Worship:
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Transcript:
Morning, everyone. And I’m glad each one of you are here. And if you want to open your Bibles along with me, we’re going to be in Numbers chapter six today, starting that chapter. And one more encouragement that there is a prophecy conference coming up in Calvary Chapel, the Finger Lakes this week. And it starts Friday, it is Saturday. And if any view, we actually have a nine motel rooms that we’re filling up right now, and I do have a couple more that I can get my fingers on. So if there’s anyone else who would like to attend the conference, please put your name on the sheet out there and I’ll make sure that I have a room for you. And also we have the secret sisters, and any of you ladies who’ve never been part of sacred sisters, I’d really encourage you to do so. I hear so many wonderful things about it. And so you sign up out there and you fill out a little sheet and then you pick names and what it is is you You have someone’s name, and they don’t know who you are. And then you pray for them. I think this for three months. And then at the end, they have a dinner, they have a great testimony time and they share who they’ve been praying for. And you have a chance to give one another little gifts and things like that. And vine loves chocolate with peanut butter in it. Just want just want you to know that. Okay. Let’s pray. Father, we come before you in Jesus name and we thank you so much for your love. We thank you so much for the way you’re able to instruct us and speak to us through your word and by your Holy Spirit. Lord, I pray that you would help us to understand and to comprehend the fullness of what your word is telling us this morning. Lord, we love you so much and our desires to live for you alone, and not for all of the little trinkets of this world. And so come Lord, use me to minister to these your people I pray in Jesus name, Amen. And Amen. You know, when we’re singing I was, I was thinking about our faith, I was thinking about the Bible. And you know, in my undergraduate work, my graduate work my postgraduate work, I’ve had a lot of unbelievable books in my hand, but they don’t compare to the Bible. I remember my undergraduate work, you know how you have to take one humanities course. And I took the philosophies of Socrates and Plato. And the thing that’s amazing if you read the philosophies of Socrates and Plato, they’re always seeking and never finding. Yet we have a book that is so perfect. It’s not only helps us to see, but it helps us to find the Bible is absolutely the most amazing book I’ve ever studied. And I really encourage all of you. I mean, we go right to the Bible, use it as an opportunity to really study what the Word says. Because it’s like we were talking about earlier. It’s not about religion, it’s about relationship. It’s all about our relationship with the Lord. Now, in Numbers chapter, chapter six, we’re beginning here, we have to understand that when we study the Old Testament, it’s so important for us to make that parallel, or that what’s the word I’m looking for? I’ll just use parallel of what is speaking to us in the New Testament. Because the Old Testament is basically giving us the law, the standards that God has has, you know, given man to live by where the New Testament is sharing, sharing with us how we can live by those standards. And even when we make mistakes, how we can repent and be put right back on the right track. So, so many people when they study the Old Testament, especially books like numbers, they’re thinking, Oh, what does that mean? How does that apply to me? Well, it does if you take it, and you apply it to the New Covenant, which is one of the things we’ll be doing this morning. And we’re going to be looking at the naza right now. Every believer should desire to be an azurite. Really. Now one of the things I want to share here because people get this confused all the time, there’s an azurite is not an as marine. And nazzer Marine was someone who was from Nazareth, Jesus was from Nazareth, he was called a Nazarene. But Jesus was also a nazzer. Right? In the sense that he sets himself apart for God. And so when I talk about all of us should desire to be nazzer rights, and not talking about being, you know, nazzer and we’re not from Nazareth, that’d be nice, but to set ourselves apart to the Lord. Now, the thing we have to understand is that our desire should not to be captivated by all the entrapments of this world. But our desire should to be completely enamored with the ways of your way with the ways of God because we have to remember that what God desires for us is always for our good. Do you understand it? There’s never anything you’re going to read in the Bible and say, well, boy, God really wants to get me. Everything we read is for our learning for our benefit for our encouragement. And that’s what