Loving Your Enemies

Would you please stand call to worship: worship today comes from Psalm 24 verses seven through 10. Lift up your heads oh gates and be lifted up, oh ancient doors that the King of glory may come in.

Who is this King of glory the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle, lift up your heads oh gates and lift them up. Oh, ancient doors that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory the Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory may be seated. Please join me in prayer, father, son and Holy Spirit, one God in three persons, we come before you today to give you praise and honor and glory for who you are and what you do, you created all things for your glory. You created us in your image that we may glorify you.

You brought us your people out of darkness into light. You've made us a new creation given us your spirit to seal us for the day of redemption and we pray that this alone would be enough for us to give you praise and honor and glory today and worship and we pray that it would indeed truly be worship to you. We pray that you would work in our hearts now to keep us from worldly distractions that we would have our hearts and mindset today here to hear your word to be encouraged by it to be encouraged to be obedient to it, to love others to encourage others to love our enemies and to love you with our whole heart. We do pray no forgiveness for the times where we forget you and your mercies that we indulge in worldly things that we are weak, but we also rejoice that when we are weak. Your strong that use the week things to do your work to your glory and we pray that today that as the word is preached, that it would penetrate our hearts to convict us and to encourage us to make us more holy, that we might be at bear witness to your work in our lives. We pray that all the worship songs we sing today what honor you would be based in truth in your word that we were not stray from that glory. Pray for the all the sick and suffering in our church that you would bring healing that you would bring hope and strong faith of those they made trust in you. We pray that you would encourage us to be alike to our neighborhood to our workplace that there are many trials and troubles and tribulations out there that we can be witness to to bring the light of the gospel to these situations, we pray you help us to be faithful to what is. We recognize and celebrate the Lord's supper today that we remember the work that you've done for us. We pray now that this service would be honoring to you that you would receive all praise, honor and glory and we do pray this in our Lord Jesus Christ name here this morning to meet with God above everything else were here to commune with the triune God in the old testament. There was a tabernacle. After that, a temple for God's people will gather together and God would show up and meet with this people in the New Testament we the church are that tabernacle that temple gods meeting place for two or three are gathered in his name. He is there in the midst of the we are here this morning to meet with God to fellowship with him to sing his praises to hear from them, let's do that. Let's invite his presence here this morning, thou Almighty King, would you stay with me as we sing is in and in all will will will all will be all in one God the father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible anyone Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of God, begotten of the father before all worlds God of God, light of light, very God of very God God and not made, being of one substance with the father, by whom all things were made for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was very and the third day he rose again. According to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits on the right hand of the father and he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end. And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeded from the father and the son with the father and the son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets, and we believe in one holy Catholic and apostolic church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins, and we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come in, stay with me again as we sing of our faith in God by saying the VA is worn by a school in my own mind I know I Stephanie Yarborough, my friend walking worship with us this morning and we have been praying for Stephanie. She's been in a mighty battle and the Lord is is getting her through that battle.

She's fighting the good fight Stephanie Yarborough's we are just glad to have you here with us this morning.

Yeah Bob start with. If you would first save your chapter 24 to start with verses 1 to 7 when Saul returned from following the Philistines. He was told the whole day that is in the wilderness and then getting this all took 3000 chosen me, and out of all Israel and went to see David and his men in front of the wild goats rocks and he came to the sheepfold by the way where they hit. There was a cave and saw Winnie and relieving sale now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave, in the manner David said to him, here's the day of which the Lord said to you, behold, I will give your enemy in your hand and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you, then David arose and stealthily cut off corner of Saul's Road and afterwards, David's heart striking because it cut off a corner of Saul's Road. He said to his men. The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my Lord, the Lord's anointed, put out my hand against the sea and he is the Lord's anointed.

So David persuaded his man with these words did not permit them to attack Saul, and Saul rose up, left the cave and went on his way is pray. Heavenly father.

The lesson you have for David in first Samuel 24 has Jesus written all over it. Your calling your servant David to do what we consider to be almost impossible your teaching David how to love his enemies unlike us. David did not have the example of the man Christ Jesus.

David did not know that Jesus would be nailed to a cross with horrible pain shooting through his body.

He would look at the people he mocked him, and spit owning and beating the nailed into the cross and you look up in heaven say father forgive them for they know not what they do we have that godly example and yet we get offended by us.

