The Sacraments Introduction

So to begin / overview before before we turn to 1st Corinthians chapter 10, I wanted to bring up the artwork real quick are we have artists in our church that have actually worked on this Eric weathers did the graphics and Anna both did the lettering but I wanted to explain it initially just so you know, what's going on in this picture. It's a it's a symbolic picture that takes different elements of the New Testament and Old Testament that the authors have tied back to the sacraments. It's on the left side. You'll see Noah's Ark in the 1st Peter 3. Peter says that baptism corresponds to Noah's Ark we also see Moses crossing the Red Sea likewise and 1st Corinthians Paul corresponds baptism with walking through the Red Sea and then on the right side with the Lord's supper. If you see the Passover blood over the door post and the man are coming down from heaven and The Rock being split all with Paul course bonded to communion in the Lord's Supper. So that's what's going on in the artwork and that's kind of a flavor of what this sermon series will be like it's going to be looking at the sacraments from a wide-angle lens if you would So now I invite you to look at me at First Corinthians chapter 10 beginning and verse one will go through verse 5. 1st Corinthians, 1:10 or 1st Corinthians 10 1 through 5 for I do not. I want you to be unaware brothers that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea is from the picture and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the Red Sea and all ate the same spiritual food and all drink the same spiritual drink for they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them and The Rock was Christ. nevertheless with most of them God was not pleased for they were overthrown in the wilderness is he is explaining how the Old Testament pointed to typified alluded to a code. If you would the sacraments if that was hit Exodus 12 that they passed through the Red Sea on their way out of Egypt which corresponds the baptism and exodus 16 the man that came down and then exit 17 a drink from the rock, which is the body and the blood of Christ corresponding to the Lord's Supper The Exodus story is Rich with symbolism for us today. Crossing the Red Sea was Israel leaving the old world leaving sin and death in entering into a new world a New Covenant a new reality. Do we have God hear your God will call them to live differently their lies will be different after coming through the Red Sea. It's no longer the same Everything Has Changed. You give them laws and structures. I'm worshipping on relationships and food and clothing and so on and all of this is to show that they were no longer part of the old world. There are no longer a part of Egypt something has drastically changed their reality has changed. This is what Paul wants us to understand the eating the Manna From Heaven. Was God not forgetting his promises to him. It is God's and I will sustain you in this new world. I will feed you don't have to worry. It's not the same as Jamie preached a couple weeks ago the Israelites began to Grumble and complain because they wanted the food from the old world. They wanted to meet pots in the bread and all that and more now your new people with new food and I will feed you. Right and it drinking from The Rock we see that the people of God were partaking in a divine blessing of nourishment though. They deserved wrath. They deserve condemnation. It's funny how it is Rose history and in their story every great gift that God gives them as followed by and complaining and then it's also preceded by them complaining. Enters into our Brokenness and make something new for us. And this is what Paul refers to in verse 5 of 1st Corinthians 10, when says nevertheless most of them with most of them. God was not pleased for their overthrown in the wilderness are constantly wanting to go back. They wanted the old reality. They were afraid they were concerned. They were unfamiliar with what God is doing in this new world is New Covenant. So if we were to go on in The Exodus story, we would see that in chapter 19. God brings the people to Sinai where he gives them a law. He gives them the ordinances the rules by the way to worship. He gives them the out of the blueprint for the Tabernacle. So if we were to follow the pattern of The Exodus it goes like this job redeem them out of slavery. Is there salvation he brought them through the waters. This is their baptism the fed them in the wilderness. This is there communion and it brought them to mount cyanide to teach them. This is their discipleship, right? This is the this is the pattern of the Christian Life. This is what life in Covenant with Christ. Looks like he redeems us. We are them baptized. We didn't take communion and then we are disciples in the face. Israel was formed by the sacraments and Paul brings it to bear in 1st Corinthians Upon Jesus ascending into heaven. We find that he has left us with two sacraments in order to bless and to form his people to give us baptism to be in Union with him. He gave us communion in order to dine and feast and commune with him and partake in His blessings. So what we see is the scriptures layout is very similar pattern that were used to as far as salvation goes informed that pattern according to the sacraments. It holds the sacraments up on this great pedestal saying these things are very important. This is the testimony of the New Testament. We see this echoed in