John 4 "Cup of Life"

[0:00] You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama. Our passion is to experience and express grace.

[0:10] Join us. Look, there's the world.

[0:45] What a luscious sight. What a candy dream. I want my fill.

[0:55] Let me have a piece. Let me take a dime. Every day is the same.

[1:07] I choose life in the flame. And it seems that I can't escape. When I eat of this world, I'm left hungry again.

[1:25] You can take a sip. But you'll be thirsty again.

[1:36] You can drink with your tongue. You can taste with your lies. You can take a sip. But you'll be thirsty again.

[1:48] When you drink with your heart. And you see with your eyes. All your casual talk. All your glorious lies.

[2:02] When you taste it for real. Then He will quench it away. I lost my way one day.

[2:24] I took a big old drink. I took a harder fall. But now I see life again.

[2:38] As I make my way. I know I'll be okay. But still every day is the same. I choose life in the flame.

[2:51] And it seems that I can't escape. When I eat of this world. I'm left hungry again.

[3:04] When you drink with your heart. When you see with your heart. You can take a sip. But you'll be thirsty again.

[3:16] You can drink with your tongue. You can taste with your lies. You can take a sip. But you'll be thirsty again.

[3:29] When you drink with your heart. And you see with your eyes. All your casual talk. All your glorious lies.

[3:43] When you taste it for real. Then He will quench it away. You can take a sip.

[4:03] But you'll be thirsty again. You can drink with your tongue. You can taste with your lies. You can take a sip.

[4:15] But you'll be thirsty again. When we drink with our heart. And we see with our eyes.

[4:26] All our casual talk. All our glorious lies. When we taste it for real. Then He will. Then He will quench it away.

[4:41] Amen. Amen.

[5:00] As we prepare to come to the Lord's table. To taste that true cup of life. Let's walk through that first Maundy Thursday evening together.

[5:11] And consider our hearts before God. When it was evening. Jesus sat down at the table with the twelve disciples. While they were eating. He said.

[5:22] I tell you the truth. One of you will betray me. Greatly distressed. Each one asked in turn. Am I the one Lord? He replied. One of you. Who has just eaten.

[5:33] From this bowl with me. Will betray me. For the Son of Man must die. As the scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be. For the one who betrays Him. It would be far better for that man.

[5:45] If he had never been born. Judas. The one who would betray Him. Also asked. Rabbi am I the one? And Jesus told him. You have said it.

[5:56] Join me with the bold print. Lord for how easily we betray you. Forgive us. Lord for how often we assume. That betrayal comes.

[6:07] Only at the hands of others. Forgive us. Lord for not considering. That our birth was yet one more sinner. Whose burden you would have to bear. Forgive us.

[6:20] On the way. Jesus told them. Tonight all of you will desert me. For the scriptures say. God will strike the shepherd. And the sheep of the flock. Will be scattered. But after I have been raised from the dead.

[6:32] I will go ahead of you to Galilee. And meet you there. Peter declared. Even if everyone else deserts you. I will never desert you. Jesus replied.

[6:43] I tell you the truth Peter. This very night. Before the rooster crows. You will deny three times. That you even know me. In Revelation.

[6:53] We get a beautiful picture. Of how God deals with sinners. Who come dirty. To Jesus. Then one of the elders addressed me. Saying.

[7:04] Who are these? Clothed in white robes. And from where have they come? And I said to him. Sir you know. He said to me. These are the ones. Coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes.

[7:16] And made them white. In the blood. Of the lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God. And serve him day and night. In his temple. And he who sits on the throne. Will shelter them with his presence.

[7:28] They shall hunger no more. Neither thirst. Any more. The sun shall not strike them. Nor any scorching heat. For the lamb. In the midst of the throne.

[7:40] Will be their shepherd. And he will guide them. To springs of living water. And God will wipe away. Every tear. From their eyes. What a glorious hope. What a great savior.

[7:53] We have. The cup of life. Himself. You may have noticed. We skipped a few verses. In Matthew 26. We read about the betrayal.

[8:05] Discussion. We read about the. Denial conversation. What other thing was. Was there in the middle. What did we. Skip over. Actually.

[8:16] What we skipped over. In the midst of betrayal. And denial. Was Jesus. Talking to those. Who would. Betray. And deny him. About how he would. Provide for them.

[8:27] Forgiveness. Here's the verses. In Matthew 26. We haven't read yet. Now as they were eating. Jesus took bread. And after blessing it. Broke it. And gave it to the disciples.

[8:39] And said. Take. Eat. This is my body. And he took a cup. And when he had given thanks. He gave it to them. Saying. Drink of it. All of you.

[8:50] For this is my blood. Of the covenant. Which is poured out for many. For the forgiveness of sins. I tell you. I will not drink again. Of this fruit of the vine.

[9:01] Until that day. When I drink it new with you. In my father's kingdom. This is God's table. That he sets before us.

[9:13] Where Jesus himself says. It's my body. And my blood. The bread. And the drink. That when you taste. You will never thirst again. The sacrifice.

[9:23] That will truly cleanse you. So if you know him. And if you trust him. Come. And eat. And drink. And celebrate. The fullness. That we have in Christ.

[9:34] If you don't know him. Don't come and have. A bite of bread. A small sip of grape juice. And think that that will. Fulfill you forever.

[9:45] That it will quench your thirst. If that's all that you were ever to take. You will be thirsty again. Instead come to Jesus himself. That's what we come to celebrate here.

[9:58] Not merely bread and juice. But a savior. Who has given himself for us. With whom you can know relationship. And we would love. To talk with you about that.

[10:10] Let's pray. And we'll come to this table together. Oh Lord Jesus. Thank you. To all of us who had. Nothing else. To wash away our sins.

[10:24] No other drink. To quench our thirst. You gave yourself. And so would you set aside. This bread. And this juice.

[10:35] From being very common elements. And use them. In a sacred way. In our hearts. That we might trust you afresh. That we might drink deeply of Jesus.

[10:48] That we might be quenched. By the waters of life. That he alone gives. We ask it in his name. Amen. Amen. For more information.

[11:04] Visit us online. At southwood.org For more information. Visit us online. At southwood.org For more information. Visit us online. Thank you.