Covenant 7/5/2020

Well this morning we're continuing our series entitled forerunners of the faith and it this weekend as you know, we celebrate Independence Day the day that marks that the birth of our nation. When our founding fathers declare their independence from The Sovereign whose rule they lived under and the principles that they enshrined in our constitutional document to shape the course of our nation for almost two hundred and fifty years their ideas and actions have shaped Us in the course of our lives in ways that we probably don't fully understand the last several months have been marked by political upheaval and cultural unrest tell me who called for us as a nation to reject the founding principles in to reimagine new one. Will be interesting to see what this generation thinks as they examine the principles of those forbearers of their past and decide if they want to move into the future founded upon those principles are inventing new ones that they are fine to be more attractive and more Equitable. I'm not sure that you can find more Equitable principles then the idea that each and every person is given by their creator inalienable rights in a value regardless of who they are or what they look like, but in the days ahead we certainly will see you as a nation what our future holds But this week we're looking at not simply the forefathers in founders of a Nation but the forerunners of our faith and in particular the story of Adam and Eve the very founders of not a nation, but the human race itself last week. We had a chance to begin this series and to start talking about their lives. And and today I think that you're going to learn a great deal about Adam and Eve about the human race in about the work of Jesus Christ in my expectation for many of you here in person and watching is that you might come out of this conversation today this biblical study with a greater understanding of the gospel and who you are in Christ. Well, I don't know that there are any more controversial figures that will look at then Adam and Eve. Of course, the story of Noah is the controversial one and the story of Jonah as well. But the wife of Adam and Eve is one that's been called into question. I'd only by our modern scientific Community but also by our modern theological Community as we looked at last week who who questioned the possibility that God actually created this man and this woman in this Garden has the founders of our race and many of those questions come to the war because of a fundamental shift in the cultural view of the world in which we live I think for the scientific community that is obvious, but often for the theological and Christian Community at the sentiments that shift our thinking or are not quite as obvious to us. Back in the enlightenment to several hundred years ago men began to question the role of God in the universe and whether or not we really needed an idea of a of a omnipotent God who made all things it's in the begin to ask themselves. What what what value is it to presuppose that God exists in the systems that we observe if we have the systems in a function of their own accord and buy their own power. Why do we need deposit that there is a God or in their language a watchmaker who sits behind you set everything on its course and then let it run. And so in the enlightenment, we began to develop in European culture, a naturalistic framework for understanding the world around us. Naturalism is the belief that the world in which we live is like a closed system that it does not need or cold for outside intervention by a Define divine hand it. So from the time of the Enlightenment all the way up into the present-day a great many of our academic disciplines began to presuppose this natural naturalistic vision of the world in which we live. Doesn't take much critical reflection to realize that naturalism the world that the view that the world is a closed system that God does not intervene that there is no Creator and he has no involvement in the world in which we live. Is that counter purposes from our Biblical? count as Believers, we recognize even as we saw in the first few chapters of Genesis that one of the most basic and foundational claims of the scriptures. Is it in the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth? The world in which we live is not a matter of happenstance or accident. It is the work of almighty God who made this world by his power and for his glory and as we saw last week, he did not simply make a world of inanimate objects or even animals who could not fully comprehend the vastness and of Creation in the Majesty of its creator, but one of those creatures that God made according to the biblical account on the sixth day, he made in His image. If the image of God, he made them male and female he made them heading that brief statement that single sentence that's that's a