The End of the Beginning

Introduction

Well good morning—happy Resurrection Day!

If you’ve got a Bible, go ahead and open it up with me to Genesis chapter 50…we’re gonna be starting in verse 15 and walking through the end of the book together this morning.

And that means…this is it.

This is the last scene in Genesis.

Just think about that for a second…we’ve spent years walking through this book. We’ve seen creation, the fall, the flood, the Tower of Babel…we’ve followed Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and now Joseph…we’ve watched God make promises, we’ve watched Him preserve a family, we’ve watched Him work through all kinds of broken situations to bring about His purposes. Right?

And now we’re at the end. I think this might’ve been the longest sermon series I’ve ever preached…over 100 sermons in one book alone.

But here’s what’s interesting as we come to this last part…Genesis doesn’t end the way you might expect.

There’s no big resolution. No moment where everything finally comes together. There’s no “and they all lived happily ever after.”

Instead…we’re left with tension. There’s still tons of questions. There’s still waiting. There’s still a sense that the story isn’t finished yet. And that’s all intentional. Because Genesis isn’t really the end of the story…it’s the end of the beginning. It’s God laying the foundation for everything that’s gonna come next.

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And you can feel that right away in our passage. Jacob’s gone now. The funeral’s over. Everything’s quiet again. And all of a sudden, the brothers start to think…

“What if Joseph was just being kind for Dad’s sake?” “What if now…he finally settles the score?”

Listen, have you ever noticed how guilt works like that?

Even when forgiveness has been given…even when nothing’s been said…there’s still that voice in the back of your head that says, “It’s coming. Sooner or later…this is gonna catch up to me.”

That’s where they are. They’re not resting in grace…they’re bracing for judgment.

And what we’re gonna see is that Joseph responds in a way that doesn’t just resolve their fear…it actually reveals something much bigger about how God works.

Because this final scene…it pulls everything together for us.

God’s pardon. God’s purpose. God’s promise.

And then it lifts our eyes to the bigger pattern that’s been running underneath this entire book.

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And that’s where Easter comes in. Because if Genesis is the end of the beginning…Easter, its the beginning of the end.

It’s the moment where everything God started in Genesis begins to come into full clarity.

Where pardon isn’t just spoken—it’s accomplished. Where purpose isn’t just seen in part—it’s revealed in full. Where promise isn’t just hoped for—it’s secured through the empty tomb.

And so as we walk through this final passage, I want you to see this not just as the conclusion to Genesis…I want you to see it as a doorway. A doorway that leads us straight to the resurrection.

And so listen, if you’ve found your place there in Genesis chapter 50, let’s stand together as we read our passage, starting in verse 15.

Genesis 50:15–26 ESV

When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.” ’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. So Joseph remained in Egypt, he and his father’s house. Joseph lived 110 years. And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation. The children also of Machir (May-Che-er) the son of Manasseh (Ma-nas-sa) were counted as Joseph’s own. And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

Thank you, you can be seated.

[Prayer]

Our four points this morning as we walk through the natural progression of this passage…point number 1, God’s Pardon…number 2, God’s Purpose…number 3, God’s Promise…and then point number 4, God’s Pattern.

And so, if you’re there with me…let’s look at this first thing together.

I. God’s Pardon (vv. 15-19)

Point number 1, we see an example of God’s pardon.

You can feel this tension right our of the gate, as Jacob’s gone, right?

Look back with me at verse 15: “When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, ‘It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.’”

So here it is…this fear that’s been sitting under the surface the entire time, it finally comes out.

And notice what triggers it. It’s not anything Joseph said. It’s not a change in his behavior. It’s the removal of Jacob, their father.

If you’ve not been with us as we’ve walked through this story over the past several months, these brother were horrible to Joseph. They literally sold him into slavery and then told their father he was dead.

And so they’re thinking now, “Maybe the only reason Joseph hasn’t dealt with us yet…is because Dad was still around.”

And listen, that tells you something about how they understood forgiveness. They didn’t believe they really had it.