Old Testament. So this morning we will be doing an introduction kind of an overview and I when we think about baptism in the Lord's Supper a both of these Sacrament both of these rituals, whatever you might want to call them ordinances and we'll get into the terminology in a little bit are riddled with controversy. Right? I mean the church no matter the denomination with a Catholic or Protestant or Orthodox are very different views and then within particularly protestantism all the different denominations oftentimes are divided and distinct because of their views of the sacraments, right? So to look at baptism, you will hear arguments about you Duncan do you dip them do drip do Sprint? You go forward or backwards do it once or twice or three times. Is it for babies or little kids or teens or adults? I mean, there are so many different angles so many different things to consider when it comes to baptism. The Lord's Supper is not much less controversial we look at how what are the elements? What is the bread? What is the cup? Is it juicer? That wine is the bread leavened bread or unleavened bread is a wafer crackers. Is it from Costco? Is it from Dillons the organic the gluten-free? We also going to okay what happens to a transubstantiation where it actually turns into the body and blood of Christ like the Catholic Church believes that consubstantiation where it doesn't actually change but the essence changes like the Lutheran Church believe. What are we to do in these days these debate in these discussions require a zoomed-in approach zooming into the different sacraments and try to pick it apart then. Okay, how do we understand all of these different elements? And that is a very important thing to do and I assure you as as Elders we have been doing that and will continue to do that. But that's not what we're going to look at in this series. We're not going to be studying the sacraments from a zoomed-in approach trying to figure out all the little details rather. I would rather I'd like to take a thirty thousand foot approach and look at these sacraments as a whole and this is not a perspective that is often pot from doors that preach from because for multiple reason at 30,000 ft looking at something like the sacraments it can get kind of busy in right if it's hard to understand what is going on. And how is the flow of scripture relating to the sacraments? But that is what we will attempt to do over these next 3 weeks. So this morning I'm going to focus on for common questions that we have around the sacraments and then the next two weeks. I'll focus on baptism and then communion. The question number one, is is it a Sacrament or is it an ordinance? Question number two. What is a sacrament? Question number three how many sacraments are there? The number for why are the sacraments important? 30 began we will look at the first question. Is it a Sacrament or is it an ordinance does terminology and terminology matters words matter? I did not have so much that I had a conversation with a Southern Baptist pastor at a church here in Wichita Area. And this was when we started to begin Exodus church, and he was asking what what what are you guys all about? What is your vision? What does your church service look like? What are you going to focus on so I explained to him our liturgy that we have tried to develop and walk through each week. I would have a call to worship. Lullaby song have the time of confession followed by a song in. This is Corporate. Do we have the Assurance of Pardon and follow my song of rejoicing we don't have time in the world where we would want to focus on Xbox ettore preaching. And then we would move into communion and then we finally move into offering at the end. That I said one of the things that we are really focusing on is having a high view of the word of God and a high view of the sacraments and he stopped me. So why you call it Sacrament. That's the kind of concerned. That sounds very Catholic and Southern Baptist Church, right? Yeah, you said well, why you why do you call it? When you should call it ordinances? That's what we call. All right. Well when we talked about it a little bit but his concern was that we would actually lose supporters and drive people away by calling the Lord's supper and baptism Sacrament as opposed to ordinances. So if this terminology is I don't like putting if it feels a little uncomfortable. I hope that we can walk through the next three weeks together by the end you will feel confidently and joyously and calling baptism and the Lord's Supper sacraments and also understanding that there is an aspect of these two things which are an ordinance as well. But for us we will focus on the sacraments. So the significant difference between the two a Sacrament and an ordinance is God's role in the act right? It's it's God's interaction with baptism with the Lord's supper at the sacrament baptism is more than just an act of man. It is a means by which God unify the person who is Covenant people. When viewed as an ordinance baptism is a testimony of a person being baptized testifying for what God has done in the past yet. God isn't doing anything and that moment for the supper when it's due. The sacrament. It is viewed as coming and fellowshipping with Christ and his body. When do does inordinate the Lord's Supper is an act of obedience to remember something that he has done in the past. So this view of Sacrament and ordinance comes down to is God active. Is he