WEBVTT 00:00:00.680 --> 00:00:12.700 After that, after we've taken the Lord's table, we are also going to enjoy the privilege of watching three people who by their confession of faith have desired also to be baptized in obedience to the scriptures. 00:00:13.480 --> 00:00:26.519 ! And we are going to sing in between that. So this is different. For some of you who remember that service orders are always supposed to be exactly the same and any variance has to be approved by someone other than Pastor Knoyer. 00:00:26.519 --> 00:00:34.560 Trust me, it's going to be different. And so if I get marginally lost somewhere in the midst, just bump me back on stage and say, you ain't done yet. 00:00:34.840 --> 00:00:45.260 But we'll get it all done. And we are going to enjoy the privilege of studying the scriptures and then seeing people practically expressing their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:00:45.679 --> 00:00:49.100 I want you to turn your Bibles this morning to 1 Corinthians chapter 11. 00:00:49.100 --> 00:00:59.880 And as you look at this text, I want you to understand that what we are engaged in here this morning is something that flows directly out of the scriptures. 00:01:00.760 --> 00:01:06.359 One of the characteristics of our faith is that it rests upon the Word of God. Nothing more, nothing less. 00:01:06.799 --> 00:01:16.040 There are other things that may influence other faiths and religions, but we believe principally in the authority of the Word of God to instruct us and direct us. 00:01:16.040 --> 00:01:27.940 So, when we say, here's what communion is, or here's what baptism is, the undeniable truth is you should be able to track it back to the scriptures and say, 00:01:28.060 --> 00:01:31.500 oh, I see why we do that, and it's in the Bible. 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:37.500 It's no accident that in the process of preaching, I will recite various passages of scripture. 00:01:37.500 --> 00:01:47.960 And as we look at a text, and we are trying to understand, so how does this fit or how does this apply, the best comment on scripture is, guess what? 00:01:49.000 --> 00:01:49.819 Other scripture. 00:01:50.540 --> 00:02:01.560 And so, you are going to find that on occasion we are going to look at a particular passage, but then to gain understanding, we'll move to others and use those cross-references, that's the way we would title them, 00:02:01.879 --> 00:02:04.579 those cross-references to add some understanding to us. 00:02:04.579 --> 00:02:09.300 Now, I want you to look at this passage, and we're going to study what we engage in today. 00:02:09.819 --> 00:02:12.300 Let me read, if I may, for you. 00:02:12.939 --> 00:02:18.020 There in verse 23, we're going to carry from 23 down to 26, and it says, 00:02:18.079 --> 00:02:24.740 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night that he was betrayed, took bread. 00:02:25.599 --> 00:02:28.000 And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:30.400 This is my body, which is for you. 00:02:31.180 --> 00:02:33.240 Do this in remembrance of me. 00:02:33.240 --> 00:02:39.439 And I would encourage you, if you don't have this underlined in your Bible, you may want to just kind of jot a little note underneath 00:02:39.439 --> 00:02:45.860 and use it as one of those little reference points so that when any question comes up about what communion is, 00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:49.080 you can go to the passage over in 1 Corinthians 11. 00:02:49.780 --> 00:02:50.560 He says here, 00:02:50.800 --> 00:02:52.700 You do this in remembrance of me. 00:02:53.379 --> 00:02:54.300 And verse 25, 00:02:54.300 --> 00:03:21.320 Let me back up and remind you again, when we think about what we believe, the principal source, the exclusive source of final authority is what? 00:03:21.319 --> 00:03:23.060 It is the Word of God. 00:03:23.299 --> 00:03:30.539 And so we can look here in the Bible and see explicitly what it means to come to the Lord's table. 