fet statement that he made them in His image that he reached down in the dust of the ground. He formed Adam and breathed the breath of life into him so that he became a living being we have a snapshot of what gives us as human beings are unique status in the universe. But we do not simply bare the material matter that makes up the rocks and the trees and even the birds and the bees but we were made in the image of God. But the dirt of the ground was wet with the very character and nature in a sense an image of the God who made it such that this creature could understand the world around him understand the world around her could come to recognize who God was since the Majesty of creation his glory with in the heavens for the most intricate details of the most microscopic organism to the vastness of the farthest Galaxy. We can see the Grandeur and Glory of a God who designed all things for his purposes to demonstrate his power and to convey his nature and so we as creatures made in His image are unique in that way and Adam and Eve according to scripture work that first man and that first woman who were created in the image of Last week we looked at that interesting experience. We talked a little bit about what it must have been like for Adam to open his eyes for the first time and to see the glory of creation had to come to understand the magnitude of it and then to come to develop a relationship with his creator as we talked about last week. It will see again this week. We are told from scripture from God's revelation that God walked with Adam in the cool of the day. He spoke to Adam as we would speak one to another and I made the case that most likely that's a preincarnate example of Jesus Christ present there in the garden communing with the one that he had made in His image. The experience that Adam had is unlike any experience that we've had one day according to the scriptures. We will return not to that Garden but to a new heavens and a new or a new guard that with one tree of life, but with two where there will be no weeping or tears and we will experience. Once again that intimate communion with the Lord Jesus Christ who will be there with us in person in flesh and blood in resurrected power in a glorified body as we will be there on that day. We will experience the Grandeur of his creation and the intimacy of a relationship with our God that is not filtered through the vestiges of Sinful nature will be a remarkable experience for us in our future. But for Adam it was a reality there in the garden. We saw that Adam was taught by God creation. The good was not yet. Very good until he had a partner who he can share this experience with God has Adam name all of the animals to demonstrate to him. Not only the extensive of Wonder of the different creatures that God had made but that in each and every one of those creatures. No remarkable and amazing. No one like him would be found. And so then the Lord God said that it was not good for Adam to be alone. It's a remarkable statement in the Genesis account in the pre-fall creation of God that it was not good for the man to be alone. And so out of his side the scriptures tell us that the Lord took a rib and he formed woman and he made this creature in His image like atoms that they might be United as husband and wife the very reference that we saw last week that Jesus pointed his contemporaries to when they question the validity and the value of marriage. Jesus said it was the creator of all things who ordained marriage from the very beginning that a man might be with his wife and no one might separate the two that God has brought apart. These foundational truths of scripture that there is a God who created all things that he made human beings in His image that he made them male and female in his likeness and that he made man and woman to be husband and wife. The very Foundation of society is not the nation, but the family is got instituted it by Design there in the garden remarkable truth in the first few chapters of Genesis had a remarkable experience that Adam and Eve must have had And yet interesting ly enough there in the garden was a tree a tree that we might wonder why was it found there the scriptures call it the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil and the Lord told Adam that he must not eat from it from for the day on which he ate from it. He would certainly die and we don't read from the biblical account that God told this directly to Eve, but she was aware of it. Perhaps God told it to her, but she was not it was not recorded in scripture or perhaps Adam conveyed that truth to her. Why is it that God placed the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil not just somewhere on planet Earth, but right in the middle of the Garden in which Adam and Eve lived he would think that if he had replaced the tree there and I don't know why he would