WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:19.160 I would like you to turn your Bible first of all to Jude verse 12 and we will begin our communion 00:00:19.160 --> 00:00:20.000 ! 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:27.480 study by taking just a moment to look at a text that really in some senses is an introduction 00:00:27.480 --> 00:00:28.480 ! 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:32.799 Lord, to where we will spend the majority of our time. 00:00:32.799 --> 00:00:38.600 But before we read the passage and then think about it together, I want you to join me in 00:00:38.600 --> 00:00:39.859 prayer. 00:00:39.859 --> 00:00:50.100 Our Father God, this morning as we come to you, we're reminded yet again of what the scriptures 00:00:50.100 --> 00:00:56.960 tell us that not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord. 00:00:56.960 --> 00:01:05.120 And we who are your children are so incredibly, so richly blessed that we who enjoy salvation 00:01:05.120 --> 00:01:11.280 also enjoy the ministry of the Spirit of God that indwells every believer. 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:27.599 And we ask that your Spirit who you have given to us would quicken our heart this morning to grow in our affection for the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:01:27.599 --> 00:01:40.079 I pray, Lord, for the declaration of your word that it might be marked this morning by scriptural clarity and spiritual power. 00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:54.140 Lord, that Christ, who receives the adoration and praise in heaven, would receive that which is his due here among your people as well. 00:01:54.140 --> 00:02:04.519 Lord, help us, Lord, to be yielded to your Spirit and to your scripture and to be thankful for the work that you do among us. 00:02:04.519 --> 00:02:09.560 And we ask this in Jesus' name for his glory. 00:02:10.699 --> 00:02:11.039 Amen. 00:02:13.240 --> 00:02:15.939 I want you to look with me just there for a minute at verse 12. 00:02:16.060 --> 00:02:16.439 It says, 00:02:17.439 --> 00:02:21.039 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts. 00:02:22.400 --> 00:02:26.340 Really only want to think about two words there, and that is the word love feast. 00:02:26.340 --> 00:02:32.900 And as I was meditating and praying about this day and when we come to this table, 00:02:33.020 --> 00:02:39.640 I am mindful of the fact that here is Jude writing to address a problem that was taking place in the church. 00:02:39.740 --> 00:02:47.000 And what was going on was something that was offensive to what God's people were actually gathering to do when they gathered around the Lord's table. 00:02:47.980 --> 00:02:53.960 And we have that little description that is given of what the Lord's table actually was and is. 00:02:53.960 --> 00:02:54.360 It says, 00:02:54.759 --> 00:02:56.039 It's a love feast. 00:02:57.340 --> 00:03:01.400 We have similar vocabulary in our own culture. 00:03:01.500 --> 00:03:07.300 When we think of Thanksgiving and we have Thanksgiving dinner, why are we having dinner? 00:03:07.539 --> 00:03:11.140 I mean, every one of us have dinner on a fairly regular basis. 00:03:11.520 --> 00:03:17.259 In fact, if we don't have dinner on a fairly regular basis, our body begins telling us that it's din-din time. 00:03:17.319 --> 00:03:17.699 Am I right? 00:03:17.980 --> 00:03:18.939 We're connected. 00:03:18.939 --> 00:03:24.620 But when we have Thanksgiving dinner, what is the significance of Thanksgiving dinner? 00:03:24.620 --> 00:03:28.099 There's something that happens along with that, right? 00:03:28.439 --> 00:03:32.379 Most of us, we have a day that's set aside somewhere in November. 00:03:32.379 --> 00:03:33.039 Am I right? 00:03:33.099 --> 00:03:33.840 I think I am. 00:03:34.099 --> 00:03:35.920 And we do family things. 00:03:36.039 --> 00:03:36.520 We enjoy. 00:03:36.719 --> 00:03:39.860 How many of you have a fairly routine Thanksgiving dinner? 00:03:39.860 --> 00:03:48.500 I mean, can you have Thanksgiving in America without having turkey and mashed potatoes and gravy and, I don't know, here we go. 00:03:48.580 --> 00:03:51.340 We get oyster dressing for those who are really religious. 00:03:51.620 --> 00:03:54.220 You know, there are certain things that go with Thanksgiving. 00:03:54.219 --> 00:03:55.699 How about cranberries? 00:03:55.780 --> 00:03:57.620 Anybody here a cranberry person? 00:03:58.020 --> 00:03:59.800 Or how many of you just kind of let it pass? 00:03:59.879 --> 00:04:03.699 I mean, it's a good thing that the Indians enjoyed it years ago, but not you, right? 00:04:03.819 --> 00:04:05.020 A little tart and all that. 00:04:05.039 --> 00:04:06.000 What am I doing this for? 00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:11.259 But Thanksgiving dinner, it goes with Thanksgiving. 00:04:11.259 --> 00:04:11.419 Thanksgiving. 00:04:12.060 --> 00:04:22.360 And here is this little statement that when the church gathered and partook of the Lord's table, they thought about it as a love feast. 00:04:23.319 --> 00:04:31.420 It was a time where in their celebration, the central focus was on the matter of the love of Christ. 00:04:33.300 --> 00:04:36.319 Let me ask you a question here, and I want you to think practically with me. 00:04:36.399 --> 00:04:37.879 And I do want you to think carefully. 