00:03:30.959 --> 00:03:35.060 Let me deal with a couple principles that I want you to recognize from this passage. 00:03:35.219 --> 00:03:38.500 First of all, what we engage in today is a memorial. 00:03:38.799 --> 00:03:39.799 It is not a sacrifice. 00:03:40.740 --> 00:03:41.699 It is a memorial. 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:43.120 It is not a sacrifice. 00:03:43.120 --> 00:03:51.759 If you look at the recurring word that is used in verse 24 and again in 25, you'll remind yourself that Paul says this, 00:03:51.860 --> 00:03:58.020 and he says it on the basis of what Jesus had instituted in the Last Supper in the upper room. 00:03:58.920 --> 00:03:59.719 He says this. 00:03:59.800 --> 00:04:00.140 He says, 00:04:00.599 --> 00:04:02.759 Do this in remembrance of me. 00:04:03.360 --> 00:04:08.340 And when we take communion, I want you to understand that we are not reenacting Christ's death. 00:04:08.340 --> 00:04:13.500 We are not engaging in a fresh sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:04:13.700 --> 00:04:22.139 We are simply reminding ourself of what he did for us when he died in our place on Calvary some 2,000 years ago. 00:04:22.780 --> 00:04:24.579 We're remembering his death. 00:04:24.800 --> 00:04:26.180 We're remembering his sacrifice. 00:04:26.860 --> 00:04:28.259 We are not reliving it. 00:04:28.360 --> 00:04:29.840 We are not recreating it. 00:04:29.839 --> 00:04:42.060 And in no way are we reengaging or reenacting what took place at a specific point in history and was at that point satisfactory in the eyes of a holy God. 00:04:42.939 --> 00:04:51.519 In the same way, you can think back in the Old Testament and recognize that from year to year, when the nation of Israel practiced Passover, 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:54.939 they were not going back through the Exodus. 00:04:55.159 --> 00:04:55.839 What were they doing? 00:04:55.839 --> 00:05:01.560 They were remembering what God had done on that particular night. 00:05:01.839 --> 00:05:05.979 And if you were to go back in your Bible, don't need to at this point, but if you go back in your Bible, 00:05:06.079 --> 00:05:13.959 you'll remember that in that very same context of explaining what the Passover was going to be specifically, 00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:17.179 Moses is giving instruction by God, and he says, 00:05:17.180 --> 00:05:24.639 Listen, later on in a further time when your children are going through this process of taking the Passover with you, 00:05:24.920 --> 00:05:27.340 they're going to say, what does this mean? 00:05:28.300 --> 00:05:37.460 And then you will get an opportunity to instruct them in what God did in that day when he delivered you from the iron furnace from Egypt 00:05:37.460 --> 00:05:39.420 and the captivity that you were involved in. 00:05:39.420 --> 00:05:51.319 The Passover was a one-time event that the nation of Israel was reminded about on a regular basis, annually in particular, 00:05:51.680 --> 00:05:57.139 and when they practiced the Passover, they were just remembering what God had done. 00:05:57.259 --> 00:05:59.160 They weren't reliving the incident. 00:05:59.160 --> 00:06:06.720 And so I want you to understand that as we look at this passage, we are remembering the fact of Christ's death 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:12.220 and recognize that it was a once-for-all event at a moment in time. 00:06:13.000 --> 00:06:22.480 The idea that Jesus would need to die again and again and again for our various sins that we've continued to practice 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:24.580 does not match up with Scripture. 00:06:24.700 --> 00:06:27.460 And I understand the thought process behind that. 00:06:27.459 --> 00:06:28.839 I mean, so I sinned today. 00:06:30.019 --> 00:06:33.560 And if I were to ask you, how many of you have struggled with sin in the last week, 00:06:33.759 --> 00:06:35.899 there would be none of us here that would be exempt. 