24.279 --> 00:10:28.980 you also, after listening to the message of truth, 00:10:29.120 --> 00:10:32.940 the gospel of your salvation, having also believed, 00:10:33.120 --> 00:10:36.340 you were sealed in him with the Holy Spirit of 00:10:36.340 --> 00:10:39.480 promise. There's a little process that is suggested 00:10:39.480 --> 00:10:42.039 here. The first stage is somebody declaring the 00:10:42.039 --> 00:10:46.320 message. That's presumed. The second stage is 00:10:46.320 --> 00:10:50.600 listening. You listened, you heard that message 00:10:50.600 --> 00:10:54.019 of Christ and Calvary, his resurrection from 00:10:54.019 --> 00:10:56.980 the dead. But then he says the third stage is 00:10:56.980 --> 00:11:01.139 when you believed. And that is when you responded 00:11:01.139 --> 00:11:03.960 to that calling of God within. Someone may do 00:11:03.960 --> 00:11:06.580 it this morning. Many of us have done it in past 00:11:06.580 --> 00:11:13.240 years and months. That calling to salvation in 00:11:13.240 --> 00:11:17.720 Jesus Christ is eternal. In that, before God 00:11:17.720 --> 00:11:22.340 created the worlds, He ordained that salvation 00:11:22.340 --> 00:11:28.600 and your calling to it personally. And secondly, 00:11:28.740 --> 00:11:31.179 it was at the cross that it was obtained for 00:11:31.179 --> 00:11:36.580 you through the payment of Christ's blood. Thirdly, 00:11:36.580 --> 00:11:41.519 you personally obeyed at the time of your conversion 00:11:41.519 --> 00:11:45.519 and appropriated the promise of God for eternal 00:11:45.519 --> 00:11:52.500 life. Our calling to salvation that we share 00:11:52.500 --> 00:11:59.899 is, in the first place, one that is eternal, 00:12:00.039 --> 00:12:05.529 or rather personal, and then it's eternal. This 00:12:05.529 --> 00:12:08.590 calling stretches from eternity past into eternity 00:12:08.590 --> 00:12:12.070 future. And on its way, it passes through your 00:12:12.070 --> 00:12:15.210 life so that at some point that calling comes 00:12:15.210 --> 00:12:19.570 to you personally. Now the real thrust that I 00:12:19.570 --> 00:12:21.850 want to get to here is this. The calling of God 00:12:21.850 --> 00:12:26.269 cannot be changed. It's eternal. It is unchanging. 00:12:26.269 --> 00:12:30.080 It is immutable. It is without repentance. In 00:12:30.080 --> 00:12:33.139 Romans 11, the Apostle Paul says the gifts and 00:12:33.139 --> 00:12:35.519 the calling of God are without repentance. God 00:12:35.519 --> 00:12:40.799 does not, He cannot change that. So when you 00:12:40.799 --> 00:12:46.159 and I are called of God, we are called with an 00:12:46.159 --> 00:12:49.080 eternal calling and we are kept secure for it. 00:12:49.779 --> 00:12:54.559 What God has determined in His purposes, He will 00:12:54.559 --> 00:12:57.419 fully consummate. He who has begun a good work 00:12:57.419 --> 00:13:00.860 in you will complete it, will consummate it in 00:13:00.860 --> 00:13:04.740 the day of Jesus Christ. This work of grace, 00:13:04.940 --> 00:13:08.559 this calling to salvation cannot be reversed. 00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:13.480 You and I cannot be uncalled. There is no such 00:13:13.480 --> 00:13:16.379 concept in the Bible. We can only be called to 00:13:16.379 --> 00:13:23.980 it. It is a completed act of God. As represented 00:13:23.980 --> 00:13:28.259 in that verb, you were called. It is only to 00:13:28.259 --> 00:13:33.080 be fully realized in its consequences at the 00:13:33.080 --> 00:13:38.820 coming of Christ. But a third aspect that I want 00:13:38.820 --> 00:13:42.279 to talk about is this, that your calling to salvation, 00:13:42.600 --> 00:13:45.600 this calling that we share together, is purposeful. 00:13:46.059 --> 00:13:48.940 That is, there is a goal to it. There is an aim 00:13:48.940 --> 00:13:51.240 to it, and that is represented by this word hope. 00:13:51.740 --> 00:13:55.440 He says that there is one hope of our calling. 