00:04:37.879 --> 00:04:48.480 How many of you, as you think this morning, recognize that there are times in your life where your love for the Lord Jesus Christ is not as fervent as it should be? 00:04:49.600 --> 00:04:52.879 It's not as white hot as it should be. 00:04:53.219 --> 00:05:01.339 I was thinking earlier this morning of the passage in Revelation chapter 2, verse 4, where Jesus, as He is writing to the church, He says, 00:05:01.339 --> 00:05:04.500 Listen, your love has grown cold. 00:05:04.920 --> 00:05:06.939 Your love is not what it used to be. 00:05:06.939 --> 00:05:08.639 And return to that first love. 00:05:08.740 --> 00:05:17.079 And I recognize in Tim Knoyer's life, and I would think that probably I'm not entirely atypical, there are times that my life would match yours. 00:05:17.219 --> 00:05:20.480 And that my love for the Lord Jesus Christ sometimes is diminished. 00:05:20.639 --> 00:05:23.139 And other times it encouraged and inflamed. 00:05:23.139 --> 00:05:36.219 And, beloved, if there's any time in which our love should be encouraged and inflamed, it's when we come to this table and we take the bread that reminds us of the death and sacrifice of Christ, 00:05:36.360 --> 00:05:48.500 and we take the cup which reminds us of His blood of the new covenant, that our heart ought to be encouraged to love Him in practical and, I'll use the term, and very emotional terms. 00:05:48.500 --> 00:05:52.579 How many of you remember what it was like to fall in love as a teenager? 00:05:54.180 --> 00:06:00.399 Are there any of you out there that can remember your first passionate, I mean, you kind of got imbalanced. 00:06:00.480 --> 00:06:01.079 Do you remember that? 00:06:01.079 --> 00:06:10.699 Now, I can tell you that loving my wife after now, how long we've been married, 43 years, I better be careful, but it gets better as it goes along. 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:14.240 I remember, man, it's hard to imagine how good it gets. 00:06:14.459 --> 00:06:20.299 As you grow in your love and your affection and nurturing that over time really builds on it. 00:06:20.300 --> 00:06:30.220 And what we are here to do this morning is to nurture and encourage our sense of thankfulness in the Lord Jesus and our affection for Him. 00:06:30.900 --> 00:06:45.560 Well, for me to say, I want you to love Christ is to throw a challenge out in front of you that unless it is built upon something and it's established firmly in biblical truth, 00:06:45.840 --> 00:06:48.439 it's not going to be very substantial, is it? 00:06:48.439 --> 00:06:57.040 Let me have you look, and we're taking a journey to get there, but I want you to look at a passage, Psalm 137, just for a moment. 00:06:58.740 --> 00:07:07.759 Psalm 137 is one of those very repetitious passages in which we find the same truth said over and over again. 00:07:08.439 --> 00:07:08.579 Okay? 00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:10.980 Psalm 136, I'm sorry. 00:07:11.579 --> 00:07:11.939 It says, 00:07:11.939 --> 00:07:14.120 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. 00:07:14.199 --> 00:07:15.040 What's the next line? 00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:19.420 For His steadfast love endures forever. 00:07:19.640 --> 00:07:28.340 In fact, if you kind of fast forward and work your way through this passage, there is one little set of words that is repeated every single verse. 00:07:28.460 --> 00:07:28.939 What is it? 00:07:29.780 --> 00:07:33.200 For His steadfast love endures forever. 00:07:33.920 --> 00:07:41.920 And we find that the Spirit of God wants the people of God to remember that His steadfast love endures forever. 00:07:41.920 --> 00:07:47.920 Now, in conjunction or joined to that statement, which is repeated over and over again, 00:07:48.280 --> 00:07:56.900 is a recurring path of reminders of different things that Christ has done or that God had done for the Old Testament saint. 00:07:57.300 --> 00:08:00.280 And we find application later in the New Testament that we're going to look at. 00:08:00.600 --> 00:08:02.439 But here is reminder after reminder. 00:08:02.600 --> 00:08:05.439 How do we know that His steadfast love endures forever? 00:08:05.540 --> 00:08:06.259 How do we know that? 00:08:06.259 --> 00:08:11.159 We look at the various illustrations and evidences of it. 00:08:11.180 --> 00:08:14.019 And that's what's taking place in Psalm 136. 00:08:14.620 --> 00:08:16.360 And so here we are this morning. 00:08:16.579 --> 00:08:19.800 We are coming to a love feast. 00:08:20.539 --> 00:08:26.360 That means it is a feast in which the principal focus is on the love of Christ. 00:08:26.360 --> 00:08:33.100 And I want to encourage you to think carefully and deeply about the love of Christ. 00:08:33.519 --> 00:08:43.100 And in order to do that, I want you to go to a passage of Scripture and follow with me as we get an understanding of how much Christ loves us 00:08:43.100 --> 00:08:45.460 and how certain that love is in our life. 00:08:46.259 --> 00:08:49.139 Turn over in your Bibles, if you would, to Romans chapter 8. 00:08:49.340 --> 00:08:52.920 And we're going to be looking at Romans chapter 8, verse 31 through 39. 00:08:52.919 --> 00:08:58.879 In order to get the big picture first, I want us to kind of back up and get a broad shot of Romans 00:08:58.879 --> 00:09:02.919 and then zero in a little bit more on Romans chapter 8. 