00:06:36.019 --> 00:06:37.539 We all have sinned. 00:06:37.839 --> 00:06:41.680 Over in 1 John 1, it says, if any man says he has no sin, what? 00:06:43.039 --> 00:06:44.439 He's messing with himself. 00:06:45.579 --> 00:06:47.679 We're deceiving ourselves at what the Scripture says. 00:06:47.879 --> 00:06:49.779 All of us struggle with ongoing sin. 00:06:49.859 --> 00:06:52.500 So what happens to all that ongoing sin? 00:06:52.500 --> 00:06:59.180 Does Jesus have to die in a fresh way to accommodate those sins that I've committed, 00:06:59.300 --> 00:07:01.139 that you've committed, that everybody else has committed? 00:07:02.519 --> 00:07:06.560 I want you to understand that such teaching flies in the face of the Scriptures. 00:07:07.379 --> 00:07:09.879 Number one, because of Christ's own testimony. 00:07:09.879 --> 00:07:18.600 When Jesus died on the cross, the very last thing he said before he passed away was, does anybody know? 00:07:19.399 --> 00:07:21.480 Tetelestai, or it is finished. 00:07:21.560 --> 00:07:22.459 What was he talking about? 00:07:23.420 --> 00:07:31.319 He was talking about the fact that the plan of redemption and his sacrifice as substitution for all mankind's sins 00:07:31.319 --> 00:07:34.180 had been accomplished and the work was done. 00:07:36.500 --> 00:07:41.139 Think just for a moment back there to the context, 00:07:41.540 --> 00:07:48.060 and you recognize that he says, this is my body, this is my blood, which is for you. 00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:52.560 Now, I want you to recognize, number one, Christ's testimony, 00:07:52.740 --> 00:07:55.259 but secondly, the logic of the Scriptures. 00:07:55.259 --> 00:08:01.279 If Christ is infinitely holy because he is divine, 00:08:02.099 --> 00:08:09.819 it makes sense that he would satisfy the infinite penalty that all of our sins create for all of time, right? 00:08:10.039 --> 00:08:14.459 One person dies and covers the consequences of one person's sins. 00:08:14.539 --> 00:08:19.060 How many of you understand you have two choices for how you deal with sin in your life? 00:08:20.139 --> 00:08:21.800 I want you to think with me about this. 00:08:21.800 --> 00:08:28.420 You may accept the finished work of Christ who paid the penalty for your sins, 00:08:28.960 --> 00:08:34.080 or you may opt for plan B, which is the infinite penalty of your sin 00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:42.139 can be accommodated by your infinite suffering in hell forever to pay and satisfy the debt against God's holiness. 00:08:42.600 --> 00:08:44.360 Choices are there to be made. 00:08:44.659 --> 00:08:46.879 What is the consequence of refusing Christ's choice? 00:08:47.539 --> 00:08:48.039 What is it? 00:08:48.680 --> 00:08:49.919 It is eternal condemnation. 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:56.699 Christ, infinitely God and infinitely man, completely man, died for us, 00:08:56.779 --> 00:09:01.019 and his death satisfied the entire weight of all of our sins. 00:09:02.259 --> 00:09:07.159 Furthermore, I want you to recognize that the idea that Christ has to be freshly sacrificed 00:09:07.159 --> 00:09:09.339 flies in the face of the biblical evidence. 00:09:09.479 --> 00:09:10.819 And let me have you look, if you will. 00:09:11.319 --> 00:09:12.179 You're in 1 Corinthians. 00:09:12.339 --> 00:09:14.079 Just turn towards the back of the book. 00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:17.159 Go to Hebrews, and we're going to look at Hebrews chapter 9. 00:09:17.159 --> 00:09:27.779 Hebrews chapter 9, beginning in verse 12. 00:09:28.719 --> 00:09:30.039 Follow with me if you will. 00:09:32.939 --> 00:09:36.699 He entered once for all, and mark that little once. 00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:42.500 He entered once for all into the holy place, not by means of the blood of goats and calves, 00:09:42.500 --> 00:09:47.019 but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 00:09:48.059 --> 00:09:53.139 How many times did he plan or did he make sacrifice for my sins or your sins, 00:09:53.279 --> 00:09:56.879 or the sins of the apostles or the sins of the New Testament church? 