00:13:55.899 --> 00:13:59.059 That is the destiny that we are sharing together 00:13:59.059 --> 00:14:02.559 in Christ Jesus. We may call it the glory of 00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:07.600 God. That is God's purpose, my friend. Your calling 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:12.039 to salvation has that in view for you. It is 00:14:12.039 --> 00:14:16.980 Christ's glory that we share. Ruth Paxton wrote 00:14:16.980 --> 00:14:24.299 these words, and to be like his Lord. While he 00:14:24.299 --> 00:14:27.120 praises God for the progressive sanctification 00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:31.419 which goes on day by day on earth, every truly 00:14:31.419 --> 00:14:34.159 earnest Christian longs for that day when the 00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:36.559 partial will give way to the perfect and redemption 00:14:36.559 --> 00:14:40.360 will be consummated in glorification. The one 00:14:40.360 --> 00:14:43.379 hope that in these days unifies the Lord's own, 00:14:43.500 --> 00:14:47.600 as perhaps no other, is the blessed hope of his 00:14:47.600 --> 00:14:52.500 soon return. to take them unto himself. That's 00:14:52.500 --> 00:14:54.519 the calling that we share and the hope that's 00:14:54.519 --> 00:14:58.279 a part of it. It is the glory of Jesus Christ. 00:14:58.480 --> 00:15:02.179 We shall be like him, for we shall see him as 00:15:02.179 --> 00:15:05.580 he is. And this is for all of us who share in 00:15:05.580 --> 00:15:08.980 this calling, not just for some. It's not just 00:15:08.980 --> 00:15:11.539 for the Jew or for the Gentile. It's not just 00:15:11.539 --> 00:15:14.080 for the slave or for the free. It's not just 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:17.039 for men or just for women. It's not just for 00:15:17.039 --> 00:15:19.960 black or white or yellow or red, but it's for 00:15:19.960 --> 00:15:26.720 all who share this calling to salvation so that 00:15:26.720 --> 00:15:30.779 today we are an expectant people. For we share 00:15:30.779 --> 00:15:34.259 together an eager waiting for Christ's return. 00:15:35.039 --> 00:15:38.240 And that waiting is not an idle one. It's an 00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:41.789 involved one. We are not to be characterized 00:15:41.789 --> 00:15:44.529 by indolence in the light of His soon return, 00:15:44.710 --> 00:15:47.730 but rather by encouragement and motivation and 00:15:47.730 --> 00:15:53.129 faithfulness in serving Jesus Christ. The table 00:15:53.129 --> 00:15:55.750 that we come to today represents the calling 00:15:55.750 --> 00:16:00.110 that we share. It represents the fact that this 00:16:00.110 --> 00:16:03.789 calling is personal, for we come as individuals 00:16:03.789 --> 00:16:07.679 to this table, while as a group. While as a church, 00:16:07.720 --> 00:16:10.039 we come individually to partake of this bread 00:16:10.039 --> 00:16:13.279 and drink of this cup, reminding us of the calling 00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:17.279 that we have in Christ Jesus, a calling which 00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:21.279 is eternal. As we come to this table, we are 00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:24.519 reminded of the fact that we will not always 00:16:24.519 --> 00:16:29.700 come to this table. We come to this table while 00:16:29.700 --> 00:16:34.279 we are on the earth. And there will one day be 00:16:34.279 --> 00:16:36.919 a great supper, the married supper of the Lamb, 00:16:37.019 --> 00:16:39.440 that we will share with Jesus himself as the 00:16:39.440 --> 00:16:45.919 host. But we will not share in this table in 00:16:45.919 --> 