00:09:04.679 --> 00:09:13.639 Romans is a book that is focused in particular on helping us understand the doctrine of grace, 00:09:13.779 --> 00:09:17.459 the doctrine of salvation, and God's work in bringing us to salvation. 00:09:17.639 --> 00:09:22.620 It begins by reminding us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. 00:09:22.620 --> 00:09:23.200 Isn't that right? 00:09:23.539 --> 00:09:25.299 There is none righteous, no, not one. 00:09:25.580 --> 00:09:27.840 There's not a one of us that seeks after God. 00:09:28.500 --> 00:09:32.379 It goes on to expand and help us understand the doctrine of salvation 00:09:32.379 --> 00:09:38.179 and that God, in His grace, sent Jesus Christ to die for us and to pay the penalty for our sins. 00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:44.580 And with undeniable truth, it helps us understand that whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord, what? 00:09:45.139 --> 00:09:46.039 Shall be saved. 00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:49.220 Those who trust in Christ receive everlasting life. 00:09:49.220 --> 00:09:56.660 And then in Romans chapter 8, after having laid out this doctrine that explains the fact that we are saved by the grace of God, 00:09:57.080 --> 00:09:59.779 He's sending Christ to be the penalty for our sins, 00:10:00.139 --> 00:10:04.800 it explains the certainty, the absolute certainty of our salvation. 00:10:04.899 --> 00:10:08.759 If we've come to believe in Christ, how certain are we that we're going to end up in heaven? 00:10:09.480 --> 00:10:10.639 We're absolutely certain. 00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:14.340 And Romans chapter 8 kind of lays that out for us and helps us understand. 00:10:14.340 --> 00:10:17.920 It begins in Romans chapter 8 verse 1 by making this statement, 00:10:18.280 --> 00:10:19.379 there is now what? 00:10:20.080 --> 00:10:22.700 No condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus. 00:10:23.460 --> 00:10:26.980 And we find there that it begins with that statement of no condemnation, 00:10:27.200 --> 00:10:30.460 and it closes off at the end of the chapter with that little statement, 00:10:30.940 --> 00:10:32.120 there is no separation. 00:10:32.120 --> 00:10:40.279 And over through the entire chapter, there is one affirmation after another of the absolute certainty 00:10:40.279 --> 00:10:49.519 that in Christ Jesus, we who know Him have no fear, we have no anxiety or defeat that we should anticipate. 00:10:50.360 --> 00:10:53.240 I do find it a little hard to hurry over this passage today, 00:10:53.399 --> 00:10:56.820 but I recognize that our goal is the Lord's table. 00:10:56.960 --> 00:11:01.879 It's not to deal with the exposition of this passage that we have looked at on more than one occasion, 00:11:01.879 --> 00:11:10.899 but I want to use this text in order to inform, in order to encourage you to think deeply about the significance of the love of Christ. 00:11:11.539 --> 00:11:15.600 And so let's kind of take a broad sweep of the chapter and recognize in verse 1 through 4, 00:11:16.080 --> 00:11:20.000 Paul outlines how Christ delivered us from the penalty of sin, 00:11:20.360 --> 00:11:25.940 and then in verses 5 through 14, we find that Christ has delivered us from the power of sin, 00:11:26.200 --> 00:11:28.779 not only the penalty, but also the power. 00:11:28.779 --> 00:11:38.559 Furthermore, in verses 16 through 25, we find that we are encouraged to recognize that we have incredible blessings being God's children. 00:11:38.699 --> 00:11:42.399 Do you recognize the privilege and the blessing of being God's child? 00:11:43.199 --> 00:11:44.279 Stop and think about it. 00:11:44.600 --> 00:11:50.579 He who inhabits eternity, who created everything with mere words, cares about you personally, 00:11:50.819 --> 00:11:52.980 and thinks about you as His own. 00:11:52.980 --> 00:11:54.700 You are His child. 00:11:55.620 --> 00:11:59.899 In fact, if you were to go over in 1 John chapter 3, it says this, 00:12:00.259 --> 00:12:04.539 Behold what manner of love the Father has for us, that we should be what? 00:12:05.360 --> 00:12:07.420 We should be called the sons of God. 00:12:08.200 --> 00:12:12.180 And here in Romans chapter 8, verse 16 through 25, 00:12:12.440 --> 00:12:15.960 we are explained the absolute blessing that we have in being God's children. 00:12:15.960 --> 00:12:24.980 In verses 26 and 27, Paul comforts us by reminding us of the Holy Spirit's ministry in our lives and His help. 00:12:25.800 --> 00:12:34.460 And then in verse 28 through 39, Paul concludes this great chapter of encouragement by affirming in our lives 00:12:34.460 --> 00:12:40.900 that everything works together for good to them who are called according to His purposes and are part of His plan. 00:12:41.000 --> 00:12:44.040 And so we remind ourselves, man, we are incredibly blessed. 00:12:44.039 --> 00:12:50.839 Now, it's in that broad backdrop of what God has done for us in saving us 00:12:50.839 --> 00:12:55.939 that we pick up and look at these verses in verse 31 through 39. 00:12:56.399 --> 00:13:02.980 And I want you to look at them and remind yourself here that what we find here is a set of questions that are rhetorical. 00:13:03.059 --> 00:13:04.379 Now, what is a rhetorical question? 00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:10.059 It's a question that really isn't asking a question out of curiosity, 00:13:10.059 --> 00:13:14.119 but it's a question that is asked to emphasize something. 