They’ve seen Joseph weep. They’ve heard him speak kindly. They’ve been provided for, and protected, and preserved. And yet…here they are…still bracing for judgment.

Because listen, guilt has a way of doing that, right? It keeps whispering in your ear, “This isn’t over.” “It’s just delayed.” “You’ll pay for this eventually.”

That’s where they’re living. Not in the freedom of grace…in the fear of payback.

So what do they do? Verse 16: “So they sent a message to Joseph…”

Now just stop there for a second.

They don’t even go to him directly at first. There’s distance. There’s hesitation…Why? Because when you’re unsure of pardon, you don’t draw near—you hold back.

And then they bring up their father: “Your father gave this command before he died…”

Now whether Jacob actually said this or not, the point’s very clear here…they’re appealing for mercy. Remember, Joseph has all the authority now…he’s second in command of all of Egypt.

They say, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin…”

They finally name it. It’s no longer a “mistake.” Or some kind of “misunderstanding.” They name it sin. They call it evil.

And listen, that’s important. Because real pardon only makes sense where sin’s actually acknowledged.

But here’s the problem, they still don’t think forgiveness is secure. They’re hoping for it…they’re asking for it…they’re trying to reinforce it…But they’re not resting in it.

And that’s why verse 17 hits the way that it does: “Joseph wept when they spoke to him.”

Why’s he weeping here? Remember that Joseph, he’s a picture of Christ, right? And so this isn’t anger or frustration here. It’s grief. Because after everything…they still don’t know his heart.

After all the years… After all the provision… After all the kindness…

They still think he’s holding something over ‘em.

Listen, have you ever had someone doubt your forgiveness like that? You’ve extended it…you’ve shown it…you’ve made it vey clear…And yet they keep coming back like the debt’s still on the table.

That’s what’s happening here.

And so the brothers finally come in person, verse 18: “They fell down before him and said, ‘Behold, we are your servants.’”

There it is again.

Not just fear…but self-lowering. “We’ll take the place of slaves.”…Because in their minds, that’s how all this gets resolved.

“We’ll pay it off.” “We’ll earn our safety.” “We’ll make it right.”

And Joseph answers them in verse 19: “Don’t fear, for am I in the place of God?”

That’s the turning point of this whole thing.

Joseph refuses to take the role of judge. He’s saying, “That seat doesn’t belong to me.”

And listen, that right there is the foundation of pardon. Because as long as you’re trying to sit in God’s seat…you’ll never extend real forgiveness.

The Heidelberg Catechism puts it this way when it speaks about forgiveness—that God “no longer remembers our sins nor holds them against us.”

That’s what Joseph’s reflecting here.

He’s not minimizing their sin. He’s not even pretending it didn’t happen. He’s just refusing to act like he’s the one who gets the final say over it.

That belongs to God alone.

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And this is where you’ve gotta see how this presses into us. Because some of you are a lot more like the brothers than you think.

You say you believe the gospel… You say you’ve been forgiven…

But you’re still living like judgment’s coming.

You’re still trying to prove yourself. You’re still trying to balance the scales. You’re still rehearsing your past like God hasn’t already dealt with it.

Listen, if you’re in Christ, your pardon isn’t probationary. The New Testament makes that painfully clear.

Romans 8:1: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Not less condemnation. Not delayed condemnation.

What does it say? “No condemnation”.

Or think about Ephesians 1:7: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses…”

You have it. Present tense. Possessed.

Secured.

And where was that secured?

At the cross…and confirmed in the resurrection.

That’s where Easter comes in. Because the resurrection isn’t just proof that Jesus is alive…It’s proof that the payment for sin was accepted.

The debt the brothers are still trying to manage? Christ actually paid that. Fully. Completely. Forever.

As one theologian said, pardon is “that act of God by which He removes the guilt of sin and grants full remission.”

Listen, not partial or temporary. Full remission.

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But let me press in a little further—because this isn’t just about receiving pardon, it’s also about reflecting it.

Some of you aren’t the brothers in this story…You’re acting like Joseph in the worst kind of way, not the best way.

