1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:02,980 Now we’re continuing our series today on faith 2 00:00:02,980 –> 00:00:05,000 in which we’re learning that faith is the bond 3 00:00:05,000 –> 00:00:08,740 of a living union between a believer and Jesus Christ 4 00:00:08,740 –> 00:00:10,280 in which we come to love him, 5 00:00:10,280 –> 00:00:13,240 and to trust him, and to serve him. 6 00:00:13,240 –> 00:00:15,300 And as we’re learning more about what faith is, 7 00:00:15,300 –> 00:00:17,620 I think we’re feeling our need to grow in it, 8 00:00:17,620 –> 00:00:20,299 and so we are actively engaging in this prayer, 9 00:00:20,299 –> 00:00:21,580 two prayers, really. 10 00:00:21,580 –> 00:00:23,540 We’re saying, Lord, increase my faith 11 00:00:23,540 –> 00:00:26,540 and Lord, increase our faith. 12 00:00:26,559 –> 00:00:30,600 And this series is about how that can happen. 13 00:00:30,600 –> 00:00:33,380 We began in Romans 10 in verse 17 14 00:00:33,380 –> 00:00:38,299 where God says to us that faith comes by hearing, 15 00:00:38,299 –> 00:00:40,299 and hearing comes by the Word of God. 16 00:00:40,299 –> 00:00:43,299 So we saw that faith, in this anatomy as it were 17 00:00:43,299 –> 00:00:47,380 has ears, ears to hear the Word of Christ. 18 00:00:47,380 –> 00:00:49,660 That’s Romans 10 in verse 17. 19 00:00:49,660 –> 00:00:52,959 Christ creates and he sustains faith through the Word 20 00:00:52,959 –> 00:00:54,619 and, therefore, Jesus says to us, 21 00:00:54,619 –> 00:00:57,180 consider carefully how you hear 22 00:00:57,180 –> 00:01:00,619 because the way in which you hear the Word of God, 23 00:01:00,619 –> 00:01:02,619 the way in which you mix it with faith 24 00:01:02,619 –> 00:01:05,620 will determine the degree to which you grow in faith 25 00:01:05,620 –> 00:01:08,839 and the degree to which your faith prospers. 26 00:01:08,839 –> 00:01:12,559 Then we went to 1 Timothy, chapter three, in verse 13 27 00:01:12,559 –> 00:01:14,760 where last week, we saw that God says 28 00:01:14,760 –> 00:01:18,300 those who serve well gain great assurance in their faith. 29 00:01:18,300 –> 00:01:21,779 So there’s a connection between serving and faith. 30 00:01:21,900 –> 00:01:24,980 Faith has hands, we saw thinking of this anatomy. 31 00:01:24,980 –> 00:01:28,500 Let’s serve with the love of Jesus Christ. 32 00:01:28,500 –> 00:01:30,379 So faith unites us to Christ. 33 00:01:30,379 –> 00:01:33,059 Christ is the one who came into the world to serve. 34 00:01:33,059 –> 00:01:36,120 If his life is in us, that will be evidenced. 35 00:01:36,120 –> 00:01:39,059 Our union with him will be evidenced through serving. 36 00:01:39,059 –> 00:01:42,980 So serving is a means by which faith is not only confirmed 37 00:01:42,980 –> 00:01:45,440 but it is a means by which faith grows. 38 00:01:45,440 –> 00:01:48,099 Jesus says my food is to do the will 39 00:01:48,099 –> 00:01:50,660 of the Father who sent me. 40 00:01:51,239 –> 00:01:54,239 We’re looking at the means by which faith grows, 41 00:01:54,239 –> 00:01:56,919 the ways in which God will answer 42 00:01:56,919 –> 00:01:59,760 our prayer to have more faith. 43 00:01:59,760 –> 00:02:02,080 It will come through the Word and a right hearing of it. 44 00:02:02,080 –> 00:02:04,959 It will come through our engagement in serving 45 00:02:04,959 –> 00:02:06,839 and today we’re looking at a third way 46 00:02:06,839 –> 00:02:09,940 in which Christ strengthens faith. 47 00:02:09,940 –> 00:02:12,360 We’re looking at the Lord’s supper. 48 00:02:12,360 –> 00:02:14,380 We’re looking at communion. 49 00:02:15,360 –> 00:02:19,720 I want us to see how Christ strengthens faith 50 00:02:19,720 –> 00:02:22,500 through the Lord’s supper. 51 00:02:22,500 –> 00:02:24,740 I want to help us appreciate, 52 00:02:24,740 –> 00:02:27,940 and perhaps for some of us, this will be new, 53 00:02:27,940 –> 00:02:32,940 for us to appreciate and to use the Lord’s supper, 54 00:02:33,339 –> 00:02:36,800 which is a gift of Christ to His people 55 00:02:36,800 –> 00:02:41,800 as a means of strengthening our faith. 56 00:02:42,220 –> 00:02:44,919 Now this is very important to understand this, 57 00:02:44,919 –> 00:02:49,919 that Christ increases faith through means. 58 00:02:50,639 –> 00:02:52,639 There are means that Christ has given to us 59 00:02:52,639 –> 00:02:55,399 as Christian believers, by which our faith is increased. 60 00:02:55,399 –> 00:02:58,100 And so if we’re asking God to increase our faith, 61 00:02:58,100 –> 00:03:01,199 we ought to apply ourselves to the means 62 00:03:01,199 –> 00:03:03,179 by which this happens. 63 00:03:03,179 –> 00:03:04,240 And what are the means? 64 00:03:04,240 –> 00:03:07,399 We’re saying, well, the means are the Word of God, 65 00:03:07,399 –> 00:03:09,619 the means are the service of Christ, 66 00:03:09,619 –> 00:03:11,720 the means are the Lord’s table. 67 00:03:12,559 –> 00:03:15,600 Now, it may be that some of us have been coming 68 00:03:15,600 –> 00:03:18,779 to the Lord’s table for years, 69 00:03:18,779 –> 00:03:23,639 but we’ve never really thought about what happens here, 70 00:03:23,639 –> 00:03:26,399 we never really contemplated from the Bible 71 00:03:26,399 –> 00:03:30,240 what it is that we should expect to receive here. 72 00:03:30,240 –> 00:03:32,000 We’ve not seen this as a means 73 00:03:32,000 –> 00:03:33,759 by which Christ strengthens faith, 74 00:03:33,759 –> 00:03:35,360 and therefore we have not experienced 75 00:03:35,360 –> 00:03:36,699 the strengthening of faith, 76 00:03:36,699 –> 00:03:39,639 because we simply have not connected the prayer 77 00:03:39,639 –> 00:03:41,500 that the Lord would increase our faith 78 00:03:41,500 –> 00:03:44,100 and the means by which He does that, 79 00:03:44,100 –> 00:03:46,759 and one of these very wonderful means we’re seeing today 80 00:03:46,759 –> 00:03:50,960 is through this gift of the Lord’s Supper. 81 00:03:52,039 –> 00:03:55,080 I want then to stress today, first of all, 82 00:03:55,080 –> 00:03:58,020 what Christ does at the Supper. 83 00:03:58,979 –> 00:04:00,960 Just by way of introduction before we turn 84 00:04:00,960 –> 00:04:03,339 to the specific words of scripture, 85 00:04:03,339 –> 00:04:06,300 let me explain why we’re placing our emphasis here. 86 00:04:07,500 –> 00:04:11,300 The Christian life is God’s work 87 00:04:11,300 –> 00:04:13,559 in which we become involved. 88 00:04:13,559 –> 00:04:15,619 It’s God’s work in which we become involved, 89 00:04:15,619 –> 00:04:17,540 not our work in which He becomes involved, 90 00:04:17,540 –> 00:04:19,579 but the other way around. 91 00:04:19,579 –> 00:04:20,640 Here’s the problem. 92 00:04:21,619 –> 00:04:26,000 We can become so interested in what we are doing 93 00:04:26,000 –> 00:04:29,799 that we lose sight of what God is doing. 