00:16:49.799 heaven in eternity to come. As far as I know, 00:16:49.879 --> 00:16:51.799 there's no indication in Scripture that we will 00:16:51.799 --> 00:16:55.600 come to the Lord's table then, because we have 00:16:55.600 --> 00:16:57.700 but to lift our eyes and look upon him then. 00:16:59.000 --> 00:17:02.519 But now we see him not. And therefore we come 00:17:02.519 --> 00:17:04.680 to this table of the Lord that we might remind 00:17:04.680 --> 00:17:08.359 ourselves of his presence. And remind ourselves 00:17:08.359 --> 00:17:12.579 of his sacrifice. And remind ourselves that we 00:17:12.579 --> 00:17:16.079 do this till he comes. And he's coming soon. 00:17:17.960 --> 00:17:21.319 The fact that is that we have not yet arrived 00:17:21.319 --> 00:17:27.400 at our hope. We are today a pilgrim people. We 00:17:27.400 --> 00:17:31.490 are waiting to eat and to drink. with Jesus Christ 00:17:31.490 --> 00:17:36.029 personally. We are strangers in this world moving 00:17:36.029 --> 00:17:40.789 through it, and we come together as often as 00:17:40.789 --> 00:17:44.950 we do and partake of this table, reminding ourselves 00:17:44.950 --> 00:17:49.390 that we belong to each other as we belong to 00:17:49.390 --> 00:17:53.829 the Lord. The Word of God tells us that our calling 00:17:53.829 --> 00:18:00.859 is to be, to be holy, 1 Peter 1 .15. Our calling 00:18:00.859 --> 00:18:06.259 is to become, to become like Christ, 1 Thessalonians 00:18:06.259 --> 00:18:11.960 5, 24 and 25. Our calling is to proclaim, to 00:18:11.960 --> 00:18:14.380 proclaim the glories of him who's called us out 00:18:14.380 --> 00:18:16.819 of darkness to his marvelous light, 1 Peter 2, 00:18:16.900 --> 00:18:21.779 9. Our calling is to inherit, to inherit the 00:18:21.779 --> 00:18:24.559 glory and the kingdom of God, 1 Thessalonians 00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:29.150 2, 12. And our calling is to belong. to belong 00:18:29.150 --> 00:18:33.589 to Christ, for we are His, 1 Corinthians 3 .23. 00:18:34.690 --> 00:18:37.250 As we come to this table, it is a reminder that 00:18:37.250 --> 00:18:45.089 we are His, and He is ours. If today you know 00:18:45.089 --> 00:18:49.950 Jesus Christ as your Savior, and if you are walking 00:18:49.950 --> 00:18:53.549 in obedience to His Lordship, we welcome you 00:18:53.549 --> 00:18:57.150 to the Lord's table. This is not merely for the 00:18:57.150 --> 00:19:00.490 members of our church, but for all who share 00:19:00.490 --> 00:19:06.329 together the calling unto salvation. For anyone 00:19:06.329 --> 00:19:13.450 who can say, I am his and he is mine. Let's sing 00:19:13.450 --> 00:19:18.490 about that in Hymn 70. We will sing the first 00:19:18.490 --> 00:19:21.390 and last verses of this hymn by Wade Robinson. 00:19:22.250 --> 00:19:27.299 Wade Robinson was... Born in Ireland in 1838, 00:19:27.720 --> 00:19:33.720 he died when he was but 39 years of age. Just 00:19:33.720 --> 00:19:37.359 a year before he died, this poem of his was published. 00:19:38.380 --> 00:19:43.960 Notice the assurance. Notice the hope with which 00:19:43.960 --> 00:19:47.059 he speaks. And let's sing in that same way this 00:19:47.059 --> 00:19:49.519 morning. And as we sing, I'm going to ask those 00:19:49.519 --> 00:19:52.099 who are serving communion to please come to the 00:19:52.099 --> 00:19:54.269 front. Let's stand together as we sing verses 00:19:54.269 --> 00:22:36.130 1 and 4. And now would you join me, please, for 00:22:36.130 --> 00:22:39.609 a prayer of thanks for the body of our Savior. 