have to they would place it somewhere far out in the in the farthest boundaries of the created order. Maybe in the depths of the ocean or in the desert tundra Sahara Desert hard-to-reach. He does not do that. He places it in the very center of the garden. And why is it that God did that? In the center of what it means to be a man and a woman created in the image of God is our call to submit to the Creator who made us. sweet, we need to put our faith and trust in him to express faithfulness through obedience that demonstrates and allows us to carry out the full list of our being as those who are not God but as those who are created in His image the creatures who should praise him at all they do and say and so Adam and Eve there and their experience in that relationship with God recognize that he was the one who had made them and they were called to serve him and yet as you know this story take a challenging and deadly turn Turn with me to Genesis chapter 3 me to take a look at this story that were very familiar with and then we're going to take a look at how the decisions that Adam and Eve affected not only them they respected us is well. Here's my Genesis chapter 3 says serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman did God actually say you shall not eat of any tree in the garden and let me stop there. Is that what God told Adam that he could not eat from a single tree in the entire Garden know that is a lie. It's a complete Distortion. It's it's it's an implication that God was restricting their freedom and even their well-being far beyond the bounds of the Restriction that God had placed in their life thankfully and clearly the woman. degrees the woman said to the serpent, we may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden. But God said You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden in the middle of the garden. Neither. Shall you touch it last you die. I don't recall the Lord telling Adam that he couldn't touch the fruit, but I think it's a good principal to stay pretty far away from it. What happens next? But the serpent said to the woman. You will not surely die for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God knowing Good and Evil. Isn't it interesting as this serpent more crafty than any of the other animals that the Lord God had made 20 first appears in the pages of human history. His first words are to distort the truth that God had proclaimed to those He Made In His Image twisted and distorted. His first principle his first step is to distort God's word it in such a way that that we will immediately call it into question that we will question the goodness of God that we will see the structures that he places on our life. Not as those meant for our good but those meant to harm us and meant for our ill thankfully Eve. I'm like so many of our day new God's word and responded truthfully. The Lord did not say that we could not eat of any tree of the Garden Phoenix. The freedom that God had given Adam and Eve see I'm certain had explored with Adam the very vastness of creation the waterfalls the Lakes the rivers the mountains the trees the creatures and marveled. She tasted the sweetness. Can you imagine the sweetness of the fruits and vegetables that God had made before the fall Robin debeary makeup of creation. She had tasted and seen that the Lord was good and it what he had made was good and his love for them was good. And so she knew better than to agree with the Serpent's life. No, he did not say we cannot eat from the trees in the garden, but there is one tree. But he told us not to eat from. In fact, he told list it on the day that we will eat from it. We would certainly die. I need the case last week and I can't give you a Biblical grounds for it. But I'm hard-pressed to think is God conveyed to Adam and Eve. He didn't convey the ramification the radical consequence. That would come should they disobey him and eat from that tree? I can't picture God flippantly saying Cody from that fruit bad things will happen and then walk off. How could it be with with such a sin that would bring such death to so many millions in a billion two people over time that God would not have clearly marked that tree as a sign of obedience and something that they were not to touch without deadly consequences that they could not imagine know the scriptures don't tell us he was That explicit he certainly told them that if they eat from it death this thing that they could not have ever known or experience would enter into the world and change the shape of their lives the lives of their children and the lives of every one of these creatures that God had entrusted to their care assoc responds. The Lord said not to eat of the fruit in the tree in the midst of the Garden or to touch it or we would certainly die and notice what Satan does but the serpent said to the woman You will not die.

