Communion Sabbath Morning Apri 11th

A few verses out of Luke chapter 22. Why did you turn in your Bibles? Scroll, click, whatever you got to do to get to the word this morning. Luke chapter 22. Read a few verses out of the Gospel According to you, you just let me know you made it. He was still turning to say pass them on the move. I hear you. I hear you Luke chapter 22 and I want you to read with me verse 14, and we're going to be down, there were sixteen and will pick up just a little bit, toward the end of the chapter as well. Beginning in verse 22, chapter 22, beginning and verse 14 years. The Bible says, the new King James Version Bible says, when the hour had come he that is Jesus sat down and the 12 apostles with him, then he said to them, with fervent desire, I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. Another translation says with Earnest desire.

Brasic you. I will no longer eat a bit until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. He says continuing in their conversation as they wrestle with, who is the greatest, he says, but you are those who have continued with me in my trials. And I bestow upon you, a kingdom. Just as my father bestowed, one upon me that you may eat and drink at my table in My Kingdom. And sit on Thrones judging the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Speak to you just briefly as we continue this service under the subject. It's a setup.

Pray with me, Heavenly Father. We ask right now that you would fall afresh upon us and that you would direct our minds heavenward for the next few moments that you allow us. So God to see you and all that you are and all that, you have promised, you will continue to be on behalf of your children. Pray God that you would hide me behind the cross and that you would feel my insufficiency or God with your great mercy and power and a praying God that you would draw us closer to you today. It's in Jesus name, we pray and all God's people say. It's a setup.

I'll work on that food. Has a special way of bringing people together. It's just interesting to think about all of the major events, all the Milestone moments in our lives without food.

Thanksgiving meal on Thanksgiving holiday. Plan prepared invited. And there ain't nothing to eat. Imagine a wonderful Christmas holiday with all of its decorations and flare, there is nothing on the table. Just think about your birthday. Celebrating with all your people and I'll just look at each other in the face. I'm already at food has a way not just of Heightening V excitement of an occasion but also making the occasion one. That brings people who may not even have been connected before together. If that mess up my friends, that I have been friends with for a long time, we only know each other because we had a meal together. We sat down in the cafeteria at some point in time we went out and we got a bill and that had a way of bonding us that nothing else could have it. It's interesting that this is one of the things that is not just Jermaine to holidays, and birthdays and celebrations. I want, you know, for some reason, Jesus understands the significance of the meal, the food, the opportunity to eat with someone or break, red with someone such that Jesus is making Milton a part of his mission. As the Messiah, I want you to see this family. Jesus knows that he is going to die. I want you to Jesus is not ignorant that his death is imminent. Jesus knows that his departure is going to be suing. He has one last chance with his disciples to set them up for success, for when he is no longer with them, he knows that the cross is what a r and their relationship is going to tear them apart. Of fact, he knows that the crucifixion is going to cause them to lose all their faith and deny him that very night, but he has one last chance to set his disciples up for success. And what does Jesus do? He plans dinner. I want you to see this family Jesus. He is not going through a last-minute boot camp of The Sermon on the Mount. Watch this sound like he is not going through a last-minute checklist that you need to say and do to be my disciples. The Bible says that Jesus has plans dinner and in fact this was so important to him. That he says that I have earnestly desire to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. Have a question that ought to be ringing in your mind is a question that was ringing in my mind is why does Jesus prioritize a meal as his last acts before he is separated from his disciples about how the Passover was? An ancient Jewish Festival. That was a symbolic Festival that demonstrated God's ability to save his children out of Egyptian bondage. It was God's power to free his children, from the bondage of slavery. It was a demonstration of God's power to cause hit their sins to be covered by the blood of the Lamb. That was sacrificed and he passed over them. And I can tell you about the spiritual significance of the fact that the Messiah actual Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world was to sit down and eat. This meal that was to represent his mission. I can tell you about the significance but I want you to see at its most basic level this morning, Jesus is simply doing what all good host to do. When they invite you to a meal, they are simply calling you into their presents. Watch this family. It is not the meal that makes the holiday. I know some of yall like the corn bread and and you like the desert with that but I want to know what makes the meal good are. The people around the table, don't miss this family. Jesus calls his disciples to the Passover meal and he calls them for one specific purpose. And it's not because the unleavened bread was good. It's not because of Passover Lamb was well, seasoned. He calls them to the Passover because he is calling them into his presence. Don't miss this. Don't miss this, why Jesus, why are you just going to share a meal with them before you go to Calvary and are crucified on the cross? Because Jesus understands, as I get ready to take my seat that his presence is preparation. I don't miss this. He recognizes that more than just the Liturgy more than just the lessons. He understands that it is his presence that is their preparation as he understands that what the disciples need most In This Moment is not just, another Bible study, don't miss it. They don't just need another worship experience, we don't defeat Under the Mountain Top experience, they just need to be in the presence of Jesus for these special moments. And this is why this is why all of this. This is why Jesus says when he is eating with them he says they are eating at the table. Jesus has prepared, right? He is giving them instructions to make sure that this He calls them into his presence and they're getting ready to eat the Passover Lamb. And do you realize that at this very table they get into argument about who is the greatest?

