What God can do, what God delights to do in life.
Total transformation, total change, total change, total change, total change, total change,
!
True understanding of, as Rick and Lynn shared, true understanding of the weight of sin.
A true recognition and true appreciation for who God was.
And I show this for a second reason.
The second reason is because we're moving through difficult waters in the passage in
John chapter 12.
I want to encourage you not only in understanding what God can do for you, what God delights
to do in salvation, but to give you a taste.
To give you a taste of what God wants to accomplish in your life.
What God wants to accomplish through your life in this world.
I see these videos and it just captures my heart and I am reminded of the power of God
in accomplishing the impossible task of leading us to salvation.
And I say to myself, I want a taste.
I want a taste of that power of God working through me, channeling through me, and working
in the heart and life of another individual to lead them to this kind of transformation.
I want to see God's power show up in my life in a tangible and vivid way.
God is in the business of doing extraordinary things.
And I find myself getting caught up in the ordinary.
I find myself becoming complacent and lethargic and okay with the mundane in life.
With just skating by.
With just getting through.
With just making it to the weekend.
Living for a Friday perhaps.
Or just living for retirement.
Living for that vacation.
Living for that next time where you're going to really have fun.
Where you're going to really live life.
And God says, I want to show up today in your life.
I want there to be power in your life today.
I want there to be change in your life today.
I want you to experience my presence today.
I want you to have me today.
And I find myself saying, I'm just okay.
I'm okay with how things are.
It's a little too uncomfortable to be moving into deeper fellowship with you.
Because sometimes I understand that deeper fellowship with you means letting go.
Some of the things that I really enjoy in life.
And that's why this morning I ask you this question.
And the question really comes from the text.
We've been talking about the glory of Christ.
And the question for us this morning is, do you savor?
Do you savor God's glory?
Do you savor the glory of Christ that was made manifest in the cross?
Is it something that you treasure?
Is it something that you cherish?
Is it something that you value?
And if it is something that you value, then it's going to shape the way you live.
It's going to show up in the kind of people that we are.
It's going to make a difference.
Like it did for Lynn.
Like it did for Rick.
I appreciate how they summarized that.
They believed in God, but it had no impact on their life.
We're going to look at a group of individuals this morning from our passage in John chapter 12
that are exactly the same.
It uses the term, they believed in God.
But it goes on to say, they loved the glory of man more than the glory of Christ.
And the difficult question for us this morning,
the question I'm going to try to help us answer is,
were they legitimate and authentic believers in Christ?
Were they genuinely saved?
Now I told you that John chapter 12 is a difficult passage.
It's a hard chapter.
It confronts us with the glory of Christ.
And in confronting us with the glory of Christ,
it challenges us with,
is God supreme?
Is he Lord?
Is he sovereign?
Will we allow Jesus to be Lord?
Will we let him be God?
And in being God, will we let him be in control?
And this is, if it was hard last week,
it is especially difficult this morning.
Because it forces us to take a hard look at our life.
And if you're anything like me,
I don't want to take a hard look at my life.
The Apostle Paul to the church of Corinth says,
he says, examine yourself.
Test yourself to see if you're in the faith.
Is it right for us to test ourselves?
Is it right for us to ask these hard questions?
I'll tell you what,
I don't want to ask these questions.
Even this morning as the pastor,
in looking at this scripture,
it would be far more comfortable for me
to move to chapter 13.
We can begin to talk about the Last Supper.
After all, that's what we're doing this morning.
It'd be far easier for us to deal with that subject
than this one this morning.
But it is here.
These are the very last public words of Jesus Christ.
These are the last words that he wanted
the people in Jerusalem to understand.
So these are significant.
These are weighty words.
These are hard words.
And these words begin to summarize
all of Jesus' public ministry.
They come front and center
as Jesus screams from we don't even know where,
shouts to whoever will listen,
this message that we're going to look at this morning.
And it bears down on us today
as we consider the cross.
As we consider these words of Christ
and we are forced to ask ourselves the question,
do we savor God's glory?
Will we allow God to be God?
So we're in John chapter 12.
Turn with me if you would.
If you're a guest with us this morning,
it's on page 899.
I want to read the text
and then we'll start to deal with the issues
that are here in the text together.