we always have to keep in mind. And as believers, we are to be filled Scripture tells us we’re going to be getting into this we are to be filled with the Spirit, not with wine. In Ephesians 518 it says, and do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Holy Spirit. And so we have to understand what one wine as we’re going to be reading in this portion, it represents worldly pleasure, or be filled with the Spirit represents the peace and joy we have in God. Pleasure is very fleeting. You know, you get on a roller coaster, we It’s fun. It’s over with unless you’re throwing Up in the way down, but you understand my point. We have to realize that we’re looking for not pleasure, but we’re looking for peace, in relationship with Almighty God. And so we’re picking up in Numbers, chapter six, starting with first one. Then the Lord spoke to Moses saying, speak to the children of Israel and say to them, when either a man or a woman consecrates an offering to take the vow of an azurite to separate himself to the Lord, he shall separate himself from wine and similar drink. Some translation say strong drink, he shall drink neither vinegar, made from wine, nor vinegar made from similar drink, neither shall he drink any grape juice, nor eat fresh grapes or raisins. All the days of his separation, he shall eat nothing that is produced by the grapevine from the seed or In all the days of the vow of his separation, no razor shall come upon his head, until the day he is fulfilled, until the days are fulfilled, for which he separated himself to the Lord. He shall be wholly, then he shall let the locks of his hair of his head grow. In other words, don’t have a haircut, all the days that he has separated himself to the Lord, he shall not go near a dead body, he shall not make himself unclean, even for his father, or his mother, or his brother or his sister. Now when it talks about someone who’s taken an azurite, foul, not going near a dead body, notice it says even if its father, even if it’s his father, mother, brother or sister, but what isn’t mentioned, husband or wife, because a husband and wife become one. The Old Testament makes that clear. So obviously, if you’ve taken this vow and the husband or wife dies, then you’re excluded from that separation. They’re not even mentioned. And when they died because his separation to God is on his head, all the days of his separation, he shall be wholly to the Lord. And if anyone dies very suddenly beside him, in other words, it’s an accident. And he defiles his consecrated head, many shows shave his head, on the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day he shall shave it. Then on the eighth day, he shall bring Two turtle doves, or two young pigeons to the priests at to the door of the tabernacle of meetings, and the priests shall offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering and make atonement for him. The man who broke his hands right now we’re talking about because he said, in regard to the corpse, and he show, sanctify his head that same day, he showed he showed consecrate to the Lord the days of a separate And bring a male lamb in the first year as a trespass offering, but the former days shall be lost. In other words, what he’s saying he’s got to go all the way back to the beginning. Let’s say he made a commitment for 30 days. And 20 days through his commitment, he accidentally came in contact with a dead body. He had to go through this whole ritual of being re cleanse his start all over again. That’s important for us to consider because under the new covenant, we don’t have to go back to the beginning. When we fall, and we confess and repent and the Lord lifts us up, we continue right where we were. You don’t have to go back to the beginning. That’s awesome.
Because the separation was defiled. This is verse 13. Now, this is the law of the NAS right when the days of his separation are fulfilled, he shall be brought to the door of the tabernacle of meetings, and he shall present his offering to the Lord one male lamb in his first year without blemish his burnt offerings when you lamb in his first year without blemish A sin offerings and one ram without blemish is peace offering a basket of Unleavened Bread cakes to find flour mixed with oil unleavened wafers, anoint it with oil and the grain offering with their drink offering them the pre show bring them before the Lord and offer his sin offering and his burnt offering. And he shall offer the ram as a sacrifice of the peace offering to the Lord with the basket of unleavened bread. The pre show also offer its great offering and his drink offering. Then the naza right shall shave his consecrated head at the door of the tabernacle with me and she’ll take the hair from his consecrated head and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offering. And the pre show take the boil shoulder of the RAM, one unleavened cake