00:13:15.019 --> 00:13:18.000 It's a question that is leading us to recognize, 00:13:18.339 --> 00:13:22.239 hey, that's an obvious fact and should be part of our focus. 00:13:22.839 --> 00:13:26.559 How many of you have used rhetorical questions with your children to make a point? 00:13:27.859 --> 00:13:33.799 Should you take your plate to the sink after you've finished eating? 00:13:33.799 --> 00:13:35.339 And the answer is what? 00:13:36.139 --> 00:13:36.620 Duh. 00:13:37.019 --> 00:13:37.500 Yeah. 00:13:38.219 --> 00:13:39.079 It's what I may... 00:13:39.079 --> 00:13:40.439 Should you clean up your room? 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:41.199 Yeah. 00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:42.899 The answer is obvious. 00:13:43.059 --> 00:13:49.359 And a rhetorical question is designed not to stir curiosity, but to emphasize a fact. 00:13:49.360 --> 00:14:01.919 And what we find here is Paul relies upon this flow of questions to drive home the point that we have this blessed relationship with God and with the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:14:02.279 --> 00:14:05.139 And right at the very heart of that is that he loves us unconditionally. 00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:07.300 He loves us unconditionally. 00:14:08.120 --> 00:14:11.440 I want you to recognize as we think about these questions, 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:16.200 just kind of flow with me as we work our way and we'll come back to them a little more. 00:14:16.200 --> 00:14:20.000 But the first question is this, is if God is for us, who can be against us? 00:14:20.820 --> 00:14:22.920 If God is for us, who can be against us? 00:14:22.940 --> 00:14:23.720 And the answer is what? 00:14:23.980 --> 00:14:26.680 Well, if God's on our side, case closed. 00:14:27.820 --> 00:14:33.700 Secondly, if Jesus died for us, who is the one who is going to condemn us? 00:14:34.180 --> 00:14:38.620 And I remind you, if you have worked your way through the book of Revelation as we did earlier as a fellowship, 00:14:39.200 --> 00:14:41.140 remember who the judge of the whole earth is? 00:14:41.300 --> 00:14:41.900 Who is it? 00:14:42.540 --> 00:14:43.580 It's Jesus Christ. 00:14:43.580 --> 00:14:48.720 And if Jesus Christ is the one who is for us, he is our advocate, 00:14:49.020 --> 00:14:51.660 and he is also the one who's the judge of the whole earth. 00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:54.860 And if the judge of the whole earth is our advocate, 00:14:55.180 --> 00:14:57.800 is anyone going to bring a charge against us? 00:14:57.820 --> 00:14:59.800 And the answer is no, no one's going to do that. 00:15:00.820 --> 00:15:02.620 Who is going to accuse us? 00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:05.100 No one, because Christ is our advocate. 00:15:05.720 --> 00:15:10.340 And if Christ is our Savior, remind yourself again who is going to condemn us. 00:15:10.340 --> 00:15:14.000 And so the last question that we come in the flow of these things here is, 00:15:14.360 --> 00:15:17.720 who is going to separate us from the love of Christ? 00:15:17.860 --> 00:15:23.240 And that's the question that we want to spend a couple minutes on this morning as we think about this carefully. 00:15:24.240 --> 00:15:28.220 First, I want you to recognize that that last question, 00:15:28.360 --> 00:15:31.340 who is going to separate us from the love of Christ, 00:15:31.340 --> 00:15:38.960 is the highest and most forceful proof that Paul offers to us of our sweet relationship with Christ. 00:15:39.720 --> 00:15:43.879 He loves us, and he will never turn away from us. 00:15:44.460 --> 00:15:47.700 I want you to recognize that in your own life this morning as you think about, 00:15:48.060 --> 00:15:53.379 well, so what is it that really prompts me to have a love for Christ? 00:15:53.800 --> 00:15:55.460 How many of you recognize it's commanded? 00:15:56.160 --> 00:15:56.759 It is. 00:15:56.759 --> 00:16:00.419 How many of you recognize your own frailty in loving him? 00:16:01.100 --> 00:16:01.720 We do. 00:16:02.419 --> 00:16:03.460 We have that difficulty. 00:16:04.019 --> 00:16:09.539 So what is it that feeds and encourages us and strengthens us in loving Christ? 00:16:09.799 --> 00:16:14.799 It is his love for us that prompts us to have the right love of Christ. 00:16:14.899 --> 00:16:15.819 And keep that in your mind. 00:16:16.620 --> 00:16:18.819 It says over in the Scriptures in 1 John, it says, 00:16:18.980 --> 00:16:19.600 We love him. 00:16:19.700 --> 00:16:19.960 Why? 00:16:21.080 --> 00:16:22.600 Because he first loved us. 00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:27.740 And so when we think about the responsibility we have of loving him, 00:16:27.899 --> 00:16:31.500 and we think about the responsibility of coming to this table 00:16:31.500 --> 00:16:35.120 and having this table encourage us in loving him, 00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:38.899 we recognize that it's not something that we kind of sit down here and say, 00:16:38.980 --> 00:16:40.480 All right, I've got to love Christ. 00:16:40.600 --> 00:16:42.240 I like him. 00:16:42.320 --> 00:16:43.300 Oh, yeah, I love him. 00:16:43.420 --> 00:16:46.080 And we have some automatic emotions about loving Christ. 