present in a unique way while we partake in the sacrament or is he not if he's not then we would call inordinate because it is something that we are called to do. It is something he has commanded us to do it which is true, which is true. We are commanded to do this, but he doesn't just leave us to do it on her own. She actually joins us in it and a very unique way. A biblically what we can see is God Christ joined his people uniquely in the sacraments uniquely and feeding the poor serving the poor and uniquely. I in in the resurrection reality of worship service. There's something different about this God works in a dynamic way with his people. So another way to think about it is an ordinance is a sign of the New Covenant but not a seal where a Sacrament is both a sign and a seal of the New Covenant. What is Sacrament revolve around what God has done and is doing ordinances revolve around what man doesn't want God did so this is why we call it a Sacrament Church. We believe that the sacraments are not centered on us. But in the supper and baptism Christ is uniquely present with his people. Did this is why I'm moving forward. We want to call baptism in the Lord's Supper sacraments. And again, if this is a tall off-putting or makes you feel uncomfortable, talk to me talk to Zach talk to Jaime. We love enter into a conversation with you about this and continue this conversation and we've been having for over a year and a half. Question number two. What is a Sacrament the word Sacrament comes from the Latin word sacramentum, which was used to translate the Greek word Mysterion in the Latin New Testament and the Greek word Mysterion means Mystery Show in one of the earliest translation of the New Testament Jerome a Latin scholar wrote down when it when it came to the mystery of Christ. He wrote down the word Sacrament and this is really important for us to think about because the sacraments are mysterious their incredibly mysterious. It is important for us to embrace this concept and not be afraid of mystery not be afraid of not understanding fully something that God has called us to do because if we're honest with ourselves, we don't understand anything fully at guide us. We can't understand infinite. So let's embrace the mystery and move forward. Now this way of thinking is very different for us and our society. We are very used to rationalistic. We're used to Scientific data. We're used to being able to break things down into little itty bitty bits to where we can understand what's going on. Now we try to do this with the sacraments What will what we will end up with is a truncated misunderstanding of a beautiful glorious. Mysterious gift that God has given us. We are so used to it that even think that we are maybe not educated in. We don't understand such as if you were to think about the cellular level of a human being in effect that a virus has a particular virus. I say this because my daughter is home with chickenpox right now. So what does this virus do to the cellular level that would cause the outbreak of chickenpox on someone's body and it will be given to me in a very logical concrete rationalistic way that I can read and understand that they okay. I understand now what's going on? Right, we try to do that with the sacraments man. We're going to miss it. We're going to miss it significantly. I heard a story about a ballerina who gave absolutely astounding that this beautiful dancer firing dancing afterward. Somebody came up to her. This person has What did the what did the dance mean? What is meant by it? The ballerina says if I could answer what I meant with words I would have had to dance it right there is there is a reality in NM beauty. That isn't a mystery for us in the same way. We will accept that about a dance. I don't understand this dance and you won't understand it with words. You have to watch it. You have to participate in it. You have to experience it and this is very much the way the sacraments are. So what is a sacrament? For one the sacrament are part of God's new creation is a beautiful truth. This is at 30,000 ft level we want to look at it said what what is this? What are these gifts that he is giving us the sacrament a part of God's New Creation to see the resurrection of Jesus has changed everything right upon the resurrection Jesus at the Centre Elite taking a future reality the future creation the new creation and have brought it back into time into the present and said this is what you have to look forward to this is the new creation. And you are all ambassadors of that and I'm beginning this working you that's why talk if they confidently and Corinthians and 2nd Corinthians that you are a new creation in Christ in the reason he could say that was not because of our faith does not because of our ability to believe our ability to understand. The reason we are a new creation in Christ is because of the Resurrection Pick the change something in the same way that the crossing the Red Sea change the reality for the nation of Israel from an old world to a new world. Now, the resurrection has done that same thing. He has brought in this new world. And this is why I park it said in Colossians chapter 1 that Jesus is the firstborn of all creation is the firstborn of all creation. We still like she wasn't born Adam wasn't even born. He was made in Jesus existed before Adams. We kind of go back to this idea of old creation or that the person described in Genesis chapter 1:2. How is it