Love someone's offhand comment and we want to retaliate. We want to get revenge. We don't naturally desire to forgive. We don't like passing over the fence. We say stuff like, I'll forgive but not forget help us to see the hopelessness and that worldly ungodly attitude help us to shun bitterness and hunger after Christ likeness convict us comfort us and conform us in your image. For it is the precious and holy name of Jesus that we pray. Amen. You may be seated. David is still running from King Saul. Saul is made a commitment to kill David and he is doing everything in his power to be sure that that goal is accomplished.

So David is taking his man and he is as stiff them all off with him leaving to the wilderness of in getting where is in getting Getty is in the South plot part of the nation of Israel. It is on the West Bank of the Dead Sea is surrounded by just stark white hot desert sand, but the air, even Getty itself is very mountainous and these are dark hi rough tough craggy hazardous and cavernous mountains. That's where David is. That's where his men are withing in you. If you going to travel through that area today.

You will travel around in Getty you don't want travel over it because it's just tough tough traveling. Now you may have heard of this little town of Qumran, Qumran is needed is right in the center of in Getty and Qumran is the place where the Dead Sea Scrolls released most of them were found in a cave by Little shepherd boy, but this is where David and his men are. They are hiding out different caves in the mountains of in Getty and they are scared to death.

They know that they are in danger. They know that they could easily be killed in this situation and what is King Saul to he finds out that David is in a Getty he chooses 3000 topknot soldiers and he sends them out on a hunting expedition to kill David and to do him in Texas to the points that I will look at today and there five of them and point number one is this the temptation to get ravines. I look at neighbor's three in first part of verse four and he came to the sheepfold by the way, where there was a cave and Saul went into relieving sale that David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. In the middle. David said to him, here's the day of which the Lord said to you, behold, I will give your enemy in your hand and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you and got a picture this in your mind David and his men are hiding them sales in these canes and Saul's army is coming after their walking through all these woods and all these high rocks are looking for.

David's man, David's men are hidden back in the case and retailer being as quiet as they can because they are outnumbered 5 to 1.

I better be quiet. I can hear every step that the soldiers take every once in a while, they'll see a soldier go right in front of the cave in which they are hiding. Then all of a sudden something strange happens. David looks out of the cave that he and several of his mentor in and it is a sleep. King Saul sees King Saul out there. Saul looks into the cave, looks around, then he walks into the cave. Scripture says in the King James version city, Winnie, and to attend to his needs as a nice way of Sandy when using bathroom.

They have porta John Siena had cave adjustments and so that's that's what he wears, where he went and got into the K and it was cool and it was shady and it was either that hot Middle Eastern son and he says I got a good idea and will take a nap and so he takes his blanket he rolls it out. He lays down on the blanket and their years in this dark cave. David and his men are in the back recesses. This K and legacy everything that's going on. It's a dark cave. Dark, is it Cindy and I went on a trip to of little taverns a couple years ago and we took the tour got about halfway through the tour and the gods in a standstill, don't move, turn the lights off and she turned the lights off in my goodness you cannot see the hand in front of your face.

It was like a darkness. It could be fail. I've never seen such darkness is that less were these men are in the back of this darkness in there looking at us all.

Saul dozes off on that blanket and then he goes into a deep sleep start start snoring like a bear in hibernation and I mean he is just dead to the world. And when that happened. David's men get all excited and they run over to David Knight very quietly or shaken by the shoulders and their same David look what God is done for us. God is brought our enemy right to our doorstep. All we gotta do now is take his life. All we gotta do now is to gag him and then slit his throat, throwing in the back of this cave in the day that our persecution will be over with. You will be the king and everything will be wonderful.

Roger Illingworth has some great great insight here. Listen to this, many of David's men had no trouble interpreting God's design. In this particular province. God had steered Saul to the very case so that Saul so that David could killing someone whispered this is the day which the Lord said to you, behold, I will deliver your enemy in your hand and that you may do to him as it seems good to you and all the other wit me and whispered a million.

But wait a minute. When did God ever say such a thing to David there's a record of it. Got it.

Promise David would be king of Israel never said anything about when or how this would take place.

He certainly is not said that he would deliver Saul over for David to do with him as he pleased someone is apparently taking it on himself to read into that promise. I can hear the powerful voice of temptation, whispering sweetly in David's ear. Saul didn't deserve to live.

He is trying to kill you on several occasions he has already killed several innocent people in Israel.