He does not intend to distort God's word at this point. He simply contradicts it. Notice the progression that takes place confusion about what God Said Distortion of the truth that God is shared and then a direct contradiction of what the God who made them had told them. This is a strange moment in human history. It would have catastrophic consequences.

There's not a single decision in the course of human history that has had greater ramifications than this decision. We need to stop and take a look at its magnitude. I wouldn't be if they even asked or told in a few versus Adam who was with her would listen to these words of the serpent and be willing to believe them. When was the one whose eyes were open for the first time to see the glory of creation to walk with God in the cool of the day the name every animal that God had made Stussy the creation of woman from his side into be United with her as husband and wife Adam had tasted and seen that the Lord was good. He knew nothing. Otherwise Eve likewise had seen and tasted the same thing. So how could it be that? The Serpent's could question the character of God before this man and this woman and they would be led to not only doubt what he told them but to deny his word all together.

Often we can look back at the life of Adam and Eve and think harsh. Hey, if I was there in the garden, I wouldn't have done what they had done. Yet if you think with perspicuity about your own life, you are a sinner as well many times over. You know, God's word about the things that you do and yet you willfully chose and choose to disobey. You hear the Temptation Of The Serpent. Certainly God didn't say that's did God really say these are the things that you cannot do well with forgot just wrong. It's you're not going to die. It's not an impact you and you believe the words of the serpent and you entrust yourself to his hands as You rebelled Against The God Who made you that's why I think we must take pause when we look back on them with such a critical mindset. I didn't they were different. Then this point in their lives their experience of life was not our experience of Life something changed as we'll see in a moment in the nature of man as a result of this choice that would affect all of their children and their children's children, but it was something that they had not experienced themselves. You see Adam and Eve were not born with a sinful nature. They were made in God's image and they had the power to obey God and no impediment. They also had the power to choose to send if they so choose it's very different than the experience that we have. We are born with a sinful nature one inherited from Adam and Eve and so David says in the Book of Psalms in sin did my mother conceive me? Did he mean by that? It's somehow that the conception of children is sinful. But in the very Deliverance of a mother to a child one of the first things that we inherit apart from our hands and legs and in the systems that God has given us genetically apart from that image of God that is irrevocably stamped on each one of us. We also inherit the sinful nature and it's come to us. Sorted by this very act and deformed by this very act there in the garden. What is Adam and Eve saw this temptation in this moment. They saw it very differently than we see the Temptation in our lives. You will not surely die verse for the serpent said for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be open and you will be like God knowing good and knowing evil. Will foolish claim to make it somehow this creature. This man and this woman would be like the creator of all things. It for some reason it's creatures this temptation has a great strength in our thinking. I think Satan was familiar with it because it seems to be the very Temptation that led to his fault. We're told that Satan was a glorious creature and it's very possible and probable that he led Worship in the heavens and was one of the archangels twit with great Authority in great power and great gifts and get some moment. He began to believe it that she could be like God like the one who had made him and I can only imagine that if he saw these two creatures made even more in the image of God than he was as one of the Angelic host. They too might be susceptible to the very weakness that had brought about his fault the weakness to the sin of Pride to believing is foolish as it sounds that they might be like God even as Satan head wants to believe that and 3/10 them in the very same way. At least next words change the shape of human history. Every thing that you seen on the news every cry about Injustice and inequity ages of human history come out of this next verse. And we're told in verse 6 of the fall of mankind.

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and it was a delight to the eyes and if the tree was to be desired to make one wise she took of its fruit and ate. And she also gave some to her husband who was several miles away. Is that what it says? She also gave some to her husband who was with her. and he ate the Apostle Paul tells us in Titus that Eve was tempted and deceived. The serpent tempted Eve and he effectively deceived her which means that she was confused at that moment and she was deceived by the lies of The Serpent. And so she a The Apostle Paul inspired by the holy spirit says that Adam was not deceived.

But he heard the Temptation and he knew exactly what was going on. But he chose the sin against God anyway. It's not a good picture of Adams responsibility there to his wife and the creation that God had entrusted to his hand head all was Adam and Eve's unborn children die. It's both of them bow down to Satan's hand on that day. She took the fruit and she gave some to her husband who was with her and he ate 4/7 than the eyes of both of them were open and they knew they were naked. eBay sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloth

notice what happens in the wake of their sin? Immediately shame and guilt pour over them and experience and each one of us has have when we succumb to Temptation and willfully engage and sinful action. It's only a few moments that the sweetness of sin like the sweetness of this fruit fans away. And then we realized that we have sinned against the Living God and the consequences of death or impending. Disasterous for a creature to break Covenant with a God who has made us and God is impressed upon our heart. What is right and what is wrong and we know it in our conscience Bears witness to it for our good. For the first time something that God never intended for them to experience flooded over their hearts and Minds shame and guilt. They look at themselves made in God's image made with glorious bodies. As God had intended in the freedom of creation had been fractured and the shackles of sin had fallen upon them and it's shameful understanding of themselves had flooded over them and they realize they were naked. I'm a kid from the Lord. They looked at themselves and no longer did they see that glorious image of God and the Liberty that God intended but in one foolish claim of self-dependence They rejected The Sovereign over their lives and they try to act by their own might and power and they fell and great. Was that full?