that Jesus is the firstborn of this creation. What Paul is wanting us to understand is there is a new creation that has come and Jesus is the first one born from the tomb coming from Death to life and brings with him as whole new creation and baptism actually unites us without Resurrection. We are united to Christ and his resurrection through baptism and through the Lord's Supper when one is baptized and partakes in the Lord's Supper, you're not experiencing just a sign that is pointing us toward a new creation. Okay, but you are experiencing the new creation itself. You're experiencing the realities of the new creation. We are baptized. You're not just getting wet as a representation of your standing in Christ and not resurrected state, but you are experiencing that new reality itself and part and this is part of our hope that one day we will experience this reality and its fullness. But now we experience it in part at Auntie right note to says at the communion at Communion. We are like children of Israel in the wilderness tasting fruit plucked from the promised land is the future coming to meet us in the present. The sacraments are New Creation gift given to the people of God, but first born of the new creation. So the sacrament a part of God's New Creation second the sacraments as to what is the sacrament the sacraments of the new creation fulfil the sacraments of the old creation. The Passover meal meal is reinterpreted. It's really understood its recreated by Jesus as communion at the Lord's supper and other feast in the Old Testament such as a peace offering where you come together and you feed with one another and you Feast with God himself. These are all understood. They are made perfect. They are fulfilled in the Lord's Supper in the sacrament ritual is spiritual cleansings and renewals with the circumcision all of these find the ultimate fulfillment in the sacrament of baptism. The sacraments are a fulfillment of Old Testament truths Old Testament habits, Old Testament gifts and realities. That we find that the whole old Covenant find a yes. And amen in Christ is what Paul says but we also see that these Old Testament or old Covenant of Sacrament also find their fulfillment in the new sat in the new sacraments given to us by Christ. But if we are meant to break it down into its most basic element realizing that the sacraments are still a mystery. How do we do that? Weird to say? Okay. I see the patterns. I see New Creation realities. I see fulfillment in the Old Testament, but what am I supposed to do? How do I understand? What is a Sacrament at its poor again? We cannot take this and say okay, I understand this. But if you'd understand it would look something like that. Some would say that a Sacrament is a word plus nothing right? It is water and a word of prayer over the water equals a sacrament. And later on and in the Medieval era of of church history. We see this being developed a little bit more to wear Sacrament is a word plus nothing plus an action, right? I can't baptize somebody if we have water I speak a word over the water but nothing happens nor can we have communion if you say this is Christ body broken for you? And this is his blood shed for you, but you don't eat it. You don't partake in it. Say God is inviting us to live out. The word is it is inviting us not just to be here as other words, but to be doers of the word we are partaking in the grace of God and a very real way when we take the sacrament when we partake in the sacraments to a Sacrament is a word plus a thing plus an action. This is the gift that God gives us. So therefore you are too kind of recap. What is the sacrament? It is the right of the Christian people of all Christian people all the Covenant people of God have the right and if they've been commanded to be a part of take part in the sacraments are part of God's New Creation. There are fulfillment of the old Covenant sacraments and the sacrament is a word plus a thing plus an action. So the next question that we would come to tell how many sacraments are there in this is a debate that continues particularly between the Protestant Church the Catholic church and Orthodox Church see the Orthodox church has as many sacraments as if they want anything can become a Sacrament anything can stop being a Sacrament. The Catholic church has seven sacraments for the Protestant church. And this is were fairly United within protestantism on the two sacraments of the Lord's supper and baptism but with the Lord's supper and baptism because they are the right of all God's people every single Cabinet member has the right of baptism and the Lord's Supper one being a moment in time Rite of baptism that happens one time and then we have the continual Rite of communion to Feast with God to Feast with our Brothers and Sisters in Christ. The Catholic Church holds to seven sacraments they believe baptism which we agree with a word called. The Eucharist is the Lord's Supper we would agree but they also hope the ordination marriage confirmation Penance and anointing with oil now, all of these concepts are biblical right? It's not that this is a nun biblical concept of marriage or or Nation or confirmation or Penance or anointing with oil. None of these things are wrong, but do we categorize and do we understand them as sacraments? And the reason I would say no we don't is because all of these are not for all people you see if marriage is a Sacrament then all the single people and all