John chapter 12.
And I'm going to begin.
I'm going to back up to verse 41
and then read to the end of the chapter.
It says,
And Jesus cried out and said,
Whoever believes in me,
believes not in me,
but in him who sent me.
And whoever sees me,
sees him who sent me.
I have come into the world as light,
so that whoever believes in me
may not remain in darkness.
If anyone hears my words
and does not keep them,
I do not judge him.
For I did not come to judge the world,
but to save the world.
The one who rejects me
and does not receive my words
has a judge.
The word that I have spoken
will judge him on that day.
For I have not spoken of my own accord,
my own authority.
But the Father who sent me
has himself given me a commandment.
What to say and what to speak.
And I know that this commandment
is eternal life.
What I say, therefore,
I say as the Father
has told me to say.
Without savoring Christ,
without treasuring Christ,
we need to ask ourselves the question,
can there be authentic faith
within us?
What does it mean to savor him?
What does that look like?
How does it show up?
And we'll see three ways
this morning in our passage
that savoring Christ
will show up
throughout this discourse.
First, we see in verse 41
through verse 43
that those who savor Christ
will speak of him.
Those who savor him
will speak of him.
First, we see the positive example
of Isaiah.
Here in Isaiah,
excuse me,
in verse 41.
It says,
Isaiah said these things
because he saw the glory,
his glory,
and spoke of him.
Isaiah said these things
because he saw the glory of Christ,
the glory of God.
And it goes back to Isaiah chapter 6.
And it goes back
to what we see in verse 40.
What did Isaiah say?
What did he talk about?
And how did he express
this understanding,
this confidence
in the glory of Christ?
As we've seen through
the book of John
and specifically in this chapter,
John chapter 12,
we've seen the glory of Christ
come into view
consistently throughout
this chapter.
More than any other chapter
up to this point,
John chapter 12
deals with the glory
of Christ.
And here now,
concentrated in these
last few verses,
the glory of Christ
is coming into full view.
We find that
John is emphatic
about the glory of Christ.
He speaks about it
at the beginning
of Jesus' ministry
and now here
at the end
of his public ministry,
he is dealing
with it again.
It should be no surprise
that the gospel of John
in speaking about
the glory of Christ
also concentrates
on believing
in Christ.
We know John
chapter 20, 31.
These things
have been written
so that you may believe
that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God.
It should be no surprise
that in order
for us to come
to true,
saving faith,
there needs to be
a treasuring.
There needs to be
a beholding.
There needs to be
a savoring.
There needs to be
an understanding
and a, you know,
wondering
at the glory of Christ.
Christ.
And now,
in these final moments,
John gives a,
a kind of a commentary,
a synopsis,
an analysis
of Jesus' life.
He does that
in verses
40,
or 37
to 42
or 41.
He helps us
understand
how can it be
possible
when Jesus
shows up
and demonstrates
his glory,
how can it be
possible
that so many
people
have rejected
his glory
and have turned
their back
on him?
What is
your final analysis,
John?
How can these
things be true?
Why do
so many
still do not
believe?
Well,
verse 40,
he gives us
the answer.
The answer
that comes
from the mouth
of Isaiah
who saw
the glory
of Christ
Christ
and recognizes
the sovereignty
of God,
his lordship,
his control,
and he says,
he has blinded
their eyes
and hardened
their heart
lest they see
with their eyes
and understand
with their heart
and turn
and I would
heal them.
The beginning
of Christ's
ministry,
it says,
he came to his
own and his
own received
him not.
And here at
the end,
we find the
same synopsis
to be true,
the same
analysis
to be true.
Jesus coming
to his own,
spending himself
for his people
and what do
they do?
They reject
him.
How is
this possible?
The answer,
this is the
way God
intended it.
That is
almost
breathtaking
for us
to see
and to
believe.
God
intended
that?
How could
God
intend
this
to happen?
And what
does that
do for us
in terms
of believing
in the
will of man
to be able
to choose
God?
Are these
two truths
in conflict?
Is the
will of man
and the
sovereignty
of God
in conflict?
And the
Bible answer
to that,
the simple
answer to
that is no.
They are
not in
conflict.
And we
wonder how
can that
be true?