You’re holding onto things. Keeping score. Replaying conversations. Letting people sit under a quiet sentence of judgment in your heart.

And listen very carefully, if you insist on sitting in the place of God, you’ll suffocate your own soul.

Joseph’s freedom to forgive, it came from his question: “Am I in the place of God?” And the answer was no.

And the same is true for you and I today. We don’t get to be judge. We don’t get to be final authority over someone else’s sin. And until you release that, you’ll never experience the kind of freedom this passage is pointing us to.

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And so here’s the first question this text puts in front of us: Are you actually resting in God’s pardon…Or are you still trying to earn what Christ has already secured?…Or just as importantly—Are you extending that pardon to others…Or are you trying to sit in a seat that doesn’t belong to you?

Because church, this is where the gospel gets very real. Do you actually live like the debt’s been paid.

The point of Easter…It stands over all of it declaring—”It has.”

II. God’s Purpose (vv. 20-21)

Point number 2…We see God’s purpose through this story.

Listen, this is really the theological center of the whole Joseph narrative.

Look at verse 20 with me again: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good…”

Now let’s just stop there for a moment. Because that’s one of the most important statements in the entire book of Genesis.

Joseph doesn’t deny what happened. He doesn’t try to soften it. He doesn’t even say, “It wasn’t that bad.”

Pay attention to what he calls his brothers’ actions…Evil. Right? “You meant evil against me.”

And guys, that matters. Because sometimes we try to protect God’s reputation by downplaying sin. We say things like, “Well, everything happens for a reason,”…but we say it in a way that kind of blurs the lines.

Joseph doesn’t do that. He looks straight at what his brothers did—betrayal, hatred, selling him into slavery—and he calls it exactly what it is. Evil.

And at the very same time…in the very same sentence…he says: “But God meant it for good.”

Don’t miss that either.

He doesn’t say God used it or God reacted to it. He says God meant it.

Same event. Same actions.

Two intentions.

The brothers meant it for evil…God meant it for good.

And that right there is the doctrine of God’s sovereignty, laid out in real life.

This isn’t abstract theology. This is suffering, betrayal, injustice—and Joseph’s saying, “God wasn’t absent from any of that.”

The Westminster Confession says it this way: God “ordains whatsoever comes to pass,” and yet does it in such a way that He’s not the author of sin.

That’s what you’re seeing here.

Real human responsibility. Real evil. And over all of that, through it, and in it—God’s real, active purpose.

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Keep going, verse 20: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good…to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

So now Joseph gives us the “why.” Why did God ordain all of this horrible stuff?

To preserve life.

Think about the chain of events.

The pit. The slavery. The false accusation. The prison. The forgotten years.

None of that felt very good. None of that looked good.

And yet Joseph’s saying, “God was working through every single piece of that to bring about something bigger than me.”

Joseph recognizes that none of this was about his comfort. It was about the saving of many lives. Including the very brothers who sinned against him.

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And listen, this is where it starts to get very real for us. Because we love the idea of God having a purpose…As long as it lines up with our own comfort. As long as it makes sense in the moment. As long as we can see it and control it.

But Joseph didn’t get that. He didn’t have Romans 8:28 written out in front of him. “We know that for those who love God all things work together for good…”

He lived all this before it was written.

Years of confusion and silence. Years where nothing about his circumstances screamed, “God’s doing something good here.” And yet now, at the very end, he can look back and say, “He was.”

Every step of the way.

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And this is where some of you need to be corrected a little bit this morning. Because you’ve bought into a version of Christianity that says if God has a purpose, life should feel smooth. That obedience should equal ease. Or that faithfulness should be followed by immediate blessing. That isn’t what this text teaches us. God’s purpose oftentimes runs straight through pain. Not around it. Not over it.…Through it.

As Herman Bavinck put it, God “weaves all things together into the fabric of His plan.”

Not just the good moments. All things.

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Now look at how Joseph brings this down practically, verse 21: “So don’t fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.”

That’s purpose applied.

He doesn’t just give ‘em theology. He gives ‘em provision. “I’ll take care of you.”

And then it says: “Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.”

