WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.679 I want to begin by talking about a short story that I read this week. For the first, I meant 00:00:09.679 --> 00:00:14.140 to read it for ages, but I don't know if you've come across Karen Blixen, who wrote Out of Africa. 00:00:14.700 --> 00:00:21.160 She wrote a short story called Babette's Feast, which then got turned into a movie in the 80s. 00:00:21.740 --> 00:00:29.620 It's the story of two elderly sisters in Norway living in a fjord, part of a very strict 00:00:29.620 --> 00:00:36.719 and severe Lutheran church. As the short story progresses, you recognize there's little joy and 00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:45.700 little grace within this religious community. But the story focuses on these two elderly sisters 00:00:45.700 --> 00:00:55.560 who at one point in their life take in a refugee from Paris, Babette of the title. Twelve years, 00:00:55.560 --> 00:01:02.679 she lives and she serves within the house, and she asks her first favor after 12 years. 00:01:03.240 --> 00:01:09.240 She knows that it's the 100th anniversary of the founding of the church. The church wants to have 00:01:09.240 --> 00:01:15.240 some kind of celebration, and she says, this is what I want to do. I want to prepare the meal 00:01:15.240 --> 00:01:23.099 for the church anniversary. And what happens? It becomes this wonderful celebration of grace. 00:01:23.099 --> 00:01:30.619 Nobody knew at the time, but Babette was a famous Parisian chef. She has come into a fortune, 00:01:30.939 --> 00:01:36.919 and she spends this fortune preparing this lavish meal. And during the course of the meal, 00:01:37.019 --> 00:01:43.939 it's wonderful as she tells the story, old fights that had brewed for years are forgotten. There's 00:01:43.939 --> 00:01:51.799 reconciliation. Happy memories are shared, and a community comes to life. And it's a wonderful little 00:01:51.799 --> 00:02:01.500 story with a wonderful truth, that meals, meals that we share can become moments of grace, that a table 00:02:01.500 --> 00:02:11.359 is spread and friendship is shared. And that takes us to the heart and the goal of this covenant meal 00:02:11.359 --> 00:02:20.780 that we've read about in Exodus 24, that the God of grace spreads this table, invites the leaders of the 00:02:20.780 --> 00:02:30.099 people, invites the people into fellowship. It's the story that we've been seeing all along, that God has 00:02:30.099 --> 00:02:37.060 saved His people by grace, and He's saving them for personal relationship. And so here we are at the 00:02:37.060 --> 00:02:44.659 climax of this covenant ceremony that runs all the way from chapters 19 to 24. In chapter 19, 00:02:44.659 --> 00:02:52.819 they're reminded of the call of grace. In chapters 20 and then 21 to 23, they're called to obedience 00:02:52.819 --> 00:02:58.359 through faith, but all the while remembering that there are people who are saved by grace. 00:02:58.620 --> 00:03:03.259 And now at the climax of the covenant, as it's confirmed, the people's representatives, and especially 00:03:03.259 --> 00:03:09.259 Moses, go up the mountain to meet with God, and they know His generous grace in a special way. 00:03:09.259 --> 00:03:16.979 This chapter connects us with the Lord's Supper. That's why we're sharing it this evening. 