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[0:00] Well, good morning. It's good to see all of you. Happy Father's Day. Open your Bibles, if you would, please, to Judges chapter 1.! If you're using the Pew Bible, it's on page 200. Judges chapter 1.

[0:16] Really, we kind of begin our journey this week. Last time we were together, it was more of an introduction, kind of understanding what we're going to be looking at. And today, we're going to actually be in the book of Judges a little bit.

[0:29] And begin this journey together. Anyone who's familiar with the book of Judges will perhaps be thinking, why in the world are we going through this book? But what we're going to notice as we make our way through the book of Judges is what should be obvious to all of us, and that is the truth of God's Word, regardless of where it's found in the Scripture, is not only relevant, it's useful.

[0:58] And as a matter of fact, Paul will say this in 2 Timothy, chapter 3, 16 and 17, that the Word of God, it's breathed out by God, it's profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction, and righteousness, that the man and woman of God might be furnished, thoroughly equipped, for every good work.

[1:19] So every part of the Scripture is useful. Every part of the Scripture is beneficial. So as we come to the Word of God today, I think we're going to see, again, and it shouldn't surprise us, the relevant and penetrating and useful Word of God.

[1:37] One of the frightening things about compromise, and we're going to see a lot of compromise as we make our way through the book of Judges, but one of the frightening things about compromise is that it rarely feels dangerous the second time, or even the third time, that we do a certain thing.

[1:56] I can remember being in California, I can remember riding motorcycle, and one of the things you're allowed to do in California when you ride motorcycles, you're allowed to ride between the lanes.

[2:08] And the first couple of times of riding between the lanes, I was really aware of the peril. I was really aware of the danger. I was sensitive to the drivers around me.

[2:19] I took my time. I was careful. And the more you do that, the more comfortable you become, and the easier it is, and you tend to forget about the danger.

[2:32] It was important for me every time I got on the bike to say, Lord, here we are again. Help me to be wise. Help me to trust you. You see, the first time that a line is crossed, compromise begins to settle in.

[2:47] And the more compromise settles in to your heart, the less dangerous, the less risky that compromise seems to be. There have been several studies that have been done over the years to try to drive at this and draw attention to it.

[3:02] One is done by a researcher named Diane Vaughn. She called this compromise, the word that she used or the phrase that she used is normalization of deviance.

[3:14] A normalization of deviance. Small departures from a standard get repeated until they no longer feel like departures. What once felt dangerous begins to feel ordinary.

[3:29] And that's the message of judges. That's what we're going to see coming right to the surface. The things that once seemed very risky, the danger of disobedience begins to settle in.

[3:44] And small compromises begin to reduce our resistance to larger compromises. You see, people rarely see rebellion and do rebellion all at once.

[3:56] No one wakes up in the morning and says, I think I'm going to destroy my life today. I think I'm going to ruin my family today. It doesn't happen that way. It happens gradually. It happens over the course of time.

[4:08] It happens through gradual compromises that take place day by day, week by week, and year by year. And that pattern then begins to move from one generation to the other.

[4:21] You begin to set a baseline. A new baseline is set. And so now, that baseline becomes the standard. And so, the children and grandchildren that now live underneath that new baseline, any compromises that they make, now take the baseline lower.

[4:39] Another research was done by Vern Bengston. It's called The Longitudinal Study of Generations, and it tracked thousands of families across multiple generations. One striking finding about this particular study is not that transmission of religion is the tendency, but rather the opposite.

[4:58] It's the transmission of non-religion that rose among those individuals, those parents, those fathers, those mothers, as they failed to teach their children.

[5:12] Then the next generation didn't go back to church. The next generation followed suit and disconnected in the same way as their parents. In fact, it rose from 40% to 63% in one generation.

[5:26] Once disconnection became the inherited starting point, it became more stable than the next generation. And that's exactly what we'll see as we work our way through the book of Judges.

[5:39] We'll see this warning. This warning that comes to the surface, compromise, now sets the new baseline for a new generation, the atmosphere in which they grow up, the things that they begin to learn, and now that new baseline sets in, and those children, grandchildren, inherit the understanding of their forefathers, and whatever compromises they make now take the next generation even deeper, even further away from the Lord.