from the basket and one unleavened wafer and put them in upon the hands of the NAS right He has shaved his consecrated head, and the priests to waive them as a way of offering before the Lord. They are holy to the priests, together with their breasts of the wave offering and the thigh of the Hiva offering acid and then after that to nazzer, right may drink wine. This is the law of the Nazareth, who vows to the Lord, the offering for his separation. And besides that, when who, whatever else, his hand is able to provide, according to the vow, which he has taken, so he must be, he must do according to the law of separation. So, when we look at this, and we read all those conditions, it’s like, wow, what does all that mean? Well, it’s just telling us, number one, that to take the valve and azurite was voluntary. They were still children of Israel. In our terminology, we would say they’re still saved but sometimes You had someone who wanted to just give more of a consecration to the Lord to go a little bit further. And that’s what the azurite vow was all about. And remember, it was a voluntary vow that could be given by either a man or a woman. It’s mentioned here. But the one thing we have to keep in mind and we think, Well, that doesn’t seem right or fair, but we’ll talk about that. You can write this down. I’m not going to read it but write down Numbers, chapter 30, and verses 10 and 1210 through 12. But Numbers chapter 3010 through 12, is this. If a husband hears his wife make a vow? And he says nothing. She’s obligated to that SAP. If a husband hears his wife making a vow, and he receives it, she’s no longer obligated to the vow. And people think Well, that doesn’t seem fair. Well, it probably Doesn’t know our economy that at that time, it made more sense than we think. Because it could be that the husband was realizing I can’t afford to have my wife away. She maybe was the caregiver and you know, the one who kept at home and maybe they had small children at home, whatever it might be. Maybe it was husband’s own weakness. Because one of the things that we find out in Corinthians, that if a husband tells his wife, I don’t want you to keep that vow, and it was the Lord who told her to do that, the sin comes on the husband’s head. So, anyway, we have to understand as far as that vow is concerned, the husband had the right to resend it. He almost never did. You know, just from reading Jewish tradition that has been almost never did. He always allowed his wife to keep that vow as well. And we know someone who took that vow that we studied is in the Bible. Remember Samson? He was an azurite from birth. Now, understand this vow was not a command of the Lord. But it was all about if a person wanted to have a closer walk with the Lord. And the same thing is true with us, Jesus has laid out for us with the Christian life is, and he has not commanded us to not do certain things that might bring us a little earthly pleasure, whatever. But what is being talked about here? If we want to have a little bit closer walk with the Lord, you know what I’m saying? I mean, sometimes we pray and say, Lord, what can I do to have a closer walk with you? Well, maybe he’s going to show us to do certain things, maybe being the word more, maybe have more time and prayer, whatever it might be. We have to be willing to take that step in a sense that’s like the valve and azurite not that you’re committed to it. And in that sense, but you are making a commitment to the Lord. I want to have a closer walk with you. Now, under the new covenant, we’re at Actually not supposed to make vows that you know that we’re supposed to possibly make commitments to the Lord sure are expressing our desire to have a closer walk with the Lord, but we’re not to make vows. In fact, turn with me to Matthew chapter five, the Gospel of Matthew chapter five first book in the New Testament, some page 809. First Book of the New Testament, Matthew, and go to chapter five, and we’re picking up with verse 33. Matthew five starting with verse 33. Again, you have heard that it was said of those of old, you shall not swear falsely, but you shall perform your oath to the Lord. So that’s talking about really what we’re reading here making these hosts of the word, but look, what do you look at what Jesus goes on to say that I say to you, do not swear at all, neither by Heaven for disguise, thrown your way. By the earth or is it is his footstool? No, nor by Jerusalem for it is the city of the Great King. A lot of Jews at that time would make their commitments swearing to Jerusalem, the Holy City of God, verse 36, nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your yes be yes and your no be no, for whatever is more than these is from the evil one. And we have to understand, even when we’re making our commitments to the Lord, or if someone is asking us to do some, just Yes, sure. Or no, I swear, I’ll be