It's interesting that what follows is the coming of the Lord into the guard. Had that very moment. He had told them that on the day in which you either of that tree. You will certainly die and get a lightning bolt does not strike from heaven and crush and take their lives in a decisive Act of judgment. Does not start afresh with this new Adam and anouilh which she very easily could have done simply by the power of His word. He comes to them and it seems as if he comes to them very soon. Is that an act of judgment do you think? Or is it an act of Grace? On Father's Day. I told you the story of how I ran away from home when my parents wanted to go to Sears and went around the block. And where did I hide I hid in the bushes. And I thought I have to be get a whole new life alone as a child living in the woods and I'll figure out how to do it. And not long had I fought and reflected upon what that meant. When I heard my voice being called out as my father came out looking for me and calling out to me with an active judgement on my father's part or an act of mercy and Grace and forgiveness and kindness as he sought out his rebellious son to his set out foolishly on his own. Not much time passed that seems and this is what we read. Bedtime fig leaf together and be blowing cost to cover themselves and they hid their in the bushes apparently and they heard the sound of the Lord God Walking In The Garden in the cool of the day. They're not surprised that this because this was a regular occurrence. It seems like daily. God would come to commune with them and get on this day. They were nowhere to be found. they hid the man is white skin themselves from the presence of the Lord God Among the Trees of the garden. Give her tried to hide from God. You can that works very well. You got hide behind a tree. Are you hide behind your self-righteousness? What are you trying to hide from God behind he seems pretty well, even in the dark, right? We're told by the psalmist. If I go to the depths of hell, you can see me if I go to the did the Grand Heights of Heaven you are there. There is nowhere that we can hide from the presence of the Lord and yet sin and shame and guilt confuses in the strangest the way they heard the sound of the Lord God Walking In The Garden in the cool of the day and the man is wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord among the trees, but the Lord God Called To The Man and send to him.

kratom Where are you? Adam said I heard the sound of you in the garden. And I was afraid. It's been a strange word and that Garden in this account. I was afraid of you. The one who made me in your image, the one who gave me every quality and gift that I have every gift that I've ever tasted the one who gave me life going to give me joy. Don't give you peace. I heard your voice and I was afraid. This is what it looks like when sin separates us from God we are afraid and why are we afraid because we've sinned Against The God Who made us and we know that Justice comes from him upon those who break Covenant and do what is evil afraid because I was naked and I hit myself. God said who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree which I commanded you not to eat and notice what happens next? The man said the woman whom you gave to be with me. She gave me fruit of the tree and I ate You're careful student of scripture. If I would have asked you. What was the first song that was ever sung in the history of the world. What was the first poem that was ever pinned in the history of the world? Do you know what it was was Pain by Adam one chapter before this. When the Lord presented Eve to him and he cried out in Wonder bone of my bone and Flesh of My Flesh. She shall be called woman because she's coming from man the first song sung the first poem pins with pin by Adam of the glory and giftedness of woman. And gets here in the wake of his sent. What did he say that woman that you gave to me reminds me of the prodigal sons older brother that son of yours is wasted all you had on prostitutes 20 house in destroys relationships. It certainly destroy theirs. The man said the woman who you gave to me, she gave me the fruit and I ate then the Lord God said to the woman. What is this that you have done? the woman said the serpent deceived me and I ate and as we saw last week the Lord turns to the surface and in a moment that will change the course of history and says because you have done this serpent curse that are you above all the livestock and above all the beasts of the field on your belly. You shall go and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your Offspring and her Offspring he shall crush your head and you shall bruise his heel. To the woman. God said I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing in pain. You shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you and to Adam. He said because you have listened to the voice of your wife. And if eaten of the tree of which I commanded you you shall not eat of it cursive is the ground because of you in pain you shall eat of it and all the days of your life thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you and you shall eat the plants of the field by the sweat of your face. You shall eat bread to you return to the ground for out of it you were taken for you are dust and to dust you shall return.

the moment that changed human history a decision that changed the very course of all of our lives.