00:03:17.659 --> 00:03:25.539 But it actually connects us as well with the goal of all of our lives. You and I are made to know 00:03:25.539 --> 00:03:33.280 and to enjoy God, to share fellowship with God, to enter into life with the living God. And this 00:03:33.280 --> 00:03:41.860 chapter is giving us just a glimpse of what that life looks like. That by grace, God's people are 00:03:41.860 --> 00:03:50.979 set apart to be holy. By grace, God's people are invited into fellowship. And by God's grace, 00:03:51.879 --> 00:03:59.599 we get to experience God's glory. So let's get to our text, that God's people are, first of all, 00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:06.039 set apart to be holy. It's here in the first eight verses. Notice in the first couple of verses, 00:04:06.259 --> 00:04:14.479 God's gracious invitation come up to the Lord is the message that comes from God to the leaders of 00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:22.639 the people. Why did God save His people? Why do they have this unique privilege? What is their unique 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:29.579 privilege? It's that they would be a people who would know their God. And so Moses and the 00:04:29.579 --> 00:04:36.079 leaders are invited up. And then in verses three and four, we discover that Moses comes and reads the 00:04:36.079 --> 00:04:41.620 Lord's words, and the people respond with faith. As they hear the Ten Commandments, as they hear how 00:04:41.620 --> 00:04:46.919 those commandments are supposed to be worked out in society, they say, we will obey. That's their 00:04:46.919 --> 00:04:52.959 heart's desire. It's the response of faith. Of course, they won't do it perfectly. They can't 00:04:52.959 --> 00:05:00.019 do it perfectly, and neither do or can we. But wonderfully, God is merciful. And even within 00:05:00.019 --> 00:05:07.159 this chapter, we see that sacrifices are provided that will cover over sin and allow fellowship to be 00:05:08.060 --> 00:05:14.779 restored. But what I want us to think about is the two visual and symbolic parts of this covenant 00:05:14.779 --> 00:05:25.179 ceremony. The first you'll find in verse four, it's the altar and the stones. Moses, halfway through verse 00:05:25.179 --> 00:05:31.919 four, got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve 00:05:31.919 --> 00:05:40.899 stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Now, we know within the UK there are big stone 00:05:40.899 --> 00:05:47.019 pillars that attract much interest from visitors and archaeologists alike. You can go far down south, 00:05:47.099 --> 00:05:52.959 and you can go to Stonehenge. You can go far north and west, and you can go to Kalanish. And people 00:05:52.959 --> 00:05:59.339 speculate and wonder, why are these stones here? What's with the pattern? What's with the shape? What's the 00:05:59.339 --> 00:06:08.579 significance? Well, we don't need to wonder what the significance is of this set of stones, because we're 00:06:08.579 --> 00:06:23.899 told that it represents God and His people. Here is God in His grace willing to dwell among His people. 00:06:25.459 --> 00:06:31.360 And if you can remember back to chapter 19, this has significance. It goes back to that principle, 00:06:31.500 --> 00:06:38.120 be holy because I am holy. The holy God will dwell in the camp, and therefore they have this 00:06:38.120 --> 00:06:46.980 imperative, this missionary imperative to be holy, to reflect God's glory. So, there's the altar and the 00:06:46.980 --> 00:06:53.980 stones, and then there's the blood as part of this covenant ceremony. And there's two aspects 00:06:53.980 --> 00:07:02.759 to how this blood is used. First, we're told in verse six that the blood of the sacrifice, half of it, 00:07:02.759 --> 00:07:12.879 is splashed against the altar. So, a sacrifice has been made, sacrifice of a substitute, 00:07:12.879 --> 00:07:23.199 and the blood is sprinkled on the altar as a sign of cleansing, that there is mercy from God, 00:07:23.899 --> 00:07:30.339 that He accepts the sacrifice, that this substitute turns away the judgment of God, 00:07:30.339 --> 00:07:36.419 that there is washing from sin, that there is required for the people of God to live in relationship 00:07:36.419 --> 00:07:45.539 with Him. And then half of the blood, we discover, is also sprinkled on the people. 