there. We can’t do that. We can’t make these kind of vows and, and what Scripture is showing us is that we don’t have the ability to fulfill them. You know, for instance, I made a commitment I made a vow. And I said, you know what I am going to work out every morning. As soon as I wake up five days a week, I’m going to go to the y and swim at least one day a week. I am only going to have one carb day and that gluten free. And I am going to eat the way I should and I know I’ll feel better. And it worked great. Until Thanksgiving. And then you have thanksgiving to New Year’s Day is just a blur, right? for all of us. It’s just like, any you go back to the beginning. Well, here’s the wonderful thing about the New Testament. When I made that commitment, I’m not really making a vow because I know I’m not supposed to make that. But when I made that commitment, I really meant it. And then the holidays came and I really blew it. But here’s the thing, under the new covenant, I can go and say Lord I want to start over again. Because vine, I have made a commitment that tomorrow, we’re going to start right off working out every morning and go into the gym once a week to swim. You understand the point I’m making. This is the difference between the liberty of grace and the commitment of the law. under the old covenant, when you made a commitment, you couldn’t touch on it one single bit Are you are you are guilty. But under the new covenant, we make our commitments to the Lord. Our desire is to draw closer to Him to be in more intimate relationship with him. But sometimes we just fall. And it’s the grace of God that allows us to get back up where we fell. We don’t have to go back to the beginning like the NAS rights did. And we can start right from where we fell. Now. Well, this person, when this person took this vow, there were three things they were forbidden to do and the first was not to drink wine, or any fermented drink. Now, this has nothing to do. In fact, the verse itself brings out this has nothing to do whether alcohol is right or wrong. Sin or not sin. But rather, if you want to close your walk with the Lord, that might be something that you would do, because the Scripture is very clear, even though it does not forbid the drinking of alcoholic beverage. Scripture says a drunkard shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. So that’s talking about someone not who has an alcoholic beverage, but when they drink, they get drunk. It’s serious offense, according to the Word of God. And all of us realize, I mean, I don’t I don’t drink but I’m just but a lot of you who have you, you know what I’m talking about. You can have a glass of wine, maybe a couple glasses of wine, you have a third glass of wine is it’s going to start affecting your judgment. It’s Going to start affecting the way you feel about things and your attitude, you’re going to say things you wish you didn’t say, you understand the point I’m making. Now. Wine in Scripture, and there’s a scripture that says it cures to heart is a symbol of, of having joy and having some, you know, some delight. But what the naza right was doing by staying away from all wine, was making the commitment that all of his joy was in the Lord. The joy of the Lord is my strength. That’s what the naza right was doing. And the thing it’s interesting too, is the second requirement of the nazzer. I just mentioned here was they weren’t to cut their hair. What does that have to do with anything? Well, if you turn to First Corinthians, chapter 11, First Corinthians chapter 11, verse 14, First Corinthians 1114 says this. It says it is a disgrace for a man if he has long hair, okay, that’s what that’s all talking about the disgrace of a man having long hair. The implication is that anyone who was taken an azurite found and didn’t cut his hair was willing to be humbled before the Lord. You follow what I’m saying? Like we think of all the old Bible characters having the flowing long hair, they didn’t they shave that they, you know, they had a razor cut, they kept your head, you know, their hair pretty short. And for a male, it was a disgrace to have his hair long. So it was a sign of humility to have a man walking around all the days of his vow with his hair growing along is a sign of his humbling himself before the Lord. And one of the things that’s interesting to me is you have a character Bible character like Samson, and he was He’s such an interesting study for all of us. But you have someone like Samson, and he killed 1000 Philistines. And yet, the lap of a woman allowed him to have his head shown sharn then amazing, you think about it, when he was out there fighting for the Lord, he could kill 1000 Philistines and then the lust of the flesh. Just put him to sleep, and His head was was shaved. And so we have to understand that as believers we make commitments to the Lord. Wonderful commitments. And we do