We get
a bit
of that,
of the
answer in
Romans chapter
one,
where it
talks about
the mutual
responsibility.
It talks
about how
God gave
people up
to uncleanness
because
they exchanged
the truth
of God
for a lie.
They chose
rebellion,
they chose
wickedness,
they chose
to oppose,
they chose
to be enemies
of him,
and God
refused to
shine his
light to them
so they
could not
believe.
Why?
We saw
this last
week as
well.
God
allowed
a hardening
to take
place for
them because
he needed
to send
Jesus to
the cross.
God
intended to
save
sinners.
God
intended
for the
gospel to
be made
known to
us as
Gentiles,
to be open
so that we
could enjoy
the benefits
of salvation
that could
not have
happened had
Jesus not
gone to
the cross.
Paul says
this in
Romans 11
25,
he says,
I don't
want you
to be
unaware of
this mystery
brothers,
a partial
hardening
has come
upon Israel
until the
fullness of
the Gentiles
has come
in.
And Isaiah
saw,
in Isaiah
chapter 6,
a glimmer
of the glory
of Christ,
and what
did it
cause him
to do?
In verse
41 here
of chapter
12,
he saw
these
things
and he
spoke
of him.
He saw
the glory
of Christ.
He beheld
it,
he wondered
at it,
and it
caused him
to speak.
He says,
woe is me,
I am lost,
I am a man
of unclean
lips,
I dwell
in the midst
of a people
of unclean
lips,
for my eyes
have seen
the King,
the Lord
of hosts.
The only
fitting response
for us
when we
see the glory
of Christ
is to
proclaim
worship
and praise
and wonder
and to speak
of him
to the world
around us.
that's the
positive
example.
And now
we transition
to the
negative
example.
This example
that now
that we
see showing
up in
verses 42
and 43,
this negative
example of
the Jewish
leaders.
Here again
it says,
many even
of the
authorities
believed in
him,
but for
fear of
the Pharisees
they did
not confess
it,
so that
they would
not be put
out of the
synagogue.
For they
loved the
glory that
comes from
man more
than the
glory that
comes from
God.
When we
read these
words,
it almost
makes us
feel a sense
of delight.
Many
believed in
him,
even of the
Jews.
Certainly
that is a
good thing,
that's a
positive
thing,
especially
in light
of all
the opposition
that Jesus
faced through
the retaliation
and the
opposition of
the Jews
throughout his
ministry.
Certainly
this is a
positive twist
in the
story,
right?
They've
communicated
scathing
accusations
through
Jesus'
ministry.
They have
schemed
and are
planning his
death,
but there
are some
who have
separated
themselves
from that
bunch,
at least,
and they're
not openly
attacking
Christ,
but they're
also not
openly
confessing
Christ.
When it
says that
they believed,
it uses the
same word
that's used
throughout the
gospel of
John to
describe
belief,
describe
saving
faith.
Same word
is used
throughout the
gospel to
help us
come to
terms with
the crowds
that did
believe in
Jesus.
But it
also helps
to identify
throughout the
gospel of
John several
groups of
individuals that
although they
believed there
was something
defective,
there was
something deficient
about their
faith.
Early on in
Christ's
ministry, I
would encourage
you just to
turn to the
beginning of
John.
Let's take a
mini tour.
John chapter
2 verse
23.
It says,
Now, when
he was in
Jerusalem at
the Passover
feast, many
believed,
underline that,
in his name,
when they saw
the signs that
he was doing.
But Jesus,
on his part,
did not entrust
himself to
them because
he knew all
people and
needed no one
to bear witness
about him for
he himself knew
what was in
men.
They believed,
but Jesus knew
their heart.
In chapter
3, this
one Nicodemus
comes to
Jesus.
We see there
in the first
part of the
chapter, it
says, a ruler
of the Jews.
This man came
to Jesus by
night and
said to him,
Rabbi, we
know that you
are a teacher
come from God,
for no one
can do the
signs that you
do unless
God is with
him.
There is
faith.
But as you
turn through
the rest of
this narrative,
you'll see
in verse
12 in
particular,
Jesus
confronts
Nicodemus and
says, if I
have told you
earthly things
and you do
not believe,
how can you
believe if I
tell you
heavenly things?