94 00:04:29,799 –> 00:04:32,040 In other words, in focusing on the lesser thing, 95 00:04:32,040 –> 00:04:34,459 we can easily lose sight of the greater thing. 96 00:04:35,299 –> 00:04:39,220 That can happen, for example, with regards to conversion. 97 00:04:39,220 –> 00:04:41,739 The Bible makes it clear that salvation comes 98 00:04:41,739 –> 00:04:45,519 from the Lord, that’s Jonah chapter two, in verse 10. 99 00:04:45,519 –> 00:04:48,299 It is by grace that you have been saved through faith, 100 00:04:48,299 –> 00:04:50,420 and even that is not from yourselves, 101 00:04:50,420 –> 00:04:52,959 it is the gift of God, Ephesians 2, eight. 102 00:04:52,959 –> 00:04:55,959 Salvation is God’s work, right? 103 00:04:55,959 –> 00:04:58,760 Jesus saves, that’s a good place for an Amen, isn’t it? 104 00:04:58,760 –> 00:04:59,940 We believe that don’t we? 105 00:04:59,940 –> 00:05:02,299 Jesus saves. 106 00:05:02,299 –> 00:05:06,420 Now of course, we become involved in God’s work. 107 00:05:06,420 –> 00:05:09,179 When you were saved, when I was saved, 108 00:05:09,179 –> 00:05:10,279 you repented, didn’t you? 109 00:05:10,279 –> 00:05:11,179 You believed. 110 00:05:11,179 –> 00:05:13,540 You committed your life to Jesus Christ. 111 00:05:13,540 –> 00:05:16,459 You gave yourself to Him and became His follower. 112 00:05:16,459 –> 00:05:17,500 If you are a Christian, 113 00:05:17,500 –> 00:05:20,600 these things are all wonderfully true of you. 114 00:05:20,600 –> 00:05:24,059 But if all your attention is taken up on what you did, 115 00:05:24,059 –> 00:05:25,600 you know, I repented, I believed, 116 00:05:25,600 –> 00:05:27,140 I committed my life to Christ, 117 00:05:27,140 –> 00:05:29,179 what happens is that, very quickly, 118 00:05:29,179 –> 00:05:31,079 in focusing on the lesser thing, 119 00:05:31,079 –> 00:05:32,899 you are losing sight of the bigger thing, 120 00:05:32,899 –> 00:05:35,200 which is that Jesus saved you. 121 00:05:35,200 –> 00:05:36,959 That God saves. 122 00:05:36,959 –> 00:05:41,959 Now, in the same way, this often happens 123 00:05:41,959 –> 00:05:45,679 in relation to baptism and the Lord’s Supper. 124 00:05:46,859 –> 00:05:48,859 See, what is baptism? 125 00:05:48,859 –> 00:05:53,859 Baptism is the sign and seal of God’s great work 126 00:05:54,739 –> 00:05:56,679 in bringing a sinner to new life 127 00:05:56,679 –> 00:06:00,040 and in forgiving a believer from sin, 128 00:06:00,040 –> 00:06:02,559 cleansing a believer from sin, 129 00:06:02,839 –> 00:06:05,619 and God speaks the great promises of the Gospel 130 00:06:05,619 –> 00:06:08,880 to us in the most intimate way in Baptism. 131 00:06:08,880 –> 00:06:13,600 You are immersed in water and in this gracious gift, 132 00:06:13,600 –> 00:06:17,519 God speaks the promises of the Gospel to you 133 00:06:17,519 –> 00:06:20,119 in the most personal and intimate way. 134 00:06:21,100 –> 00:06:25,420 But when you lose sight of what God is doing in Baptism, 135 00:06:25,420 –> 00:06:27,500 what happens is it gets shriveled down 136 00:06:27,500 –> 00:06:29,519 and people start saying, well, what is baptism? 137 00:06:29,519 –> 00:06:31,640 Oh, well, it’s a way of me giving a testimony 138 00:06:31,679 –> 00:06:34,019 or it’s just me taking a step of obedience 139 00:06:34,019 –> 00:06:35,459 or it’s me telling other people 140 00:06:35,459 –> 00:06:37,440 how my life has changed. 141 00:06:37,440 –> 00:06:40,160 And suddenly, losing sight of God’s work 142 00:06:40,160 –> 00:06:43,279 because we’re so interested in our own work, 143 00:06:43,279 –> 00:06:45,000 what happens is that Baptism, 144 00:06:45,000 –> 00:06:47,000 which was a gracious gift of God, 145 00:06:47,000 –> 00:06:49,200 shrinks down and suddenly it feels like 146 00:06:49,200 –> 00:06:50,679 one more human work. 147 00:06:52,760 –> 00:06:54,600 And we lost sight of the big thing 148 00:06:54,600 –> 00:06:57,000 because we’re so consumed with the lesser thing. 149 00:06:58,160 –> 00:06:59,459 Now, I want to suggest to you 150 00:06:59,600 –> 00:07:01,299 that the same thing happens very often 151 00:07:01,299 –> 00:07:04,260 among Christian believers with regards to the Lord’s Supper. 152 00:07:05,200 –> 00:07:06,739 When we gather at the Lord’s Table, 153 00:07:06,739 –> 00:07:08,420 there are certain things for us to do 154 00:07:08,420 –> 00:07:10,600 that the Bible speaks about. 155 00:07:10,600 –> 00:07:14,779 We remember the Lord’s death until he comes. 156 00:07:14,779 –> 00:07:16,739 This, do in remembrance of me. 157 00:07:17,700 –> 00:07:19,359 More than that, the Apostle Paul says, 158 00:07:19,359 –> 00:07:23,200 we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 159 00:07:23,200 –> 00:07:26,119 Paul says that in 1 Corinthians and chapter 11. 160 00:07:26,640 –> 00:07:29,660 But what we are doing is always the lesser thing. 161 00:07:29,660 –> 00:07:32,640 The big question is what is Christ doing in the supper? 162 00:07:32,640 –> 00:07:34,720 That’s where we want to focus our attention. 163 00:07:34,720 –> 00:07:37,720 Lest we become so interested in what we are doing 164 00:07:37,720 –> 00:07:40,000 that we lose sight of the bigger thing, 165 00:07:40,000 –> 00:07:42,200 which is what Jesus Christ is doing. 166 00:07:42,200 –> 00:07:43,600 Have you thought about this? 167 00:07:44,640 –> 00:07:47,380 What does Christ do in the supper? 168 00:07:47,380 –> 00:07:51,559 Or is all your interest taken up with what you are doing? 169 00:07:52,440 –> 00:07:56,200 Well I want us to get today a taste 170 00:07:56,200 –> 00:07:58,739 for communion with Christ. 171 00:07:58,739 –> 00:08:01,880 I want us to discover a new joy and a new anticipation, 172 00:08:01,880 –> 00:08:04,079 a new meaning in coming to the table 173 00:08:04,079 –> 00:08:08,079 so that as we see what Christ does at the table 174 00:08:08,079 –> 00:08:11,000 faith will be nourished and strengthened 175 00:08:11,000 –> 00:08:12,799 and greatly increased. 176 00:08:12,799 –> 00:08:16,320 Lord increase our faith. 177 00:08:16,320 –> 00:08:18,440 Now let’s turn to the scriptures with that introduction 178 00:08:18,459 –> 00:08:22,200 and I’d like to begin in Luke’s gospel in chapter 22. 179 00:08:22,200 –> 00:08:24,160 We’ll come to John six later 180 00:08:24,160 –> 00:08:27,799 but we begin with the institution of the Lord’s supper 181 00:08:27,799 –> 00:08:30,239 Luke 22 and verse 15. 182 00:08:31,839 –> 00:08:33,640 Now I want to make three observations 183 00:08:33,640 –> 00:08:36,599 that are really grade school level. 184 00:08:36,599 –> 00:08:39,400 I mean this is about as simple as you can get 185 00:08:39,400 –> 00:08:41,239 but sometimes the most obvious things 186 00:08:41,239 –> 00:08:43,440 are the things that we miss. 187 00:08:43,440 –> 00:08:46,840 What does Jesus Christ do at the table? 