The sooner you come to the throne. The sooner you can bring to an end the chaos and hardships always created, humanly speaking, this would've been a case of justifiable homicide. If there ever was one. I to am absolutely amazed at how many times people tell me God told me to do something and it's in something that's diametrically opposed to God's word. Now if you come to million you tell me God told me not to live. God told me not commit adultery. God told me not to murder. I say okay I believe God told you those things because the word of God in Exodus 20 Deuteronomy 5 lineup with that that's what God said. But we need to be very very careful when we say God told me this just because I have a feeling about it.

We need to be really careful with that. You tell me that God told you and your girlfriend was okay for you to have an abortion. I can tell you this for sure God did not tell you that God is not speaking to you folks here. We need to see what's going on. That David is is in a situation where his banner talking towing trying to convince them of something he needs not to listen to his men and needs to listen to God. David thinks back of how he treated Saul over the these years, and he treated Saul very well. He is killed Goliath, the great enemy of Israel.

He is kill thousands of Philistine soldiers. He has played the harp for Saul. When Saul was in a Great Depression soothed his nerves in and lifted his depression off of him, his best friend was was Jonathan was Saul. Sonny was his covenant brother. He's even married Saul's daughter, Michael.

Everything that David is done for Saul as being good and yet what is all done. Saul is, it is taken sphere and tried to spear David to death. Saul absolutely hates me, he tried to turn his own son and his daughter against David. He's put a bounty out on David's life.

He took the, the priest of knob 85 of them who had just been nice to David given them food eaten giving the sword of Goliath and have every one of them put the death and all the rest of the people in not just because he was mad at David.

David could have said to himself at this point time and it would've been very easy for him to do so. I disses this is payback time. I'm tired of the way that you've been treating me. I've done you nothing but good.

You've done me nothing but bad. I this is not right. This is not right that you treated me this way and I will. I could just kill you, and I would have to worry about this anymore. I could clean this mess up, and it would be done with, surely that went through David's mind as is me and were encouraging him with all their heart to take Saul's life and stop all this terrible persecution yelled look at our society today we become a people who were developing this attitude of loving revenge we've got all kind of loggers today are ambulance chasers trying to get us to sue somebody we have thousands of movies and thousands of novels that are built around the plot of revenge. If somebody does something to you think hello, if you don't, you're a wimp in got the bumper stickers now in the bumper sticker say I don't get mad I get even heard murder not long ago that was being questioned about why he did what he did, why did you kill this man.

The murderer said because he didn't show me respect the motto of our societies.

This don't take anything off anybody. David is being attempted to do that very thing in the men that are tempted hammer saying this is God's will. This is what God wants you to do that could not be further from the truth like that takes us to point to think with your head and not with your emotions. Look at verse four. The last part of it. Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner, Saul's Road years ago I did a study on the subject of the hymn of the garment had no idea that the Bible had so much to say about this great subject. So let me develop. This is going take a little bit of time here, but I think think it's worth it in numbers chapter 15 verses 37 through 43 Scripture says this the Lord said to Moses, speak to the people of Israel and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations and to put a cord of blue on the castle of each corner and it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord to do them not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which are inclined to horror after so you shall remember and do all my commandments, and the holy to your God. If you never seen this before. This idea of the hymn of the garment might seem as exciting as casserole but the truth is we don't really know what's behind this in the passage that I just read, God is commanding Moses teach the people of God that they are to wear a special garment with them at all times.

That garment is called the Tully is a prayer shawl and that they are to wear it around their waist when they're not praying and they have outer garment over it so you don't see at the end of the get ready to pray their reach up there to take that that prayer prayer shawl that tell eat and then they are to drape it over your head and that they are to pray that way the prayer shawl has a him on it has tassels in it and they are to take a tassel of royal blue and put it in each corner of the of the prayer shawl and were to get that royal blue from a back in Jesus day and back in Moses day there was a little see snail called murex and they would drill through the back of the shale of the murex and they would extract one little drop of royal blue liquid very deep royal blue liquid. How many drops did it take to make a pound of that stuff 3,887,000 drops, how expensive was that in American currency. It would be about $36,000 a pound.

That's why they call it royal blue because only the royalty could afford it but the idea of royalty is really really important in this part of the hymn of the garment because it represents kingship. It represents authority. And so when the people would pray they would put that prayer shawl over their head.

They would reach out they would touch and hold own to the tassel of royal blue and they did that to say I'm tapping into the authority of Jehovah all the way to the Scripture.