the people before they get married are never allowed or cannot take part in the sacrament. Therefore, it's not for all of God's people the same with ordination. Confirmation in Penance is something that we should all do but they're not commanded in Scripture that are commanded for the Covenant people of God to partake in and then the anointing with oil is for potentially for everyone but not everybody is Anointed with oil for healing. So I believe that these these other five are not for the sacrament because not everybody and God's people not everybody gots household gets to partake of the sacrament of for everyone. And then finally the last question. Why are the sacraments important? Why are they important? This is a question. I hope will be clearly answered in more depth over the next two weeks. But the start I would like to look at why is baptism important then we'll look at why is the Lord's Supper important? So baptism is important because baptism called us to write living now. We could spend a whole year discussing baptism why it's important. So this is not exhaustive in any way shape or form but this is one reason baptism is important. It called us to write living. In fact, I believe this is Paul's thinking and Romans chapter 5 and 6 and Romans chapter 5. We see a starting verse 12 and taking us through the rest of the chapter Paul contrasting again Two Worlds. There's the old world which atom is the head of an in his old world. There is Brokenness their sin or his death in his condemnation. And everybody is included in that old world. We're all born into this old world. Adam synth has gone to every single person in the world. But Jesus has come to bring a new world. Right which is accomplished at his resurrection ultimately, but he had entered into that old world which was ruled by death, which was ruled by sin, which was ruled by condemnation. And what did he do? He conquered it. They conquered that she conquered kind of nation conquered evil. He entered into that world and he toppled it over the us bringing his people from the old to the new world. Write this is Paul's argument as it goes through and we see this summarized. And I am verses 18 and 19 Romans 5 18 and 19. It is summarizes and that's what he says therefore as one trespassed led to condemnation for all men. So one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men for add by the one man's Disobedience. The many were made Sinners. So by one man's obedience, the many were made righteous to see what he's doing here. He's making two different worlds. Thank you are before Christ. You are a part of the broken cursed old world or condemnation rules in Christ has brought you to this new world where righteousness where Glory or Christ is found by so this is the argument that he's building creating these two worlds for the Romans to see and understand and that's moved us into chapter 6. Chapter 6 verse 1 2 what shall we say that if this is true this to World of Truth? What shall we say? Then? Shall we continue in sin that Grace May abound? If this is true, it is price is pretty these two worlds. Are we to continue in the old world? Because Grace has a bad absolutely not that the Ludacris thinking because it is all by grace that brings us from the old into the new. Aren't we want them to see this? Should we continue living as Sinners continue to live in as a resident a citizen of the old sinful World chapter 2 by no means absolutely. No is what he says by no means how can we who died to sin still live in it? You see Jesus went into the old world of death and condemnation and it conquered it by dying. And in order to get us out we have to die and we have died with him. So that in the Resurrection The bringing in of the new world, we are likewise raised with him as citizens of the new world. So appalled here is saying that you have died with him. How can we who died still dye to send that to the old world? Still living? What are you doing? That's not okay. Then the Romans 6:3 do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ? Jesus were baptized into his death. Chipotle saying it is through baptism that has brought you from the old world and in part to the new world, so don't live as if you haven't been baptized in other words live according to your baptism. If you have been baptized this morning, you have been brought from the old to the new therefore live accordingly don't live as if you're not baptized we talk about this in her baptism class when people wanted to baptize we said listen, this is a big deal you're moving from the old to the new and now by your declaration by this happening by you partaken and baptism now the whole church gets to call you to live according to your baptism. Write this is a big deal it it shows us how to live rightly to live according to the new world not according to the old world. continue in Romans 6:4