188 00:08:46,840 –> 00:08:48,200 Three things. 189 00:08:48,200 –> 00:08:49,940 Number one, 190 00:08:49,940 –> 00:08:51,280 Christ 191 00:08:51,280 –> 00:08:52,979 invites you. 192 00:08:53,840 –> 00:08:56,799 Luke chapter 22 in verse 15. 193 00:08:56,799 –> 00:08:58,159 Jesus said to the disciples, 194 00:08:58,159 –> 00:09:01,479 I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover 195 00:09:01,479 –> 00:09:03,619 with you before I suffer. 196 00:09:04,780 –> 00:09:06,599 Now please see the significance of this 197 00:09:06,599 –> 00:09:09,479 that the initiative is with Jesus. 198 00:09:09,479 –> 00:09:12,400 It is not that the disciples have organized a supper 199 00:09:12,400 –> 00:09:13,559 and they say, hey Jesus, 200 00:09:13,559 –> 00:09:14,500 we’ve got a supper going 201 00:09:14,500 –> 00:09:16,280 and we’d like you to join us. 202 00:09:17,260 –> 00:09:19,559 No, it is that Jesus has a supper 203 00:09:19,559 –> 00:09:23,239 and that he invites the disciples to join him. 204 00:09:23,239 –> 00:09:24,840 He says, I am having a supper 205 00:09:24,840 –> 00:09:26,580 and I invite you to come. 206 00:09:26,580 –> 00:09:29,619 I want to have you present at my meal. 207 00:09:29,619 –> 00:09:31,140 At my table. 208 00:09:32,679 –> 00:09:34,760 It is Christ who invites the disciples, 209 00:09:34,760 –> 00:09:36,599 not the disciples who invite him. 210 00:09:36,599 –> 00:09:38,020 So this is not some event 211 00:09:38,020 –> 00:09:39,559 that we’re putting on in which we’re saying, 212 00:09:39,559 –> 00:09:41,119 Jesus please come among us. 213 00:09:41,119 –> 00:09:43,580 This is an event that Christ has given to us 214 00:09:43,619 –> 00:09:47,440 in which he invites us to draw near to him. 215 00:09:49,460 –> 00:09:51,900 So this is not our supper. 216 00:09:51,900 –> 00:09:53,820 This is why I say this is grade school stuff. 217 00:09:53,820 –> 00:09:55,059 The first point that I’m making 218 00:09:55,059 –> 00:09:59,859 is the Lord’s Supper is the Lord’s Supper. 219 00:09:59,859 –> 00:10:01,900 That’s the first thing to grasp about it. 220 00:10:03,140 –> 00:10:05,820 In other words, because this is his meal 221 00:10:05,820 –> 00:10:07,539 to which he invites us, 222 00:10:07,539 –> 00:10:12,299 this is not a time when we come offering something to him. 223 00:10:12,299 –> 00:10:13,739 If it was our meal, we invited him, 224 00:10:13,739 –> 00:10:15,099 it would be that way around, but it’s not. 225 00:10:15,099 –> 00:10:16,599 It’s his meal he invites us. 226 00:10:16,599 –> 00:10:20,059 So it is not a time when we come offering something to him. 227 00:10:20,059 –> 00:10:23,659 It is a time when we come because he offers something to us 228 00:10:23,659 –> 00:10:25,580 that is absolutely fundamental 229 00:10:25,580 –> 00:10:27,299 to understanding the Lord’s table. 230 00:10:28,979 –> 00:10:30,260 And who does he invite? 231 00:10:32,419 –> 00:10:34,700 He invites repentant sinners. 232 00:10:35,900 –> 00:10:38,500 Bishop Rila so often says it very well. 233 00:10:39,659 –> 00:10:42,059 Sinners living in open sin 234 00:10:42,140 –> 00:10:44,320 and determined not to give it up 235 00:10:44,320 –> 00:10:46,859 ought on no account to come to the Lord’s table 236 00:10:48,059 –> 00:10:50,760 because to do so is a positive insult to Christ. 237 00:10:50,760 –> 00:10:53,140 It is to pour contempt on his gospel. 238 00:10:53,140 –> 00:10:56,140 That is if you are intent on continuing in known sin, 239 00:10:56,140 –> 00:10:57,359 you should not come to the table 240 00:10:57,359 –> 00:10:59,580 because you’re insulting Christ by doing it. 241 00:11:01,260 –> 00:11:03,020 He speaks to you about forgiveness 242 00:11:03,020 –> 00:11:05,739 and your intent is to continue on the same sin. 243 00:11:05,739 –> 00:11:07,419 That’s an insult to Christ. 244 00:11:08,500 –> 00:11:11,400 Then Rila says self-righteous people 245 00:11:11,440 –> 00:11:13,580 who think that they are saved by their own works 246 00:11:13,580 –> 00:11:16,440 have no business coming to the Lord’s table either 247 00:11:16,440 –> 00:11:19,260 for what do we declare at the Lord’s table? 248 00:11:19,260 –> 00:11:21,760 We publicly profess that we have no goodness, 249 00:11:21,760 –> 00:11:24,400 no righteousness or worthiness of our own 250 00:11:24,400 –> 00:11:27,479 and that all our hope is in Christ. 251 00:11:29,460 –> 00:11:31,400 Rila’s saying very clearly and helpfully 252 00:11:31,400 –> 00:11:33,539 there are two groups of people who should not come. 253 00:11:33,539 –> 00:11:38,119 If you are in known sin and you’re intent on continuing it, 254 00:11:38,119 –> 00:11:38,960 then don’t come. 255 00:11:38,960 –> 00:11:40,440 That’s just insulting Christ 256 00:11:40,440 –> 00:11:42,140 to pretend that you want forgiveness 257 00:11:42,140 –> 00:11:44,299 when you’re intent on carrying on. 258 00:11:45,359 –> 00:11:46,580 And if you’re the kind of person 259 00:11:46,580 –> 00:11:48,239 who doesn’t feel that you need a savior, 260 00:11:48,239 –> 00:11:50,440 you shouldn’t come to this table either 261 00:11:50,440 –> 00:11:51,479 because at this table, 262 00:11:51,479 –> 00:11:54,580 we proclaim that we are those who know we are sinners 263 00:11:54,580 –> 00:11:56,080 and to need a savior, 264 00:11:56,080 –> 00:11:57,719 and they’re seeking to turn 265 00:11:57,719 –> 00:12:01,700 from our sin and for his grace to save us from it. 266 00:12:03,760 –> 00:12:05,400 So it’s not for those who are without sin. 267 00:12:05,400 –> 00:12:07,679 It’s not for those who are intent on continuing in sin. 268 00:12:07,679 –> 00:12:09,640 It is for repentant sinners. 269 00:12:09,640 –> 00:12:11,780 Therefore I say to you, do not let your failures 270 00:12:11,780 –> 00:12:14,159 or your successes prevent you from coming. 271 00:12:15,460 –> 00:12:16,659 Christ invites you, 272 00:12:17,840 –> 00:12:22,059 invites you to come to turn from sin, 273 00:12:22,059 –> 00:12:23,979 to leave it behind, 274 00:12:23,979 –> 00:12:26,140 to embrace him as he reaches out to you, 275 00:12:26,140 –> 00:12:27,320 to embrace you. 276 00:12:27,320 –> 00:12:29,200 Come to the supper. 277 00:12:29,200 –> 00:12:32,859 I want to have fellowship with you. 278 00:12:32,859 –> 00:12:34,039 I want you to leave your sin. 279 00:12:34,039 –> 00:12:35,859 I want you to come to me. 280 00:12:35,859 –> 00:12:37,640 I want you to find mercy. 281 00:12:38,419 –> 00:12:40,799 Christ invites you to come. 282 00:12:40,799 –> 00:12:41,719 Here’s the second thing, 283 00:12:41,719 –> 00:12:44,380 Christ speaks to you at the table. 284 00:12:44,380 –> 00:12:46,080 He invites you to the table. 