You will see this great emphasis on the hymn of the garment.

The priest wore long investments in these long roads and the longer the hymn of the garment was the board authority. They had and so the high priest at the road with the very longest hymn of the garment several years ago there was an archaeological dig that was going on in the Middle East and they went in some archaeologist dug up some stones and the only stone tablets that were written some inscriptions about how a team had been deposed and kicked out of his office and another king had replaced and the way they described it was this that he had had the hem of his garment, cut off in the Old Testament days when a prophet of God was sending a message to a king. He would write the message out that he would take a strand of his own higher in a thread from the hem of his garment, put it together and send it to the king that was a statement saying I'm speaking to you by the power and the authority of God Almighty himself, you member in Isaiah 6 and Isaiah when is the temple of the Lord Scripture says that he saw the Lord, high and lifted up on his throne and the train is train filled the temple. Not talk about a locomotive layer is talking about. He is the hem of his garment, and there is the Lord sitting on his throne, and how far does the hymn go all the way down to the floor. No, it flows and it flows and it flows and it flows until it fills the entire temple, but such a statement that is being made about our God that he's not just a king is the King of Kings. He is the Lord of lords, and he is sovereign over all of his creation. You member in verse and chapter 15 King Saul had just disobeyed the Lord rebelled against God. Samuel the prophet came to him and said because of your rebellion your disobedience. God is going to take the kingdom away from you and given to a man after God's own heart and what didst Saul do single turned around to walk away. Saul reached over and grabbed his robe and when he did. He ripped off the hymn of the garment. Samuel turned around him and he said to him you hold in your hand hem of my garment, the symbol of my authority said God is taken away your authority, your real authority is taken, the kingdom of Israel out of your hand. Give it to a man after God's own heart. Then, in the New Testament. You remember the woman who had the issue of blood 12 years she suffered with the issue with the doctors spent all of her money.

No help whatsoever and so finally she heard Jesus was in town so she went to where Jesus was a huge crowd was layer. She weaseled her way through the crowd and that she reach to a couple people and what did she grab, she grabbed the hem of his garment. I used to think was she just trying to touch Jesus anywhere on his body.

She just wanted touching. None of this is symbolism, and she understood it.

She wasn't just trying to touching on armor stroke his face or touch his beard.

She reached over and she grabbed onto that blue tassel in the hymn of his garment.

Why because she was tapping into the authority of Christ in order that she might be healed and brothers and sister. She was she she might a statement she was saying Jesus. I know you are you are the Messiah, you are the king, King of Kings and Lord of lords. You are my high priest, Jesus you are my Savior. You are my Lord you are my healer now with all that in mind what you think, again, to what is going on that cave with David.

He cuts off the hymn of cells garment the symbol of Saul's authority, he would not yield to the temptation to take Saul's life they just took him. David was thinking with his head and not with his emotions and he thought surely this'll that when Saul wakes up, he's going to realize nail that I am not his enemy.

5.3 the blessing of the tender conscience. Look at verse 527, and afterward, David's heart striking because he had cut off the corner of Saul's road.

He said to his me in the Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my Lord, the Lord's anointed to put out my hand against Nancy and he is the Lord's anointed. So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way after David cut off the hymn of Saul's garment. He felt bad about it is heart hurt about it. But this man, David had a conscience that was extremely tender.

The rest of David's men were drooling over the idea of killing Saul men they could've taken his life just like that not all the thing about it, but David just cuts off the hymn of Saul's garment and David feels all this guilt piece is all I wish I'd done this. This is not right. I was wrong to do this we need to ask yourself a question here was David wrong was David Wright and if he was wrong. What what was the problem. Some people have with the Scripture calls a week. Conscience and that's a conscience that is very very tender and overly sensitive. Some people, the Scripture says have a seared conscience and that is a conscience that has been calloused and hardened by repetitive sin, so that they don't feel what they should anymore I don't feel bad about doing bad things we as God's people need to be developing a good and healthy conscience conscience that pricks us when we do wrong.

The conscious that applauds us when we do right now. As I said some people have with the Bible call a week conscience and I think that's probably what David had a very, overly sensitive conscience so they can perfectly be in the right about a situation and somebody can say something negative and they get thrown on a guilt trip and they can be spiritually unproductive for days, months or years.

That's a danger only give you a great verse is comes from Ezekiel chapter 13 verse 22 and the Lord is speaking here to false prophets to listen to what he says. He says with lies. You have made the heart of the righteous said whom I have not made said while he said you false prophets are manipulating God's people by telling them lies about them sales that I have not said, you're missing a preacher do that a preacher puts a burden on a congregation over something that God is not burden the congregation over and he does it to manipulate the guilt brothers and sisters that wrong before God. I think that's what's the matter, he would David think his conscience is very is very tender, very, very oversensitive and he think he was in danger here of getting himself in trouble is if you let that go along what he did was right before God. RC Sproul said the following about the conscience won't you listen this carefully is a conscious insist on judging us and insist on judging us by the high standards we know. Hence we call it God's voice and the soul in a sense it is the judgment of conscience or only to be received as God's voice when they match God's own truth in law in Scripture, the conscience must be educated to judge scripturally superstition or scruple may lead a person to count as sinful an action that according to God's word is not sinful. I think that's what David was experiencing. I think this false guilt was manufactured through a week conscience let me just say something here.

This is what our culture is doing too many of us right now our culture is accusing every white American of systemic racism. I am not a racist. So don't use false guilt to try to manipulate me. The white man. The black man the red man the yellow man the brown man all have this in common. We were born in sin and our only hope. Out of that is through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ boats Jesus Christ is the answer to racism Jesus Christ makes us colorblind. Christians don't let the culture deceive you. Don't bind the false guilt. If racism is an issue with you then repent, repent, but if it's not you treat every body of every race with the same respect in which you would treat Jesus Christ himself quit listening to Hollywood quit listening to the professional athletes quit listening to two-faced politicians quit listening to the college professors that think they are the final word. The word of God is the final word and fudge the word of God will melt racism into agape love that takes us to the four point which is the fruit of discernment, look with me at verses eight through 15. Afterwards, David also arose when out of the cave and called after Saul my lord the king was solid behind the David bad with his face to the earth and paid homage. David said to Saul, while you listen to the words of men to save a whole. David seeks your harm the whole this day.

Your eyes and saying of the Lord gave you today into my hand in the cave and some told me to kill you but I spared you. I said I will not put out my hand against my Lord, for he is the Lord's anointed. See my father see the corner of your robe in my hand by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you. You may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands.

I've not sinned against you. Though you hunt my life to take it. May the Lord judge between me and you by the Lord avenge me against you, but by and shall not be against you as the proverb of the ancient say of the wicked come wickedness, but my hand shall not be against you after whom is the king of Israel come out after whom do you pursue after a dead dog after fully may the Lord therefore be judging get sinless between me and you and see to it and plead my calls and deliverability from your hand until you turn in the other cheek and loving your enemy. Some of the very hardest things that the Christian is called to do. But when we do that there is unbelievable supernatural spiritual fruit.

Saul finally wakes up, stretches himself walks out of the cave when he wants of the cave. David his men are still back there there still very quiet. He wants of the cave. He gets off in the distance, and David goes to the front of the cave. Finally, David steps out David steps out of the cave and yells at Saul and to paraphrase, he said this Saul. I am not your enemy. I am your friend.

I love you I care for you I would never raise my hand against God's anointed. I would never try to take your throne nail. Then he said this, he picked up that hymn of the garment and he held it up and he said Saul look at this.

He said you were asleep in the cave where we were dead asleep. He said I could kill.

I can take in your life. We could hit me back in the and in the corner of that cave and nobody would have ever known where you were did all of our persecution would've been over with that all this mess would've been done then we would have to worry about this anymore, but I didn't do that I didn't take your authority having take your life. I just took the symbol of your authority to let you know what to let you know that I'm your loyal servant to let you know that you can trust me that I will be faithful to you is my King quoted this non-retaliatory spirit done for David while thinking a profound effect on Saul, but I think it also had a profound effect on David's men. It would've been very easy for David to have listen to them and kill Saul, but he refused to do it.