00:22:42.289 --> 00:22:45.710 And our Lord, as we pause before partaking of 00:22:45.710 --> 00:22:52.230 this bread, we do so in remembrance. We thank 00:22:52.230 --> 00:22:54.809 you for the justification from our sins that 00:22:54.809 --> 00:22:59.329 you have provided through the offering up of 00:22:59.329 --> 00:23:05.549 yourself to God on our behalf. We bless you that 00:23:05.549 --> 00:23:10.309 your body was broken so that we might enter into 00:23:10.309 --> 00:23:14.569 that narrow way by faith and come into the very 00:23:14.569 --> 00:23:21.210 presence of God. Lord, as we partake, it is with 00:23:21.210 --> 00:23:24.190 gratitude, and we pray that you would speak to 00:23:24.190 --> 00:23:30.069 us deeply and personally of your sacrifice for 00:23:30.069 --> 00:23:54.180 us. Amen. When you come together as a church, 00:23:54.380 --> 00:23:59.039 be sure that no divisions exist among you. Let 00:23:59.039 --> 00:24:02.240 each examine himself that he eat not the bread 00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:05.900 in an unworthy manner and be guilty of the body 00:24:05.900 --> 00:24:24.200 of the Lord. So it came about that in the morning 00:24:24.200 --> 00:24:27.099 there was a layer of dew around the camp of the 00:24:27.099 --> 00:24:31.539 Israelites. And when the layer of dew evaporated, 00:24:31.539 --> 00:24:33.940 behold, on the surface of the wilderness there 00:24:33.940 --> 00:24:38.599 was a fine flake -like thing, fine as the frost 00:24:38.599 --> 00:24:42.900 on the ground. And when the sons of Israel saw 00:24:42.900 --> 00:24:46.759 it, they said to one another, What is it? For 00:24:46.759 --> 00:24:51.160 they did not know what it was. And Moses said 00:24:51.160 --> 00:24:54.019 to them, It is the bread which the Lord has given 00:24:54.019 --> 00:24:57.039 you to eat. And the house of Israel named it 00:24:57.039 --> 00:25:32.380 manna. And the rabble who were among them had 00:25:32.380 --> 00:25:36.640 greedy desires. And also the son of Israel wept 00:25:36.640 --> 00:25:40.460 and said, There is nothing at all to eat except 00:25:40.460 --> 00:25:45.819 this manna. Jesus said unto the people, Truly, 00:25:45.900 --> 00:25:49.000 truly, I say to you, you seek me not because 00:25:49.000 --> 00:25:51.920 you saw signs, but because you ate the loaves 00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:55.180 and were filled. Do not work for the food which 00:25:55.180 --> 00:25:58.480 perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal 00:25:58.480 --> 00:26:01.539 life. which the Son of Man shall give to you. 00:26:02.200 --> 00:26:04.859 Moses gave your fathers manna from heaven, and 00:26:04.859 --> 00:26:08.119 they died. But it is my Father who gives you 00:26:08.119 --> 00:26:11.519 the true bread out of heaven. I am the bread 00:26:11.519 --> 00:26:14.819 of life, living bread which comes down out of 00:26:14.819 --> 00:26:17.660 heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 00:26:18.259 --> 00:26:21.640 Anyone who eats of this bread shall live forever 00:26:21.640 --> 00:26:48.519 and never hunger. Moses said to the people, you 00:26:48.519 --> 00:26:50.839 shall remember all the ways in which the Lord 00:26:50.839 --> 00:26:53.480 your God has led you in the wilderness these 00:26:53.480 --> 00:26:58.019 40 years, that he might humble you, testing you 00:26:58.019 --> 00:27:01.559 to know what was in your heart, whether you would 00:27:01.559 --> 00:27:04.920 keep his commandments or not. And he let you 00:27:04.920 --> 00:27:08.660 be hungry and fed you with manna, that he might 00:27:08.660 --> 00:27:11.799 make you understand that man does not live by 00:27:11.799 --> 00:27:14.890 bread alone. but by everything that proceeds 00:27:14.890 --> 00:27:18.410 out of the mouth of the Lord. Otherwise, you 00:27:18.410 --> 00:27:22.089 may say in your heart, My power and the strength 00:27:22.089 --> 00:27:27.349 of my hand made me this wealth. So the sons of 00:27:27.349 --> 00:27:31.029 Israel ate the manna forty years, until they 00:27:31.029 --> 00:27:34.109 came to the border of the land of Canaan. And 00:27:34.109 --> 