00:07:46.779 --> 00:07:53.859 And this is where things take a strange turn. Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, 00:07:53.860 --> 00:08:00.420 and said, this is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all 00:08:00.420 --> 00:08:08.720 these words. What is going on here as blood is being thrown on the people? Well, it's interesting 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:14.500 to notice there's only two other places in the Old Testament where blood is applied directly. 00:08:15.120 --> 00:08:21.620 First, you'll find in Exodus 29 that when the high priest and his sons are established, 00:08:21.620 --> 00:08:29.100 blood is applied directly there onto their toes, their thumbs, their ears, and their clothes. So, 00:08:29.139 --> 00:08:35.700 there's one instance, Exodus 29, and the other where blood is to be applied directly is when lepers 00:08:35.700 --> 00:08:45.759 are cleansed. You find that in Leviticus 8. And the point with both of these is that status is changed. 00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:55.039 The priest in that moment, his status was changed from being sort of common to being holy, set apart 00:08:55.039 --> 00:09:02.779 to serve God. The leper's status was changed from being unclean to being regarded as clean. 00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:07.919 So, when the blood is being applied to the people of God, what's it saying to them? 00:09:08.580 --> 00:09:15.419 You have been saved. You have been washed clean. Now you are set apart as God's holy people. 00:09:15.419 --> 00:09:24.559 To be that kingdom of priests, to be that holy nation. The holy God by His grace is going to dwell 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:31.559 with His people. Therefore, His people must be holy, living to reflect God's character and God's 00:09:31.559 --> 00:09:37.419 values within the community and to a watching world. 00:09:37.419 --> 00:09:48.620 To think back to Babette's feast, it captures the sense that as a church community is graced, 00:09:48.620 --> 00:09:59.979 in that case by a lavish meal, being graced, they begin to practice grace again. As the holy God, 00:09:59.980 --> 00:10:07.759 by sheer grace calls us to Himself, cleanses us through the blood of Jesus, 00:10:08.620 --> 00:10:19.100 consecrates us, sets us apart, says, you are mine, that should cause grace to overflow from us, 00:10:19.100 --> 00:10:29.420 and leading us to pursue holiness, to become more like Jesus. Especially as we recognize that the 00:10:29.420 --> 00:10:35.980 symbols here, the altar and the stones and the blood, these symbols are fulfilled with the coming 00:10:35.980 --> 00:10:41.920 of the Lord Jesus. Think about the life of Israel. Here, there's the altar in the middle, and there's 00:10:41.919 --> 00:10:48.019 these stones all around. Then think about the arrangement for their camp. There was God's tent, 00:10:48.199 --> 00:10:54.579 and their tents were all around. What was that saying to them? Every day, God is with us. 00:10:55.459 --> 00:11:04.139 What a wonderful privilege. But what a greater privilege we have, because we have Jesus, Emmanuel, 00:11:04.139 --> 00:11:12.699 God with us, who came to dwell among us, and now dwells in our hearts through faith. 00:11:14.559 --> 00:11:23.159 And we have the blood, don't we? We have the blood of the new covenant. Because this is how Jesus spoke 00:11:23.159 --> 00:11:29.039 at the Lord's Supper. As He looked ahead to the cross, He understood the purpose of His going. 