Matthew chapter 26.
Let me read to you, beginning there in verse 26, and we'll carry down through to verse 28.
And he took a cup, and when he'd given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, Drink of it, all of you.
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 the fruit of this vine until that day, when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.
Let us pray.
Father, this morning, as we take your word in hand, we recognize that you have given to us in your word all that we need for life and godliness.
That it is here to instruct our hearts, to frame our thinking, to govern our behavior.
That we, as your children, might live in this world in an upright and godly fashion and bring glory to our Savior, through whom we have salvation.
We are thankful this morning that as we take your word in hand, that we may rely upon the Spirit of God working in the believer's life.
That we may ask for his enabling to help us understand and appreciate and apply in daily living the truth that you have here for us.
Help our time in the word and before this table to affect our thinking and our behavior.
So that we would not be like those who Ezekiel spoke of, who hearing the prophet speak, spoke of him as one who sang well, but then remembered nothing afterwards.
My prayer is that we, together, would rely upon your Spirit and would rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ and have a longing in our heart for the day that we will see him face to face.
In Jesus' name, amen.
Amen.
We come this morning to the Lord's table.
And when we come to this table, there are some very specific purposes that we have in mind.
We are clearly persuaded that taking the elements, the bread and the cup, do not earn us extra bonus points or merit with God, correct?
No one can go out of here saying, well, I have assurance and confidence of my salvation because I took those things right there.
We understand from the passage in 1 Corinthians that what we're engaging in this morning is we're reminding ourselves of something.
And over in the passage in 1 Corinthians, we remind ourselves, we remember the Lord's death till he come.
I would like us this morning to kind of step into this passage in Matthew and think through the frame and then come down to one particular truth that I want us to kind of rest on.
How many of you, by nature, are thankful people?
Raise your hands.
Wave at me.
All you who are just normally, all the time, really thankful.
Woo-hoo!
You know, it's like, yes!
The other day, I was in Home Depot.
And I'm a frequent flyer there because we're in the remodeling stage of life.
And the lady, some of you are looking at me like, when were you not in the remodeling stage of life?
Well, I was in Home Depot and I was walking through the checkout counter and one of the ladies who knows me, she said, hey, you're a pretty happy guy.
And I said, well, not by nature.
She looked at me and she said, no, no, you're a happy guy.
Every time I see you, you're happy.
I said, well, it has nothing to do with me.
I said, the truth of the matter is, is I was born profoundly unhappy and I stayed that way.
And God has worked in my life through the Lord Jesus Christ to change the way I think and the way I act.
I still can wake up.
My bride is back there.
Hi, honey.
And I can wake up moody without practice.
How many of you are in my space?
My parents used to say things like, why don't you get out on the other side of the bed?
You know, it's like, is that going to help?
No.
But the older I get and the more that the sweetness of our Lord Jesus resonates on my heart,
the more I understand that thankfulness really flows from my appreciation and affection for him.
And I want you to look at this passage this morning.
And what I want you to do is when you walk away from here, I want you to ask yourself the question,
does my life reflect thankfulness in the Lord Jesus?
To the point that your neighbors wonder, what's the deal with you?
The people that you work with are attracted to the fact that in this doom and gloom world,
there's a spirit in you that's unusual.
And they desire to know more about it.
Well, I want you to look at the passage this morning and recognize there in the Matthew passage,
what we're looking at is Jesus in this setting with his disciples,
and they are gathering ostensibly to celebrate the Passover.
It was something that every Jew did, at least should have done.
And it was a reminder to the nation of Israel that God had taken them out of the land of slavery
when they had been under the boot of Egypt and had been suffering in that environment.
God took them out.
And he did so by instructing Moses to speak to the people.
And you'll remember what they did was they slaughtered a lamb,
and they put the blood on the lentils and on both doorposts,
and they stayed inside the night that God sent death through the entire nation of Egypt.
And every firstborn died where there was not the blood on the lentil and the doorposts.