00:27:37.049 they entered Canaan and celebrated the Passover 00:27:37.049 --> 00:28:29.119 on the plains of Jericho. And Jesus, on the night 00:28:29.119 --> 00:28:32.460 in which he was betrayed, took bread. And when 00:28:32.460 --> 00:28:34.880 he had given thanks, he broke it and he said, 00:28:35.059 --> 00:28:39.299 This is my body, which is broken for you. Do 00:28:39.299 --> 00:28:43.140 this in remembrance of me. For as often as you 00:28:43.140 --> 00:28:45.980 eat this bread, you proclaim the Lord's death 00:28:45.980 --> 00:28:49.799 until he comes. And we celebrate it anew in the 00:28:49.799 --> 00:29:07.269 kingdom of God. Blood, blood that was of a lamb, 00:29:07.349 --> 00:29:09.910 as of a lamb, without blemish, without spot. 00:29:11.309 --> 00:29:16.150 Blood by which we have been redeemed. The purchase 00:29:16.150 --> 00:29:20.630 price having been paid so that we might belong 00:29:20.630 --> 00:29:25.309 to you. As we partake of this cup, it is with 00:29:25.309 --> 00:29:31.089 gratitude. Speak to us deeply of the sacrifice. 00:29:32.680 --> 00:30:15.039 which you made for us. now god said to abraham 00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:21.619 take your son your only son whom you love and 00:30:21.619 --> 00:30:25.759 go to the land of moriah and offer him there 00:30:25.759 --> 00:30:28.160 is a burnt offering on one of the mountains which 00:30:28.160 --> 00:30:32.359 i will tell you and isaac spoke to abraham his 00:30:32.359 --> 00:30:36.099 father and said behold the fire and the wood 00:30:36.099 --> 00:30:39.839 but where is the lamb for the burnt offering 00:30:39.839 --> 00:30:45.059 and abraham said God will provide for himself 00:30:45.059 --> 00:31:07.579 the lamb. And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 00:31:07.740 --> 00:31:11.500 tell the people to take an unblemished lamb. 00:31:12.460 --> 00:31:16.119 and kill it at twilight and put some of the blood 00:31:16.119 --> 00:31:19.000 on the two door posts and on the lintel of the 00:31:19.000 --> 00:31:22.359 houses in which each household shall eat you 00:31:22.359 --> 00:31:25.819 shall eat with your loins girded your sandals 00:31:25.819 --> 00:31:30.019 on your feet and your staff in your hands and 00:31:30.019 --> 00:31:33.400 you shall eat it in haste for it is the lord's 00:31:33.400 --> 00:31:37.200 passover for i will execute judgment against 00:31:37.200 --> 00:31:41.319 the land but when i see the blood I will pass 00:31:41.319 --> 00:31:46.279 over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy 00:31:46.279 --> 00:31:50.039 you. Now this day will be a memorial to you, 00:31:50.160 --> 00:31:52.880 and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the 00:31:52.880 --> 00:31:56.299 Lord. Throughout your generations, you are to 00:31:56.299 --> 00:32:00.759 celebrate it as a permanent ordinance. Surely 00:32:00.759 --> 00:32:05.180 our griefs he himself bore, and our sorrows he 00:32:05.180 --> 00:32:09.759 carried, yet we ourselves esteemed him stricken. 00:32:10.349 --> 00:32:14.910 smitten of God and afflicted. But he was pierced 00:32:14.910 --> 00:32:18.049 through for our transgressions. He was crushed 00:32:18.049 --> 00:32:22.470 for our iniquities. The chastising for our bond 00:32:22.470 --> 00:32:26.930 of peace fell upon him. And by his scourging 00:32:26.930 --> 00:32:30.170 we are healed. All of us, like sheep, have gone 00:32:30.170 --> 00:32:33.730 astray. Each of us has turned to his own way. 00:32:34.349 --> 00:32:37.990 But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all. 00:32:38.559 --> 00:32:44.059 to fall on him. He was oppressed and he was afflicted, 00:32:44.079 --> 00:32:48.400 yet he did not open his mouth. Like a lamb that 00:32:48.400 --> 00:32:50.480 is led to slaughter and like a sheep that is 00:32:50.480 --> 00:32:54.119 silent before its shearers, so he did not open 00:32:54.119 --> 00:32:57.460 his mouth. He poured out himself to death and 00:32:57.460 --> 00:33:00.619 was numbered with the sinners. Yet he himself 00:33:00.619 --> 00:33:05.339 bore the sin of many and interceded for the transgressors. 