00:16:46.180 --> 00:16:47.379 How many of you have ever tried that? 00:16:47.379 --> 00:16:53.139 Stirring your emotions just by brute emotional force. 00:16:53.220 --> 00:16:54.139 How does that work? 00:16:55.200 --> 00:16:56.059 It doesn't. 00:16:57.480 --> 00:17:04.519 Our emotions follow our understanding of the blessing of Christ's love for us. 00:17:04.599 --> 00:17:05.960 Can I have you recognize that? 00:17:06.380 --> 00:17:13.700 Our emotions follow our understanding of the love that Christ has for us. 00:17:13.700 --> 00:17:21.500 And our emotions grow out of our grasp of who he is and what he has done for us. 00:17:22.660 --> 00:17:24.580 Let me have you look just for a moment, 00:17:24.759 --> 00:17:30.180 and I am not by any stretch of the imagination giving away all that we're going to study 00:17:30.180 --> 00:17:31.460 when we get to the text. 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:34.759 But turn in your Bible, if you would, to Ephesians chapter 3. 00:17:38.059 --> 00:17:39.380 Ephesians chapter 3. 00:17:39.380 --> 00:17:45.420 Beginning there, in verse 14, Paul says this, 00:17:45.520 --> 00:17:49.160 For this cause I bow the knee in prayer. 00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:53.960 And he says, I'm going to pray about this thing because it's really important, 00:17:54.220 --> 00:17:58.700 and you work your way through that we would have the power of the Spirit of God 00:17:58.700 --> 00:18:01.640 to help us be strengthened in the inner man, 00:18:01.900 --> 00:18:06.560 that we might have Christ dwell in us, stable and secure. 00:18:06.620 --> 00:18:07.700 We're going to talk about that next week. 00:18:07.700 --> 00:18:09.720 And then as it goes on and says here, 00:18:10.220 --> 00:18:12.400 that we would be filled with all the fullness of God. 00:18:12.519 --> 00:18:13.200 How is that? 00:18:13.500 --> 00:18:16.220 That we would understand, there in verse 19, 00:18:16.840 --> 00:18:20.160 that we would understand the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, 00:18:20.299 --> 00:18:23.960 that we would have this grasp of what he has done for us. 00:18:24.680 --> 00:18:28.019 So we need the Spirit's power to understand his love, 00:18:28.299 --> 00:18:33.819 and that sense of love really flows out of who he is and what he's done for us. 00:18:33.819 --> 00:18:39.039 And that is what Paul is reminding us of, particularly in this Romans passage. 00:18:39.240 --> 00:18:41.899 He says, what can separate us from the love of Christ? 00:18:42.819 --> 00:18:43.500 He loves us. 00:18:43.539 --> 00:18:44.779 He'll never turn away from us. 00:18:45.000 --> 00:18:51.299 Second, Paul uses these rhetorical questions to affirm Christ's unfailing love. 00:18:51.419 --> 00:18:58.079 Some of you have friends that believe that salvation is something that can be lost and rediscovered. 00:18:58.079 --> 00:18:59.559 Lost and rediscovered. 00:18:59.559 --> 00:19:01.000 You can lose your salvation. 00:19:01.159 --> 00:19:02.480 You can be saved again. 00:19:03.419 --> 00:19:09.779 My darling wife grew up in an environment in which every year they had revival services, 00:19:10.039 --> 00:19:16.000 and it was very regular that there were individuals who every year had reconversions. 00:19:17.059 --> 00:19:18.399 They would get saved again. 00:19:19.220 --> 00:19:22.599 There is no need to be saved again, because once you are saved, guess what? 00:19:22.599 --> 00:19:25.980 You are moved from death to life. 00:19:26.539 --> 00:19:30.719 You are moved by the grace of God from where you were as a condemned sinner 00:19:30.719 --> 00:19:34.439 to now being part of his family, and you are absolutely secure. 00:19:35.019 --> 00:19:39.859 And one of the arguments against the idea of you continuing to lose your salvation 00:19:39.859 --> 00:19:44.219 and then discover it again is the fact that these rhetorical questions 00:19:44.219 --> 00:19:47.199 are not questions to challenge our salvation, 00:19:47.199 --> 00:19:50.639 but to assure us of the certainty of our salvation. 00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:56.540 Paul would not ask questions such as, well, if God's for you, who can be against you, 00:19:56.600 --> 00:19:59.680 if he was trying to challenge you to think, well, God may be against you. 00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:05.720 He would not ask the question of, so what is Jesus going to do in condemning you 00:20:05.720 --> 00:20:11.580 if he was intending to challenge you to think, well, no, no, no, he's the one who's on your side. 00:20:11.740 --> 00:20:14.120 He wouldn't be asking that kind of rhetorical question 00:20:14.120 --> 00:20:19.400 if he was trying to drive home the point that you have reason to be uncertain in your salvation. 00:20:19.400 --> 00:20:25.640 I want you to recognize that Paul, as he works his way through this series of passages, 00:20:26.280 --> 00:20:32.060 as speaks about the love of Christ, he is reminding us over and over again that Christ is on our side. 00:20:32.280 --> 00:20:36.160 It comes to a kind of a climax in verse 35, and look at it there if you would. 00:20:36.540 --> 00:20:39.460 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? 00:20:40.620 --> 00:20:41.640 Now let me ask you a question. 00:20:41.720 --> 00:20:43.040 How many of you felt separated before? 