285 00:12:46,080 –> 00:12:47,000 He speaks. 286 00:12:47,000 –> 00:12:48,659 Again, this is the most obvious thing. 287 00:12:48,659 –> 00:12:51,919 I just want you to notice how Christ speaks 288 00:12:51,919 –> 00:12:53,380 at the table. 289 00:12:53,380 –> 00:12:55,479 Verse 19 of Luke 22, 290 00:12:55,479 –> 00:12:56,320 he took the bread, 291 00:12:56,320 –> 00:12:57,739 he gave thanks 292 00:12:57,739 –> 00:12:59,799 and he gave it to them saying. 293 00:12:59,799 –> 00:13:01,380 So here’s Christ speaking, 294 00:13:02,659 –> 00:13:03,479 and Jesus says, 295 00:13:03,479 –> 00:13:05,080 this is my body given for you. 296 00:13:05,080 –> 00:13:06,799 In the same way, 297 00:13:06,799 –> 00:13:07,619 after the supper, 298 00:13:08,460 –> 00:13:09,299 verse 20, 299 00:13:09,299 –> 00:13:10,219 he took the cup saying 300 00:13:10,219 –> 00:13:11,760 here’s Jesus speaking. 301 00:13:11,760 –> 00:13:13,859 This cup is the new covenant in my blood 302 00:13:13,859 –> 00:13:16,719 which is poured out for you. 303 00:13:17,960 –> 00:13:21,119 Now, whenever you come to the Lord’s table, 304 00:13:21,119 –> 00:13:24,320 the pastor will always repeat 305 00:13:24,320 –> 00:13:26,880 the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, 306 00:13:26,880 –> 00:13:29,159 every time you come to communion. 307 00:13:29,159 –> 00:13:30,799 This is my body, 308 00:13:30,799 –> 00:13:32,599 is given for you. 309 00:13:32,599 –> 00:13:35,159 This cup is the new covenant in my blood. 310 00:13:35,159 –> 00:13:37,020 It is poured out for you. 311 00:13:38,340 –> 00:13:43,280 Why does the pastor always say these words 312 00:13:43,280 –> 00:13:45,080 at the communion table? 313 00:13:46,659 –> 00:13:50,299 Because they are the words of Christ. 314 00:13:51,320 –> 00:13:56,320 They are the words that Christ speaks to you. 315 00:13:56,539 –> 00:13:59,219 That’s what I want us to grasp. 316 00:13:59,219 –> 00:14:00,619 These are not simply words 317 00:14:00,619 –> 00:14:04,039 that Jesus spoke to other people a long time ago. 318 00:14:05,039 –> 00:14:08,239 These are the words that the Lord Jesus Christ, 319 00:14:08,239 –> 00:14:10,380 the living Christ, he’s risen from the dead, 320 00:14:10,380 –> 00:14:12,440 he’s present with us by the Holy Spirit, 321 00:14:12,440 –> 00:14:14,200 and he speaks to us at the table. 322 00:14:14,200 –> 00:14:15,400 He invites us to come. 323 00:14:15,400 –> 00:14:17,320 He wants fellowship with us. 324 00:14:18,700 –> 00:14:21,159 See, some of us have got so locked into this idea 325 00:14:21,159 –> 00:14:23,080 that we are simply remembering 326 00:14:23,080 –> 00:14:24,739 that this becomes an exercise 327 00:14:24,739 –> 00:14:27,099 in connecting with a point of history, 328 00:14:27,099 –> 00:14:29,859 and we lose sight of the fact 329 00:14:29,859 –> 00:14:32,080 that the Lord Jesus Christ has risen from the dead, 330 00:14:32,080 –> 00:14:34,659 and he invites us to fellowship with him. 331 00:14:34,659 –> 00:14:36,760 That’s the very center of the Christian life. 332 00:14:36,760 –> 00:14:38,900 That’s the essence of what faith is about, 333 00:14:38,900 –> 00:14:42,200 it is a living union with Jesus Christ. 334 00:14:42,200 –> 00:14:44,340 And it is especially expressed here 335 00:14:44,340 –> 00:14:45,940 as he invites us to come, 336 00:14:46,940 –> 00:14:50,219 and the Lord Jesus Christ is saying to you 337 00:14:50,219 –> 00:14:53,039 as you gather around the table, 338 00:14:53,039 –> 00:14:55,900 this is my body that is given for you, 339 00:14:55,900 –> 00:14:57,960 this cup is the new covenant in my blood 340 00:14:57,960 –> 00:14:59,500 which is poured out for you. 341 00:14:59,500 –> 00:15:01,820 As you take the bread, 342 00:15:01,840 –> 00:15:05,080 as you later this morning will take the cup in your hand, 343 00:15:05,080 –> 00:15:08,799 I invite you to do that as a repentant sinner, 344 00:15:10,000 –> 00:15:12,880 the Lord Jesus Christ in that very act 345 00:15:12,880 –> 00:15:15,940 is saying to you, look, there is forgiveness for you, 346 00:15:17,000 –> 00:15:19,419 there is strength for you, 347 00:15:19,419 –> 00:15:22,000 there is life for you, 348 00:15:22,000 –> 00:15:24,239 and the reason there is forgiveness and strength 349 00:15:24,239 –> 00:15:26,239 and life for you today 350 00:15:26,239 –> 00:15:29,000 is that my body is given for you, 351 00:15:29,000 –> 00:15:31,559 and my blood has been shed for you. 352 00:15:32,260 –> 00:15:36,940 Listen, the Lord’s supper is not us 353 00:15:36,940 –> 00:15:39,460 placing the cross before God 354 00:15:39,460 –> 00:15:43,299 in order to somehow persuade him to be merciful to us, 355 00:15:43,299 –> 00:15:47,000 it is Christ placing the cross before us 356 00:15:47,000 –> 00:15:50,340 in order to persuade us that God is merciful 357 00:15:50,340 –> 00:15:52,820 to us in Jesus Christ. 358 00:15:53,780 –> 00:15:54,940 That’s why there’s food here, 359 00:15:54,940 –> 00:15:56,940 that’s why there’s life here, 360 00:15:57,780 –> 00:16:02,219 he’s speaking the gospel into your life 361 00:16:02,219 –> 00:16:07,219 in the most powerful and in the most compelling way. 362 00:16:09,580 –> 00:16:11,900 So, let’s understand what Christ is doing, 363 00:16:11,900 –> 00:16:13,700 the Lord’s supper. 364 00:16:14,539 –> 00:16:17,460 Christ is present with us by the Holy Spirit 365 00:16:17,460 –> 00:16:18,859 as we gather around the table, 366 00:16:18,859 –> 00:16:21,659 we come to a fellowship with him. 367 00:16:21,659 –> 00:16:24,739 He invites you and he speaks to you. 368 00:16:25,640 –> 00:16:26,820 And here’s the third thing 369 00:16:26,820 –> 00:16:28,219 that the Lord does at the table, 370 00:16:28,219 –> 00:16:29,599 he feeds you. 371 00:16:29,599 –> 00:16:31,559 I’d like to turn back to Matthew’s account 372 00:16:31,559 –> 00:16:34,539 of the Lord’s Supper, Matthew 26. 373 00:16:35,820 –> 00:16:40,359 Matthew 26 and verse 26. 374 00:16:41,479 –> 00:16:44,679 Matthew records how Jesus said these words. 375 00:16:47,179 –> 00:16:50,700 Matthew 26, 26, he, Jesus took the bread 376 00:16:51,700 –> 00:16:55,679 and he gave thanks and he broke it 377 00:16:56,760 –> 00:16:59,140 and he gave it to his disciples. 378 00:16:59,719 –> 00:17:02,320 Now we’ve seen from Luke’s gospel 379 00:17:02,320 –> 00:17:05,199 that he said, this is my body. 380 00:17:05,199 –> 00:17:07,800 I want you to notice the words that Matthew also records. 381 00:17:07,800 –> 00:17:11,839 Jesus said, take and eat. 382 00:17:13,400 –> 00:17:16,040 This is my body. 383 00:17:16,180 –> 00:17:20,260 Now grade school level again. 384 00:17:21,500 –> 00:17:23,660 We’re learning about the Lord’s Supper. 385 00:17:23,660 –> 00:17:27,020 Our first point was it is the Lord’s Supper. 