00:33:11.559 --> 00:33:15.779 Jesus said, You know that the Passover is coming 00:33:15.779 --> 00:33:19.299 and the Son of Man is to be delivered up for 00:33:19.299 --> 00:33:23.660 crucifixion. Truly, each one of you will betray 00:33:23.660 --> 00:33:29.099 me. Then he prayed, Father, if it is possible, 00:33:29.220 --> 00:33:33.299 let this cup pass from me, yet not as I will, 00:33:33.420 --> 00:33:36.579 but as thou wilt. I ask that all who believe 00:33:36.579 --> 00:33:40.180 in me may be one, even as thou, Father, art in 00:33:40.180 --> 00:33:44.990 me. and i indeed that they may also may be in 00:33:44.990 --> 00:33:48.269 us and that they may be perfected in the unity 00:33:48.269 --> 00:33:52.170 that the world may believe that you did send 00:33:52.170 --> 00:33:57.250 me therefore if any man is in christ he is a 00:33:57.250 --> 00:34:01.809 new creature the old things passed away behold 00:34:01.809 --> 00:34:05.730 new things have come and now all these things 00:34:05.730 --> 00:34:09.809 are from god who reconciled us to himself through 00:34:09.809 --> 00:34:13.429 christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 00:34:14.090 --> 00:34:18.590 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the 00:34:18.590 --> 00:34:22.269 world to himself, not counting their trespasses 00:34:22.269 --> 00:34:25.710 against them, and he has committed to us the 00:34:25.710 --> 00:34:30.230 word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are Christ's 00:34:30.230 --> 00:34:33.610 ambassadors. As though God were entreating through 00:34:33.610 --> 00:34:38.610 us, we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled 00:34:38.610 --> 00:34:43.039 to God. He made him, Jesus, who knew no sin, 00:34:43.159 --> 00:34:47.559 to be sin on our behalf, that we might become 00:34:47.559 --> 00:34:53.039 the righteousness of God in him. And so let each 00:34:53.039 --> 00:35:29.980 one examine himself. And in the same way, Jesus 00:35:29.980 --> 00:35:33.280 took the cup, and he said, This cup is the new 00:35:33.280 --> 00:35:36.239 covenant in my blood, which is poured out for 00:35:36.239 --> 00:35:39.980 you. Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance 00:35:39.980 --> 00:35:44.039 of me. For as often as you drink this cup, you 00:35:44.039 --> 00:35:47.619 proclaim the Lord's death until he comes, and 00:35:47.619 --> 00:36:03.789 we celebrate it anew in the kingdom of God. Would 00:36:03.789 --> 00:36:12.510 you please open your hymnal to reading 624. It 00:36:12.510 --> 00:36:15.150 is an affirmation of faith for us as a congregation. 00:36:25.329 --> 00:36:37.780 We affirm our faith in the Bible. We affirm our 00:36:37.780 --> 00:36:51.139 faith in God. We affirm our faith in Jesus Christ. 00:37:16.840 --> 00:37:30.760 We affirm our faith in salvation. We affirm our 00:37:30.760 --> 00:37:43.500 faith in the Holy Spirit. We affirm our faith 00:37:43.500 --> 00:38:00.130 in the resurrection. We will form our faith in 00:38:00.130 --> 00:38:10.070 spiritual unity. And now let's turn together 00:38:10.070 --> 00:38:14.869 to Hymn 270. This may be new to some of you, 00:38:14.969 --> 00:38:19.510 but it's a delightful tune, a Swedish tune, and 00:38:19.510 --> 00:38:21.590 I think you'll pick it up quickly. We will sing 00:38:21.590 --> 00:38:25.840 verses 1 and 3. And as you're turning to that, 00:38:25.880 --> 00:38:28.639 may I ask you to please take the cup that you've 00:38:28.639 --> 00:38:30.940 used and dispose of it in a container in the 00:38:30.940 --> 00:38:32.300 hallway that will be provided.