00:20:44.720 --> 00:20:46.960 Anybody here felt separated from the love of Christ? 00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:48.420 Come on, raise your hands. 00:20:49.259 --> 00:20:51.720 All of us have felt separated from the love of Christ. 00:20:51.880 --> 00:20:52.200 Why? 00:20:54.960 --> 00:20:57.579 Principally because of what's going on in our own life. 00:20:57.600 --> 00:20:58.120 Isn't that right? 00:20:58.680 --> 00:21:02.100 Some of us have felt separated when things haven't gone our way. 00:21:02.279 --> 00:21:05.039 If Jesus loves me, it wouldn't be so bad. 00:21:05.779 --> 00:21:06.140 Surprise. 00:21:07.019 --> 00:21:10.700 Because he loves you, he allows bad things to come in your life to do what? 00:21:10.700 --> 00:21:14.580 I love what it says in Hebrews chapter 12, verse 10. 00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:15.420 He says, 00:21:15.580 --> 00:21:20.380 He disciplines us that we might be partakers of his holiness. 00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:24.519 When he brings the hurt to us, it is so that we can grow in grace. 00:21:24.600 --> 00:21:29.200 And there's not a one of you here who would not look over the years of your life 00:21:29.200 --> 00:21:32.160 and have to admit that the best lessons you've learned, 00:21:32.420 --> 00:21:35.480 you've always learned in the shadows and in the valleys. 00:21:35.480 --> 00:21:40.440 Nothing separates us from the love of Christ. 00:21:42.120 --> 00:21:47.799 And I'm humbled when I stop and realize that God has been at work in my life and in your life, 00:21:47.940 --> 00:21:52.620 and he is working to show his unchanging love for us, 00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:55.480 and he is doing it for his glory and our good. 00:21:55.480 --> 00:22:01.720 Well, then we come to verse 37, and he says this, 00:22:02.319 --> 00:22:12.079 Back up just for a minute so you don't miss the context here. 00:22:13.299 --> 00:22:14.839 Remember in verse 35 it says, 00:22:14.980 --> 00:22:16.880 And who shall separate us from the love of Christ? 00:22:17.180 --> 00:22:19.640 And immediately in the back of our mind when we think about, 00:22:19.759 --> 00:22:20.819 Man, it's neat. 00:22:21.099 --> 00:22:22.039 Christ loves me. 00:22:22.039 --> 00:22:25.859 We stop and then immediately come to verse 36, and it says, 00:22:26.319 --> 00:22:28.720 For your sake we're being killed all day long. 00:22:29.740 --> 00:22:31.399 What's that have to do with love? 00:22:32.579 --> 00:22:35.099 I mean, if he loved me, everything would be what? 00:22:36.599 --> 00:22:37.839 Everything would be easy. 00:22:38.720 --> 00:22:41.920 How many of you on occasion have, you remember as little children saying, 00:22:42.399 --> 00:22:47.680 If you loved me, you would let me go do such and such, play in the street, 00:22:48.119 --> 00:22:49.519 you know, have a cell phone, whatever. 00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:52.720 You know, there are things that we assume that if our parents loved us, 00:22:52.779 --> 00:22:54.119 they would do what we want. 00:22:54.220 --> 00:22:54.639 Am I right? 00:22:56.299 --> 00:23:00.740 And Paul, as he is working his way through this passage, he says, 00:23:00.819 --> 00:23:03.740 Listen, we're not going to be separated from the love of Christ. 00:23:03.839 --> 00:23:07.460 There's nothing that's going to happen that's going to cause that separation to take place. 00:23:07.660 --> 00:23:09.619 And then he rattles off all these bad things. 00:23:09.740 --> 00:23:11.639 And, oh, how come bad things happen? 00:23:12.980 --> 00:23:14.359 Paul then answers that question. 00:23:14.440 --> 00:23:18.559 He says, Hey, listen, because we're his children, hard times come. 00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:22.519 But then he caps it off by saying there in verse 37, 00:23:23.019 --> 00:23:29.259 No, and in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 00:23:29.740 --> 00:23:32.960 The text is not speaking about a hope but a certainty. 00:23:33.839 --> 00:23:35.240 We are fact. 00:23:35.659 --> 00:23:40.159 We are conquerors in Christ, not potentially, but in reality. 00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:49.720 And then Paul tops that off with a closing list of things that are even grander in their challenge and question for us. 00:23:49.759 --> 00:23:51.060 And let me read through those things here. 00:23:51.059 --> 00:24:07.700 He says, For I am sure that neither death nor life nor angels nor rulers nor things present nor things to come nor powers nor height nor depth nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. 00:24:07.960 --> 00:24:09.460 Now, how complete is that list? 00:24:09.460 --> 00:24:13.200 It is absolutely all-encompassing. 00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:17.880 Death, life, angels, rulers. 00:24:18.500 --> 00:24:29.360 And to the ancient world, they were very, very sensitive to the reality of angels and the idea that angels could interfere or that the government could interfere. 00:24:29.359 --> 00:24:39.199 I read this last week of some of the things that are going on in our government in relationship to our faith as believers, and I recognize that adversity is coming for us. 00:24:39.819 --> 00:24:40.919 But I want to tell you something. 