[6:09] But embedded in the warning that we're going to see this morning, I want you to know that there's also promise. The book of Judges, while it gives the dark side of what happens with lives of those who have been unsettled, those who are compromising, the promise still stands, and the power of God is still at work.

[6:32] It's still ready to accomplish its objectives, and it depends upon the people of God to enact the promises and to see them through, to carry out the objectives and the purposes that God has set before us.

[6:47] This morning we're going to look at several ways in which the people of God need to follow the marching orders that God has set for us so that we can enjoy the promises that God has given.

[7:01] The first is this, simply trust and obey God's word. Trust and obey God's word. Now I know that's not original.

[7:13] Matter of fact, I'm sure that many of you, especially those of you who have grown up in the church, have heard this repeated time and time again. Whether you're in a Sunday school class, whether you were a child and going through Awana, the verses that you memorized, the sermons that you heard, the lessons that were taught to you at VBS and soccer camp, trust and obey.

[7:36] We even have a song about trust and obey, don't we? when we walk with the Lord in the light of his word, what a glory he sheds on our way.

[7:49] When we do his goodwill, he abides with us still and with all who will trust and obey. In the refrain, trust and obey.

[8:00] For there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey. We know this truth. We understand its significance. We've heard it time and time again.

[8:11] And to the extent that it's easy, in hearing a truth so many times, we begin to shut it off. We begin to numb our senses. We begin to say, I've heard that before.

[8:21] I know what it means. I'm okay. I'm doing what God says. And today is a reminder of the importance of trusting and obeying. Recognizing the significance of what God says in his word.

[8:35] Incorporating it into our life. Following through. Obeying what it says. And teaching our children. Teaching our loved ones. Whether you're married and have children.

[8:46] Or whether you're single. Whether you're a man or a woman. A boy or a girl. Following the standard of God's word. Knowing what it says. Seeing it through. This is the way in which we can enjoy the blessings and the promises that God has given to us.

[9:02] While we've been told this a thousand times, we need to recognize that the warning that we're going to see through the book of Judges is to help us recognize what happens for a generation who fails to trust and obey.

[9:18] But, the promise is there. Moses, as you know, will hand off leadership to Joshua. And, the people are then prepared to face the obstacles that are in front of them.

[9:33] This was a direct and simple strategy. It was a strategy that had been time tested. That Moses wants to help the people of Israel. This nation of Israel as they're entering into this promised land to understand and recognize what is going to help them carry out the objectives that God has for them.

[9:52] So, in the book of Deuteronomy, he's giving this retelling of the law. He's kind of put it all together. He's consolidated it in form so that the people know the most important parts.

[10:04] He's drawn that forward. And what's the message? Time and time again, trust and obey. Let me give you a couple examples. In Deuteronomy chapter 4, verses 9 to 10, it says this, Only take care and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life.

[10:29] Make them known to your children and your children's children how on the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, the Lord said to me, Gather the people to me that I may let them hear my words so they may learn and fear me all the days that they live on the earth and that they may teach their children so.

[10:48] What's the summary? Summary is remember the words I've said. Call them to mind. Understand the significance of the things I've taught you.

[10:59] Teach your children so that they can teach their children and generation after generation will enjoy the benefits of walking after my standard. In Deuteronomy chapter 11, we find this in verse 18.

[11:14] It should sound familiar because it's very similar to what we find in Deuteronomy 6. It says, You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be frontlets between your eyes.

[11:30] You shall teach them to your children. Talking of them while you're sitting in your house, when you're walking by the way, when you lie down, when you rise up, you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

[11:43] that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land the Lord swore to your fathers to give to them as long as the heavens are above the earth.

[11:57] Did you see that? God desires his people to enjoy the blessing of his word. The word of God that is living and active. The word of God that is sharper than a two-edged sword.

[12:10] The word of God that accomplishes its objective. The word of God that transforms hearts. So what is the master strategy for parents in helping to raise their kids?

[12:22] What is the master strategy for you who have friends who may not know the Lord? The master strategy is know the word of God and teach that word to your own heart and teach that word to the ones you love.