How do you say this? Because sometimes you don't even tried your best. Teach those kids. How it is that they going to be successful in life you ever tried your best to set up your cousin for that job, you know is going to carry them through but no matter how hard you try and how much you wouldn't it seem like they are dead set on doing their own thing in. There are wish I had up in here and Jesus is sitting here at the table with his disciples after three years of pouring into them in three years of teaching them in three years investing in them and all of a sudden while he's getting ready to die, they talk about who's going to be the greatest.

Watch this Jesus watch what his focus is. He continue jumps in their conversation. He says that they're seeking that kind of leadership that Lords it over each other, but it shall not be so among you, but he says he says, but you are those who have continued with me in my trials.

He's speaking both of their past trials and of the trials that were about to endure as their Master is crucified. He says, you are those who have continued with me in my trials. And I will bestow upon you, a kingdom. Just as my father, was still want a part of me that you may eat and drink at my table, in My Kingdom, watch this. And you to see this when he says, you have continued with me in my trials, He is building upon his theology is building upon his spirit with me in my trials is the amino, which is really, it means to remain to continue or to endure, but it really is a strength informed of the word meno, which is the very word he uses in John chapter 15, what he says about died in me and I in you As the branch cannot bring forth fruit except it abides in the vine, neither, can you unless you abide in me? I need to see what's happening here, family. Jesus is building on the premise that we cannot do anything, except we abide in Jesus Christ. And now he says this, he says, you are those What Makes You Different? What makes you significant? What's don't get you through? Is that you? Are those who have continued with me? You have remain in me, you have endured with me, even in the midst of my child, watch this, I didn't see that. Jesus is just communicating the significance that more than anything else. What you need is to continue to abide in me In order for you to be ready to meet the trials, that will come, what you need is to be rooted in me right now. In order to meet the obstacles that are going to come after the cross, you need to be rooted in me right now. In order for you to navigate the persecution, that's going to print out. After I am risen, you need to be rooted in my presence right now. And here's what I'm saying to the church today, those of you who know that life is not always going to be a cakewalk those of you who know that Walking With Jesus is not just going to be rainbows. And Skittles those with you who knows that this call to walk, as he walked his woke up with some challenges and some obstacles. You got one solution and 1/2 man from Jesus, that is to continue with me right now because his presence is our preparation or don't miss it. Because the more I am rooted in Jesus. Now the stronger. I will be when winds come later on. The deeper I am in Christ right now. The more I am going to be solid when things go out of whack later on. And what I'm saying to somebody is that, you got to see that what this is doing, is that he is setting us up for success. He knows that the cross is right around the corner. He knows the unfair conviction is right around the corner and he says the way that we going to get through this is it if you root your identity in my presence, So that you were able to stand in persecution, Jesus is throwing an alley-oop. Jesus is setting his disciples up, and I believe Jesus still doing this to watch this. Jesus introduces, this table of communion Were, there was meant to be connection and relationship between disciples and their Master. Are you catching this? He invites them to the table where there will be conversation connection and relationship. He brings them to this last supper with it will be a seamless connection between disciples and their Master between Jesus and his children, he calls them there. And the reason he calls him there is because he is setting them up for what is going to be like when he comes back the second time, I don't miss it. The Lord's Supper before he is to survive is a set up for the marriage Feast when he comes again. The goal of the Lord's Supper was first and foremost to bring his disciples into his presence, And keep them there.