And so every year the Egyptians or the Israelites were instructed that they were to celebrate the Passover,
and they were to remind themselves that it had been through the sacrifice of the lamb,
and it had been through the work of God that they had been redeemed from the iron furnace
and from the suffering that they had endured.
And so here, in the shadow of the cross, Jesus had said to his disciples,
I want you to go and have a room prepared for me where we are going to eat together.
It must have been with mixed emotion that they went about this,
because just days earlier, remember they had had that phenomenal entrance into Jerusalem,
and how had the people received them?
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna! Hosanna!
And the enthusiasm of the crowd must have been infectious for the disciples.
Now, things had turned a little south, though,
because we know that they had a sense of foreboding as they gathered in this room,
and Jesus spoke undeniably and very clearly about his death.
They understood.
They understood that something ominous was going to take place,
and yet in the midst of the meal that they were partaking here,
we find that Jesus does something quite unexpected.
Look there in verse 26.
Now, as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it,
broke it and gave it to the disciples.
He said,
Take, eat.
This is my body.
And later, he said,
This is my blood of the covenant.
We often consider the meaning of these two statements
and allow them to remind us of the fact that the bread and the cup really bring our focus
and remind us of the fact that Jesus paid for our sins.
That is what these things point our thoughts to,
that he died in our place,
that he took our wrath.
I want us to look at a smaller piece of the passage this morning,
and I want us to really focus in on that one little statement
that over the years has just gripped my heart over and over again,
and it is that little statement where he says that he gave thanks.
He gave thanks.
I have to tell you that learning how to be a thankful person is work.
I can remember coaching my grandchildren in particular that thanks was something that was expected.
There were please and thank you that went on either side of whatever their ambition or interest was.
How many of you tried to work through that with your children or grandchildren?
And there are various things that you do to kind of drive that point home.
One is when they come out and say,
Hey, I'd like such and such.
What do you do?
Not on your life.
Well, you didn't say the magic.
You know, they're the things we kind of get into to help them learn.
And slowly, eventually, they kind of get it woven into their mind that they have to say please,
and they have to say thank you.
Now, we need to recognize that Jesus actually said thanks before both the bread and the cup.
And if you take the companion passages, you will see that in one,
it speaks of him saying thank you for the bread,
and the other, it says thank you for the cup.
And I think we can weave the two together and understand
that before each of the things that he did, he was saying thank you.
It was appropriate and part of Jewish custom that there was a prayer of blessing or thanks
that preceded the meal.
Yet given the moment, we can assume that Jesus did something
that was not merely an expression of Jewish habit.
So let's think about the significance of what we are dealing with this morning
and allow it to resonate in our own heart and cause us to think carefully
about our thankfulness for what we have in the Lord Jesus.
I want you to understand for one thing,
Jesus understood exactly what lay in front.
He knew what was coming.
He knew that he was going to suffer.
He knew that he was going to be in great emotional trauma.
He knew that he was going to be abandoned by his disciples.
He knew that his father was going to forsake him.
He also understood the weight of sin that was going to rest on his shoulders,
and he would bear our sin for us.
Now, I want to ask you just for a second,
how many of you have ever laid awake at night
and kind of felt really bad about something you had said before?
You ever done that?
Some of you are looking, I don't know.
You probably should.
Because here's what the Bible says.
It says,
The multitude of words there lacks not for sin.
And there's not a one of us, James tells us,
we've all blown it, worse than that,
we've sinned with our tongue.
That's nothing.
Compared to what Jesus was going to endure
as he took the full measure of my black heart
and your black heart upon himself,
and he died in my place and in your place.
I want you to imagine there you are,
kind of pondering what you are anticipating,
in that you are going to sit in the dentist's chair,
and he is going to drill out a cavity without Novocaine.
I mean, I've got to tell you,
when the dentist says,
this is going to just be a little stick,
I kind of grin and bear it,
because I know it's not true.
However,
I've had those instances where the dentist has said to me,
I think we can do this without Novocaine.
And midstream, in a yee,
I've thought to myself,
not again.
That has no comparison
to what Jesus understood was in front of him.