There was a
measure of
intellectual
affirmation in
the things that
Jesus was doing,
but there was
not the kind
of faith that
led him to
salvation.
Turning to
chapter 6,
we see many
of the same
things.
in verse 2,
it says,
a great
multitude
followed him
because they
saw the
signs which
he performed.
Dropping
down to
verse 14,
it says,
then those
men, when
they had seen
the signs that
Jesus did,
said, truly,
this is the
prophet who
has come into
the world.
But then,
Jesus'
analysis of
their hearts
comes in
verse 64.
for Jesus
knew from
the beginning
who they
were who
did not
believe and
who would
betray him.
But perhaps
it comes into
best focus in
chapter 8,
John chapter
8.
We see in
verse 30,
in Jesus'
dialogue with
the Jewish
leaders,
it says,
and he was
saying these
things,
many believed
in him.
So, in
verse 31,
Jesus said
to the Jews
who had
believed in
him,
if you
abide in
my word,
you are
truly my
disciples,
and you
will know
the truth,
and the
truth will
set you
free.
Speaking to
the same
audience,
the same
group of
individuals,
who now
get into
a debate
with Jesus,
dropping down
to verse
44,
Jesus
summarizes
what is
truly in
their hearts,
and says,
you are of
your father
the devil,
and your
will is to
do your
father's
desires,
he was a
murderer from
the beginning,
and has
nothing to
do with
the truth,
because there
is no
truth in
him.
There is
the potential
for faith,
for believing
that is not
adequate,
that is not
complete,
that is not
authentic,
that it
affirms the
things that it
believes to be
true,
without it
changing anything
about who
they are.
And that
is what
John is
now talking
about here
in the
latter part
of chapter
12.
There was
no change,
they were
unmoved
to the
point of
worship,
they were
not savoring
God's glory,
there was
this fascination
with who
Jesus was,
there was
this passing
interest,
there was
this enjoyment
of him,
and some
of the
fringe
benefits
of coming
and being
healed,
and being
taught,
being encouraged,
and being
part of this
great movement
that Jesus
was leading.
But there
was no
treasuring
of Christ.
Why do I
say that?
I can say
that because
of now what
we see at
the end
of verse
42 and
43.
But for
fear of
the Pharisees
they did
not
confess it.
So they
would not
be put out
of the
synagogue,
for they
loved the
glory that
comes from
man more
than the
glory that
comes from
God.
Now this
word fear,
if you have
an ESV,
this word
fear is not
actually in
this text
here,
but it
points to
another verse
of what we
can see in
John chapter
17.
It was
for fear
of the
Jews there.
But maybe
particularly
and better
would be the
example in
John chapter
9.
Just turn a
page back
to look at
this account.
In John
chapter 9,
if you remember,
this was the
blind man that
was healed
by Christ.
And there's
this conversation,
this debate
taking place
of whether
or not he
was really
born blind
and who
was the
person who
healed him.
And coming
into focus,
these questions
are now being
asked to his
parents.
Beginning in
verse 20,
his parents
answered,
we know that
this is our
son and
that he was
born blind,
but how he
sees we do
not know,
nor do we
know who
opened his
eyes.
Ask him.
He is of
age.
He will
speak for
himself.
His parents
said these
things because
they feared
the Jews.
the Jews
had already
agreed that
if anyone
should confess
Jesus to
be Christ,
he was to
be put out
of the
synagogue.
Everything
Jewish,
everything
related to
the social
structure,
anything
related to
business,
anything
related to
family,
anything
related to
community,
anything
that related
to future
legacy,
was anchored
in this
relationship
that would
have been
true in the
synagogue.
There was
much at
stake.
And for
these Jews
who were
part of the
leadership in
Jerusalem,
it was too
much to
ask.
It was too
big of a
confession to
make.
It was too
big of a
sacrifice to
make.
So they
could not
confess it
because,
as John
says,
in pinpointing
and zeroing in
on the true
motive of
their heart,
they loved
the praise
of man
more than
the praise
of God.
They did
not savor
Christ.
Now to
make this
intensely
personal,
where do
you fit in
this picture?
There is
the positive
example of
Isaiah,
there is the
negative example
of the Jews,
and then there
is an example
that you
bring to
the table.