And it's a decision and action that we don't always fully understand. The Apostle Paul in Romans Chapter 5 Verse 18 gives us some very interesting insight into what took place when Adam and Eve broke Covenant with God and how the curse of God in the the deformation of human nature transpired. Here's what he writes in Romans 5. It's important to understand not just what happened there in the garden, but what Christ has done to reverse that first hears with Paul, right speaking of the fall of Adam listen to very carefully. therefore as of one trespass led to condemnation for all men. So one act of righteousness leads the justification and life for all men. What trespass do you think Paul is speaking of there for as one trespass LEDs of condemnation for almond speaking of the Disobedience instead of Adam. He goes on in verse 19 for as by the one man's Disobedience. The many were made sinners. Still by the one man's obedience, the mini will be made righteous. Here's a Biblical truth. It's our take away and then we'll wrap up. What happened in the garden there? Was an act that changed the course of human history. But it was also an act to change the shape of human nature. That when Adam and Eve sinned against the Lord specifically when Adam did it as the father of all humankind When sin entered in it change the hearts of Adam and Eve and the hearts of all the children that they would bear from that point forward that one trespassed made all men who would follow Center. Are condemnation for our sin is certainly just if God were simply to look at our own personal records as we stand before the Living God of the universe and give account for our lives. If we stood on what we have done on our records alone, we would be found guilty of sin and be found condemned nibble. What the scriptures teach is that are fundamental condemnation before God has nothing to do with what we did. It has to do with what our forefather Adam did there in the garden so long ago. And you might stop and say like so many in our own culture would stop and say what would you say to that? That's not fair. Why should I be held accountable for the action of Adam in a garden that I've never seen or stepped foot in how can the action of one man so long ago that I had no ability to effect change the shape of my life. Yep, that's exactly what the scriptures teach about. What happened to our race Adamson once in the garden and we were all made Sinners because of what he did.

It's not just it's not equitable. I would have to agree in so many ways with you if that's your assessment, but that's how God wrote the pages of human history. And he did so for good reason. Because there is another man. The one who was promised to Adam and Eve by way of the curse of the serpent. One of the descendants of this Berry woman will be born and you will strike his heel but he will crush your head. According to the Apostle Paul in the fullness of time Jesus Christ came born under the law born of a woman that he might set free Sons and Daughters of Adam and Eve. We put our faith in Jesus Christ. By his righteousness by that single righteous act by his death and his resurrection. We are saved. Why are we saying it has nothing to do with you or anything that you've done it rest entirely on the work of another of that one man. Not the first Adam who brought about our damn Nation, but the second Adam who brought about our salvation.

Or condemnation sit in the hands of Adam as he held that fruit between his fingers on that fateful day in the garden. I've acted we had nothing to do with the change the course of Our Lives for all eternity until Christ came and The Curse Of The Serpent and the promise of God was fulfilled. He held not fruit in his hand with his very hands were pinned to a cross by nails that were driven through them and there on that cross. He bore the consequence of Adamson and our sin in our place that the judge of all the universe might not judge us in righteous trap, but he judged Jesus Christ in our play. What did you have to do with Jesus Christ? What did you have to do with his righteousness that nothing to do with it? And if the fate of the world were in your hands or with a woeful fate it would be It's why condemnation comes from the one act of Adam the first Adam who we had nothing to do with but our Salvation comes to that second atom that promised great-great-grandson of these two in the garden that we might be saved not on the basis of what we have done. But on the basis of what the Son of God did for us on that day. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is grounded on the promise that God made in time and space in history in a garden. It was set between the Tigris and Euphrates River some 6500 years ago. We told them that even despite their sin that he would see you send the Savior that would reclaim their lives that would reconcile them to himself and that would restore the creation that they fractured and broken in their foolish claim of Independence on that day.

forerunners of faith Those who have come before us. They love the Lord of times and they failed tragically and other times their lives were not determined on the basis of their righteousness or their own good standing their lives were defined by what the grace of God even in their generation. Are you hiding from God today? You think that somehow you can slide behind a bush or hide behind a tree? Perhaps you hide behind your good works thinking that somehow that will cover your shame and yet what do the scriptures say? Where are you? The Lord sees us where we are and he knows this in our nakedness. He's provided a way for us that we might be reconciled to him forgiving. But I shame and guilt might be taken away not because we deserve it because The God Who Made Us in His image is all-powerful and yet he is truly merciful and remarkably Grinch. What a remarkable story read of these two forerunners of our faith. I hope and prayer is that you come to know that promise son who changed their life and it's changed the world. What's closed in a word of prayer gracious God we give you thanks for all that. You have done we give you. Thanks for Adam and Eve for their faithfulness for their love for you. We're so sorry Lord that they broke Covenant with you. We're so sorry Lord that our great-great-great grandparents turn their back on the clear true that you had laid in their hands and yet we are so grateful. Almighty God you forgave him that you came and found them there and they're hiding place that you drew them out and that you gave them a promise that you would make all things. Right and that one day you would make all things new. Let me thank you for all these things and we thank you in particular for the coming of your son. Jesus Christ who is brought about our Salvation in ways that we could never bring about on RL. We pray all this in Jesus name. Amen, Pastor Bob.