00:09:56.960 --> 00:09:58.059 How many times did he do it? 00:09:58.620 --> 00:10:00.879 One single time. 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:07.519 Look, if you will, also at verse 26 and 28 in chapter 9. 00:10:08.419 --> 00:10:12.600 26 says this, verse 25, if I may. 00:10:13.159 --> 00:10:18.659 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly as the high priest enters the holy place every year with the blood not his own. 00:10:19.480 --> 00:10:24.899 And what the author of this passage is referring to is the fact that in the Old Testament, 00:10:24.899 --> 00:10:30.259 the high priest made atonement for the sins of the people, and he did it how often? 00:10:30.740 --> 00:10:33.360 Year after year after year after year. 00:10:33.539 --> 00:10:38.519 He would go in, and on an annual basis, he would first of all make sacrifice for his own sins, 00:10:38.679 --> 00:10:41.959 and then he would make atonement for the sins of the people. 00:10:43.439 --> 00:10:47.179 Jesus did not have to make atonement for his own sins, 00:10:47.340 --> 00:10:52.159 and he atoned once for all for the sins of every one of us for all of time. 00:10:52.159 --> 00:10:54.939 It says there in verse 26, 00:10:55.039 --> 00:10:58.980 For then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. 00:10:59.919 --> 00:11:05.059 But as it is, he has appeared, and again, we see that little word how often? 00:11:05.879 --> 00:11:11.419 Once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 00:11:12.299 --> 00:11:14.379 And then look at verse 28. 00:11:14.379 --> 00:11:20.840 So Christ, having been offered once for all to bear the sins of many, 00:11:21.139 --> 00:11:26.759 will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. 00:11:26.980 --> 00:11:30.580 Now, by the way, when you see a particular word over and over again in Scripture, 00:11:30.879 --> 00:11:32.299 what is it a signal of? 00:11:33.500 --> 00:11:35.299 Now, most of us here have been students. 00:11:35.519 --> 00:11:38.759 Some of us have been better students than others, but we've been students. 00:11:38.759 --> 00:11:44.279 And when the teacher repeats a particular part over and over again, 00:11:44.460 --> 00:11:48.340 what does even the half-baked student do? 00:11:49.819 --> 00:11:50.559 That was me. 00:11:50.860 --> 00:11:52.019 You circle it. 00:11:52.319 --> 00:11:53.259 You underline it. 00:11:53.419 --> 00:11:56.139 You grab your highlighter, and you draw little notes to it. 00:11:56.139 --> 00:11:56.620 Am I right? 00:11:56.899 --> 00:11:57.899 Why do you do that? 00:11:58.580 --> 00:12:02.600 You think it has significance, and it will appear on the test. 00:12:03.500 --> 00:12:06.580 Now, we're not going to have a test, but I want you to get this clear in your mind. 00:12:06.580 --> 00:12:13.740 The Scriptures itself make it clear that Christ's sacrifice was a once-for-all event, 00:12:14.120 --> 00:12:20.160 and His death on the cross satisfied the infinite penalty of all of our sins for all of time. 00:12:21.220 --> 00:12:26.879 I want you to look also, if you would, at Hebrews 10, verse 10, and then we're going to mark verse 12. 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:34.720 And by that will, talking about the plan of God, et cetera, in salvation, by that will, 00:12:35.179 --> 00:12:39.200 we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ. 00:12:39.419 --> 00:12:40.659 Now, underline it again. 00:12:40.980 --> 00:12:42.939 Let's hear it said, how many times? 00:12:43.360 --> 00:12:45.059 Once for all. 00:12:45.299 --> 00:12:46.879 And then in verse 12. 00:12:46.879 --> 00:12:51.620 But when Christ had offered for all time a, what's the word now? 00:12:52.100 --> 00:12:56.980 Single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Father. 