great battle for the Lord and that’s awesome. But we have to make sure we’re not alone asleep number he fell asleep on Delilah slap. We can’t be lulled asleep. And that’s what the world and oftentimes religion tries to do to us lawless to sleep Also they were not allowed to go near a dead body. Why? Because death is the deepest mark of the testimony of sin. God never intended man to die. Did you know that he created Adam and Eve with eternal life? And he said to them, if you disobeyed me by going to that tree in the center of the garden, which more than likely, by the way wasn’t an apple tree apple trees don’t grow in that part of the world, that probably fig tree and it says if you eat of that forbidden fruit, then you shall surely die. Well, he wasn’t talking about him falling over dead at that moment. He was talking about that he would die spiritually. And when a person dies spiritually, it leads their body into aging and they will eventually die physically. That’s why I love that portion. It says the last enemy to be conquered is death world death is your victory. Well, death is your sting. the sting of death is sin and the power of sin is a loss. But thanks Speed of God through Christ Jesus who gives us the victory. That’s unbelievable. But death was never part of God’s plan. You know, I don’t think there’s anything that brings more fear, more heartache in our lives when we think of the death of a loved one, right? Nothing. If we know they’re saved, obviously, there is a great constellation there and knowing that they’re going to be with the Lord, and we’ll see them again. But you think of all the wars, you think of all the, you know, all the evil that’s going on slaughter this going on around the world to realize how ugly that is. And yet, we’re in such a weird state because of the fall of man, that those of us that have some kind of a moral standard. We’d like to keep there times that we have to fight in order to protect ourselves from those that would take it away from us. All you have to do is read the study of the kings and the Chronicles. They went to battle in order to keep their nation free. But how wonderful it’s going to be when Jesus comes back and establishes his kingdom, there’s not going to be any war, people aren’t going to die. It’s not going to be necessary. Because God is going to rule from his throne with an iron scepter. And we’re going to reign with Him. As believers. How amazing is that? is pretty amazing. And we know from Matthew 1037 through 39, it says anyone who loves his father and mother more than me is not worthy, worthy of Me. And anyone who loves his son or his daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And anyone who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds this fine glasses on whoever finds his life will lose it. Whoever loses his life for my sake, we’ll find it. what that’s telling us here is, no one should come before the Lord. It doesn’t mean you know you don’t love your family. It doesn’t mean you wouldn’t lay down your life for your family. But our love and commitment to the Lord has to be higher, higher than that. I mean, Jesus is the one who did it all. He created the heavens and the earth. By his hand, all things were created by him, nothing was created that was not created by him in the Gospel, john, chapter one. He’s the Creator, He created us. And he has a promise for us. I mean, he gave man Free Will choice. And some of us might think, why did they do that? Because that brought sin into the world. Because God wanted man to love him. He loves man, but God wanted man to have the ability to freely love him. And that requires choice. You’ve heard me share this before. No choice, no love. You know, if I go up to my wife and start choking her and say you better tell me you love me. There’s no Love there, this fear. And so many religions are based on fear. Ours isn’t. We love Jesus simply because we love Him. God gave man that choice. Unfortunately, there were those who don’t choose to love God. They don’t choose to follow him. And so God gave that choice. And of course that has led to the world going off in so many crazy wild, you know, directions. I mean, our world is in such turmoil right now. And if we don’t realize the nearness of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have to be blind. I mean, some of you have probably heard about what happened in Russia. A lot of people don’t because the only thing they carry a news is politics. Any news you turn on anytime of the day you turn on, it’s just politics. You never get World News. But pootie established a whole new set of laws and his entire government resigned. So Putin is becoming is going to become the next czar. He’s going to become, you know what? The title was for the czar of Russia in ancient times, God. And so we have Ezekiel 38. God, you know, me shosh and Tubal, the main you know, he’s the main