386 00:17:27,699 –> 00:17:29,180 Here’s another grade school level point. 387 00:17:29,180 –> 00:17:31,660 This is almost insulting to grade school kids, isn’t it? 388 00:17:31,660 –> 00:17:36,560 The Lord’s Supper is a supper, alright, it is a supper. 389 00:17:39,079 –> 00:17:43,560 Now people come to a supper in order to be 390 00:17:44,040 –> 00:17:45,339 fed. 391 00:17:46,800 –> 00:17:53,140 When you come to this supper, you get given a piece of wafer 392 00:17:53,140 –> 00:18:00,819 the size of a thumbnail, and a drink in a cup that is about the 393 00:18:00,819 –> 00:18:02,180 size of a thimble. 394 00:18:04,479 –> 00:18:09,959 So any thinking person would ask the question, where’s the meal? 395 00:18:10,140 –> 00:18:12,359 where’s the meal? 396 00:18:14,939 –> 00:18:16,880 and the answer is Christ is the meal. 397 00:18:18,000 –> 00:18:21,300 That’s the whole point of what he says here, I’m your food. 398 00:18:22,780 –> 00:18:26,180 That’s what he’s saying. When he says this is my body, this is 399 00:18:26,180 –> 00:18:26,859 my blood. 400 00:18:27,719 –> 00:18:31,319 The body and blood of Jesus Christ is the food that will 401 00:18:31,319 –> 00:18:33,739 nourish your soul to eternal life. 402 00:18:34,739 –> 00:18:41,300 Christ is telling us that he is how our life is sustained. 403 00:18:41,300 –> 00:18:42,239 I live on him! 404 00:18:44,780 –> 00:18:53,500 Now how exactly does the body and blood of Jesus Christ feed 405 00:18:53,500 –> 00:18:54,500 us? 406 00:18:55,780 –> 00:18:56,800 So we’re thinking about this. 407 00:18:58,199 –> 00:19:03,119 Jesus took the bread and he said this is my body. 408 00:19:03,819 –> 00:19:04,479 My body. 409 00:19:06,359 –> 00:19:12,439 Now it was in his body that our Lord Jesus Christ lived his life 410 00:19:12,520 –> 00:19:16,839 of perfect righteousness fulfilling everything that God 411 00:19:16,839 –> 00:19:18,239 requires of us. 412 00:19:19,400 –> 00:19:24,160 This bread then speaks of his completed obedience. 413 00:19:24,880 –> 00:19:28,920 The perfect righteousness of his life in the body. 414 00:19:29,900 –> 00:19:34,939 When we are united to Christ in the bond of faith, his 415 00:19:34,939 –> 00:19:39,500 perfect righteousness is imputed to us. 416 00:19:40,560 –> 00:19:45,000 That simply means that God counts the perfect righteousness 417 00:19:45,060 –> 00:19:49,300 of the life of Jesus as if we had lived that life. 418 00:19:50,060 –> 00:19:55,640 The perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ is counted as ours 419 00:19:55,640 –> 00:19:56,400 by God. 420 00:19:57,300 –> 00:19:59,719 That is the most marvelous good news. 421 00:19:59,739 –> 00:20:01,420 It’s at the center of the gospel. 422 00:20:02,359 –> 00:20:06,979 My Christian life is at best a work in process. 423 00:20:08,300 –> 00:20:11,900 So I come to the table knowing that this is another week in 424 00:20:11,900 –> 00:20:14,739 which I have fallen short of the glory of God. 425 00:20:17,119 –> 00:20:18,699 And I am given the bread. 426 00:20:20,380 –> 00:20:24,339 And Christ says, this is my body. 427 00:20:24,760 –> 00:20:28,619 My completed obedience is for you. 428 00:20:29,760 –> 00:20:34,140 My perfect righteousness has become yours. 429 00:20:35,140 –> 00:20:37,560 What you have not done for me. 430 00:20:37,579 –> 00:20:39,780 I have done for you. 431 00:20:41,459 –> 00:20:45,520 This is soul strengthening food friends. 432 00:20:46,719 –> 00:20:52,819 Have you come here feeling the relentless demands of life? 433 00:20:54,680 –> 00:21:03,260 Does it seem to you that your life is like one massive pile of things that are still to be done? 434 00:21:04,560 –> 00:21:09,420 Does all that is incomplete in your life weigh upon you even today? 435 00:21:10,599 –> 00:21:18,780 Do you feel like you could write a banner over your whole life that would say it is not finished? 436 00:21:19,900 –> 00:21:24,219 And the Lord Jesus Christ comes and he says 437 00:21:24,680 –> 00:21:26,680 It is finished 438 00:21:28,479 –> 00:21:33,359 What you have not done for me I have done for you 439 00:21:35,540 –> 00:21:39,020 God accepts you not because you have finished your work 440 00:21:39,020 –> 00:21:45,619 But because Jesus Christ has finished his work and when I hear that and when I embrace that 441 00:21:45,920 –> 00:21:48,380 My soul is strengthened 442 00:21:49,099 –> 00:21:53,040 God accepts me today not because of what I have accomplished for him 443 00:21:53,060 –> 00:22:00,040 But because of what Jesus Christ has accomplished for me through his completed obedience on my 444 00:22:00,739 –> 00:22:02,599 behalf 445 00:22:02,599 –> 00:22:08,739 and all this Christ says to us in the giving and in the receiving of the bread and 446 00:22:10,680 –> 00:22:16,280 Then Jesus gave them the cup I’m reading from Matthew 26 27 447 00:22:17,040 –> 00:22:19,040 Drink of it all 448 00:22:19,660 –> 00:22:21,560 of you 449 00:22:21,560 –> 00:22:27,900 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for 450 00:22:28,439 –> 00:22:32,859 What here it is the forgiveness of sins? 451 00:22:33,939 –> 00:22:35,939 the forgiveness of sins 452 00:22:36,959 –> 00:22:43,420 Have you ever felt the strangeness of your position as a Christian believer? 453 00:22:43,699 –> 00:22:47,420 Here you are accepted by God completely 454 00:22:48,579 –> 00:22:51,479 through the completed righteousness of Jesus Christ 455 00:22:51,479 –> 00:22:57,540 That is imputed to you counted as yours because of the bond of faith that you have with him 456 00:22:58,939 –> 00:23:02,260 But this leaves you in this very strange position 457 00:23:02,979 –> 00:23:06,819 That Luther described as Simil Justus et Peccator 458 00:23:07,780 –> 00:23:09,780 at the same time 459 00:23:09,939 –> 00:23:11,939 At the same time 460 00:23:12,479 –> 00:23:14,060 righteous and 461 00:23:14,060 –> 00:23:16,060 a sinner 462 00:23:16,060 –> 00:23:22,380 You are completely righteous in Jesus Christ accepted on the basis of his completed obedience for you 463 00:23:23,020 –> 00:23:25,160 and yet knowing that 464 00:23:26,060 –> 00:23:31,260 Which God speaks to you in the bread you come to the table at the same time? 465 00:23:31,420 –> 00:23:35,319 Also knowing that you are a sinner 466 00:23:35,699 –> 00:23:36,739 So 467 00:23:36,739 –> 00:23:40,660 I come to the table today knowing the reality of these two things I am 468 00:23:41,520 –> 00:23:49,239 clothed in the righteousness of Christ Christ speaks this to me in the bread that speaks of his body his completed obedience and 469 00:23:49,439 –> 00:23:52,520 Yet even as I come and I know myself 470 00:23:53,500 –> 00:23:56,839 So gratefully to be clothed in the righteousness of Christ yet 471 00:23:56,839 –> 00:24:00,719 I am