So the same truth that grounded Joseph for years…Its now the same truth that comforts his brothers.

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And church, this is where the connection to Easter becomes unavoidable. Because Joseph isn’t the ultimate picture here. He’s pointing forward.

Think about it: The greatest evil ever committed in human history…The betrayal, the condemnation, the crucifixion of God’s Son.

And yet what’s Acts 2:23 say? That Jesus was “delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God.”

Do you hear the same pattern?

Man meant it for evil. God meant it for good.

The cross wasn’t an accident. The cross wasn’t God scrambling to fix something…It was His purpose.

And so what was that purpose? Not just to preserve physical life for a season…It was to secure eternal life for sinners.

And the resurrection—what we celebrate at Easter—its the declaration that that purpose actually worked. That sin didn’t win. That death didn’t win. It declares that God’s purpose did.

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So here’s another question this point puts in front of us: Do you actually trust that God’s purposeful in your life…

It’s easy to affirm this doctrine when it’s in Genesis. It’s a lot harder when it’s your story.

When it’s your disappointment. When its your suffering. When it’s your unanswered prayers. But listen—if God was sovereign over the pit, and the prison, and the cross…He’s not absent from your life either.

The issue isn’t whether God has a purpose. The issue is whether you trust Him when you can’t see it. Because just like Joseph…You don’t always get the explanation in the moment. Sometimes you don’t get it in this lifetime. But Easter stands as the guarantee that God’s purposes don’t fail. Even when they look like they have.

And so the question’s simple, but it’s not easy: Will you trust His purpose even when it comes through pain?

III. God’s Promise (vv. 22-26)

Point number 3…We see God’s promise here in our text this morning.

And so we’ve seen the tension with the brothers…we’ve seen Joseph interpret his life through God’s purpose…and now everything starts to slow down and begin pointing us to the main idea.

Look at verse 22:

“So Joseph remained in Egypt, he and his father’s house. Joseph lived 110 years.”

Now on the surface, that kind of just sounds like a summary statement, right?

Joseph lived a full life. 110 years…that was considered a long, blessed life in Egypt.

Verse 23:

“And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation…”

And so he gets to see not just his children…not just his grandchildren…but his great-grandchildren…That’s legacy. That’s stability. That’s what most people would want at the end of their life.

And yet…don’t miss this…even with all of that…Joseph knows this isn’t the end of the story. Because look at what he says in verse 24:

“And Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I’m about to die…’”

And so here it is again. The end. Joseph knows it’s coming just like Jacob did…But listen to what he says next…that’s where everything turns: “…but God’ll visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”

Do you see that? “God’ll visit you…” Not “maybe God’ll come.” Not “I hope.” Not “there’s a chance this’ll happen.”…He says, “God will.” That’s certainty. That’s confidence. That’s promise.

And notice where his focus is. He’s not talking about Egypt. Or about everything he’s built. He’s not talking about his position or his success. He’s talking about what God said. He’s reaching all the way back to the covenant promises made to Abraham…reaffirmed to Isaac…passed down to Jacob…and now Joseph’s saying: “God hasn’t forgotten.”

Even though they’re still in Egypt… Even though nothing’s changed yet… Even though it doesn’t look like it’s happening…

God will do exactly what He said.

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And then he does something very specific in verse 25:

“Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, ‘God’ll surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.’”

Now that’s a strange request, right? “Carry up my bones…” Why’s that matter so much? Because just like Jacob…Joseph’s tying himself to that same promise.

He’s saying, “Don’t leave me here.” “Don’t let Egypt be my final resting place.” “Take me with you when God fulfills His word.”

Listen, this is so important: Joseph doesn’t get to see God’s promise fulfilled. He’s not there when the Exodus comes. He’s not there when they leave Egypt. He’s not there when they enter into the promised land. And yet…he’s so convinced of God’s promise…that he makes arrangements for it anyway.

Just like with his father…that’s faith. And again, as I’ve been showing every week now…that’s exactly what Hebrews 11:22 says:

“By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.”

Do you see that? “By faith…” Not by sight. Not by evidence. By faith.