Prince of me shosh into Well, he’s the king of those two country, Rashmi, shosh and Google, that are all going to come against his real from the north. You have Iran, Persia, right there. And you have Syria. Right there. You have what’s considered the Old Babylonian Empire right there. We are so on the brink of the Lord taking his church out of this world. That should be our greatest motivation. We should all separate ourselves as NAS rights not in the sense of the Old Testament. But in the sense that, Lord I just I just want to commit myself You, I just want to do whatever you would have me do, because you’re coming back at anyone who doesn’t know you will be left behind. But anyone who does know you, if they die, they’re going to be with you to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. And any of us who any of those of us who are still alive when you come, we’re going to be translated, receive our glorified bodies and meet you in the air. That time is at hand. I mean, Scripture tells us we are supposed to be aware of the time you know, we don’t know the day we don’t know the hour. If I came out here and said, I just want you to know next Thursday, two o’clock your rapture is going to occur. Then you can look at me and say Iran, there’s no one knows Dana the hour. But scripture does say you are not in darkness. You are sons of the light just that this day should come upon you as a thief in the night. In other words, we’re supposed to be aware of the time in which we’re living, and we’re living in that time. It’s absolutely amazing.
Now. So also we have to understand, we see that everything in our walk, at least we should, is a blessing, not an obligation and a burden. That’s the difference between the law and grace. Everything in our walk is a blessing. It makes life better. It’s not a burden. It’s not an obligation. I’ve never had anyone come to me say, Pastor, can I meet with you? You know, Tuesday at seven o’clock in your study? Sure. Come on in. I’ve never had anyone come into my study and say, you know, Pastor, I just want you to know, I’ve been I’ve been walking with the Lord. I’ve been doing everything God wants me to do and and I’ve been in prayer and I’ve just been in communion with the Lord and, and life is just tough. Know, the ones that come in and see me are the ones who are saying to me, I haven’t been walking with the Lord. Been disobedient in this area I’ve been disobedient neriah I’ve been slacking here. And I feel miserable. Anyone who’s in communion with the Lord is filled with joy, the joy of the Lord is our strength. And so, we in a sense, desire to take an azurite vow and not out of obligation. But you know, want to keep this I love you, what is there that I can do to be a little closer to you? I guarantee you this. If this evening, you know, you spent time with your family, maybe doing family devotions, and you spend some time you know, maybe even singing some worship songs or at least what listening to some worship songs. You’re gonna feel great. But here’s what happens. Seven o’clock at night comes and we make this excuse. I’m tired. I just am emotionally and mentally tired. So the thing that I need to do is turn on TV. And watch the news or whatever it might be that you want to watch. You follow the point I’m making. And yet if we make that extra commitment, when you do have those times that you spend the evening, you know really worshiping the Lord. And if you have a spouse or family talking to him about Jesus and you have just met you go to bed here like today. In Second Corinthians, chapter seven, verse 10, it says this godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation, and leaves no regrets, but worldly sorrow brings death. Remember, john the baptist said produce fruit in keeping with repentance. The point that I’m bringing out here is that in Jesus Christ is forgiveness. That’s the grace of God. That’s what it means to be a New Testament believer. His grace and mercy. When you fall a sense, it doesn’t mean okay, you’re cut off, I’m done with you now. You are his, you have received a steel and sign and deposited the Holy Spirit you belong to Almighty God. But I’ll tell you why. When you’re not walking with Him, you’re going to be miserable. When you’re not walking with Him, you’re not going to have the peace and joy your heart desires. And so the whole idea for you and I, as far as taking an azurite vow in a spiritual sense, not a literal sense. You know, we’re not going to go and let our hair grow. I can anyway. But anyway, we’re not going to let our hair grow. We’re not going to do all these other things. But the point is, our NASS right now is, you know what, Jesus, I want to close your walk with you. You’re so awesome to be with. I just want to spend more time with you. That’s our vow. Father, we come before you in Jesus name and we thank you for this portion of Scripture and the