[12:37] Of course, this is the strategy we find through all of scripture. Ephesians chapter 6 says the same thing. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

[12:53] Know the word of God. Embrace the word of God for yourself. Trust it. Obey it. And teach it. And what we're going to study as we work through the judges is this case study on a people who started so well and then as they began to move into the land and as compromise began to fill their hearts there was slippage in their hearts.

[13:19] We find this in Judges chapter 2 verse 10. This is part of our passage for this morning. It says, And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work he had done for Israel.

[13:34] That was the problem. The problem was they didn't know the Lord. It wasn't that they weren't aware of the Lord. They were certainly aware of him.

[13:45] But in knowing him they didn't obey him. In being aware of who he was they didn't embrace the standard that God had set for them and work it out.

[13:57] And so this generation that rose up they chose to walk away from the Lord. And we see what we'll see through the testimony of the book of Judges that when they did not know the Lord what happened?

[14:09] Well, everyone did what was right in their own eyes. That's what they did. They had the standard. They rejected the standard. They did their own thing. But there's also a promise here.

[14:20] There is a promise. Moms and dads I want you to know there is hope. There is hope. When a people know the Lord then God uses his word to preserve his people.

[14:32] When you know the Lord and you pass on that knowledge to the ones you love God can use his word to shape hearts. And by the way this is not a guarantee but it is a principle that we find throughout scripture.

[14:45] Knowing and teaching the word of God is the way the instrument in which that God can use to shape the hearts of those around you. And so this is how he begins how God begins this leadership journey with Joshua in Joshua 1.8.

[14:59] What does he do? The same standard. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth Joshua but you shall meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.

[15:13] For then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have good success. See our problem is not that we are unfamiliar with the word of God.

[15:25] Our problem is that we don't put God's word to work. So what is the result? Well we see the result in Judges chapter 2 verse 7. The people they served the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua who had seen all the great work that the Lord had done for Israel but then there arose a generation that did not know the Lord.

[15:53] So dads moms teens whether you're single or married the challenge for us know the word. Not just know about the word but allow the word of God to settle in your heart.

[16:09] Study the word love the word obey the word and teach the word. Be a conduit of that life giving message to those around you so that you can enjoy the benefits of the objectives and the promises that God has given to us through his word.

[16:24] So trust and obey God's word. Second enjoy the promises of obedience. We see that. There is promise here and the book of Judges starts out with this promise of God working through his people God accomplishing the objectives they know the word they are obeying the word and God allows them to enjoy success.

[16:49] Judges chapter 1 verses 1 says this after the death of Joshua the people of Israel inquired of the Lord who shall go up for us against the Canaanites to fight against them the Lord said Judah shall go up behold I have given the land into his hand the people now without a leader they had had a leader in Moses they had had a leader in Joshua now they are without a leader and here they are facing this conquest that is incomplete so they ask the right question they understand and have learned from the pattern they need God to supply them some direction so they ask for help similar to what Moses had done in Numbers chapter 27 Moses knew that he was departing from the scene so what does Moses do he doesn't just raise up Joshua on his own no he goes to the Lord and inquires of the Lord says let the Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh appoint a man over the congregation who shall go out before them and come in before them who shall lead them out and bring them in that the congregation of the Lord may not be a sheep that have no shepherd so the Lord said to Moses take Joshua the son of Nun a man in whom is the spirit and lay your hand on him

[18:12] Moses understood that God was the one who needed to provide direction and while Joshua had been an assistant he did not bypass the wisdom of the Lord and asked God for help give me some direction and now the people of Israel learning from that example are doing the same now that Joshua has departed and they say who shall go up for us but notice notice what had been the standard before was one key leader Moses had been the leader during the wilderness wanderings Joshua had been the leader during the conquest but now look there's a shift a transition that's beginning to take place and now not a man who will lead but now a tribe Judah things are now beginning to be in motion the promise that God had given to his people about a future king was now beginning to be to unfold in front of their very eyes we see going all the way back to Genesis chapter 49 we see how Jacob who is the grandson of Abraham prophesied that Judah would be the one the scepter shall not depart from Judah nor the ruler's staff from between his feet until tribute comes to him and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples who will go up