00:12:58.559 --> 00:13:00.939 Hey, when you sit down, what's the deal? 00:13:01.320 --> 00:13:02.059 The job's done. 00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:07.620 How many of you have been helping your wife with dishes and walked out early and went in and watched TV? 00:13:09.100 --> 00:13:10.799 It's not a good career choice. 00:13:12.460 --> 00:13:12.940 Okay? 00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:14.879 You sit down when everything's done. 00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:22.519 And so, what I want you to understand as we work our way through this passage this morning is that what we engage in, 00:13:22.580 --> 00:13:25.460 when we come to this table and we take that bread and we take that cup, 00:13:25.700 --> 00:13:28.980 we are reminding ourselves of what Jesus has done. 00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:33.279 We are not giving Jesus an opportunity to do it again for us. 00:13:34.639 --> 00:13:39.460 Because He has finished His work and the debt has been paid. 00:13:40.659 --> 00:13:42.460 Whether you believe it or not, it's a fact. 00:13:42.460 --> 00:13:51.500 And by the way, the reason the Bible says it over and over and over again is because our natural mind kind of struggles with believing it to be true. 00:13:52.879 --> 00:13:55.600 God knowing our frailty, He makes it clear. 00:13:56.680 --> 00:13:59.200 Well, we recognize it's a memorial, not a sacrifice. 00:13:59.400 --> 00:14:04.980 I want you to understand, going back to 1 Corinthians chapter 11, that it's a testimony of gospel salvation. 00:14:04.980 --> 00:14:14.840 When we take the bread and when we take the cup, one of the things that we're doing is we're reminding ourselves of the core truths of our conversion, our salvation. 00:14:15.680 --> 00:14:24.800 Every time that we engage in the Lord's table, there is a sense in which we are going over the basic truths of the gospel. 00:14:25.680 --> 00:14:26.379 Do you understand that? 00:14:26.379 --> 00:14:39.740 Now, I want you to recognize that because when we come to this table, it's a reminder to us of what Jesus has done for us and the absolute necessity we had for Him dying on the cross for us. 00:14:39.779 --> 00:14:41.939 Let's look at a couple things in relationship to that. 00:14:42.799 --> 00:14:44.899 Looking at the text itself, it says, 00:14:44.899 --> 00:14:56.519 What was He talking about? 00:14:57.899 --> 00:15:02.980 Was He actually talking about the bread becoming His body? 00:15:04.199 --> 00:15:04.639 No. 00:15:05.480 --> 00:15:05.720 No. 00:15:05.720 --> 00:15:15.440 He was talking symbolically of the fact that He was going to die in place of us. 00:15:16.980 --> 00:15:24.000 One of the privileges that I have when I do the funeral of a believer is I have the privilege of sharing the gospel, 00:15:24.139 --> 00:15:28.540 and in the context of a believer going to be with the Lord Jesus, I have the joy of saying, 00:15:29.100 --> 00:15:32.580 Jesus died this person's death. 00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:35.440 Now, what does that mean? 00:15:35.720 --> 00:15:39.800 It means that while this person has died in a physical sense, 00:15:40.259 --> 00:15:46.320 Jesus died in their place and satisfied the judgment of a holy God against their sins, 00:15:46.540 --> 00:15:49.440 and Jesus suffered and paid the price. 00:15:49.639 --> 00:15:56.060 This person is not dying the kind of death that they would have died had they died without faith and not believing in Christ. 00:15:57.600 --> 00:16:04.660 So as you look at the passage here, I want you to recognize that we are reminding ourselves that Jesus died, 00:16:04.659 --> 00:16:08.199 and that we are sinners and justly condemned to die for our sins. 00:16:08.259 --> 00:16:13.279 So when we take the bread and we take the cup, one of the things that we should be reminding ourselves of is that, 00:16:13.379 --> 00:16:15.299 hey, listen, I did deserve to die. 00:16:15.399 --> 00:16:17.279 I do deserve to die for my sins. 00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:26.259 And yet, the sweetness of Scripture tells us Christ died in our place and for our sins. 00:16:26.720 --> 00:16:34.500 Turn over just for a moment to 2 Corinthians chapter 5, and mark what it says in verse 21. 