John Calvin said it this way, that Joseph “rested in the bare promise of God, as though the thing itself were already present.”

That’s what we’re seeing here. Joseph’s treating the future fulfillment of God’s promise as if it’s already certain.

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And then verse 26:

“So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.”

And that’s how Genesis ends. Just a coffin…in Egypt. That’s the final image. And understand, that’s intentional. Because it leaves you asking the question: “Is God actually gonna do what He said?” “Is this promise real…or is it just something they’ve been holding onto?”

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And that’s where I think this passages presses into us a little bit. Because the same thing’s true for us today. We live in that same tension. We’ve been given promises…

Forgiveness of sins. New life in Christ. Resurrection. A kingdom that can’t be shaken.

And yet…we don’t see the fullness of it just yet.

We’re still waiting…as 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “We walk by faith, not by sight.”

That’s Joseph.

That’s Genesis.

That should be us.

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Listen, Resurrection Sunday…it gives us a glimpse—a preview—of what it looks like when God keeps His promises.

Joseph says, “God’ll visit you…” And all throughout the Old Testament, that same language of God “visiting” His people…that becomes very important. It points us to moments where God steps in…where He acts…where He fulfills what He said. And ultimately, it points us forward to Christ.

Joseph dies trusting a promise he doesn’t see fulfilled…Church, that’s the life of faith.

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And so the idea here…the question Moses is asking his original reader as they wandered around in the wilderness waiting on God’s promise to be fulfilled…and the question he presses into us as we wait on Jesus’s promise to be fulfilled…Are you anchoring your life on what God’s said?

Because listen, this passage, it shows us…at the end of his life…Joseph doesn’t point to Egypt. He points to the promise. He trusted that God would do exactly what He said, even if he doesn’t see it yet.

IV. God’s Pattern

Which moves us into our final point this morning…God’s pattern.

Listen, what I wanna do with this last thing is kind of recap the entire book and show us how God’s pattern, its always the same…and how seeing that, it should give us even more confidence in things like salvation or the resurrection.

Listen, from the start of Genesis…through every person we’ve encountered, we’ve seen the same thing…we’ve seen struggle experienced…we’ve seen death encountered…and ultimately we’ve seen hope maintained. Right?

Think back to the very beginning.

Genesis opens with life. God creates everything good. Everything ordered. Everything flourishing. And then almost immediately…what happens? Sin enters in. Rebellion. Brokenness. Death.

What started as life…it very quickly turns into a story marked by death. And if you just stopped there, you’d think, “That’s it. It’s over.”

But then what do we see God do?

He speaks. He makes a promise. Genesis 3:15…that one day, the seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head.

And from that moment on, everything in Genesis starts moving along that line.

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You see it with Abel…then Seth.

You see it with Noah…God preserving a family through judgment.

You see it at Babel…humanity rebelling again…and God scattering them.

And then Genesis 12…everything narrows.

God chooses Abraham.

Not because he earned it. Not because he deserved it. But because God’s gracious.

And through Abraham, we see the beginning of a people. The beginning of the church…a covenant family. The beginning of mission—“through you all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.” Abraham becomes a proclaimer of God…an intercessor for the nations. And from there, the pattern just keeps repeating.

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God makes a promise. Everything looks like it’s falling apart. Abraham can’t have children. Isaac’s almost sacrificed. Jacob’s a mess. Joseph gets sold into slavery. Over and over again, it looks like the promise is in danger. It looks like sin’s winning. It looks like death’s gonna have the final word.

And yet…every single time…“But God…”

Genesis 50:20—“You meant evil against me, BUT GOD meant it for good.”

That’s not just Joseph’s story.

That’s the whole book of Genesis. That’s the pattern.

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God chooses. God sustains. God overrules sin. God preserves His people. And God brings about His promises…oftentimes in ways no one saw coming.

As one pastor said, “God writes straight with crooked lines.”

That’s Genesis.

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And here’s what you’ve gotta see: That pattern doesn’t stop in Genesis. It points forward. It builds toward something else. Because everything we’ve seen…

Life → sin → promise → struggle → near death → “but God” → deliverance…

That pattern reaches its climax in Jesus.