also aware of the fact that since last I came I 472 00:24:01,540 –> 00:24:04,900 Have sinned in thought and word and deed I’ve grieved the Holy Spirit 473 00:24:06,000 –> 00:24:08,000 There are things of which I am ashamed 474 00:24:09,119 –> 00:24:12,060 And when I come to the table Satan accuses me 475 00:24:13,319 –> 00:24:16,619 my own conscience condemns me and 476 00:24:18,280 –> 00:24:20,880 Then I am given the cup and 477 00:24:22,800 –> 00:24:24,800 Crisis 478 00:24:25,680 –> 00:24:27,680 My blood was 479 00:24:28,780 –> 00:24:34,000 poured out for the forgiveness of your sins 480 00:24:34,680 –> 00:24:36,680 That’s what he says to you in the cup 481 00:24:39,520 –> 00:24:46,359 When I hear this I am strengthened God loves me despite all the mess-ups 482 00:24:46,400 –> 00:24:48,400 That’s what he says to you in the cups 483 00:24:48,880 –> 00:24:55,719 Christ died for me knowing me at my worst my Christian worst as well as my pre-christian worst 484 00:24:57,119 –> 00:25:01,020 And through the blood of Jesus Christ there is 485 00:25:02,099 –> 00:25:04,099 forgiveness for me today 486 00:25:05,000 –> 00:25:07,000 Therefore there is hope for me today 487 00:25:07,319 –> 00:25:13,599 There is life for me today, and it is mine through the shedding of his blood 488 00:25:14,339 –> 00:25:15,739 today 489 00:25:15,920 –> 00:25:17,920 in all my inadequacies 490 00:25:19,359 –> 00:25:21,699 God embraces me in 491 00:25:22,800 –> 00:25:27,719 Jesus Christ now folks all these things are found in Jesus Christ 492 00:25:27,719 –> 00:25:29,719 They all come through his cross 493 00:25:29,760 –> 00:25:36,479 But they are laid out for us in the most wonderful way at the Lord’s table 494 00:25:38,359 –> 00:25:40,359 Christ feeds you 495 00:25:40,680 –> 00:25:46,819 Through his own body and blood through his own completed obedience that is and through his atoning death 496 00:25:48,640 –> 00:25:51,380 So friend if you want to know more of God’s love 497 00:25:51,599 –> 00:25:58,119 If you want to know more of joy in the Holy Spirit if you want to know the assurance of forgiveness of sins 498 00:25:59,119 –> 00:26:02,959 If you need to find strength for what you’re facing in your life today 499 00:26:03,859 –> 00:26:08,040 Use the means by which Christ strengthens faith 500 00:26:09,040 –> 00:26:15,739 By which he feeds you and strengthens you and nourishes you in your inner being 501 00:26:17,800 –> 00:26:23,339 Sometimes I’ve the privilege of speaking to someone who says oh, I wish I had a greater confidence that God loves me 502 00:26:23,780 –> 00:26:27,459 Well, I wish I’d greater joy in the Holy Spirit. Why is it that my faith isn’t growing? 503 00:26:28,280 –> 00:26:31,479 So I said well tell me about how you are hearing the Word of God 504 00:26:32,880 –> 00:26:35,619 Tell me about how you’re engaged in serving other people 505 00:26:36,619 –> 00:26:44,300 Tell me about how you are using the Lord’s Table. When you come to that third one many folks have never even thought about it 506 00:26:45,880 –> 00:26:51,439 But friend, what better place for you to become assured of the love of Christ for you than here 507 00:26:53,099 –> 00:27:00,979 What better place for you to discover fresh joy and all that is yours in Jesus Christ than here when he speaks it to you 508 00:27:00,979 –> 00:27:02,979 in the clearest possible way 509 00:27:02,979 –> 00:27:09,739 Make good use of the Lord’s Table as you pray Lord increase my faith 510 00:27:11,979 –> 00:27:14,339 Now how do you do that? 511 00:27:16,380 –> 00:27:18,660 Here’s what Christ is doing and 512 00:27:19,420 –> 00:27:23,520 That’s the big thing if you don’t understand that never make progress. That’s the big thing 513 00:27:23,520 –> 00:27:28,520 That’s why we’ve taken by far the most of our time on it, but here’s now the other thing. That’s important 514 00:27:28,520 –> 00:27:30,680 How do we make the greatest use of? 515 00:27:31,280 –> 00:27:39,219 The Lord’s Table and I want just for the last minutes that we have here to turn back now to John chapter 6 516 00:27:39,959 –> 00:27:41,959 Please do that with me 517 00:27:42,160 –> 00:27:44,160 john chapter 6 518 00:27:45,979 –> 00:27:51,660 Just want us to see here how we may make the best use of the Lord’s Table and 519 00:27:53,400 –> 00:27:59,219 I need to make just this one very important statement about John 6 520 00:28:01,160 –> 00:28:04,520 Let me make the point in the form of a question 521 00:28:06,339 –> 00:28:09,560 Was John 6 the words that Jesus speaks in John 6 522 00:28:09,560 –> 00:28:14,880 is this before or after the Lord instituted? 523 00:28:15,479 –> 00:28:19,500 the Last Supper is this before or after think about it John 6 and 524 00:28:19,959 –> 00:28:24,319 When does the Lord’s Supper get instituted the night before he died? That’s the end of the gospel 525 00:28:24,560 –> 00:28:27,180 So is this before or after you’re with me? 526 00:28:27,859 –> 00:28:29,859 It’s before quite clearly before 527 00:28:30,819 –> 00:28:32,819 Now this is very important 528 00:28:33,760 –> 00:28:40,979 When Jesus spoke these words to the discples in John chapter 6, they did not even know what the Lord’s Supper was 529 00:28:43,280 –> 00:28:45,140 Therefore 530 00:28:45,140 –> 00:28:48,180 We must draw this conclusion that john 6 is not 531 00:28:48,800 –> 00:28:50,640 primarily 532 00:28:50,640 –> 00:28:52,640 about the Lord’s Supper 533 00:28:53,280 –> 00:28:56,239 It’s very important to grasp that and here’s why 534 00:28:57,280 –> 00:29:00,560 If this were about the Lord’s Supper 535 00:29:01,540 –> 00:29:04,579 then when Jesus says in verse 53, for example 536 00:29:06,000 –> 00:29:10,839 Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood you have no life in you 537 00:29:10,979 –> 00:29:16,560 That would mean that eternal life comes to us through the Lord’s Supper wouldn’t it if this is about the Lord’s Supper 538 00:29:17,579 –> 00:29:19,060 and 539 00:29:19,060 –> 00:29:23,319 John makes it very clear that eternal life comes to us not by 540 00:29:23,819 –> 00:29:27,640 Participating in the Lord’s Supper, but how by faith in the Son of God 541 00:29:27,819 –> 00:29:30,819 That is what John 6 is all about 542 00:29:30,819 –> 00:29:37,400 That’s why he gets into all that. He says in the verses that we’ve read in verse 47 by making this crystal-clear 543 00:29:38,199 –> 00:29:44,500 Statement I tell you the truth. Jesus says he who believes has everlasting life 544 00:29:44,500 –> 00:29:46,500 That’s how everlasting life comes to you 545 00:29:47,420 –> 00:29:51,439 Because you know that at the end of John’s Gospel when he’s summarizing the whole of the book 546 00:29:51,959 –> 00:29:58,280 He says these things are written that you may believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that by believing you may have 547 00:29:58,280 –> 00:30:00,280 life in his name 548 00:30:01,339 –> 00:30:06,560 So John 6 is not primarily about the Lord’s Supper 549 00:30:08,680 –> 00:30:12,699 It is about those who believe verse 47 550 00:30:12,699 –> 00:30:17,680 It’s about those who believe how those who believe feed on the Lord Jesus Christ 551 00:30:17,680 –> 00:30:19,479 Christ 552 00:30:19,479 –> 00:30:21,479 That’s not limited to the Lord’s Supper 553 00:30:23,260 –> 00:30:28,680 To put it another way and if you want to think further about this, you might like just to note this quote down 554 00:30:28,680 –> 00:30:32,939 It’s very very helpful from a man by the name of Colin Brown. He says this 555 00:30:33,660 –> 00:30:36,579 John 6 is not about the Lord’s supper 556 00:30:37,800 –> 00:30:44,400 but the Lord’s supper is about what is described in John 6. That’s a very important point 557 00:30:45,260 –> 00:30:47,880 John 6 is not about the Lord’s supper 558 00:30:49,119 –> 00:30:51,319 but the Lord’s supper is 559 00:30:52,560 –> 00:30:58,500 about what is described in John and chapter 6. In other words, the Lord’s supper is a 560 00:30:58,800 –> 00:31:02,119 Great place to do what is described in John 6 561 00:31:03,560 –> 00:31:05,560 It’s not the only place 562 00:31:06,079 –> 00:31:08,079 But there is no better place 563 00:31:08,920 –> 00:31:13,359 To do what is described in John 6 564 00:31:14,239 –> 00:31:16,239 is very important 565 00:31:16,560 –> 00:31:19,119 So a cable, what what is it that we’re to do in? 566 00:31:20,119 –> 00:31:21,839 John 6 567 00:31:21,839 –> 00:31:26,839 Three things very simply number one. Here’s what you can do at the table believe in Christ 568 00:31:28,359 –> 00:31:32,400 John says this so clearly our Lord says it so clearly John records it 569 00:31:33,180 –> 00:31:36,420 John 6 35 Jesus says I am the bread of life 570 00:31:36,420 –> 00:31:41,520 Whoever comes to me will never grow hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty 571 00:31:43,359 –> 00:31:47,420 Verse 47. I tell you the truth he who believes has everlasting life 572 00:31:50,219 –> 00:31:57,020 Everything that comes to us from Jesus Christ is received by us through faith 573 00:31:58,540 –> 00:32:02,380 in other words coming to the table won’t do you any good 574 00:32:02,400 –> 00:32:08,719 Unless you exercise faith. This is not a place to be passive. This is not a place to go to sleep for 10 minutes 575 00:32:08,719 –> 00:32:10,619 This is not a place to tune out 576 00:32:10,619 –> 00:32:14,959 This is not like taking medicine that kind of does something to you by its own power 577 00:32:15,040 –> 00:32:20,300 This is a place for you to draw near to Christ with active engaged faith 578 00:32:20,920 –> 00:32:22,459 and 579 00:32:22,459 –> 00:32:28,920 Some of us may not have really derived benefit from the Lord’s Supper because we’ve just used it as a quiet passive few minutes 580 00:32:29,599 –> 00:32:30,359 no 581 00:32:30,359 –> 00:32:35,119 This is a time to draw near to Christ who invites you who speaks to you and wants to 582 00:32:35,219 –> 00:32:39,800 Commune with you for you to draw near to Him with faith for you to believe the promise 583 00:32:39,800 –> 00:32:46,079 He says to you now look my completed obediences for you. You’re to embrace that you’re to believe this my forgiveness 584 00:32:46,079 –> 00:32:50,520 I give to you through my Shedblood your to embrace this believe this you’re to 585 00:32:51,439 –> 00:32:59,160 Commune with Christ at His table as he lays these things before you, not only are you to believe these things 586 00:33:00,239 –> 00:33:02,239 believe on Christ 587 00:33:02,640 –> 00:33:07,400 But our Lord Jesus is making it very clear here that we are to feed on 588 00:33:08,500 –> 00:33:10,500 Christ 589 00:33:10,800 –> 00:33:12,400 Now on 590 00:33:12,400 –> 00:33:15,380 The screen there, you’ll see the reference to the whole passage 591 00:33:16,260 –> 00:33:18,260 verses 49 to 58 592 00:33:19,040 –> 00:33:21,040 They’ve put the summary there 593 00:33:21,619 –> 00:33:22,760 because 594 00:33:22,760 –> 00:33:27,859 Laying out every single verse is more space than we’ve got on the screen. What I want you to see is 595 00:33:28,380 –> 00:33:30,839 That Jesus speaks about eating or 596 00:33:31,939 –> 00:33:33,939 food or feeding in 597 00:33:35,619 –> 00:33:40,180 Every verse for 10 consecutive verses I 598 00:33:41,199 –> 00:33:43,199 Want you to see how? 599 00:33:43,439 –> 00:33:44,780 extraordinary this is 600 00:33:44,780 –> 00:33:46,880 So that nobody could ever possibly 601 00:33:47,219 –> 00:33:48,719 doubt or question 602 00:33:48,719 –> 00:33:50,979 What Jesus is talking about here? Now? 603 00:33:50,979 –> 00:33:51,800 Will you help me? 604 00:33:51,800 –> 00:33:55,780 Please do we have your Bible open in front of you and where we see ate or eat or 605 00:33:56,380 –> 00:33:59,859 Food or feed will you just say that with me? 606 00:33:59,859 –> 00:34:05,400 I just want you to feel the weight of what Jesus is saying here and the wonder of it verse 49 607 00:34:05,640 –> 00:34:10,300 Help me your father’s ate the manna in the desert yet 608 00:34:10,300 –> 00:34:14,239 They died verse 50. Here is the bread that comes down from heaven 609 00:34:15,239 –> 00:34:20,060 Eat and not die verse 51 if anyone eats of this bread 610 00:34:20,080 –> 00:34:24,419 He will live forever verse 52 the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves 611 00:34:24,520 –> 00:34:27,360 How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 612 00:34:27,419 –> 00:34:30,040 Verse 53 Jesus said I tell you the truth unless 613 00:34:30,239 –> 00:34:35,399 You eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood you have no life in you verse 54 614 00:34:35,399 –> 00:34:40,800 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life in him and I will raise him up at the last day verse 615 00:34:40,879 –> 00:34:46,040 55 my flesh is real food, and my blood is real drink verse 56 616 00:34:46,040 –> 00:34:51,959 whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him verse 57 the one who 617 00:34:52,080 –> 00:34:58,899 Feeds on me will live because of me verse 58 your fathers ate manna and died 618 00:34:58,899 –> 00:35:05,939 But he who feeds on this bread will live forever. now. What is this about? Nobody could miss it 619 00:35:06,239 –> 00:35:07,840 eating 620 00:35:07,840 –> 00:35:09,840 feeding on 621 00:35:10,360 –> 00:35:12,360 Christ 622 00:35:13,379 –> 00:35:15,500 So now. Wait a minute. I’m trying to get this straight in my mind 623 00:35:17,239 –> 00:35:19,520 How do you feed on Christ? 