00:16:34.500 --> 00:16:36.600 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 21. 00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:47.399 For our sakes He made Him sin who knew no sin, that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 00:16:47.419 --> 00:16:48.120 What's that saying? 00:16:48.620 --> 00:16:51.480 Is that saying that Christ Jesus became a sinner? 00:16:51.480 --> 00:16:53.100 That is not what it's saying. 00:16:53.700 --> 00:17:01.360 What it is saying is that Christ was treated as a sinner in my place and in your place, 00:17:01.560 --> 00:17:07.620 and God has treated me as righteous because of what Christ Jesus did for me. 00:17:08.460 --> 00:17:17.839 Third thing that I want us to see here in the passage here is that our coming to this table is a public witness of salvation. 00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:19.559 Look at verse 26. 00:17:19.559 --> 00:17:27.559 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. 00:17:27.720 --> 00:17:28.399 You proclaim. 00:17:29.240 --> 00:17:31.940 In the King James, I think it says, you show forth. 00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:35.700 And if you were to kind of work your way back into the Greek, 00:17:35.779 --> 00:17:41.500 one of the things that you would find out is that it talks about actually verbalizing your faith 00:17:41.500 --> 00:17:44.799 and your confidence in the finished work of Christ on the cross. 00:17:44.799 --> 00:17:49.539 There is a sense in which, and I would not discourage you ever from doing this, 00:17:49.559 --> 00:17:55.619 as you take the bread and as you take the cup, it would be entirely appropriate for you as you hold those elements 00:17:55.619 --> 00:17:58.940 and as you're ready to say it, I believe Jesus died for me. 00:18:00.179 --> 00:18:03.419 This bread reminds me Jesus died for me. 00:18:04.299 --> 00:18:07.720 This cup reminds me Jesus died for me. 00:18:07.720 --> 00:18:18.720 Now, I don't want to suggest that those who are getting extra points in heaven should do that. 00:18:18.819 --> 00:18:22.620 You know, there's not five extra points for verbalizing this Sunday morning, 00:18:23.039 --> 00:18:24.240 yes, Jesus died for me. 00:18:24.500 --> 00:18:27.299 But what would keep us from saying Jesus died for me? 00:18:27.299 --> 00:18:29.980 Here's what I would guess. 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:36.119 A, our heart just really doesn't connect with that truth and we're marginally indifferent to it. 00:18:36.359 --> 00:18:36.799 That's one. 00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:42.500 Or another thing would be, we're a little concerned that somebody else might think we're a little over the top 00:18:42.500 --> 00:18:43.859 in being so verbal about it. 00:18:44.859 --> 00:18:45.319 Agreed? 00:18:47.059 --> 00:18:47.519 No. 00:18:48.039 --> 00:18:49.960 There's nothing wrong with saying, 00:18:49.960 --> 00:18:54.960 I believe Jesus died for me and saying it out loud and making it part of your public testimony 00:18:54.960 --> 00:18:56.500 as you take the elements. 00:18:57.819 --> 00:18:59.559 So when you look at that little statement, 00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:03.779 I want you to understand that when we take the bread and we take the cup, 00:19:04.240 --> 00:19:08.980 we are making a personal announcement of our faith in the finished work of Christ. 00:19:09.799 --> 00:19:13.940 We're bearing public testimony to the fact that Jesus died in our place 00:19:13.940 --> 00:19:17.039 and we have complete confidence in His finished work. 00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:21.779 We believe that He has satisfied the judgment of a holy God against us 00:19:21.779 --> 00:19:25.319 and we recognize what it says in Romans chapter 8 verse 1. 