[19:39] Judah will go up he will go up in accordance with the promise that had been set he'll go up to begin to help this plan this master plan that God had for all eternity to begin to be set in motion so Judah goes up he obeys he takes the lead we find that in verse 3 of Judges chapter 1 it says and Judah said to Simeon his brother come up with me into the territory allotted to me that we may fight against the Canaanites and I likewise will go with you into the territory allotted to you so Simeon went with him then Judah went up and the Lord gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand and they defeated 10,000 of them at Bezek they trust and obey the Lord and God gives them victory but immediately we begin to notice that the book of Judges is somewhat unfamiliar in some respects there's new nations there's new peoples that are involved we are familiar with the

[20:44] Canaanites but who in the world are the Perizzites and there will be several others as well there will be customs that will be unfamiliar there will be traditions and language that will be unfamiliar as we work our way through this book look at verse 5 we can kind of approach some of this here they found Adonai Bezek at Bezek and fought against him and defeated the Canaanites and the Perizzites and Adonai Bezek fled but they pursued him and cut off excuse me and caught him and cut off his thumbs and his big toes and Adonai Bezek said 70 kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to pick up scraps under my table as I have done so God has repaid me and they brought him to Jerusalem and he died there right out of the gate we recognize there's some unfamiliar ground what is taking place and as we work our way through this book we're going to see that there are certain customs there are certain pagan rituals that the further we go the more embedded they seem to be in the people of Israel and so even those who are raised up by

[22:02] God to help bring deliverance to God's people are polluted and corrupted by these customs that seem to be so embedded among the people this was the warning that God had set before they even entered the promised land and then we notice what Adonai Bezek says here he says as I have done so God has repaid me I want to draw attention to this because we're going to see as we work our way through this book that there's going to be some language that seems to refer to God but don't be confused don't be misled because this is a polluted people this is a corrupted people and blended worship that we're going to see this syncretistic kind of worship that tends to blend the customs of the people and mix them in with the worship of God that produces corrupted worship polluted worship and blended worship is never the kind of worship that is accepted by the

[23:15] Lord as a matter of fact in Matthew chapter 15 verse 8 the Lord says this this people honors me with their lips but their heart is far from me you see Adonai Bezek could talk about God but he wasn't talking about the God of Israel he was speaking in generalities and it's important for us to recognize how easy it is for the people in our culture even to talk about God talk about the Lord but recognize that when we worship the Lord we need to worship according to God's standard dads parents blended worship is always corrupt worship compromise will eventually lead to trouble but it won't happen overnight we need to recognize this and bringing our children's heart to God is an act of worship and obedience to the Lord but we need to do it in a way that doesn't expose them to to the compromise of culture trust and obey

[24:24] God's word enjoy the promise of obedience and then this experience God's present power we see that as we're in Judges chapter 1 beginning in verse 19 we see that behind all of the things that God is doing among his people that when they enjoy success they enjoy success because the Lord is with them verse 19 of chapter 1 it says and the Lord was with Judah and he took possession of the hill country because he could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain because they had chariots of iron in Judges chapter 1 verse 22 it says the house of Joseph also went up against Bethel and the Lord was with him and we find in chapter 2 verse 18 whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them the Lord was with the judge the people enjoyed the benefits of the Lord being with them even in the midst of compromise when they obeyed the Lord was with them and helped them accomplish the objectives that God had set before them this is an important distinction for us to understand the Lord was with them and remember the question that Joshua asked as he walked into the promised land with the people there having just passed the Jordan

[25:53] River and the commander of the Lord's army came and revealed himself and Joshua asked the question not are you with us he asked are you for us are you for us and what does the commander of the Lord's army say no I am the commander of the Lord's army meaning I fight for God and the question is not are you for us the question should be are we walking with obeying the commandments of the Lord are we with him Joshua chapter 5 verse 13 we see that question for those of you who are taking notes so consistently God strengthens his people in obedience as they are obedient to him and so the people fought as God told them to fight and when they fought in the way that God asked them to fight the Lord was with them enabling them helping them strengthening them see when