valdan azurite and how it really applies to us under the new covenant of grace. And I pray Father That you would minister the words that we have studied and looked at this morning to our heart and life. And I pray this all in Christ Jesus name, Amen. And Amen. And as you all know, the third Sunday of the month we have communion. And you always know when we’re having communion because I have a tie on this God Sunday our attack. Anyway, communion is absolutely wonderful. Jesus gave two sacraments to the church. Now a sacrament is something that we do physically, to demonstrate an inward working of God. The two sacraments God has given the church studies, the New Testament, you’ll find there’s only two. That’s the sacrament of baptism and the sacrament of communion. The sacrament of baptism is when a person has been born again and committed their lives to Jesus Christ, and they want to get public testimony of it. We only do it in the summer because our pool is frozen in the winter but and if it’s real cool frankston one who does it but anyway What we do is someone who’s a new believer and wants to be baptized, we take them. And we do baptism by immersion, because that’s what’s in the Bible. And and in Romans chapter six, it makes it very clear. going under the water represents dying to your old nature, your old sin, and coming up means your new creation in Christ. It’s just symbolic. So it’s a symbolic thing we do to demonstrate an inner working of grace. Well, the other sacrament is what we call communion. And Jesus, by the way, Jesus had to participate in it as well. Remember, Jesus participated in baptism. john the baptist said, I need to be baptized by you. He said that all righteousness might be fulfilled, you know, I’m going to be baptized. And he also participated in the Lord’s table. And he told us, that as often as we drink this company to spread were to do it in remembrance of him. And he said he wouldn’t participate in this table again, until he participates with us a new in the kingdom of heaven. Can you imagine? One day, all of us, we as believers are going to be in heaven. And we’re going to take part in a giant communion service. And guess who’s going to be officiating it? Not me, Jesus. And you know what our attitudes going to be? You know why? I don’t deserve this. I don’t deserve this love. I don’t deserve this joy. Jesus is celebrating communion with me. And what is communion? We have an honor table, Do this in remembrance of me. Well, what do we remember? Remember, He created us? We remember he gave us the law, that be our schoolmaster. We know that he gave us grace, by his death on the cross that we might be forgiveness of all sins, and we know that he’s given us eternal life. When we die, we go to be with him. And so consequently, we also recognize that this promise involves his community. For us, and one day, we’re going to be with him. And it’s like Job said, we’re not going to see him in some kind of a weird abstract Nirvana kind of way. We’re going to see him with our own eyes. And we’re going to be celebrating together with our own personal, our self identity is never lost. And I’m not going to be in heaven. You know, we’re ready to do the communion separate. Excited. Nice. Now, who are you again? I gotta know, john, I gotta know my wife. Fine. I know my son, you know, I’m gonna know all of you. It’s not going to be like, Whoa, whoo. We will have our own self identity. We’re going to know who we are in relationship to God and with one another as fellow believers. It’s going to be awesome. Until that day comes, Jesus said, As a reminder, I want you to do communion. And of course, we know that the unleavened bread. Jesus took the unleavened bread and when he met with his disciples in the upper room when he broke and he said, This is my body, this is going to be broken for you. That’s the kind of love I have for you. And then he passed bread around. Then he took the wine, the fruit of the vine, and he said, This is my blood, this represents my blood that’s going to be shed for you. And he also gave that to them to pass around, and that the shedding of his blood was a symbol of the remission of all sin. And so as believers we share in this communion every week. And as the ushers come forward, and we start passing out the elements for communion, Chuck’s going to be playing a song write a song that we had played here yesterday during the workday and it just really hit fine and I so hope it blesses you as well. Okay, brothers.
Amen. What can we add to that? Is he worthy? He is, so take any drink can be so thankful to your God. Lord, thank you for the sacrament of encouragement, the sacrament of love the sacrament of peace. And I pray, Lord, that You would bless it to our spiritual nourishment. We ask all this in Jesus name, amen. Amen. God bless you brothers and sisters.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai