July 10 2022

I know what you're thinking, I know what you're thinking, I thought we got rid of you, but no, no, I'm still here for a few more weeks, so don't be all that excited about me leaving. So thank you. You guys are nuts. So we're doing some sort of a shindig your next Sunday after church. I don't know all that much about it actually, but you probably talk with Judy about it and she could tell you so Derek, there's that, you guys know what else is going on here during the week. I am here for a few more weeks, patched back in the Pulpit next Sunday and then I'm doing the last two Sundays of the month. And then the moving truck shows up on August 1st and We're out of here. And we won't let the door hit us on the way out. So, in the meantime, Are you guys going to go back then? You just waiting for me, okay. Awesome. Gus.

I love it. It was had this, some kind of an idea that church was supposed to be a place. That was fun for kids. I know that church that I grew up in what's happening place for kids by love the idea of kids being here and laughing and running and playing and having fun. So, Going to be blessed, open up your Bibles to Psalm 22 Psalm 22.

This is part of our ongoing series that I've called health and healing for hurting hearts. We're dealing with. How God can heal our hearts, but also better prepare. Our hearts for the Hertz that are to come, not, if they come, but when they come because they will Psalm 22 begins with words that Jesus said, while he was dying on the cross. And it's impossible. I I think it's impossible to read the words here at the beginning of Psalm 22 and not feel the pathos of them. And I think the reason why we feel these words so deeply is because we've all set them or thought them at one point of the other. When we suffer whatever form our suffering may take. Swimming around in our head somewhere if not consciously subconsciously is the idea that have God truly loved me and was watching out for me, I wouldn't be suffering like this.

Indeed, we've all felt forsaken by God at some point, or the other. if you're not a Christian this morning, I pray that you would be and you'll feel that way at some point of the other. If you're a Believer, if you walked at the Lord, for any. Of time, you've had that feeling, don't tell me, you haven't. So when Jesus says these words, what does that mean for you? And for me, I mean, if Jesus felt forsaken by God, what will I feel? And by the way, my name is Brian because it says so right there. Didn't know who I was. Until I actually came up and gave me this tag and now I know who I am. I found myself.

I am Bryan.

Psalm 22 this morning, were only going to do half of this song. Then in 2 weeks were going to finish up with the second half of the song. So some 22 verses 1 through 11, this is described in the original text as to the chief musician set to the deer of the Dawn. A Psalm of David not unlike if I wrote a set of lyrics and gave it to Mike and said, set these words to the tune of Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin, it's a lot. It's that same idea. And who knows the deer of the Dawn may have been our rocker. We don't know. So I mean, David play guitar, he said he played stringed instruments so you know. No electricity though so it was all acoustic but that's okay. So that's the way this is described and it begins like this. And again these are the words that Jesus hundred from the cross. I come back to that. My God. My God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me? And from the words of my groaning, oh my God, I cry in the daytime, but you do not hear. And the night season and I'm not silent. But You Are Holy and thrown in the Praises of Israel. Our father's trusted in you. They trusted and you delivered them. They cried to you and were delivered. They trusted in you and we're not ashamed.

But I am a worm and no man. A reproach of men and despised by the people. All those who see me ridicule me they shoot out the lip. They shake the head saying he trusted in the Lord, let him rescue him. Let him deliver him since he Delights in him. But you are he who took me out of the womb? You made me trust while on my mother's breasts. I was cast upon you from birth from my mother's womb. You have been my God. Be not far from me for trouble is near and there was no one to help. Or Jesus, we need help to understand the importance of these words. how they impact our lives in the Here and Now How they can soothe are hurting hearts and better. Prepare our hearts for the Hertz that are ahead. So we ask you Lord by the power of your Holy Spirit, if you would speak clearly to our hearts this morning, we believe that you will because we ask it in Jesus name, amen. Now, apart from the fact that Jesus quotes this song while on the cross in Matthew 27, this scenario has no precedent in the life of day. But you know, all of David's suffering songs. If you will, we can find some event in his life that gave birth to the song. How he wrote this, while he was going through this, but this time does not have any point of origin in the life of David and David certainly suffered. There's no question about that buddy, buddy, what he writes in this song. As more prophetic, then it is biographical. Warren wiersbe in his commentary notes that. So, I'm 22, 23 and 24, form a Trilogy of Psalms concerning, the shepherd Psalm 22, is the shepherd who dies for the Sheep? Some 23 is the shepherd, who lives and cares for the sheep. And Psalm 24 is the shepherd who returns and glory to reward his sheep. This is clarified by Peter in 1st Peter, chapter 5 verse 4. But this section verses 1 through 11, this is about feeling abandoned by God at a time. When you need him, the most Now, we'll go through this song again in in two parts.

That is what are we to do? When we feel this way point number one, few note-takers it's on the Jumbotron sits on your hand out and that is, where is God when I need him, where is God, when I need him. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? This is what I would describe as the first Salvo in a gut-wrenching, tug-of-war between the one suffering and God. Now, who hasn't felt like this, in the midst of grave difficulty, and perhaps you never sunk to such depths or been challenged that way in your face before. If you haven't to this point, you will at some point of the other because nobody gets to escape suffering in this life and some supper far more than others or so it seems So if you haven't sung to those kind of jobs, yet, consider yourself fortunate. But this was the Cry of Jesus from the cross and Matthew 27:46, where Jesus quotes, this verse in Aramaic is his native language. What is imbue here? Is the punitive separation from God that he accepted on our behalf? Let's talk about that and Galatians 3:13 the Apostle Paul explains that Jesus having become a curse for us in this moment, on the cross. So, in this moment, when Jesus utters these words from the cross at that time, Jesus bore in himself. The Punishment Due for all who are violated God's laws now. Who has violated God's laws. Yeah. Okay. Every single one of us, that's what God's word says. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Nobody gets to escape that one. And it's an essentially just violating something that God said not to do or doing something you said not to do or not doing something that he said to do. So when we violate a law, there is a penalty to pay for a violation of the wall of the law. And you guys know, cuz I've Illustrated this before that, if you know, somebody was arrested for murder, they were found over the bodies, Smoking Gun in their hand and, and they confessed to the crime. Yes. I shot him and I and I killed them in there before the judge and the jury, and the jury says yes, we find him guilty, overwhelming evidence, no question about it, even confessed to the crime and then the judge says, no big deal. Just go free by SIA. We would consider that judge of quack, you'd be removed from the bench. Why? Because he didn't uphold the law. He was an unrighteous judge. He ignored the laws of the land and set free. Somebody was rightfully guilty in the same way God himself must judge are violations of his laws, or he is not just Does that make sense? Doesn't mean you gotta like it, but it's Gotta make sense. Now, at the same time, The Jesus bears in himself, the punishment that is due to all of us will violated God's laws. He also gives us a glimpse into what I think is quite possibly the most horrifying of all of Hell's torments people, talk about the torments of hell. All the time, I certainly have he talked about all you can do the flames on the burning and all of that. I don't think that's half the bad stuff. I think the worst part of all is eternal separation from God. That's the most horrifying of all. So in that moment on the cross Jesus, taking the sin of the world upon himself experiences or taste for us. What separation from God would be like now. Let's keep working on this. Turn over to 2nd Corinthians chapter 5. If you would Either turn in your Bible or scroll in your device. Does 2nd Corinthians 5:21? We're God's word says this. Search for he God made him. That's Jesus. He made him. Who knew no sin to be sin for us. That we might become the righteousness of God in him.

No 1st Peter 1:19. God's word says that Jesus was without blemish and without spot, he never send you never send. But further, Romans 3:25, he was 2:17 1st, John 2:2 and 1st. John 4:10 says that Jesus was the propitiation for our sins. Now, there's a word that nobody uses anymore at all propitiation. What exactly does that mean? The Webster's Dictionary uses the word expiation, there's another word that nobody uses anymore. Let me explain it like this. This is all part of being reconciled back to God as it says in 2nd Corinthians 5:20. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ as though. God were pleading through us. We implore you. You on Christ, bad. Be reconciled to God. So that's what we're doing. When we're preaching the gospel ring courage, and anybody that has not been born again to be reconciled to God. Why do we need to be reconciled back to God? It's because we're guilty. We're guilty of sin. And that's in the, we're guilty of has created that division that separation between us and God. So the propitiation or the expiation does something interesting. Now, there's an Old Testament parallel. You guys, remember? Cuz you're a biblically literature Church in the Old Testament, there was a sacrificial system. So when you send, you could go to the Tabernacle first later the temple and you could, you could bring a sacrifice an animal or or even in a grain or drink offerings. There's all kind to offer you to bring an offering to the Temple of the Tabernacle and find their what the New Testament or the Old Testament referred to as a covering for your sin, a covering for your sin, but the New Testament goes, even further because the New Testament you're seeing, isn't covered, you're seeing is taken away. Do you understand the difference between the two? You seen is not merely covered up. It's taken away.

John 1:29 and John the Baptist sees Jesus. He says, Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world So when we say that Jesus died for us or that his blood cleanses us from sin, we are referring to the actual transaction that took place while Jesus was on the cross. That's what happening while Jesus is on the cross. A transaction is taking place. What's happening is he's paying the debt that I rightfully owe for my violations of his laws. And now through faith and trust in him. I can receive from him that payment that propitiation that expiation and not have my Sims covered but have them taken away.

Vines Bible dictionary, refers to this, as the means, whereby the barrier, which sin interpose is between, man, and God is broken down. It is sin. That puts a barrier between us and God and we've all send. That means we've all got a barrier between us and God, but it is that transaction. Whereby Jesus purchases for us that expiation the propitiation, the removal of my sin alley. There's the tricky part about this friends and I've wrestled with this one and I still do. Is God's word says that he forgives my sin and I certainly seek Him for forgiveness every single day cuz there isn't a day that I don't need that fresh forgiveness. So, I do. But the Bible says that when I do, when I Repent, when I agree with God, when I turn and going New Direction in my life forsaking, those things that I was doing that as Sin and following God and humble. When I do those things, the Bible says that my son is taken away, as if it never existed, the problem is, is I can't forget them. Cuz they're all still rattling around in this big empty cavernous skull of mine. Playing often times like a poorly executed Bee Movie. I remember things that i r e in them as I'm getting older. My memories just not that great anymore. Do I need this right here?

And sometimes. I know, I don't remember, you know, Deb says, you know, don't forget to buy milk when you go to the store and then I come home from the store. She like, did you get milk? I'm like, no, I forgot some of, you know what I'm talking about?

Do I remember things that I really wish that I couldn't?

You know, I I wish I wish, I could defrag this hard drive and I wish when I hit the delete button, you know, to pull the handle on the side and watch some of those memories, spin down, spin down the bowl. I wish I could do that but I cannot. But that does get too kind of the heart of what we're going to be talking about today. And that is the difference between what I know and what I feel

Write the difference between what I know and what I feel.

This is propitiation is the expiation is breaking down of the barrier between us and God when we place our faith in Jesus for who he is and what he has done for us that that moment that is what are the Apostle Paul refer to in Romans 5:1, Ephesians, chapter 2 verses 14 to 16 Colossians chapter 1 verses 19 to 22. This is what is meant when he says peace with God. Peace with God. Because until you are born again, by God's spirit, you do not have peace with God, And you cannot have the peace of God. I tell you, I have peace with God. This is also what it means to no longer be children of Wrath as his described in Ephesians chapter 2, verse 3, so all that being said, when David write Psalm 22 verses 1 and 2, he foresees as of where, what Christ would accomplish on the cross on our behalf, some a thousand years in the future For David, this cry from his own heart was not one. Listen. This cry from his own heart was not one of abject abandonment, but one of confusion or disorientation stick with me for a minute. Dear. Like Jesus experience, David senses. That same moment on the cross when God's familiar and protective present is withdrawn.

No longer apparent. And not sensed.

I don't think. As Believers, I don't think we fully comprehend.

What the sense of God's presence means in our life daily? Because he's always there, if you've been born again, by the spirit of God, Jesus the crucified resurrected savior. The world was in your art by faith. And if he does, he says, I will never ever leave you or forsake you But sometimes we feel that way. Right, so I know something is true as God's word says it, but my emotional experience is different than what God's word says. Are you with me? My emotional experience is different than what I'm seeing on the printed page.

Let's also note, something that David does here as well. What is he saying? Verse one who's God, who is God? This is my God, my God.

see, this this sense of Abandonment, the David field is more emotional than factual because David is feeling a thing, but you still my God, you see that He's feeling a particular way. But he's still my God. This is critical. For the child of God, our trust in him is explicit as we will see in the remainder of the song. So well, David cried out. In. Depression, if you will. He still could not turn loose of what he knew to be true about God, going over to my number to that is, God is trustworthy versus 325. Go after this, what I described is a gut-wrenching cry. My God, my God. Why have you forsaken me? And we might even say, why would you even ever accused of doing such a thing? But that's what he feels like emotionally. That's his emotional experience in that moment. And if you ever really want to get your wife, mad at you guys, just say to her honey, don't feel that way. Ladies how well does that work?

Hey, don't feel that way.

That's a dumb thing to say.

Sean versus 325. God is Holy and trustworthy. And here is the first turn in the terrible game of back-and-forth between the one suffering and God, As the Believers heart struggles, listen to this, it's on the jumbotrons. Where will be?

this is where the Believers heart struggles with the facts known and the situation faced Fact known and the situation faced, you understand two different things, facts known and the situations that are currently being Faith. David will sink further but pauses to recognize what he knows to be true. He knows, this is true. God is Holy and Beyond reproach.

Friends. Have you ever wanted to blame God for your circumstance? Have you ever wanted to blame him for the things that you're going through? You cannot. Bought. You are free to wonder at your own ability to trust God when you know that all of history has Vindicated him in this regard. God is faithful. He always has been so you can accuse him all you want, but all of history, vindicate him in that regard when Israel trusted God, even when they didn't, she delivered them? So, David's prayer here. See if this makes sense to you, David's prayer. Here is more of I know this to be true but I'm having a real hard time right now. Right, I know this to be true but I'm really having a hard struggle in here with this very idea. Later in Psalm, 61 in verse to David, praise when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock. That is higher than I When my heart is overwhelmed, is your heart ever been overwhelmed. Mine has In ways that I wish I never was overwhelmed and then I am amazed at some times and how easily my heart is overwhelmed.

You see like David our trust in God is imperfect.

Where is Jesus? Trusted the father perfectly. But see David to peel. Is not just to God. As he's helped. But God, as Holy Verse 3, but you are holy. That declaration, and he makes that declaration because it's important. This is where David's heart. Absolves God of any blame in the matter, God obviously is not to blame for my suffering because God told me so I can't blame him for this because he's holy, You can't hold God accountable for a situation but he does hold God responsible for its termination.

You did this before but how long I'm waiting? I'm waiting.

God in his Holiness does not torment his children. Friends. You need to understand that and you need to believe that because God's word declare that is true God and His Holiness does not torment. His children, he sees and knows all that. We experience every last thing and every last individual God knows everything that we experience. So when you say okay well if he knows how come he's not doing anything.

In Hebrews chapter 4. Verses 14 through 16, God's word encourages us like this. He says, seeing them that we have a high priest who is passed through the heavens. Jesus, the son of God, let us hold fast. Our confession for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but was in all points tempted as we are yet without sin. Let us, therefore. Come boldly to the throne of grace. That we may obtain mercy and find Grace to help in time of need.

I don't know what you're thinking, or what your experience has been, but I can tell you my friends that Hebrews 4:16 very important verse to me. Because I don't think there's a day that goes by that. I don't need to obtain mercy and find Grace to help in my time of need. So, he's given us, this kind of access to everything that we need. But let's have this on here as well cuz we need to that is God allows things to happen for very specific reasons. God allows things to happen for a very specific reason, we've all suffered all kinds of different things. Some of us are suffering right now. Some of you right now are suffering things that nobody else here knows about cuz you haven't told anybody and you probably ought to that way, you got people praying for you. And I tell you, I've been on the receiving end of prayer, a lot of prayer and I like it. and I and I think you should let people know what's going on in your life to the extent that you that you want to but you should Because then people are like, okay dude, I'm praying for you, man. I'm moving you to the top of my prayer list and I'm going to pray for you. But God does things for a very specific reason. Let me give you an example. And if you've been part of our Thursday night, bible study, then, you know, this, if you haven't been part of our Thursday night bible study, so I don't know what's wrong with you but you should be because it's really good and I'm not saying that cuz I teach it, I'm paying it because we really dig deep on Thursday night. So, we were in Mark chapter 9, verse 14, to 24. There's this great story in, in the beginning of a Mark chapter 9, we have the Transfiguration of Jesus. You guys remember the story, Jesus, Peter, James, and John, or up there, and then they come down after that, is the experience of the Transfiguration, when they get to the bottom of the mountain, there's this big debate going on between the religious scribes and The Disciples of Jesus. In this whole multitude has gathered around them, because here's this man whose braddah Iz son, this child was demon-possessed, but nobody seems to be able to cast out the demon And so, Jesus shows up on the scene, and here's this boy possessed, and he's laying on the ground, foaming and frothing at the mouth, and what is Jesus do? Boy starts asking questions. If you get imagine this kid laying on the ground thrashing about foaming at the mouth in Jesus like

How long has he been that way?

He probably didn't say it quite like that. That's the way I kind of hear it. How long's it been that way? And in the father says, you don't from since he's been a child.

Then the father says, you know, keep me if you can do anything. If you can help, have mercy on us. Jesus, if you can, You can believe all things are possible for him who believes when she's just having this conversation with this guy for this kid is thrashing about on the ground forming at the mouth. Isn't that the pertinent thing? and I'm steady standing there casually having this conversation with this kid's father

Am I would suggest you but what Jesus is doing in that moment, there's a thing that he's doing in your life right now as well. Jesus is drawing out the man's faith. He's drawing out, the man's Faith, even drawing out faith that that man didn't know he had. And Jesus was using the circumstance of his son's suffering to draw Faith out of that man, that he didn't even know he possessed. Because you remember what the man said? He said, I do believe, but help my unbelief. One of the greatest prayers of faith that you'll find anywhere in Scripture. I do believe, but help my unbelief. It's kind of like them. I think it's kind of like Scotty to Captain Kirk. I think it's like Captain I've given her all. She's got. How many times did he say that in that series? She can't take much more.

See that man in that story in Mark chapter 9 G. Jesus took that man. To a place of faith that he didn't know that he could get to. But Jesus use the circumstance of his child. No problem. They're just delivered completely healed and restored but Jesus was using that circumstance to take that man to a place of faith that he had never ever been to before. He will take us all to places that through circumstances will draw a deeper and more meaningful Faith from our hearts. Do you understand that? It's on the Jumbotron. It's on the handout, read that think about that, he will take us to places through circumstances. It will draw out deeper and more meaningful Faith from our hearts. All we see is the suffering. That's all we see because I'm hurting right now. My God. My God. Why have you forsaken me? I'm hurting right now. Don't you see that? And gods like yeah.

I totally see it. But I'm going to get you to a place through this that you didn't think you could ever get to. Place that you didn't even know existed a place of faith that you can't even imagine. And I'm going to use this circumstance to get you there. And I suggest am I wrote it in my notes here. This produces deep worship.

Point number three. This is versus 62803. I'm not feeling very good about myself.

Verse 6, but I am a worm and no man of reproach of man and despised by people. Those who see me ridicule me they shoot out the lip. The shake that had saying he trusted in the Lord, letting rescue him. Wow. I said it before. is one of those moments in David's life, or if he was alive today that they medicate him, write anybody that depressed there that you get your getting meds. And they're probably giving you the good stuff.

So, let's begin with this. Jesus did not despise himself. But he was despised. Isaiah chapter 53. Verse 3. Says that he was despised. That is reproduced in Matthew 27:39. Matthew, 27, verse 43, Mark 15:29, Luke 23:32 36 people. Despising Jesus. If you can imagine how low you got to go to despise Jesus.

But they did.

This also Harkens back to what I just read a few minutes ago. In Hebrews, chapter 4, verses 14 to 16. We have a high priest who can sympathize He can sympathize. With the emotional upheavals. Of your suffering, and the things that you go through in your life. He understand, he can sympathize because he's been through it before.

Jesus did not despise himself. But listen, listen, David sees What depths he has sunk too and that is what he despise.

You with me, I should be up on the Jumbotron. David sees What depths he is sung to and that is what he despises. Maybe I didn't include them in your hand. I think. Maybe it's not, maybe I'm wrong. About all of that. That I just said except the Bible part.

It's in the Bible. And Isaiah 6:5. When Isaiah Isaiah has a vision of God sees God remember what he says about himself. He says, woe is me for, I am undone prime a man of unclean lips, he saw himself for what he was. Right beside himself for what he was. And I'll say this and this is on the Jumbotron. One thing that suffering produces is that it shows us what we're made of and that sometimes is rather uncomfortable. Right. I'm amazed at how quickly I can sync, two incredible deaths. I'm amazed at how quickly I can walk out of church, or Bible study, or my morning devotions whatever, and just go and willfully, send just choose to do the stupid thing. I'm amazed that it's so easy for me to do that. Have you ever been amazed at how easily you lie rolls off your lips?

It just came out. So easy.

Almost, as if. I tell lies all the time and I'm comfortable with it.

Ouch.

God allows us to go through things like this so that we can see ourselves for what we are miserable weak and helpless apart from him. Apart from him, we are all of those things.

and you might say, okay, well, I already knew that but God takes us beyond the mere intellectual assent to the actual experience of it. And if you're anything like me, I hope you're mad but you're probably are. We need the actual experience of it, not just the intellectual agreement cuz I can read a thing. I can understand a thing intellectually, but the experience of it is a whole different ballgame. I just want to read stuff and get it. That's what I want to do and got some snow. I'm going to take you to this experience so you understand it? Personality integrated part of your being. Does it delete transfigures you as it were from the inside out? So that now not only is your hurting heart healed. But your heart is better prepared for the Hertz that are yet to come.

now, when we suffer

And unbelievers will reproach God for your suffering. You know that built dubs. Do exactly what David says, here that he trusted in the Lord. Let him go ask him. Where is your God? Now, now that you're suffering, all I had people approach me with that idea. When my wife, my first wife was dying of cancer. You going to abandon God? Now that God's given up on you. I'm like, quite the opposite.

But that's what people think because God's not giving you what you want, or what you obviously need. And because he's not doing that. Therefore, he must not exist at all.

When we suffer, we can look to Jesus, who is Paul said in Romans chapter 15, verse 3 witch quotes. So I'm 69 verse 9 The reproaches of those who reproached, you fell on me. They were brought to you now. There were approaching me. You see, Jesus is in full empathy with you. In your suffering, he is in full, I'm not sympathy empathy. You understand the difference?

Full empathy with you in your suffering, you can never ever say to him. You don't know how it feels. Because he does. So, don't despise yourself. You can despise your situation, you can despise The Depths to which you have some but not yourself. because, regardless of how you feel,

you are God's workmanship. As it says in Ephesians 2:10. So let's wrap this up. Number 4, verses 9 through 11 my last point.

Yeah, let's get through this.

Phone number for is God is always right here.

Verse 9. Starts out with two of the most important words in all of the Bible. But you. but you sometimes it's rendered as but God To the most important words in the entire Bible because it's almost two words that everything shifts. It's like a hinge things change now because of those two words, but God, but you because of those two words, think things shift. Now, I may still be in the situation that I'm in that I don't like and I'm feeling, I'm still feeling emotionally feeling abandoned but but there is there something that is overcoming, my emotional state, and it's the truth. It's the truth that is overcoming my emotional state. David recognizes God's foreknowledge and sovereignty in his life even before his birth from the womb. And again, most translations either inverse name start with, but you are. But God, the two most important words in the Bible, this is the relationship between David circumstances and who God is. We might also be able to see that again in Christ on the cross, because anax 2:23, the Apostle Peter refers to Jesus, him being delivered, by the determined purpose, in, for knowledge of God, there was a reason why Jesus died on the cross. At somebody, posted something on Facebook, which I felt compelled to comment on, which ultimately led to a discussion, where he called me names. And then I unfriended me

You going to call polish so much on Facebook, can't you? Is it posted something about? You know? Jesus wasn't killed by atheist. He was killed by religious leaders. Now I'm like nope. Nope, Jesus voluntarily. Gave up his life. And if you really want to get technical, it was Romans to kill him. So blame the Italians.

You want to get technical? You see?

Only think about Christ on the cross. We need to think about that. Because we're having communion today, so this is what it's about, We think about Christ on the cross, with what appeared, what appeared to be horrifying. And to some meaningless was actually the greatest act of God's love ever seen in this world. Jesus paying the price for your violations of his laws.

The atoning sacrifice of Christ for our sins. And I said this before, you guys know that if you want to see how seriously God takes in, I want to see how seriously God takes in. Look at Christ on the cross.

Look at what he suffered on the cross. If you need a visual image, just think about The Passion of the Christ. that and I said this many times before, if you ever made a movie that actually depicted what Jesus ever do, would be R-rated and somebody did and it was

What Jesus did for us on the cross was necessary. If we were to be reconciled back to God. So when David sees himself as being cast upon you, from birth feces Gods, essential trustworthiness all the way back to his birth and is Psalm 139 reminds us even before his birth. And this isn't this is what I want to get to. This is the ultimate victory of theology over e-motion a fax over feelings. David situation is grim and ours may be Grim to, but the facts of God's Will and planning our lives overshadows our circumstance. Again, the example of Christ facing the cross, where in Hebrews 12:2 it says, for the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross. The joy that was set before him what Joy is there an enduring the cross? What do you Salvation the opportunity for you to be reconciled back to God, which would not ever happen unless he did that.

You see, there was something greater to be accomplished to put the suffering in a different context. You understand that there was something greater to be accomplished to put the suffering in a different context. There is a There is a glory on the other side of the circumstance that outshines the darkness of my emotions.

Your emotions are real. They'll lie to you. Your emotions are as real as they are, aren't the Arbiter of what is true and what is false. You can't look to your emotions to determine what is true.

What God does in his word and through Christ sacrifice on the cross, is he reminds us then he shows us and he repeatedly tells us that the glory on the other side of our circumstance, shines, the darkness of my emotions. Jesus died on the cross. My God. My God. Why have you forsaken me? Putting this song but moments later, he said, putting some 31 verse 5. You said, father into your hands. I commit my spirit, Luke 23:46. This was the last time that David was learning. That God. When trusted. Proves that he is, never far from the one who suffers.

I said today is a communion Sunday and it is we do communion here on the second Sunday of every month. So lucky you you got here on the right day But what we doing communion and I'll explain to you how we do communion in this church. What we doing communion is we recognize and we remember what Jesus did for us on the cross, purchasing for us, the opportunity to be forgiven of our sins, cleansed purified from the inside out, and reconciled back to God. Now, the elements themselves possess no power. They're only symbolic is Jesus pointed out. So we take the symbolic elements to demonstrate that, not only do, we believe these things, we are internalizing them and enjoying the blessings and the benefits of believing them. That's what we're going to do. When we partake of Kimmy, until here's the way that he hears, the way that I described coming in here in the church, and here's what I asked you to do communion. Partaking of communion is for anybody that has been born again by God's spirit. If you've not been born again by God's bird, then don't participate in convenient for totally cool with it. Believe me, it's totally okay. You don't have to do it and we're fine. And we ask you to respect the way that we do it. Like I don't care how you did it in your old church. I don't care if you were confirmed when you were a kid, that's not what. I mean, I'm not talking about any of those things. I'm talking about. Had you been born again by the spirit of God. And if you have it, don't participate in communion, I'm urging you don't participate will respect you. You respect us. That's the way works. Better yet. Why do you pray right now? Why do you surrender your life to Christ right now for the Forgiveness of your sins? Do you might be born again right now, and then participate in communion for the first time, understanding, what it really means. Then out for you, it's for you. It's not just some ethereal notion if not just an intellectual argument, it's for you, it's personal. That's your opportunity right now. So before we go any further, let's bow our heads for word of prayer. And as we do the worship team is going to come up there, going to sing a song, the elements of coming in and got to be handed out. Just remember what I said about that, but let's pray. Heavenly Father, we are grateful to you that you are provided. The means for us to be reconciled back to you, the sacrifice of your son on the cross, on our behalf and Laura, to even as we struggle to understand it intellectually, we certainly feel the pathos of it. The emotional importance of it. That's what I would pray. Even right now, as we are all praying heads about and eyes are closed. When they were here in the sanctuary with her online, with your watching this live, or where they watching this 100 years from now, the truth remains, You can pray and surrender your life to Christ right now. It's got nothing to do with me, or with church or with anything else. This is strictly between you and God, who made you, who wants you to be reconciled back to him, who has provided you with the opportunity? The means to be reconciled back to him. And all that is required of you. It's just a surrender. Just to give up perhaps, God's already been stirring in your heart, even this morning. Challenging you and convicting you. Letting you know that he's right here right now and he's ready to forgive you and ready to transform your life.

Again, all that is required of you. Is just a surrender. And you might say to some to him in prayer, something like this. Again, I don't want to put words in your mouth, but you might want to pray to him right now and say something like this. Jesus. I know. I need you.

I know I've sinned and I need your forgiveness.

I don't understand it all. But I believe that you died for me. I believe that you rose from the dead.

Now, please forgive me of all my sins.

Come into my heart.

Make me your child.

I need a fresh start. I mean, to be born again. I Surrender my life to you.

Remember friends as you pray that, remember what Jesus said? He said that all who come to me, I would in no way cast out and take you just the way that you are. Sims and all. Leave it to him to do the cleanup work.

Play as we continue in an attitude of prayer and worship. We're going to sing the song in the elements of communion will be passed out.