624 00:35:21,459 –> 00:35:25,659 By believing that’s the point of verse 47 625 00:35:27,439 –> 00:35:33,120 So you say what wait a minute if the way that I feed on Christ is by believing 626 00:35:33,760 –> 00:35:40,620 Why doesn’t Jesus just say believe believe believe believe believe all the way through these 10 verses why bring in all this eat eat eat eat 627 00:35:42,360 –> 00:35:44,360 And here’s the answer 628 00:35:45,699 –> 00:35:50,540 Christ is telling us what faith does 629 00:35:53,040 –> 00:35:55,159 Faith feeds on 630 00:35:56,800 –> 00:35:58,800 Jesus Christ 631 00:35:59,780 –> 00:36:03,399 Now folks that gets not only to the center of the Lord’s table 632 00:36:03,399 –> 00:36:06,719 It gets to the very heart of everything that we’re learning in this entire series 633 00:36:07,959 –> 00:36:12,580 Some of us have this idea that faith is simply believing certain things 634 00:36:13,540 –> 00:36:17,080 Signing off on certain truths. That’s all that we see and 635 00:36:17,919 –> 00:36:21,239 what the Lord Jesus is reminding us of here is that 636 00:36:22,879 –> 00:36:24,280 faith 637 00:36:24,280 –> 00:36:31,959 Feeds on Christ it is more than knowing that Jesus died and rose 2000 years ago 638 00:36:32,679 –> 00:36:35,739 Faith brings you into a living communion 639 00:36:36,280 –> 00:36:42,040 With this Jesus who died and rose 2000 years ago in which we feed on him 640 00:36:42,040 –> 00:36:46,879 We are strengthened by him. We share fellowship with him we 641 00:36:47,280 –> 00:36:53,820 commune with him and especially he invites us to this around his table because 642 00:36:54,620 –> 00:37:00,020 Christ is not simply someone we believe in Christ is our life 643 00:37:01,020 –> 00:37:07,439 Christ is our strength Christ is our joy Christ is our peace Christ is our comfort 644 00:37:07,860 –> 00:37:09,860 Christ is our hope and 645 00:37:10,379 –> 00:37:17,040 All these things we derive from him and faith is the living union a life giving bond 646 00:37:17,080 –> 00:37:20,040 Of a believer with Jesus Christ 647 00:37:20,199 –> 00:37:22,199 Christ 648 00:37:22,760 –> 00:37:29,399 So I want to encourage you to move beyond coming to the table and simply saying oh yes Jesus died and rose 649 00:37:31,520 –> 00:37:38,760 Want you to see that the bond of faith brings you into a living union with the Jesus who died and rose and is present 650 00:37:38,760 –> 00:37:40,659 by the Holy Spirit, and 651 00:37:40,659 –> 00:37:46,239 He is your life and he feeds you and you draw strengthened 652 00:37:47,879 –> 00:37:49,879 from him 653 00:37:50,760 –> 00:37:53,500 That takes me to the very last thing in this moment 654 00:37:56,260 –> 00:37:58,000 That we come 655 00:37:58,000 –> 00:38:04,100 Believing in Christ we come to feed on Christ and as his people we come to live 656 00:38:04,520 –> 00:38:06,020 through 657 00:38:06,020 –> 00:38:09,080 Christ and again, this is so strong in the words of Jesus here 658 00:38:10,040 –> 00:38:17,120 The promise of the gospel wonderfully is not just that one day. You will get eternal life. Though. Of course that is true 659 00:38:18,080 –> 00:38:22,620 It is that when Christ is in you you have 660 00:38:23,919 –> 00:38:32,040 Eternal life you see that in verse 47 right there. Don’t you I tell you the truth Jesus says he who believes has 661 00:38:33,179 –> 00:38:35,939 Eternal life not just when you die. You’ll get it 662 00:38:36,000 –> 00:38:42,280 You have it the life of Christ is in you by the Holy Spirit 663 00:38:42,959 –> 00:38:46,340 John says it in his letter again a little later in the New Testament 664 00:38:46,360 –> 00:38:47,659 This is the testimony 665 00:38:47,659 –> 00:38:54,340 God has given us eternal life and the life is in His Son and he who has the son has life 666 00:38:54,739 –> 00:38:57,139 Friends if one of us or 667 00:38:58,300 –> 00:39:00,300 all of us 668 00:39:00,699 –> 00:39:03,120 Should die this week 669 00:39:05,800 –> 00:39:07,540 You will 670 00:39:08,540 –> 00:39:13,580 Because Christ is in you and the life that Christ gives can never die 671 00:39:15,459 –> 00:39:23,139 So listen to the promise of Jesus in his own words and let this be life to you today verse 49 672 00:39:24,459 –> 00:39:29,540 Here is the bread from heaven that a man may eat and not die 673 00:39:30,399 –> 00:39:32,379 if 674 00:39:32,379 –> 00:39:35,939 Anyone eats this bread? He will live forever 675 00:39:36,280 –> 00:39:38,280 Forever 676 00:39:38,520 –> 00:39:40,520 Death for you will be an 677 00:39:41,439 –> 00:39:44,979 instantaneous translation into everlasting life in the presence of Christ 678 00:39:46,399 –> 00:39:48,860 Who is with you now until you are with him there? 679 00:39:51,120 –> 00:39:58,340 Verse 54 whoever eats my bread and drinks my Cup has eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day 680 00:39:59,399 –> 00:40:02,260 You’ll be with Christ. We will have a service for you here 681 00:40:03,540 –> 00:40:05,540 Bury your body, whatever 682 00:40:06,000 –> 00:40:08,439 Christ says I’ll raise up your body On the last day 683 00:40:09,860 –> 00:40:13,199 Verse 57 the one who feeds on me 684 00:40:14,040 –> 00:40:15,439 will 685 00:40:15,439 –> 00:40:17,280 Live 686 00:40:17,280 –> 00:40:19,280 because of me and 687 00:40:19,439 –> 00:40:22,939 He who feeds on this bread will live forever 688 00:40:25,360 –> 00:40:30,899 Which means that as we have gathered around the table and as Christ speaks to us and 689 00:40:33,439 –> 00:40:35,439 Feeds us 690 00:40:36,500 –> 00:40:38,500 We get up from the table and 691 00:40:39,780 –> 00:40:46,159 It’s as if Christ is seeing to us go live all you who are 692 00:40:48,000 –> 00:40:50,000 Getting much older go live 693 00:40:50,739 –> 00:40:53,719 All you who have cancer go live 694 00:40:55,739 –> 00:40:58,899 All you who are burdened down with anxiety go live 695 00:40:59,500 –> 00:41:01,500 the 696 00:41:01,959 –> 00:41:08,199 Life of Christ is in you and He who feeds on me will live forever live from the knowledge of this 697 00:41:09,760 –> 00:41:12,540 this Christ who gave Himself for you 698 00:41:12,979 –> 00:41:18,060 Who died to redeem you he lives to keep you and this Christ is for you. He is with you 699 00:41:18,060 –> 00:41:23,739 He is in you and He will never let you go and he will nourish you 700 00:41:25,520 –> 00:41:28,659 To everlasting life 701 00:41:28,979 –> 00:41:30,899 father we 702 00:41:30,899 –> 00:41:34,360 stagger at all that is laid before us as 703 00:41:36,340 –> 00:41:42,659 The Lord Jesus Christ draws near and invites us to draw near to him and 704 00:41:43,300 –> 00:41:47,080 we pray that you will help us by the Holy Spirit to do that as 705 00:41:47,899 –> 00:41:51,719 We gather around the table for the sake of Jesus in whose name we pray