00:19:25.619 --> 00:19:26.799 And I love reciting this. 00:19:26.940 --> 00:19:27.119 It says, 00:19:27.339 --> 00:19:32.019 There is now therefore no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus. 00:19:32.359 --> 00:19:38.259 Have you gotten tired of thinking about the fact that you are no longer condemned before a holy God? 00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:40.059 I trust not. 00:19:40.059 --> 00:19:47.519 Back in 1970, June 27th, I got married. 00:19:48.819 --> 00:19:51.599 And I can tell you, I was thinking about this earlier in this week 00:19:51.599 --> 00:19:55.480 and I was thinking about the moment when the doors of that church, 00:19:55.639 --> 00:19:57.059 the back doors, a little bit like ours here, 00:19:57.299 --> 00:20:02.980 they swung open and I saw Judith in her white gown 00:20:02.980 --> 00:20:06.980 standing, actually standing to the side because her father was there with her, 00:20:06.980 --> 00:20:08.599 but that's all I saw was my wife. 00:20:09.120 --> 00:20:10.019 She wasn't my wife yet. 00:20:10.360 --> 00:20:13.299 And she started walking that stately stride, you know, 00:20:13.420 --> 00:20:15.559 brides are supposed to not kind of hobble down. 00:20:15.740 --> 00:20:18.140 They walk with that kind of, you know how it is. 00:20:18.380 --> 00:20:19.799 And I was, oh, come on. 00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:23.759 And the closer she got, I began to tear up. 00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:27.500 And Judith will tell you that that's the first time she'd ever seen me cry 00:20:27.500 --> 00:20:29.500 and she was a little unnerved by that. 00:20:29.500 --> 00:20:32.559 She thought, what have I gotten myself into? 00:20:33.079 --> 00:20:34.299 Well, she survived. 00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:37.599 But you know what? 00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:42.339 On an annual basis, Judith and I like to remember the blessing of our marriage. 00:20:43.500 --> 00:20:44.660 But that's not all. 00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:48.119 We enjoy reminding one another of the blessing. 00:20:48.279 --> 00:20:51.759 I say to her on a regular basis, thank you so much for marrying me. 00:20:52.500 --> 00:20:53.019 Ask her. 00:20:53.460 --> 00:20:54.519 I say it regularly. 00:20:55.379 --> 00:20:58.240 And the last thing, I've told you this many times, 00:20:58.559 --> 00:21:01.400 when we get ready to shut it down for the night 00:21:01.400 --> 00:21:04.519 and we go into the lie down in our bed and the lights are off 00:21:04.519 --> 00:21:06.440 and she goes to sleep like this. 00:21:06.500 --> 00:21:08.079 I've got to get right on top of the task. 00:21:08.079 --> 00:21:10.460 And so, you know, she gets settled in. 00:21:10.619 --> 00:21:14.500 And Judith, I love you because if I let it go a little longer than four or five breaths, 00:21:14.819 --> 00:21:17.920 I began hearing these soft noises from over there. 00:21:18.139 --> 00:21:20.799 And I'm pretty much about getting this job done. 00:21:20.900 --> 00:21:21.859 And so I kind of nudged. 00:21:22.000 --> 00:21:22.819 I was sleeping. 00:21:22.819 --> 00:21:26.139 I said, well, you can't go to sleep without saying, I love you too. 00:21:27.379 --> 00:21:32.000 We remind each other of the blessing of our relationship. 00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:32.779 Agreed? 00:21:34.220 --> 00:21:40.559 And to come to this table and not come with thanksgiving, 00:21:41.099 --> 00:21:47.159 to come to this table with a lack of affection and passion for the Lord Jesus 00:21:47.160 --> 00:21:53.720 is either a signal that you don't know him or you've lost your first love. 00:21:55.800 --> 00:22:03.519 This is an opportunity to have your affections for the Lord Jesus refreshed and encouraged. 