Many of us have been eagerly awaiting a time when we come back together for worship and come back together for communion, but this is not necessarily what we had in mind, but out of concern for the well-being and safety. We are doing communion differently. And the first thing is I need to teach you the intricacies of this mechanism. You may think it's just like a coffee creamer has a little Tab and you lift it up, but there are two layers and while I am introducing the Lord's Supper, you can very gently find the transparent. Top with what looks like a coffee creamer that will lift it up will expose the communion wafer. And then when we're ready for the cup, then you lift up the purple tab that is underneath because if you let them both at one time you get juice and the wafer now as you are exploring that I got to tell you that I have so long to be back here in fellowship with you. You all have been are sustaining community. Even while we were in the outermost part of the world knows, Gainesville. We couldn't be together. But we still have Community we are small group would meet by Zoom meetings. The session would still meet and I would be at my fellow Elders by the zoom meeting I get together with some of the men in our men's fellowship. Everything that we could do everything that you could do you did to Hold Us in communion with you. And now that I'm back and Mary's not quite ready to come back because she goes in and out of Robert remember that day and she stays away from all human beings with me. We long for more as you came in today. I was so excited to see you and the first person that song I came in sanctuary with Hester and I can't remember the last time I saw I had her when I got to go hug. Why is it we long for more because we were designed for Community weren't we? We not just want to be in the same room and speak to each other. We want to be able to embrace each other. We want to come together and that greater relational intimacy that God put into us as a part. the image and likeness of our creator We want more even as we come back in this matter. We want more and Jesus understood that would you lie on the night that he was betrayed. He said to his disciples. I have earnestly long have this Passover supper with you. He wanted that closes with them. He touched them embrace them wash their feet. We always want more and we long for that day and just as I talked about the importance of community because of the same root as communion. Communion we call it is that high when we come together and experience a closeness with one another and also a close this with Christ and we long for more. Even when we do our traditional communion service, I look around and I see and you all the body of Christ. I see the family of Believers which sustains us all. But I still want more. I want us to come together in the fullness of time as the fully redeemed Willy Sanctified glorified when we will come together in the embrace our price and they embrace one another. Glorified with brand new century bodies and the name of the Lord weird to do. So remember his sacrifice. Then he said on that night with his disciples and they didn't have to worry about which led to left. He took the bread if he broke it and that wonderful intimacy breaking bread and handing it to the people that you love. They said that this is my body which is broken for you take Edith in remembrance of me. As we perceive that this was different than what we usually do. This still represents the body of our Lord Jesus Christ who died on our behalf. Let us therefore take and eat in remembrance of him.

And after supper was ended.

He took the cup and this is a Passover meal which required 4 cups of wine because it was a celebration of God's goodness. We remember at Communion the death of Our Lord until he comes again. We also remember the celebration of what he did for us. He said this is the New Covenant in my blood will be shed for remission of sins of many. So when you drink of it? Drink of me and you do the remembrance of me. Take and drink in remembrance of him.

almighty, God our heavenly father

None of us can even imagine. They asked to give up her only son. In order to set free those who are the banda just sandwich they brought upon themselves. And yet that's what you did for us. and if we have taking part at least tokens these symbols of the body and blood of Jesus Christ. We recognized that you were doing something. within us that goes beyond what we eat and we drink that you are nursing Us in spirit. You were drawn this together and your love. Even in this unusual way of celebrating the Lord's Supper father. We celebrate the sacrifice of Christ. And we declare that we are joint heirs with him that we are bound to him and a flesh-and-blood relationship and also to each other that we are one family united in Christ. therefore sentence for from this place to do his will to glorify his name and 2.2 you the creator of all as a source of truth justice mercy and love To be your hands and feet and voice for the cause of Christ. Franklin us that we might spring.