Romans 6:4 we were buried there for with him by baptism into his death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father. We too might what we might walk in newness of life. Right that this is part of that reality that this isn't just something that happened in the past. But baptism has it is ongoing implications. If you are baptized you are to walk according to the newness of life. You are to walk and live act like it baptized believer. You have been buried with him and you have been raised with him. You've been brought from the old to the new world. so As members of the new world the new creation add members who baptized and we are called to walk in the newness of life. That means we don't get to continue to entertain sins. Not allowed to have bitterness and jealousy Fester within not allowed to gossip and slander. We're not allowed to lust and envy these are traits of the old world. You are members of the new so now we are to call one another don't don't live that way live at the member of the new world live as a baptized believer live according to your baptism. You know each year in sports analogies fall flat often in this one. It is very well could but I think it was traced a point. Well each year each of the professional leagues. They have a draft right at football NFL draft at Major League Baseball draft. The NBA draft in the NFL draft has a lot of publicity along with the NBA draft, but something happens. You have a bunch of college kids sitting in a room. They are not part of any organization. They are not part of any team. It's only the possibility of being a part of that and they're sitting in a room and the commissioner stand up and he'll read off the names, you know, the Chicago Bulls select. Whomever the Boston Celtics select, whomever and when that young man or young woman's name is called they walk up on stage and it put on a hat that represents the team and now from that moment. The entire world treats that person as a member of that team, right you're not allowed to go practice with another team. You're not allowed to work on plays with another team and then build strategy with another team. You are identified by the team that drafted you and this is similar to what baptism is Paul refers to it often times out with clothing right that you put on Christ that you are represented. You put them on you where him this is who you are. You are a member of Christ Covenant people you are part of the new creation. So when we look around we should be saying we are all wearing a hat of Jesus Christ and his resurrection and when we see people take that off and put on a different hat of an old Kmart different team we need to call each other out on I know this is not good for you. And it's not good for me. I need you to live according to your baptism. I need you to be who you are in Christ.

Now some of you might say and this is this is a very real discussion. Right? And what I don't want to do is take away from the power of what Paul is staying in Romans and in other places, but some might say we're not United to Christ by baptism. We are united to Christ by faith and we could go to different verses and different passages that say just that in our rationalistic afraid of mystery way of thinking we we think it has to be one or the other has to be one of the other it's a false dichotomy you choose one of these and by choosing that you exclude the other in the Bible knows no subcategory. Paul says, we are united to Christ and his resurrection through baptism. He also says we are united with Christ in his resurrection through faith. They are not opposed to one another right? So what we have done is typically several baptism is weird. We don't understand it faith I get so where are united by faith and baptism only represents. But let it be a people who take the word of God and say I want to believe what they said don't go where it takes me as the Bible say I'm United the price their baptism then baptism in a very special unique way unites me to the resurrected Christ. So why is baptism important it unites us to Christ? It called us to write living that joins us to the new creation again will look at baptism more in-depth next week. So why is the Lord's Supper important? Well, if I had all the Time in the World to preach and if I had all the books in the world to study and all the intellectual powers in the world to understand, I don't have to even begin to tell you why the Lord's Supper is important it is it is beyond our comprehension and every Avenue we go down to the holy different perspective as fast as different glories different Beauties and the Lord's Supper. I believe will be studied and enjoyed and applied to the people of God throughout the rest of History until he comes back we Feast with him and not marriage supper of the lamb and we will continue to grow in our understanding and appreciation of its beauty. But if we can talk about why is it important? One of the many many many reasons would be that the Lord's Supper is a kingdom meal. It is a kingdom meal. In 2nd Samuel chapter 9 there's a story of mephibosheth. Mephibosheth was a warrior son and a king's grandson. His father was King David's best friend Jonathan and his grandfather is King David worst enemy chainsaw. Mephibosheth was 5 years old something happened a nurse pick them up and they were running. And there's an accident and he fell and he broke both of his legs mephibosheth was not able to walk anymore. And this happened during wartime where his grandfather's kingdom is being attacked by King David. His father is pouring and eventually what happens is both his father and his grandfather died is now the last remaining relative of a former King Kingdom has been toppled. Not only that. Is an orphan not only that he's crippled his unable to walk is unable to have any sort of Honor for himself and that Society. So King David after he takes over the kingdom. He asked some of the people in the Kingdom of mephibosheth. They'll bring him to me at first. It's okay. This is strategic for Comdata because if there's any threat to