And here he is at the table,
and he offers thanks for both the bread and the cup.
And he offers thanks because his eyes were set
on the deeper significance of what was in front of him.
Now, I want you to understand that
as we think about this,
we need to recognize that he gave thanks
with a clear-eyed appreciation
for what was to come from his crucifixion.
The word thanks
is a term that really means
to have a gratitude or appreciation
for something.
You don't offer thanks without reason.
And we are not thankful
without an understanding or appreciation
of a certain set of facts
that have happened to us.
There's always a reason for giving thanks.
When we do it,
there's always a reason for it.
And it is our desire this morning
to really understand
why was Jesus thankful?
Why was Jesus thankful?
Allow me to step forward just a little bit
into a passage in Hebrews 12, verse 3.
And I want you to turn over there,
if you will, for a moment.
Hebrews 12, verse 3.
Let me read the background to you,
beginning there in verse 1 of chapter 12.
It says,
Therefore, since we are surrounded
by so great a cloud of witnesses,
who I believe are the individuals
mentioned in chapter 11,
let us also lay aside every weight
and the sin which clings so closely,
and let us run with endurance
the race that is set before you.
Us, rather.
By the way,
just a little side note
on the word endurance.
How many of you recognize
that the race of faith takes endurance?
It really does.
And the older I get,
the more persuaded I am
that endurance is an essential component
in the walk of faith.
It's not just doing it once,
it's doing it again and again
and again and again
with a persistent belief
that He is the one
who is the rewarder
of them that do diligently seek Him.
And here,
the author says to us
that we are to run the race
with endurance.
But look at what it says in verse 3.
Looking to Jesus,
the founder
and perfecter of our faith,
who for the joy
that was set before Him
endured the cross,
despising the shame,
and is seated at the right hand
of the throne of God.
I want you to think about that,
who for the joy
that was set before Him
endured the cross,
despising the shame,
and is seated at the right hand
of the throne of God.
in that the Spirit
has let us know
our Savior's heart
as He anticipated the cross,
it's fitting for us
to think a little more carefully
about that.
And so let's kind of ponder,
what was it?
Jesus was thankful
because He knew several things,
and I want you to focus on these
and allow them to resonate
with your heart
and make a difference
in your thinking.
Jesus was thankful
that He knew His death
would satisfy the wrath of God
against all sin.
How could God
be reconciled to fallen man
apart from a full
and holy judgment against sin?
and the judgment of God
fully,
completely,
satisfied for all eternity.
I was thinking about this issue
of the pardon for sin,
and for whatever reason,
I thought about presidential pardons.
And doing a little bit of research,
discovered that a full presidential pardon
is an exceptional judicial act.
It is something
that the President
of the United States
is granted constitutionally,
and he's allowed,
it actually goes back
to kings in England
who at the end of the day
were the law.
And the king could pardon.
Incidentally,
a full presidential pardon
is an exceptional act
whereby
the person's crime
is forgiven,
and the individual
is restored
to a state
of legal innocence
just as though
he had never
done the crime.
That's pretty interesting.
Because Christ Jesus
has made it possible
for God
to forgive us our sins.
And we think about
the statement
just as though
I'd never done it.
Now,
in the face
of the incredible truth
that Christ's death
on the cross
satisfied
the wrath of God
against sin,
someone
who might ask me,
how do you know
that you're going
to heaven?
My answer would be,
because all my sins
have been forgiven.
Whoa!
Now,
can you imagine
how unnerving
that would be
to the average person
if you were to say that
in the checkout
at Meijer
or at Walmart?
Did I miss anyone?
And, you know,
Giant Eagle
and whatever else.
You know,
if you said that,
people would say,
what?
I mean,
hey,
when someone sins,
there's got to be
some compensation.
Isn't that right?
How many of you here
are struggling
with bitterness
and unforgiving spirit
occasionally?
Just rarely.
You know,
it's like,
you would like God
to settle things
with such and such
because of what
they did to you.
No.
That debt's been paid
by Jesus
and you have no business
dragging it out
and demanding
your own justice.