00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:08.220 to say, Jesus, thank you for loving me. 00:22:09.900 --> 00:22:12.200 Jesus, thank you for dying for me. 00:22:13.740 --> 00:22:16.740 Jesus, thank you for never giving up on me. 00:22:18.420 --> 00:22:23.859 Jesus, thank you that someday when I slip from this veil of sorrow and heartache, 00:22:23.859 --> 00:22:27.899 I am going to see you face to face. 00:22:30.500 --> 00:22:33.240 And when you take that bread and you take that cup, 00:22:33.740 --> 00:22:37.519 your heart should just kind of warm up within you 00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:40.299 and you should be moved with affection 00:22:40.299 --> 00:22:44.719 at the thought that God would send his son to die for you. 00:22:44.720 --> 00:22:48.960 And he has finished the work of salvation. 00:22:50.180 --> 00:22:52.740 And that's what we celebrate this morning. 00:22:53.799 --> 00:22:56.360 So let me say practically, as I close, 00:22:56.860 --> 00:22:58.940 that if you're here this morning as a believer, 00:22:59.079 --> 00:23:00.920 I want to encourage you to come to this table. 00:23:01.600 --> 00:23:04.440 Now, the Scriptures say that we should not come carelessly, 00:23:04.620 --> 00:23:06.120 and if there's unconfessed sin, 00:23:06.759 --> 00:23:09.799 and by the way, Tim Kenoyer is not the one who takes your confession. 00:23:09.900 --> 00:23:10.620 Do you understand that? 00:23:11.559 --> 00:23:13.360 It says if we confess our sins, 00:23:13.359 --> 00:23:15.859 he, and it's not little subtext, Tim, 00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:18.099 he is faithful and just to forgive us 00:23:18.099 --> 00:23:19.779 and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. 00:23:19.899 --> 00:23:21.659 So who do we confess our sins to 00:23:21.659 --> 00:23:23.439 if as you sit there this morning, 00:23:23.679 --> 00:23:24.779 the Spirit of God says, 00:23:25.039 --> 00:23:26.379 there's something you need to deal with? 00:23:26.539 --> 00:23:27.399 You talk to God. 00:23:28.959 --> 00:23:30.659 I've got some sins I need to confess, 00:23:30.839 --> 00:23:33.179 and I want to come to this table with a clear conscience. 00:23:33.819 --> 00:23:36.259 And so let's take a little bit of time here in just a moment 00:23:36.259 --> 00:23:38.619 to pray and say, God, give me a right heart. 00:23:39.059 --> 00:23:41.139 I want to confess the issues you've brought to my mind. 00:23:41.140 --> 00:23:44.259 If you're here today and do not know Christ, 00:23:45.560 --> 00:23:49.060 let me encourage you that since taking these elements 00:23:49.060 --> 00:23:50.800 is in some ways a public testimony, 00:23:51.020 --> 00:23:52.900 it's like saying, yeah, I'm a Christian. 00:23:54.580 --> 00:23:55.980 Don't say it if it's not true. 00:23:57.120 --> 00:23:58.580 Let the elements pass. 00:24:00.420 --> 00:24:02.660 On the other hand, one of the things that you may do 00:24:02.660 --> 00:24:03.880 as you're sitting right where you are, 00:24:03.940 --> 00:24:05.020 you might be saying right now, 00:24:05.180 --> 00:24:08.460 I recognize that I need Christ as my personal Savior. 00:24:08.460 --> 00:24:11.440 You don't have to come to the front of this church to have salvation. 00:24:11.980 --> 00:24:13.279 What it says in the Scriptures is, 00:24:13.360 --> 00:24:15.440 whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord, what? 00:24:16.100 --> 00:24:16.980 Shall be saved. 00:24:17.180 --> 00:24:18.480 You can be saved right where you are 00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:21.240 and take the elements as a new believer trusting in Him 00:24:21.240 --> 00:24:23.220 alone for your salvation. 00:24:24.460 --> 00:24:25.660 Before the men come, 00:24:26.539 --> 00:24:29.299 let's just spend a moment quietly before the Lord in prayer, 00:24:30.140 --> 00:24:32.519 asking that what we do at this time 00:24:32.519 --> 00:24:34.180 is come with a clear conscience 00:24:34.180 --> 00:24:36.820 and a delight in the Lord Jesus Christ 00:24:36.820 --> 00:24:39.840 as we take these elements in worship.