I'm letting
you fill in
the blank.
Where do
you fit in
this story?
Positively
or negatively?
What dominates
your conversation
from day to
day?
What do you
find to be
the easiest
subject matter
to address?
What is the
most comfortable
to discuss?
In your
business
conversations,
in your
family
conversations,
what you
speak about
is what
you savor.
What you
speak about
is what
you savor.
So that the
Apostle Paul
says,
I'm not
ashamed of
the gospel
of Christ.
It is
what motivates
me.
It is
what moves
me.
It is
what encourages
my soul.
I can't
help, he
says in
1 Corinthians
chapter 2,
I'm determined
to know nothing
among you
except Jesus
Christ and
him crucified.
There is no
greater subject
matter I'd
rather address
than the subject
matter of
Jesus Christ.
In our
conversations,
is Jesus
worth speaking
about?
Is Jesus
worth taking
risks over?
Does he
motivate your
mouth and
as an
expression of
what's coming
out of your
mouth, as
Jesus says,
it is a fruit
of what is
actually in
the heart.
Does our
heart reveal
an affection
and a
savoring of
Jesus Christ
so that it
comes forth
in how we
speak?
It shows
up in
how we
speak with
individuals.
Next, as we
move to
verses 44
and 46,
in John
chapter 12,
Jesus now
emerges from
the shadows.
We see his
last words in
the temple
in verse
36,
speaking about
light and
speaking about
his ministry
and speaking
about what he
is going to
do on the
cross.
And then it
says at the
end of verse
36, when
Jesus had
said these
things, he
departed and
hid himself
from them.
Jesus moves
out of the
temple square,
Jesus moves
into the
shadows, and
now he
emerges for
one last
declaration,
one last
statement to
summarize his
ministry.
In verses
44 to
50, and
it begins
with a
vision of
him.
Do you
see him?
And when
you savor
him, you
will see
him.
You will
believe in
him.
That's what
Jesus says in
verse 44.
Whoever
believes in
me, believes
not in
him who,
excuse me,
whoever
believes in
me, believes
not in
me, but
in him
who sent
me.
And whoever
sees me,
sees him
who sent
me.
I have come
into this
world as
light, so
that whoever
believes in
me may not
remain in
darkness.
Jesus was
sent from
the Father.
Do you
see him?
Do you
savor him?
True vision
leads to
true faith.
When Jesus
shows up and
we begin to
believe who
Jesus is,
what his
true identity
is, it will
shape the
way that we
live.
Jesus
repeatedly
talks about
him proceeding
from the
Father, him
coming from
the Father, his
fellowship with
the Father, him
representing the
Father.
It shows up
tremendously
throughout the
Gospel of
John.
I have this
little graphic
up here just
to give you
an idea of
how much
John is
interested in
Jesus'
relationship
with the
Father.
Believing
in me
depends on
your view
of who
God is.
And if
your view
of God
is proper,
if it is
correct, then
you will see
me not as
some good
prophet, not
as some good
teacher, not
as just a
miracle worker,
you will see me
as God in the
flesh.
You will see me
as one who
is sent from
him, showing
up to convey
the words of
God to you.
you think
this was
significant in
the ministry
of Christ?
Especially
here in the
Gospel of
John, you
better believe
it.
Jesus is
emphatic about
this point.
You cannot
have God
without having
me.
I'm not an
optional part
of this
conversation
in relationship
to your
view of who
God is.
you must
see me as
having proceeded
from him,
having been
sent from
him.
The man
who believes,
the man
who believes
in God
must believe
in me.
But he
also comes
to shine
the light
into the
world.
He was
sent from
the Father,
we see that
here twice
in these
two verses,
we also see
that he
shines his
light into
the world.
Again,
this is a
principal theme
throughout the
gospel of
John.
As one
who comes
to shine,
Jesus brings
the truth.
Jesus cuts
through the
fog of
tradition.
Jesus helps
to demonstrate
the inadequacy
of the
perceptions
that the
religious leaders
had brought
to bear
in the lives
of the Jews
at the time.
He sets
the record
straight about
God's
expectations.