00:24:41.319 --> 00:24:47.119 What our government would do against us is not something that would separate us from the love of God. 00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:48.500 Not at all. 00:24:50.500 --> 00:24:57.219 And here Paul, as he swings through this grand display of the challenges that we might face in life, 00:24:57.219 --> 00:24:59.159 he caps it off by saying this. 00:24:59.359 --> 00:25:03.859 Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:25:05.619 --> 00:25:07.000 What are we here to do today? 00:25:08.599 --> 00:25:16.599 We are here to take a little piece of bread and a little glass of juice. 00:25:18.059 --> 00:25:24.599 I want to explain that that bread and juice is not the real body of Christ. 00:25:24.599 --> 00:25:29.599 These elements are a reminder. 00:25:30.859 --> 00:25:32.799 They are symbolic. 00:25:33.159 --> 00:25:37.679 They point to what Christ did when he died for us on the cross. 00:25:37.680 --> 00:25:50.259 And as we take that bread and we take that cup, what we are to do is sit there and think of the blessing we have in being his children. 00:25:50.259 --> 00:25:53.279 I want you to think just for a moment. 00:25:55.039 --> 00:25:58.599 How blessed was it the moment you came to Christ? 00:25:59.099 --> 00:26:00.019 Do you remember that? 00:26:00.759 --> 00:26:12.079 Do you remember the freedom of forgiveness and the joy that flooded your life when you realized that you had been lifted from the place of death and condemnation into everlasting life? 00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:19.500 You had been delivered from the burden and the shame and the guilt and the suffering that sin brings. 00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:21.159 And you've been made the child of God. 00:26:21.160 --> 00:26:31.960 I want you to know that as you take that bread and you take that element this morning, I would encourage you to with humility ask God to give to you a sense again of the love of Christ. 00:26:33.800 --> 00:26:34.620 Are you listening? 00:26:36.259 --> 00:26:38.920 God delights in answering biblical prayers. 00:26:40.440 --> 00:26:41.440 Do you realize that? 00:26:43.019 --> 00:26:45.420 Does he want you to grow in your love for Christ? 00:26:45.500 --> 00:26:46.200 And what's the answer? 00:26:47.120 --> 00:26:47.519 Yes. 00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:48.740 Yeah. 00:26:48.740 --> 00:26:51.859 And will you grow in your love for Christ? 00:26:51.960 --> 00:26:57.099 You just kind of sit there like a lump and say, well, I wonder if Pastor can finish this off in 12 minutes. 00:26:57.759 --> 00:26:59.039 I've got something else to do. 00:26:59.279 --> 00:26:59.539 No. 00:27:00.539 --> 00:27:06.559 You plead with him and say, Lord, will you please stir my heart to be sensitive to the love of Christ? 00:27:10.460 --> 00:27:15.339 In the passage in 1 Corinthians, it says that we are not to take these elements carelessly. 00:27:15.339 --> 00:27:29.659 And so I would remind you, first of all, that if you're here today and do not know Christ, that to take the bread and to take the cup in one sense is to actually bear public testimony that you're a Christian. 00:27:29.660 --> 00:27:37.400 And if you're here today and you do not know Christ as your personal Savior, I would encourage you to take one of two paths. 00:27:37.400 --> 00:27:51.160 If you are here under the convicting power of the Spirit of God and you recognize that you stand justly condemned before God and you want forgiveness for all of your sins and you want Christ as your Savior, now is the hour of salvation. 00:27:51.340 --> 00:27:52.980 And you can ask him right where you sit. 00:27:53.340 --> 00:27:56.500 I need Christ to save me and I want him to do it now. 00:27:56.500 --> 00:28:02.220 And I would encourage you to take those elements, knowing Christ as your Savior. 00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:11.940 If you're here this morning and you're a believer, but there is that concern and burden in your life because there's unconfessed sin, attitudes that you've had towards another brother, 00:28:11.940 --> 00:28:22.580 or secret sin that you've got compartmentalized over in the corner of your life, and there's that dark and ugly part of your heart, and you are not ready to come to this table and say, 00:28:22.580 --> 00:28:27.200 Look, I come as a believer who loves Christ, and all of my life displays that. 00:28:28.100 --> 00:28:31.019 I would encourage you to quietly confess that right where you are. 00:28:31.019 --> 00:28:38.319 And then as the elements are being passed, to take that bread and take that cup, and as you are taking them to say, 00:28:38.700 --> 00:28:42.720 Thank you, Jesus, for dying for me, and thank you, Jesus, for loving me. 00:28:44.460 --> 00:28:46.579 I wouldn't mind if you said that out loud. 00:28:48.639 --> 00:28:55.019 Let me tell you, in the Greek text, the idea is that we do show forth. 00:28:55.019 --> 00:29:00.839 In other words, we say, I do this to remind myself of what Jesus has done for me. 00:29:01.299 --> 00:29:04.940 And I would encourage you, as you take that bread and take that cup, at the very least, 00:29:05.819 --> 00:29:11.139 I am thankful that I am Christ's child, that He died for me. 00:29:11.940 --> 00:29:15.680 And I am thankful that I know Him as my Savior. 00:29:16.500 --> 00:29:19.700 I'm going to ask that the men would come as we come to this Lord's table. 