[26:59] God is with his people God empowers his people to accomplish again those strategies those objectives that he set before them that's why God says to Joshua in Joshua chapter 1 verse 9 have not commanded you be strong and courageous do not be dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go don't be afraid Joshua follow the word of God incorporate it into your life do what it says understand God's direction follow it through and when you do that the Lord is with you and when God is with you his power is present he's working through your activities see God is faithful to bring his people into the land and we see that here at the start of judges we see the faithfulness of God in helping his people to begin this settling process this enduring promise that we have throughout the scripture that when

[28:04] God is with his people they enjoy the benefits of his strength Isaiah 41 10 says fear not for I am with you be not dismayed for I am your God I will strengthen you I will help you I will uphold you with my righteous right hand God's enduring promise consistently the mercy of God is with his people dads is so easy for us to be afraid it's easy for us to let insecurities have their way we don't feel like we can measure up we don't feel like we have anything to offer we don't think we can answer the questions that our kids have we don't feel like we can direct them in the way that's appropriate we feel so incapable insufficient inadequate but as we come to understand the significance of the direction that the word of God gives we know that we need to lead well and lead courageously lead biblically lead consistently and this is the same promise by the way that we find in the new testament

[29:13] Matthew chapter 28 verses 19 and 20 says this go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and the son and the holy spirit teaching them to observe all that I've commanded you and behold I am what church with you I'm with you always to the end of the age that's the promise we don't have to be afraid following the objectives that God has set before us whatever wherever we are in the in the continuum of being fathers or single wherever we might be on the spectrum obeying the the commands that God has set before us in making disciples God will empower that because his strength is there he's walking beside us and this most important command especially for families disciple make disciples and the first order of business in making disciples in families is children what a great promise for us that God is with us in that disciple making endeavor we can trust and obey we can enjoy the promise of obedience we can experience

[30:29] God's present power but then this we need to resist the drift of compromise resist the drift of compromise and this is where the book of judges now begins to take a turn and we see there in judges chapter 1 verses 18 and 19 we see the compromise that begins to fill the lives of the people of this nation it says Judah captured Gaza with its territory and Ashkelon with its territory and Ekron with its territory and the Lord was with Judah and he took possession of the hill country but he could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain because they had chariots of iron we move to verse 21 but the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem and we move to verse 27 Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Bethshean and its villages then in verse 29 and Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer and then in verse 30 verse 30

[31:41] Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron or the inhabitants of Nahol verse 31 Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Akko verse 33 Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Bethshanish or the inhabitants of Bethana it was compromise it was incomplete obedience they didn't follow through they didn't entrust themselves to the word of God and his promise they stopped short the promise was intact the power was present but their lack of follow through planted the seeds of failure in future moral decay they became satisfied with partial obedience and it created this new baseline this new starting point this new atmosphere as we saw earlier these small departures that begin to set the course for future generations you see the challenges of the enemies were present they were real we don't want to dismiss the difficulties that the people of Israel really faced certainly there were struggles no doubt there was loss of life hardened opposition reinforced resistance it allowed this mentality

[33:06] I think this is good enough I think I've worked hard enough we're tired we're weary we've faced opposition we've incurred losses I think this is good enough there wasn't the tenacity for complete obedience so this remnant left seeds of corruption in their path I'm reminded I've got a little flower bed outside of my house and in this flower bed there's little thistles that just keep popping up and I've been working on this probably for over a month trying to get rid of all of these thistles that keep growing up and I've got this shovel it's a long slender shovel I'm telling you I'm going deep I think I'm getting everything it's going about a foot into the ground and this itty bitty little thistle that's sticking up has a root and I'm not joking it's about this long it's ridiculous and every single week I'm pulling up thistles like you wouldn't believe just the last several days

[34:09] I'm just working through trying to pull these babies out and it just keeps coming back and I'm sure Mr. Gardner can help me know how to resolve the problem but I certainly don't have a clue how to get rid of these thistles but it's a reminder to us of how easy it is for us to say you know what I give up I'm done I'm done with this work this is good enough I'm going to leave it for next year and the work that we're called to is an enduring work the work that we're called to is a faith filled work you see God is even using the thistles that grow up and the opposition that we face to press us in more deeply to trusting him and exercising in our life the patterns of obedience what does God's word say what do I need to do and how do I trust him and how do I set this example for future generations of what it looks like to trust the