Communion. What are set up for the king of y'all still not getting watch this. Watch this. This is why the Bible says in Revelation 19:9, he says, blessed are those who are invited to the wedding Feast of the Lamb. And he said, these are the true words of God. What am I saying? You are saying that the communion service that the Lord's Supper, The Last Supper that Jesus celebrate with his disciples, is just a shadow of the never ending connection that will be at the marriage Feast of the Lamb. So that Jesus his meal before, he suffers is just a setup for the never-ending connection after he returns. And another was what he is saying to his disciples is that if you don't know how to commute with me right now, you not going to be set up for when I come again and all we do is connect. Are you hear what I'm saying? This morning and other words, he is saying the disciples that this is just the setup for living your life in Eternal connection to your savior. And this is the calls every believer and every disciple that will believe on his name ever system, you see cuz it called is simple. Just sit down and enjoy the feast. They're worried about who's going to be greatest in the kingdom. Is this like, this is what the kingdom is going to be like, I wish you had some help. Don't worry about, who's going to win the crown and sit on Jesus. Right? And left, he saying, just as long as you are at the table, as long as you're in connection and communion with me, you going to be all right. In other words, he is inviting them to take out the invitation to satisfy the hunger of their souls. They think it was satisfied, them, it's to be the greatest in the Kingdom. Jesus says, what's going to really satisfy? You is just to be at the table.

And to partake of this communion with your savior and you realize that this is just the last final iteration of the invitation that Jesus has been extending throughout the entire course of human history. You realize that this is the reason that Isaiah says, come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters and you have no money come by and eat come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Because Jesus has always just been inviting us to the meal. This is why Jesus says, in John chapter 7 that he stands up and says, if anybody is thirsty, let him come to me, and drink. And whoever believes in me as a strippers have said, in his heart shall flow, rivers of Living Water, because Jesus has just been extending the invitation to come to. The table is why he says, in John, chapter 6 that I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me, shall not hunger. And whoever believes in me, shall never thirst because Jesus is extending an invitation to come to the table. And I guess what I'm saying is that this is the reason why the psalmist uses the imagery and says, oh, taste and see that the Lord. He is good because God is always been extending an invitation to come to the table. So, my husband today is simple. I am encouraging everybody who recognizes that it's not about hierarchy is not about title, is not about how long you been here is not about what Pew you sent in just as long as you are at the table. And you are connected with Caesar, that's all that matters. Listen, listen to the invitation that was given in Isaiah is the same invitation that has been given right now. Because you realize the truth is that all that God is trying to do is get us to the communion table.

Because if he can get us to realize that the hunger of our souls is satisfied in connection with Jesus.

He will have accomplished, what we came here to do. And that family is exactly what this service is all about.

The bread that represents his body that was broken for us and the wine, the represents his blood that was poured out for us. Does not in and of itself. Constitute any magical or intrinsic properties?

They are simple symbols or representations of the significance of abiding in Jesus Christ.

when Jesus says take this bread, And take this wine. He is reiterating his invitation in John 15.

What do you say is that the only way? To experience the fruit. Abundant Life. Is to remain in Jesus.

Supertech. Today, we are saying Yes, to the invitation. We're saying thank you, Jesus. when opportunity to be at your table, There was some of that first day of school. Where you sat in the cafeteria was on the term, in your social standing the rest of the year. You don't have a certain type with me, you could just walk up and sit to you, you have to have some kind of connection. you got some good food, you can trade, you are the reason that I love Jesus Is that he does not. Create any barriers? To being at his table. The invitations to you, is to me, it's everybody that would hear his voice. That would open up the door of their hearts and watch him come in and dine with them. Hold I stand at the door and I'm knocking. If anybody hears my voice.

Come to the table. The watch what I can do in your life. Somebody today. He was saying yes you're saying yes Jesus. Yes, I would just want to be agitated. say what the song was made of all I have to do is just be a door, sweeper

That's you right now, when I invite you to join me in prayer. Video of somebody who recognizes. Just how good God is in, extending me an invitation, I don't deserve to be in the same. But God has it bites me?

Father, we are extraordinarily great. To giving us another invitation.

Today, we are saying yes.

Thank you and we glorify you. It's in Jesus name that we pray. All God's people say.

The Lord's Supper.