…

Think about it.

Jesus comes—the promised seed. And what happens? He’s rejected. He’s betrayed. He’s condemned. He’s crucified. And in that moment…it looks like the same story all over again. Sin wins. Darkness wins. Death wins. It looks like the promise has failed.

…

But there’s a “But God,” right?

Three days later. The resurrection.

And listen, that’s not a break in the pattern…That’s the fulfillment of the pattern.

Everything Genesis has been showing us in shadows…Easter shows us in full clarity.

The greatest evil ever committed…“But God meant it for good.” Not just to preserve physical life…But to save sinners. To defeat sin. To conquer death. To secure the promise forever.

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And that’s why this matters so much for us this morning. Because we’re living in that same pattern right now.

You’re gonna experience struggle. You’re gonna walk through suffering. You’re gonna face death—either your own or the people you love. And there’s gonna be moments where it feels like everything’s unraveling. Moments where it feels like sin’s winning. Moments where it feels like God’s promises are distant…or unclear…or maybe even failing.

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But Genesis—and ultimately Easter—they stand over all of that and they say: No. That’s not the end of the story. Because the same God…Who spoke in the garden…Who preserved Noah…Who called Abraham…Who wrestled with Jacob…Who raised Joseph up… He’s the same God…Who raised Jesus from the dead.

Amen?

Closing

And so here’s how I wanna land the plane this morning.

For those of you who are believers in the room…Do you actually see your life through that pattern? Because if all you see is the pit…you’ll lose hope. If all you see is the suffering…you’ll start to question God…But listen, if you see the pattern…you’ll learn to say, even in the middle of it:

“I don’t understand it yet…but God…”

“My circumstances don’t make sense…but God…”

“This looks like the end…but God…”

That’s faith.

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And for those of you who may not be believers…Let me just say this as plainly as I can this morning: You’re part of this story whether you realize it or not.

Sin’s real. Death’s very real. The judgement of sin’s real. You feel that. You see that. You know that. But the question this morning is…what are you doing with the cross? Because the cross stands right in the middle of history and it declares: Your sins are serious enough that Jesus had to die for it…But God’s grace is great enough that He was willing to…And the resurrection declares that forgiveness, and life, and hope, they’re actually available.

They’re not earned. They’re not achieved. They’re Given.

And so the Bible would say to confess with your mouth, believe in your heart the Lord Jesus…and repent. Turn from your sin…change your mind about the world, reorient it toward Christ.

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Listen, Genesis might end with a coffin in Egypt. But because of Easter…That’s not where the story stays.

This is the end of the beginning…which ultimately leads to an empty tomb. And the tomb, its the beginning of the end. And that changes everything.

Would you bow your head and close your eyes with me?

Listen, the praise team’s gonna come and lead us in worship one more time…and as they do that, our deacons and elders, they’re gonna come and prepare the elements for us.

Listen, as they sing…I want you to reflect on God’s Word…If you’re a believer this morning…reflect on the cross…what it means for you. How it changes everything for you…and I want you to prepare your heart for communion as we remember the greatest sacrifice in human history.

And if you’re an unbeliever this morning, I want you to consider the cross. Understand sin’s real…that it leads to death. Understand that there’s nothing you can do about that problem on your own…and consider God and what He did through the person and work of Jesus. Jesus, being fully God, took on flesh…He lived a perfect live…He died the death we deserve…The weight of our sin was placed on His body, so that the wrath of the Father could be poured out on Him…and then He rose three days later…promising the same outcome for all those who would follow Him.

Confess, repent, believe.

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And so listen, you take this time…and in just a moment, we’ll come around the table to remember Christ and His work…And remember, communion, its for believers, its for those that’ve place their trust and faith in Christ and have been made new through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

And so again take this time…we’ll have some pastors up front if you’d like speak to one of us…but this is your time, you come.

[Prayer]

Matthew 26:26 (ESV)

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”

Matthew 26:27–29 (ESV)

And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

[Prayer]