00:11:29.039 --> 00:11:37.419 He would be the perfect sacrifice. He would be the one substitute for sinners whose blood cleanses. 00:11:38.299 --> 00:11:47.120 That when our faith is in Jesus and His finished work, our status is changed. We are made holy 00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:58.839 by the blood of Jesus. So, the message of our covenant meal is one that speaks to us of 00:11:58.840 --> 00:12:08.200 the holy obedience of Jesus, all the way to the cross to die in our place, to fulfill God's plan of salvation. 00:12:09.200 --> 00:12:16.879 And as we let that sink into our hearts, then that will fuel our mission to live holy lives, 00:12:17.580 --> 00:12:21.800 and to seek to grace others as we have been graced ourselves. 00:12:21.799 --> 00:12:29.419 That's the idea of being set apart to be holy. Now, we come to the meal itself, 00:12:30.159 --> 00:12:36.719 and this invitation into fellowship is there in verses 9 to 11. But just before we go there, 00:12:36.759 --> 00:12:44.719 it's worth pausing to ask, where is all this taking place? And the answer, it's up a mountain. 00:12:44.720 --> 00:12:53.980 It's Mount Sinai. And these little verses are remarkable because what we have are Moses and 00:12:53.980 --> 00:12:58.660 the elders of the people of God, and they're sharing a meal on the mountain, but they're in 00:12:58.660 --> 00:13:08.960 the presence of God Himself. It says they see God, but instead of destruction, there is invitation to 00:13:08.960 --> 00:13:18.639 feast. Just by way of clarity, when it says there in verse 10, they saw the God of Israel. Now, we know 00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:26.019 from the Bible that God is a spirit. He is invisible, but we've already seen in Exodus that God has appeared 00:13:26.019 --> 00:13:33.240 in the burning bush, and He's appeared in the pillar of fire and cloud. So, He is a God who is pleased to 00:13:33.240 --> 00:13:44.500 reveal His glory. And this time, this revelation of His glory is as this pavement or this sea of 00:13:44.500 --> 00:13:52.799 sapphire or lapis lazuli, this beautiful, brilliant blue, precious stone. It's interesting to see where 00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:59.820 that stone appears through the Old Testament. It will feature as one of the twelve stones in the high 00:13:59.820 --> 00:14:07.180 priest's breastplate. But I think more significant for us, if you turn to the book of Isaiah, Isaiah 54, 00:14:07.400 --> 00:14:15.480 verse 11, when there's comfort being spoken, the people of God pictured as a city that had been under 00:14:15.480 --> 00:14:23.520 siege, that's now at peace, living in perfect security, the foundation of the redeemed city, 00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:31.360 lapis lazuli. Or you go to another prophet, the prophet Ezekiel, as he is given this vision 00:14:31.360 --> 00:14:39.899 of the throne of heaven. The throne is lapis lazuli. So, it's speaking to us of where God rules. It's 00:14:39.899 --> 00:14:48.399 speaking to us of God's glory. So, they're called up, and they're invited in to meet with the God of 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:57.600 glory and to eat and drink in His presence. I don't know how many of us have had memorable 00:14:57.600 --> 00:15:05.360 meals on a mountain. Maybe some of us, we've gone skiing, and after a busy day's skiing, you've had 00:15:05.360 --> 00:15:13.059 some wonderful fondue. For me, I think back to a hill walk with a friend up in the highlands, 00:15:13.059 --> 00:15:20.279 having a picnic right up at the summit. The sky was brilliant blue. There was still snow on the peaks. 00:15:20.859 --> 00:15:29.179 There was perfect peace. There was deer nestling around. A wonderful couple of hours of peace. But 00:15:29.179 --> 00:15:35.799 nothing that we have ever or will ever experience in terms of mountain meals will compare with this 00:15:35.799 --> 00:15:46.899 covenant meal. And it speaks to us of the goal of the covenant. That God has done all of this, 00:15:46.959 --> 00:15:56.139 this redeeming work, so that He might invite His people all the way in to know Him, to love Him, 00:15:56.139 --> 00:16:04.319 and to experience His love, to share table fellowship, that sign of acceptance, that sign of friendship. 00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:13.260 We sang Psalm 23 this morning. Psalm 23 captures it for us as well. As the imagery in Psalm 23 changes 00:16:13.260 --> 00:16:22.280 from the shepherd to the king, the king who spreads a table in the wilderness, the king who graciously 00:16:22.280 --> 00:16:29.920 feeds His people on their pilgrimage through life. Even when there are enemies and opposition around, 00:16:29.919 --> 00:16:34.500 there is strength for the journey. There is strength for the journey and joy for the journey that comes 00:16:34.500 --> 00:16:39.419 from the king who delights to invite into fellowship. 00:16:41.860 --> 00:16:50.759 This mountain meal, of course, anticipates a still greater one. We began our service in Isaiah chapter 25. 00:16:50.759 --> 00:17:02.200 On this mountain, the Lord Almighty will prepare a banquet, capturing that promise of the new creation 00:17:02.200 --> 00:17:12.960 as a life of joy in the presence of God. Gone forever, tears and shame and the shroud of death. 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:22.299 Everything that in this life spoils our joy, that creates separation, that ends what is precious to us, 00:17:23.340 --> 00:17:31.819 those things are in the past never to return because of God's covenant commitment in giving His Son to fix 00:17:31.819 --> 00:17:38.640 all that is broken, the broken law, sin that leads to death. 00:17:38.640 --> 00:17:47.880 God's commitment to us in the Lord Jesus Christ, dying for us, rising for us. 00:17:50.520 --> 00:17:59.900 And we hear Jesus say, come to me, enjoy life in fellowship with God through knowing me. 00:17:59.900 --> 00:18:09.940 And trusting Him, we have a taste of that in our lives, but we know the best is yet to come. 00:18:12.220 --> 00:18:21.120 Every meal that we share can be an expression of grace. As we give time to spend with others, 00:18:21.300 --> 00:18:26.680 as we extend hospitality to others, as we express friendship. 00:18:26.680 --> 00:18:35.279 That was true of every meal that Jesus shared. And remember how so often Jesus shocked His opponents 00:18:35.279 --> 00:18:43.840 with who He sat down to have a meal with. Jesus eats with sinners, was the criticism so often. 00:18:45.080 --> 00:18:53.840 And Jesus always made plain why He delighted to eat with sinners, because He delighted to extend grace. 00:18:53.839 --> 00:19:00.019 He came to seek and to save the lost. He came to invite people into fellowship. 00:19:00.179 --> 00:19:04.399 That table fellowship became a picture of the gospel. 00:19:05.559 --> 00:19:11.000 That people who deserve nothing receive everything because of the goodness of God in Jesus. 00:19:13.359 --> 00:19:15.399 And it's absolutely true of the Lord's Supper. 00:19:16.439 --> 00:19:23.339 When we share the Lord's Supper together, Jesus Christ is still the King who is the host of this meal. 00:19:23.839 --> 00:19:32.720 He is the one who gladly comes to be present with us, to serve us. We are graced by our wonderful King. 00:19:33.980 --> 00:19:44.059 He is present with us to do us good so that this meal becomes for us fuel for our pilgrim journey of faith 00:19:44.059 --> 00:19:53.299 until we're finally home, where the feasting, where the fellowship, where the joy, where the grace, where the celebration never ends. 00:19:53.299 --> 00:20:07.319 Let's think finally about this experience of God's glory that Moses in particular gets to enjoy. 00:20:08.419 --> 00:20:11.879 And again, thinking about some of the symbols that we meet in the book of Exodus, here's another one. 00:20:11.880 --> 00:20:12.540 It's the cloud. 00:20:13.540 --> 00:20:15.540 Verse 15 onwards, 00:20:16.100 --> 00:20:23.440 When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. 00:20:24.060 --> 00:20:25.140 And then verse 18, 00:20:25.220 --> 00:20:31.900 Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain, and he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. 00:20:31.900 --> 00:20:38.080 So the cloud is the symbol of God's presence and God's glory, and we see it throughout the book of Exodus. 00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:43.340 And so you're left with, as we sort of leave behind this covenant ceremony, 00:20:43.780 --> 00:20:47.100 where do we leave Moses the representative of God's people? 00:20:47.099 --> 00:20:53.879 We leave him literally enveloped by the glory of God on the top of the mountain. 00:20:55.079 --> 00:21:02.039 In this covenant relationship, Moses has already had experiences and encounters of the God of glory, 00:21:02.199 --> 00:21:10.480 but we're beginning to understand that there are always new and fresh experiences of our glorious God to be had. 00:21:11.439 --> 00:21:14.599 And so we have Moses up the mountain, 00:21:14.599 --> 00:21:16.939 and the glory cloud covers, 00:21:17.919 --> 00:21:18.959 and God calls. 00:21:20.819 --> 00:21:23.719 And we fast forward to the New Testament. 00:21:24.519 --> 00:21:26.240 We go up another mountain, 00:21:26.679 --> 00:21:29.039 known as the Mount of Transfiguration. 00:21:30.319 --> 00:21:31.619 And who do we see there? 00:21:32.539 --> 00:21:35.679 We see Jesus, our mediator, 00:21:36.299 --> 00:21:37.579 up there on the mountain. 00:21:37.719 --> 00:21:39.000 Moses appears also. 00:21:40.279 --> 00:21:42.079 And there on the Mount of Transfiguration, 00:21:42.079 --> 00:21:47.000 and the cloud comes and envelops Jesus and the disciples, 00:21:47.179 --> 00:21:50.559 and God calls and speaks to the disciples, 00:21:50.960 --> 00:21:52.460 this is my son. 00:21:53.199 --> 00:21:54.279 I love him. 00:21:55.299 --> 00:21:56.419 Listen to him. 00:21:58.079 --> 00:21:59.079 And Jesus, 00:21:59.879 --> 00:22:00.599 on the mountain, 00:22:01.179 --> 00:22:02.019 he shines 00:22:02.019 --> 00:22:03.939 with the glory of God, 00:22:04.939 --> 00:22:07.839 as if the curtain is pulled back for a moment, 00:22:08.460 --> 00:22:09.299 revealing his 00:22:09.299 --> 00:22:11.180 full divinity. 00:22:12.059 --> 00:22:14.220 And what the disciples need to see, 00:22:14.299 --> 00:22:15.159 and need to hear, 00:22:15.259 --> 00:22:16.379 and so do we, 00:22:16.680 --> 00:22:19.639 is the glory of the Lord Jesus. 00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:21.319 Because 00:22:21.319 --> 00:22:24.639 what Jesus has just said 00:22:24.639 --> 00:22:26.240 to his 00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:27.399 disciples 00:22:27.399 --> 00:22:29.359 sounds like anything but glory to them. 00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:31.180 He's just spoken to them 00:22:31.180 --> 00:22:31.960 that it's 00:22:31.960 --> 00:22:32.579 necessary 00:22:32.579 --> 00:22:34.879 for him to suffer 00:22:34.879 --> 00:22:36.539 and to die. 00:22:36.539 --> 00:22:39.759 And they think that doesn't look like glory. 00:22:41.099 --> 00:22:41.940 And Peter says, 00:22:42.200 --> 00:22:42.319 Lord, 00:22:42.359 --> 00:22:44.159 that should never happen to you. 00:22:46.180 --> 00:22:47.720 But Jesus says it must, 00:22:47.899 --> 00:22:48.619 and it is 00:22:48.619 --> 00:22:50.399 at a demonstration of glory. 00:22:50.559 --> 00:22:50.819 Jesus, 00:22:51.000 --> 00:22:52.299 in John's gospel especially, 00:22:52.440 --> 00:22:54.079 will speak often of the cross 00:22:54.079 --> 00:22:56.119 as a place of glory. 00:22:57.159 --> 00:22:57.480 Why? 00:22:57.599 --> 00:22:59.500 Where is the glory to be found at the cross? 00:23:00.879 --> 00:23:02.279 Where is glory for the Father? 00:23:02.279 --> 00:23:05.859 As the Son that he sends 00:23:05.859 --> 00:23:08.599 lives and then dies 00:23:08.599 --> 00:23:10.440 in perfect obedience, 00:23:11.420 --> 00:23:13.980 giving himself a loving sacrifice, 00:23:14.700 --> 00:23:17.660 completing the eternal plan of salvation, 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:21.599 making fellowship between God and sinners possible. 00:23:21.740 --> 00:23:23.740 There is glory at the cross, 00:23:23.779 --> 00:23:25.259 and there is glory for the Son. 00:23:26.119 --> 00:23:28.240 Because through his death, 00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:31.799 his perfect death, 00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:35.500 he defeats the powers of darkness. 00:23:38.339 --> 00:23:40.180 And in the resurrection, 00:23:41.519 --> 00:23:42.420 he shines 00:23:42.420 --> 00:23:43.980 as the glorious, 00:23:44.539 --> 00:23:45.180 victorious, 00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:47.420 risen Savior. 00:23:48.799 --> 00:23:50.039 Every time 00:23:50.039 --> 00:23:52.120 the people of God 00:23:52.120 --> 00:23:53.539 share the Lord's Supper, 00:23:54.319 --> 00:23:55.599 we're being reminded 00:23:55.599 --> 00:23:58.039 of the glory of God 00:23:58.039 --> 00:23:59.480 in the gospel. 00:24:00.619 --> 00:24:01.460 We're invited 00:24:01.460 --> 00:24:02.519 to taste 00:24:02.519 --> 00:24:03.460 again 00:24:03.460 --> 00:24:06.619 God's glory 00:24:06.619 --> 00:24:08.879 in conquering sin, 00:24:09.460 --> 00:24:10.700 in defeating death, 00:24:11.180 --> 00:24:11.759 bringing us 00:24:11.759 --> 00:24:12.599 into life 00:24:12.599 --> 00:24:13.059 with God 00:24:13.059 --> 00:24:14.039 and all through 00:24:14.039 --> 00:24:14.980 the gift 00:24:14.980 --> 00:24:16.200 of his 00:24:16.200 --> 00:24:17.180 Son. 00:24:19.220 --> 00:24:19.720 And again, 00:24:19.799 --> 00:24:20.659 this is the goal 00:24:20.659 --> 00:24:22.559 of our lives, 00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:24.960 to know 00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:26.159 and to enjoy 00:24:26.159 --> 00:24:27.299 life with the 00:24:27.299 --> 00:24:28.039 God of grace 00:24:28.039 --> 00:24:28.659 and glory. 00:24:32.259 --> 00:24:33.299 And we need 00:24:33.299 --> 00:24:33.940 this meal. 00:24:34.779 --> 00:24:35.460 We need 00:24:35.460 --> 00:24:36.399 this grace. 00:24:37.139 --> 00:24:38.059 Because often 00:24:38.059 --> 00:24:38.559 journeys 00:24:38.559 --> 00:24:39.720 are hard, 00:24:39.819 --> 00:24:40.500 and the journey 00:24:40.500 --> 00:24:41.019 of faith 00:24:41.019 --> 00:24:42.000 can often feel 00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:43.119 hard 00:24:43.119 --> 00:24:45.759 when we have 00:24:45.759 --> 00:24:46.839 that experience, 00:24:47.399 --> 00:24:48.899 the road 00:24:48.899 --> 00:24:49.359 that seems 00:24:49.359 --> 00:24:49.919 to be leading 00:24:49.919 --> 00:24:50.379 nowhere, 00:24:51.220 --> 00:24:52.419 the long walk 00:24:52.419 --> 00:24:52.960 that seems 00:24:52.960 --> 00:24:54.119 to take forever. 00:24:54.119 --> 00:24:56.839 perhaps we 00:24:56.839 --> 00:24:57.539 find ourselves 00:24:57.539 --> 00:24:58.279 daydreaming 00:24:58.279 --> 00:24:59.759 about the good 00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:00.379 meal that we 00:25:00.379 --> 00:25:01.459 hope to share 00:25:01.459 --> 00:25:02.839 at the end. 00:25:03.699 --> 00:25:04.259 God, 00:25:04.339 --> 00:25:05.159 in his grace, 00:25:05.500 --> 00:25:06.439 it gives us 00:25:06.439 --> 00:25:08.019 meals regularly, 00:25:08.159 --> 00:25:09.039 the Lord's Supper 00:25:09.039 --> 00:25:09.919 that we share, 00:25:10.219 --> 00:25:10.939 it's a taste 00:25:10.939 --> 00:25:11.599 of grace, 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:12.699 but we're also 00:25:12.699 --> 00:25:13.859 given the prospect 00:25:13.859 --> 00:25:15.319 of a wonderful meal 00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:16.399 at journey's end. 00:25:17.500 --> 00:25:18.279 That's why we read 00:25:18.279 --> 00:25:19.479 Revelation 19, 00:25:20.179 --> 00:25:20.819 the wedding 00:25:20.819 --> 00:25:21.319 supper 00:25:21.319 --> 00:25:22.960 of the Lamb. 00:25:24.419 --> 00:25:25.240 Some of us 00:25:25.240 --> 00:25:26.720 shared in a wedding 00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:27.599 feast a meal 00:25:27.599 --> 00:25:28.279 recently, 00:25:29.480 --> 00:25:30.139 if you've read 00:25:30.139 --> 00:25:31.099 Babette's Feast, 00:25:31.200 --> 00:25:32.139 there is something 00:25:32.139 --> 00:25:32.939 special, 00:25:33.000 --> 00:25:33.500 isn't there, 00:25:33.839 --> 00:25:34.799 about the joyful 00:25:34.799 --> 00:25:35.899 gathering of family 00:25:35.899 --> 00:25:36.480 and friends 00:25:36.480 --> 00:25:37.139 when the food 00:25:37.139 --> 00:25:37.720 is good, 00:25:37.819 --> 00:25:38.720 when grace 00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:40.339 is being poured 00:25:40.339 --> 00:25:40.579 out, 00:25:40.659 --> 00:25:41.359 and that 00:25:41.359 --> 00:25:42.759 is how God 00:25:42.759 --> 00:25:43.899 captures the new 00:25:43.899 --> 00:25:44.879 creation for his 00:25:44.879 --> 00:25:45.240 people. 00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:47.119 Here is the goal 00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:47.579 of the covenant, 00:25:47.720 --> 00:25:48.379 here is the goal 00:25:48.379 --> 00:25:49.099 of our lives, 00:25:49.500 --> 00:25:50.259 the joyful 00:25:50.259 --> 00:25:51.319 feasting 00:25:51.319 --> 00:25:52.740 of a bride 00:25:52.740 --> 00:25:54.640 and a groom, 00:25:55.319 --> 00:25:56.440 of the church 00:25:56.440 --> 00:25:58.059 and our Savior, 00:25:58.220 --> 00:25:59.119 the Lord Jesus. 00:26:00.680 --> 00:26:01.660 Revelation 19 00:26:01.660 --> 00:26:02.079 says, 00:26:02.180 --> 00:26:02.940 on that day 00:26:02.940 --> 00:26:04.200 the brides, 00:26:04.379 --> 00:26:04.859 the church, 00:26:04.920 --> 00:26:05.500 shall be dressed 00:26:05.500 --> 00:26:06.039 in white, 00:26:06.160 --> 00:26:07.460 made perfectly holy 00:26:07.460 --> 00:26:09.660 to sin no more. 00:26:09.819 --> 00:26:10.879 And from that day 00:26:10.879 --> 00:26:11.420 forward, 00:26:11.680 --> 00:26:13.180 in life with Jesus, 00:26:13.619 --> 00:26:14.980 the perfect bridegroom, 00:26:15.099 --> 00:26:16.200 we will taste 00:26:16.200 --> 00:26:17.359 new dimensions 00:26:17.359 --> 00:26:19.099 of God's glory 00:26:19.099 --> 00:26:20.799 for all eternity. 00:26:23.419 --> 00:26:24.959 And as we do so, 00:26:24.959 --> 00:26:25.159 we will be 00:26:25.159 --> 00:26:25.419 for all eternity. 00:26:25.419 --> 00:26:25.699 And as we do so, 00:26:25.699 --> 00:26:26.719 we will be 00:26:26.719 --> 00:26:27.339 for all eternity.