And here's the fact.
God has forgiven
all of our sins
because of Jesus Christ.
I know
that God
has forgiven
all of my sins.
Now,
let me kind of
touch on a little
challenging thought
that has crept
into the vocabulary
of believers
that has come
to us
from psychology.
How many of you
have ever bumped
into a person
who said,
hey,
listen,
I know that God
has forgiven me
but I just can't
forgive myself?
Huh.
Just imagine that.
The president
has pardoned you
and you're no longer
going to be incarcerated
and you're going
to be completely
restored to all
your liberties.
You're going
to enjoy
the blessing
of that pardon
but you're going
to go around
with a moody
and sour face
remembering
in the distant past
the crime
that you committed.
So the next time
somebody says to you,
well,
I know that God
has forgiven me
but I just can't
forgive myself,
what would you say?
Are you
more important
in your own
thinking
than God?
Right?
You see,
a statement like that
is really bad theology
and it's a sad picture
of the sufficiency
of Christ's work
on the cross.
Christ's death
satisfied
the wrath
of God
against all sin
and we
together
revel in the fact
that what it says
in Romans chapter 8
verse 1
is undeniably true.
There is now
therefore
no condemnation.
Case closed.
Christ.
Another reason
that Jesus
was thankful
is that
he knew
he would
purchase
our redemption.
He had me
in mind.
He had you
in mind.
I love
the statement
over in
John chapter 13
verse 1
where it speaks
about Jesus.
This is kind of
at the beginning
of the upper room
discourse
and it tells us
this about Jesus.
Jesus
having loved
his own
who were in the world
he loved them
to the end.
I like that.
His love
was not
circumstantial.
His love
was not
occasional.
His love
was profoundly
consistent
and absolutely
sufficient.
There's a reason
why so many
of our songs
focus on the love
of Christ.
There's a reason
why one of
the most
common
assignments
that I give
to individuals
who are
struggling
with self
doubt
or are
struggling
with
discouragement
is to say
hey listen
I want you
to memorize
Ephesians
chapter 3
verse 14
through 19
in which
the love
of Christ
is the
predominant
theme
and the
passage over
in Romans
chapter 8
where it
talks about
who shall
separate us
from the
love of
Christ.
The love
of Christ
is that
which gives
us undeniable
comfort and
confidence.
And here
as Jesus
looked forward
to the cross
it was not
the suffering
that he took
pleasure in
but it was
the absolute
certainty
that he
in his love
was going
to lavish
on us
because of
what he did
on the cross
all that we
needed
and he would
bless us
with all
spiritual blessings
in the
heavenlies
in Christ
Jesus.
I like
the thought
in part
of what
it says
over in
John
chapter 14
verse 3
and he
must have
had this
thought in
mind
because it
says that
he says
to them
let not
your hearts
be troubled
and he
goes on
and says
that where
I am
you may
be also
he is
talking about
the fact
that because
of what
lay in
front of
him
he had
confidence
that after
the cross
those who
were his
disciples
would spend
eternity
in his
presence
I wonder
whether or
not that
is a
significant
thought
and encouragement
to your
heart
third I
want you to
understand
that Jesus
was thankful
because he
would bring
glory to
his father
yes he
died for
my sins
he died
for ours
but that
is not
the only
reason
that Jesus
was thankful
at the
prospect of
what lay
in front
in fact
I would
have to
tell you
that if
you think
of being
thankful
for the
fact that
Jesus died
for your
sins
and you
completely
neglect
and diminish
the significance
of what
Jesus did
for the
glory of
the father
you are
ill
informed
at best
and
taking a
strong
and weak
theological
position
at worst
why
the glory
of the
father