He shows
God's character
that shocked
the multitudes.
in the way
that Jesus
handled the
Old Testament,
in his
treatment of
the Sabbath,
in his
defining of
the law,
his forgiveness
of sins,
his compassion
for the weak,
his mercy
to the outcast,
his posture
towards the rich,
his distance
from the
mainstream,
his rebuke
to the religious
leaders.
Everything
that Jesus
did confronted
and exposed
the people.
it shined
the light
into their
desire
to be
self-sufficient.
It pointed
supremely
to worship
of God.
It steered
them away
from everything
that they
had anchored
their life
in,
the synagogue
and the temple
and even
the law
and helped
them understand
that everything
is supremely
encompassed
in the person
of Christ.
He exposed
their heart
of idolatry
and uncovered
the nakedness
of their hearts.
He shined
the light
into their life
and let them
deal with the truth.
And in doing
that,
He also
confronted them
in a way
that would help
lead them
out of darkness
and lead them
into light.
He separates
true believers
from the darkness.
We see that here
in verse 46.
whoever believes
in me
will not
remain
in darkness.
He separates
us from
the darkness.
John continues
this theme
in his epistle
in 1 John.
He says,
love not the world
neither the things
that are in the world
because if you
love the world
the love
of the Father
is not
in you.
you cannot
have
the darkness
and be called
sons of light.
I came
to help
lead you
to life
in light.
Not simply
coming to church.
Not simply
reading your Bible.
Not simply
knowing all
the good answers.
Not simply
going to small group
or singing in the choir
or serving
in children's ministry.
Having a good
work ethic.
Being kind
to your neighbors.
Giving all your money.
All of those
things are good.
But Jesus
wants to draw
our attention
to savoring
him
and living
in the light.
It will
shape you.
It will
mark you
as an individual.
It will lead you
to this final
aspect of
savoring
Christ
that we find
in these last
few verses.
He says
in verse
47
if anyone
hears my words
and does
not keep
them
I don't
judge him
for I did
not come
to judge
the world
but to
save
the world.
You will
if you are
a son
or a daughter
of light
you will
submit
to him.
You will
recognize
that your
ultimate
accountability
is to the
words
and the
standard
that he
set.
and you
with the
power of
the Holy
Spirit
will walk
in the
words
that Christ
has given
to us.
His words
cannot be
optional.
They're not
secondary.
They're primary.
They're foundational.
They're vital
for spiritual
life.
They lead
to life
and wisdom
and fellowship
with God
and peace
and satisfaction
and joy
and productivity
and confidence
and everything
good can be
found in
conforming our
lives to the
word of God.
For all
that God's
word brings
the greatest
struggle
that it
demands
is a struggle
of death.
Death
to self
so that
God can reign
as king
over your life.
Do
we love
God
supremely?
Is this
command
our standard?
Do we
recognize
that we
will be
one day
accountable
to the
words
that he
has
shared?
And
finally,
you will
recognize
the authority
of his
words in
verses
49 and
50.
I have
not spoken
on my
own
authority
but the
father
who sent
me
has
himself
given
me a
command
what to
say
and what
to speak.
These
words are
coming
from God
almighty.
does
God
have
authority
over you?
Does
he have
authority
over me?
Do
I live
my life
underneath
his
governance,
underneath
his
control,
underneath
his
sovereignty
and lordship
and authority?
Does
God
have a
right
to speak
into
my
life,
into
your
life?
does
he have
a
right
to
boss
you
around
as
it
were?
To
help
you
understand
what
his
requirements
and
desires
are?
And do
those
words
help
to
determine
and to
guide
us
in
our
hobbies,
in
our
leisure,
in
our
downtime,
in
our
family
time,
in
our
business
engagements,
wherever
we are,
do
God's
words
provide
direction
and help
to steer
us in
the way
that he
wants us
to go?
Or
do we
find
ourselves
just
checking
out
of
Christian
things
during
the week
and then
showing up
to let
God
tell us
what to
do
on
Sunday?
God
wants
to be
supreme
for us.
But if
we're
honest,
if I'm
honest
with
myself,
I
understand
that
there is
a constant
struggle
in my
life
to align
my
life
with the
word
of God.