00:29:31.019 --> 00:29:43.500 And as we're taking these elements, let's just take a moment and pray together and just ask God to give us a clear conscience as we come to this table. 00:29:43.500 --> 00:29:53.039 Our precious God and Father, this morning we come to you with humility and recognize the frailty of our hearts. 00:29:53.039 --> 00:30:01.539 How quickly we allow things that are offensive to you to color our hearts and disposition. 00:30:01.779 --> 00:30:05.099 How quickly we become indifferent to the matters of sin. 00:30:05.099 --> 00:30:12.779 And we would ask this morning that your Spirit would work in us because we recognize that apart from the enabling of the Spirit of God, 00:30:12.879 --> 00:30:16.000 we are very, very prone to be pretty dead to sin. 00:30:18.419 --> 00:30:22.219 Convict us of those unconfessed matters that we need to confess now. 00:30:22.220 --> 00:30:26.539 Give to us sincere and repentant spirits. 00:30:28.720 --> 00:30:33.400 Lord, that as we take this bread and take this cup, we might with a clear conscience say, 00:30:34.019 --> 00:30:38.480 Jesus is my Savior and my delight, my passion, 00:30:39.339 --> 00:30:45.120 is to live in such a fashion that I say thank you to the one who loves me. 00:30:46.339 --> 00:30:48.279 We ask this in your precious name. 00:30:49.160 --> 00:30:49.440 Amen. 00:30:52.220 --> 00:30:53.220 Amen. 00:30:53.220 --> 00:30:53.220 00:31:22.220 --> 00:31:23.220 Amen. 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:36.220 desde desde 00:31:36.220 --> 00:31:23.220 desde 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:23.220 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:24.220 Amen. 00:31:53.220 --> 00:31:55.220 Amen. 00:32:23.220 --> 00:32:25.220 Amen. 00:32:53.220 --> 00:32:55.220 Amen. 00:33:23.220 --> 00:33:25.220 Amen. 00:33:53.220 --> 00:33:55.220 Amen. 00:34:23.219 --> 00:34:24.219 Amen. 00:34:24.219 --> 00:34:32.239 And when he'd given thanks, he broke it and said, this is my body, which is for you. 00:34:33.139 --> 00:34:34.679 Do this in remembrance of me. 00:34:53.219 --> 00:34:54.219 Amen. 00:35:23.219 --> 00:35:24.219 Amen. 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.219 00:36:23.219 --> 00:36:24.219 Amen. 00:36:53.219 --> 00:36:55.219 Amen. 00:37:23.219 --> 00:37:25.219 Amen. 00:37:53.219 --> 00:37:55.219 Amen. 00:38:23.219 --> 00:38:30.839 In the same way, he also took the cup after supper, saying, this cup is the new covenant in my blood. 00:38:32.000 --> 00:38:35.439 Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. 00:38:41.539 --> 00:38:43.859 Saving my soul. 00:38:44.639 --> 00:38:49.519 Thank you, Lord, for making me whole. 00:38:49.519 --> 00:39:02.780 Thank you, Lord, for giving to me thy great salvation so rich and free. 00:39:03.920 --> 00:39:10.840 Listen as I read in verse 26. 00:39:10.840 --> 00:39:26.140 For as often as you eat this bread and you drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till he come. 00:39:26.139 --> 00:39:37.400 There's another party coming. 00:39:39.960 --> 00:39:43.900 And you who know Christ, you know what it says in Revelation chapter 19? 00:39:44.079 --> 00:39:51.719 It says, blessed are all those who are called to the wedding supper of the Lamb. 00:39:51.719 --> 00:40:01.639 You proclaim the Lord's death till this is only temporary. 00:40:03.419 --> 00:40:05.459 The best is yet to come. 00:40:05.460 --> 00:40:14.720 And you who are Christians here today who know Christ should have a heart that says, bring it on, Jesus. 00:40:14.960 --> 00:40:16.220 Come back soon. 00:40:19.019 --> 00:40:25.280 And you who don't know Christ, I would plead with you on Christ's behalf. 00:40:27.280 --> 00:40:29.019 Be reconciled to God. 00:40:29.019 --> 00:40:41.800 Don't let your stubborn heart, the pride of your life interfere with the sweetness of the gospel that announces God judges sin. 00:40:42.739 --> 00:40:47.400 And poured his wrath out on Jesus that whosoever believes in him should have what? 00:40:48.259 --> 00:40:49.320 Everlasting life. 00:40:50.480 --> 00:40:54.539 And if you're here today and you need Christ, catch me afterwards. 00:40:54.800 --> 00:40:56.559 Talk to any one of these men. 00:40:56.559 --> 00:41:01.659 And there are women, godly people in our fellowship, many ready to talk to you in a heartbeat. 00:41:03.059 --> 00:41:04.119 Let's close in prayer. 00:41:08.199 --> 00:41:15.519 Lord Jesus, what we do today is a reminder of what you've done for us. 00:41:17.299 --> 00:41:20.000 It's understandable why this is called the love feast. 00:41:20.000 --> 00:41:27.739 Scripture tells us there's no greater love than when a man is willing to die for another. 00:41:27.880 --> 00:41:31.099 And you were willing to die for us. 00:41:33.000 --> 00:41:35.800 To satisfy the judgment and the wrath of God. 00:41:37.559 --> 00:41:39.039 And we who know you. 00:41:40.360 --> 00:41:44.519 Have this reminder stir our affections for you. 00:41:44.519 --> 00:41:52.179 Lord, a love that's genuine ends up being a love that's obedient. 00:41:54.079 --> 00:41:59.039 And we want to be a people that don't just talk about loving Jesus but act like it. 00:42:00.699 --> 00:42:03.860 Through your power and for your glory. 00:42:05.019 --> 00:42:05.300 Amen. 00:42:05.300 --> 00:42:05.440 Amen. 00:42:05.440 --> 00:42:05.480 Amen. 00:42:05.480 --> 00:42:05.480 00:42:05.480 --> 00:42:05.480 00:42:05.480 --> 00:42:05.480 00:42:05.480 --> 00:42:05.480