the throne it comes from the former Dynasty the blood relative of the former King the enemy so what Kingswood I want all the relatives and I'm either going to kill them or men in prison. I'm so they can be no threat will be no Uprising will be no Revolution. That's not what happens David brings in mephibosheth and not only that you're not kill him or throw him in prison. But he invites him to his table. It says you for the rest of your life have a place at my table. Now, the king's table is a place where generals meet work very very important people coming to strategize and they they build each other up. This is a place of honor. This is this is greater than the Oval Office sort of mentality and King David brings the orphan crippled to the table and you can Feast here with me forever and not only that but he restored to mephibosheth all of Jonathan and Saul and all the family land that he conquered in the war he gave back to mephibosheth. Tahir mephibosheth completely unworthy hostile to God hostile to the king is brought to the table. And communion is the same thing. We are all mephibosheth's we have all lived in rebelling. We all live in the state of fear not knowing what could happen to us. We all live in this torment in this worry. Throughout the week yet. The king like David have called us to dine with him at the table is given us Grace. His goodness Grace the point where we get to come into the presence of God and feast with him in the New Kingdom the new creation. Give me the Practical implications of this is astounding how can anybody who who believes in Christ who calls themselves a a follower of gods have any sort of racist mentalities. We are all we've all been brought from far and have been brought near to Feast with him. How could we ever look around and judge one another? How do we have division with one another could you imagine coming and sitting at the table and look at prostate? I don't like that guy have a problem with him, but will still break bread together. That's not just what Paul talks about in 1st Corinthians 11 when he says it is very important that you body future you discern the body before you come to the table because this is a big deal. If that is such a big deal that if you don't discern the body, you can drink wrath upon yourself. This is more than just a moment to remember Jesus. Jesus is present with us in a unique way here and he calls us to be at peace with his bride right because to be at peace with his bride by invite a family over for dinner and that somebody in his family had a problem with my bride. We don't get together. We don't we don't eat with that tension that has to be taken care of before we can really fellowship and get to know each other deposing listen to discern the body. That is not saying look inward. Is there any sin within you the same look outward look at the body of Christ? And is there any attention? Is there anything that would keep you from feasting with a brother or sister in Christ? This is the exact situation that I got upset of Peter about when Peter removed himself from the table when he was eating with Gentiles and then the Jews come in now, we got both races them. We got status stuff going on and we've got just straighten division. Peter removes and filters. I'm not going with you guys anymore. Apple rebukes in front of everybody serious review the poor actually ties that table Fellowship that Union to Peter's justification. This is that big of a deal Peter. Your justification is involved in this repent make it right. Is it a big deal? There's power in communion. There's something unique about it and they Kingdom meal the Lord's Supper unifies us before we take this if there's any disunity among this body that should be taken care of. Those should be conversations that are had in the back. It was our conversations. That should be had. There should be confession and repentance in seeking Unity with one another the Lord's Supper demands it so high so good for us. Right if we have a high view of the Lord's Supper. We also have a high View Church Unity, which is Paul's number one theme in all of his letters during a boil pause theology in his his his call to the Church of down to one thing be unified is Unified with one another be unified and price. And we see Satan come in and take foothold. What does he do? He brings disunity that does number one strategy at does number one tool to trick. He's not all that creative, right? I can just split them up and then I went and the table of saying you can't come to this if your split let's come unified with one another. The Lord's Supper likewise renews the Covenant we have with God and the Lord's Supper teaches us how to live with one another. The Lord's Supper is upmost importance in the scriptures. And therefore it should be of utmost importance to Exodus church. And that is what we want to see haven't we want to have a high view of the Lord's supper at Highview a baptism Church living and experiencing all that. God has given us. This is a good gift. This is a special gift. Let us be at church that takes that gift and Praises him for it. Let us taste the fruits of this new creation and live not as slaves to the old world that's free baptized members in the new. Man is joy in that. This is this is real. You know, I mean this actually affect my life. This is affect my Sunday afternoon. Maybe we did unified in Christ in all that we do and they would be formed into the image of Christ. Let's pray.