And I
imagine
that if
I were
to ask
any of
you this
morning,
we would
all express
the same
struggle,
the struggle
to be
consistent,
the struggle
to make
him Lord
in every
area of
our
life.
We get
that.
And I
think God
gets that
too.
He understands
that there
will be
a struggle
and that's
why he
has given
us
opportunity
on a
consistent
basis
to remember.
He gives
us the
joy of
remembrance,
of bringing
to our
attention
the things
that are
vital,
the things
that are
important.
And so
this morning
as we
take this
bread and
this cup
up,
it's our
opportunity
to remember
what Christ
has said,
to remember
what he
has done,
to remember
what the
cross stands
for,
it stands
for his
glory,
it stands
for him
showing forth
his true
identity,
and giving
ourselves the
opportunity
to bow the
knee in
worship,
and to say,
God,
I have
failed again.
God,
please align
my heart
with your
word,
help me
to be
consistent,
help me
to be
true,
help me
as I
examine
myself,
as I
evaluate
my speech,
the things
that I
say,
as I
evaluate
what I
believe and
what I
see to be
true about
you,
and as I
submit to
your commands,
Lord,
help me to
do that
faithfully,
help me
to be
consistent,
let your
Holy Spirit
do a work
in my
life,
and as
we prepare
our hearts
for this,
let me pray,
I'll ask the
men to
come forward,
and we'll
remember the
Lord through
this time
of communion.
Lord,
these are
hard words
this morning
that we
have looked
at,
we're so
grateful that
you do
your work
in our
lives.
As Paul
says,
work out
your salvation
with fear
and trembling,
that's our
job,
for it is
God,
he moves
on,
it is God
who does
the work,
he wills
in our
life to
accomplish
his purposes.
we thank
you that
you allow
your Holy
Spirit to
overcome our
inadequacy,
to overcome
our limitations,
to overcome
our powerlessness,
and to lead
us to
obedience.
We ask that
you would do
your work
this morning
for us.
We pray
that your
cross,
your glory
would be
front and
center,
not only
in this
time,
but throughout
the rest
of this
week.
May we
see you
show up
for us.
May there
be revival
personally,
so that we
can begin
to see
your working
in the lives
of the people
around us.
We know
that you're
powerful,
we know
that you're
strong,
we know
that you're
able,
you're
victorious,
that's what
the cross
declares,
victory over
sin and
death.
God,
make that
a reality
for us.
Lead us,
lead us
to righteousness
and holiness
and purity.
May we
represent you
in this
world.
Do a
work for
us that
we cannot
do for
ourselves.
And we
praise you
for this
remembrance
that helps
us to
recall
your power,
your ability.
And so we
praise you
in Jesus'
name.
Amen.
God's
Thank you.
Let's remember him as we take this morning.
And the cup.
The cup is the fullness of who Christ is.
This is his expression of death and the penalty of sin.
Let's distribute this.
Thank you.
And if you don't, it's a judgment that you will one day experience for yourself.
Separation from God.
Death forever.
This morning as we consider the cup and all that Christ did, let's remember what he did for us on the cross to pay the penalty for sin.
Let's drink together.
Lord, we praise you for the bread, for the cup, for this time of remembrance, what it does for us in exalting you in our minds.
Helping us to savor you, who you are and what you have done.
We praise you, God, in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Sing together.
The mystery of the cross I cannot comprehend.
The agonies of Calvary.
You, the perfect Holy One, cross your side.
You drink the bitter cup reserved for me.
Your blood has washed away my sin.
Jesus, thank you.
The Father's wrath completely satisfied.
Jesus, thank you.
Once your enemy.
Now seated at your table.
Jesus, thank you.
By your perfect sacrifice I've been brought near.
Your enemy you've made your friend.
Pouring out the riches of your glorious grace.
Your mercy and your kindness know no end.
Your blood has washed away my sin.
Jesus, thank you.
The Father's wrath completely satisfied.
Jesus, thank you.
Once your enemy.
Now seated at your table.
Jesus, thank you.
to live for you lover of my soul lover of my soul i want to live for you lover of my soul
lover of my soul i want to live for you your blood has washed away my sin jesus thank you the father's wrath
completely satisfied jesus thank you what's your enemy now seated at your table jesus thank you
amen
holy
Thank you.