[35:15] Lord even when opposition is in the way you see there was compromise compromise among these people and we see that in at least a couple of different ways we see that they lived among them the Canaanites and the people of the land lived among the nation of Israel but we also see this in negotiated compromise that they put them and subjected them to forced labor they thought that that was good enough but they didn't drive them out you see they were supposed to drive them out they were supposed to follow through and when they obeyed they saw the benefits of God's strength applied see dads when we allow compromise to enter into our lives personally and enter into our parenting we begin to notice the same kind of weeds where are you where am

[36:16] I allowing compromise the slippage of life the kind of the this is going to be okay kind of posture to enter into our daily routine God had given warnings his warnings were in place because he wanted the people to enjoy the benefits of the faithfulness and the fruit of having a culture that enjoyed a weed free kind of life Ephesians chapter 5 verses 11 and 12 provide special warning to us it says take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness but instead expose them for it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret I imagine that even in this moment as you are reviewing in your mind and in your heart there are certain things that you know that you would never tell and have never told anyone there are those secret compromises that you've made there are those danger zones that you've explored there are those websites that you have attended there are those individuals that you keep company with whatever it is you know even as I'm saying these words you know that there are compromises in your life but God has called us to be holy as he is holy he's called us to be sober and watchful in our prayers he's called us to study to show ourselves approved to God a workman that needs not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth recognizing the significance of the gift that God has given to us in the scriptures and how easy it is and I even as

[38:12] I say this in my own heart I know that there are days that go by and I don't spend enough time in the word of God and in prayer like I'd like to little compromises that our enemy can use to steal our hearts away and to eventually lead our families in the wrong direction finally I want to end on this consider the reality of God's mercy consider the reality of God's mercy and as we work through the book of Judges we're going to see this more and more how God continually shows up notice Judges chapter 2 verses 1 it says this thou the angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Baquim and he said I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers and I said I will never break my covenant with you that's our God he is a covenant maker and a covenant keeper and we're going to see the testimony of this people who in varying degrees not just compromise but full on rebellion and we get a taste of that when we look at the next several verses we find in Judges chapter 2 verse 10 all this generation also were gathered to their fathers and there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for

[39:43] Israel and now verse 11 and the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals and they abandoned the Lord the God of their fathers who had brought them out of the land of Egypt they went after other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were around them and bowed down to them provoked the Lord to anger they abandoned the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtra what would you do sorry over done promise over no that's not what our God does our God is a promise maker and a promise keeper notice verse 16 then the Lord raised up judges why did he do that because he's a God of mercy he saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them even in the rebellion of his people yet they did not listen to their judges for they whored after other gods and bowed down to them they soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked who had obeyed the commandments of the

[40:52] Lord and they did not do so whenever the Lord raised up the judges for them the Lord was with the judge he saved them from the hand of their enemies and all the days of the judge for the Lord get this was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who even though they didn't deserve it even though they rebelled time and time again God's promises stood and as soon as they turned back to the Lord God was there to listen to forgive and to raise up more deliverers the testimony is the same for us today we have a God who saves a God who delivers and the testimony of his saving power is what we're going to enjoy and celebrate in because what we participate in communion is not a saving work there's nothing about communion that saves us but it reminds us of what

[41:57] Christ did to allow us to enjoy the benefits of forgiveness and salvation his death and resurrection has made a way for us to be united to him it shouldn't be a surprise that Jesus in instituting the communion says this do in remembrance of me that should sound familiar because that's what we're to do as fathers that's what the nation of Israel was supposed to do to their children remind them of my standard tell them about my word help them to recognize what I have said do this in remembrance of me that's what we're going to do this morning let me pray!

[42:41] Father thank you for sending your son Jesus thank you for making a way for us to enjoy salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus his perfect work in this life living this perfect life and then dying on the cross for our sins not because he had to but because he made a way through his death for us to enjoy the benefits of salvation so Lord we praise you for your goodness to us and we praise you for the reminder today the warning and also the promise of how of how following after your word allows us to enjoy the benefits and the blessings of your promise help us to do that faithfully in Jesus name amen Thank you.