is more
significant
than my
blessing
and so
when Jesus
was thinking
about what
lay in
front of
him
I want
you to
understand
that he
was thinking
of his
death
in relationship
to what his
death did
for the
glory of
God
think if
you will
just for a
moment
over to a
passage in
Romans chapter
3
turn there
if you
will
Romans
chapter
3
Romans
is a
book
that argues
or I
shouldn't say
argues
but it is a
book that
gives a
careful
exposition
of the
glory of
God
and woven
in to
this
testament
you look
there at
verse 25
whom God
put forward
as a
propitiation
by his
blood
to receive
by faith
that was
to show
God's
righteousness
because in
his divine
forbearance
he had
passed
over
former
sins
question
how can
God
forgive
your
sins
I
mean
I
use
the
classic
illustration
if I
were to
back
into
your
car
and
not
entirely
unreasonable
to have
that thought
that it
could
happen
if I
were to
back
into
your
car
you
would
come
out
and I
say
hey
Pastor
Andrew
I
crunched
your
Subaru
you know
it's
like
I
am
really
sorry
I
wasn't
paying
attention
you
know
what
Pastor
would
say
he
said
no
problem
do
you
know
why
he'd
say
that
because
we're
friends
well
actually
he'd
say
that
because
he
was
hoping
I
had
insurance
but
I
said
no
I
canceled
it
a
couple
weeks
ago
and
you
said
no
problem
all
good
right
so
how
are you
going
to
pay
that
off
how
can
the
infinite
offense
of
my
sin
be
overlooked
by
God
it
can't
be
how
can
the
infinite
offense
of
my
sin
be
satisfied
only
by
the
payment
of
an
infinite
price
in
the
person
of
Jesus
Christ
and
when
God
said
I
am
willing
to
forgive
sin
and
his
son
said
and
I
will
pay
the
price
he
was
thinking
of
the
glory
of
his
father
and
so
when
we
hold
that
bread
and
we
hold
that
cup
what
we
are
saying
is
wow
God's
holiness
and his
justice
is
adequately
satisfied
in
the
bread
and
the
cup
and
we
think
to
ourselves
Jesus
honors
the
father
in
his
willing
sacrifice
to
remedy
sin
so
how
does
this
impact
your
life
here
you
are
maybe
a little
bit
like
me
I
mean
you
are
drawing
breath
so
by
nature
you're
not
a
thankful
person
right
okay
remember
thankfulness
comes
when
we
have
reason
outside
of
our
self
someone
says
you're
exceptionally
good
looking
thank
you
you're
the
smartest
person
in
the
room
thank
you
I
really
liked
your
song
thank
you
we're
really
not
thankful
so
when
I
appreciate
Christ's
thankfulness
and I
understand
why
he was
thankful
thankfulness
becomes
a
part
of
my
life
don't
write
anything
else
down
but
write
that
one
down
when
we
appreciate
his
life
and
sacrifice
thankfulness
becomes
a
part
of
my
life
I'm
thankful
that
he
took
my
sin
upon
himself
and
satisfied
the
judgment
that
I
deserve
how
many
of
you
realize
that
the
scriptures
are
shot
through
with
command
after
command
after
command
that
we
as
believers
are
to
be
thankful
how
do I
get
that
thankfulness
oh
I
think
about
thanksgiving
no
I
think
about
what
Jesus
did
for
me
furthermore
I
am
thankful
that
I
have
complete
confidence
that
I
will
spend
eternity
with
the
lover
of
my
soul
I
know
how
the
story
ends
and
it's
good
and
there's
some
of you
sitting
out
here
this
morning
that
have
no
confidence
in that
whatsoever
I
am
thankful
that
the
honor
and
glory
of
the
Lord
God
is
exalted
by
the
most
glorious
moment
of
history
Christ
Jesus
for
the
glory
of
his
father
was
willing
to
die
in
my
place
so
that
God
who
is
merciful
and
gracious
beyond
the
wildest
imagination
of the
human
heart
could
offer
forgiveness
and
salvation
and
eternal
life
to
whosoever
believes
I
close
with
this
do
you
know
what
the
name
of
Jesus
means
God
saves
God
saves
God
saves
and
when we
gather
to take
these
elements
we're
reminding
ourselves
of what
that
salvation
cost
going to
ask our
men to
come as
we come
to the
Lord's
table
God
Thank you.