He refused to do it because he believed that that was not God's will. God had told him not to so he didn't and his men looked up at him. I think with a new respect. I think that's here's a man who loves God more than he loves himself. Here's a man who loves God more than that then anything else on the face of the earth is a man that loves God enough that he's going to be obedient to him, no matter what it costing later on we get the second Samuel 16 see another man. His name is Jimmy. I Jimmy I was a man who took up an offense for Saul and he got mad at David through Roxie David cursed David in this would've been extremely tough on David. If David had kill Saul. The David knew that he was totally innocent. He knew that he had done the right thing and so when all those accusations came. He didn't have to deal with the guilty conscience brothers and sisters. It's important for us to live. So by the word of God that we don't have to be under the bondage of the guilty conscience fifth and last thing that I will mention is the us God honors us when we love our enemies. Verse 16 through 22. As soon as David finished speaking these words to Saul. Saul said is this your voice. My son David and Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. He said to David, you are more righteous than I for you ever paid me good whereas I ever paid you evil and you declared this day you have dealt with me and that she did not kill me when the Lord put me in your hands. If a man finds his enemy really letting go away safe, so may the Lord reward you with good for what you've done to me this day and now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. Swear to me.

Therefore, by the Lord that you will not cut off my offspring after me and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house and David swore this to Saul and then Saul went home with David and his men went up to the stronghold. Even King Saul. This wicked man that hated David so desperately. Even exists. King Saul was touched by David's love. Paul said it this way. Love never fails to close with the word, a commentary from a Dr. Alan Redpath. He said this, the practice of love in your life liberate spiritual power as nothing else can. It is not simply the distributing of a tract. It is not the preaching of the sermon or the teaching of the Sunday school class.

It is something far deeper ally saturated with love life that is learn the principle that David learned to love not merely your friends but also your enemies, and the life. It is also learned how to wait on God, my God grant to us the love that we see here in David love never fails is pray. Heavenly father.

The psalmist encourages us to number our days, we desperately need. Remember that because this life is short. Help us to remember that only one life will soon be passed in only what's done for Christ will last help us to remember that you are most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in you. One of the greatest ways that we glorify Christ is by loving our enemies. Your call for us to forgive does not negate our responsibility to protect our families. Your call for us to forgive is not an excuse for us to compromise with the world and bounds of the devil's lies. Help us to be tough yet tender. Help us to shun bitterness and fight the fallacious pool to get revenge. Naturally, we are unlike Lord Jesus. So do the supernatural within us and make us like Christ. We love you Lord, thank you so much for loving us forcing Jesus precious and holy name we pray. Amen this time to celebrate with our Lord's supper and we are short a few elders, unless John T if you would help us out the day and see Colwell if you don't mind if you help us out as well. Eugene's gun officiates a I'll ask Eugene to come for you and John remove the call forces the table before us this morning is not a table of Grace Church is the table of the Lord Jesus Christ welcomes all who were part of his holy bride, the church to take communion and enjoy his promised spiritual presence here this morning. If you were here and you're not united to Christ by faith.

The Scriptures warn you to eat and drink these elements in an unworthy manner in manner not properly discerning the body and blood of Jesus Christ is to eat and drink judgment to yourself. So we would ask that if you aren't united to Christ you don't know him as your Lord and Savior, she would abstain from these elements, but by all means watch and learn as the gospel is visibly demonstrated. Before you this morning. Let me read from Mark's gospel chapter 14 as we remind ourselves again is not man's invention's sacrament is a is a meal that Christ himself the head of the church gives to his church. The setting is the upper room shortly before Christ went to the cross. It says as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them and said, take this is my body, and he took a cup, and when you given thanks, he gave it to them and they all drank of it and he said to them, this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many, as we prepare our hearts for this sweet meal we read from our own confession several things that are happening as we take this bread in this cup we are proclaiming the death of Christ brought forgiveness to sinners, we are strengthening ourselves against sin. We are encouraging ourselves to obey with love and zeal. We are increasing our faith and confidence in the sufficiency of Christ. We are properly soothing our consciences by confessing our sin and running to God for mercy and we are reminding ourselves that this world is not home. Heaven waits for us what we will see Jesus face-to-face worship at the throne of God our father is spirit forever.

Let's take a moment to bow in God's sweet presence and just ask his Holy Spirit to search us to try us to see if there be any wicked way in us to use this as an opportunity to repent and run to Christ for mercy or Jesus you are her merciful Savior, we thank you for the gift of your life on our behalf. Thank you that when God looks at us. He sees your righteousness and not our filthy racks. Thank you for your promised presence now made it nourish our souls. We pray in your name. If you have not taken communion with us here the last couple of months. Just a quick word of instruction in an effort to be as sterile as possible were going to distribute the sealed packets that have the bread and the cup all in one unit soon as you receive years go ahead and peel cellophane often getting ready the last to hold the elements until everybody's been served. Take in chapter 2 Christ himself for our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness by his wounds you have been healed rather than offer prayer of thanks bread that we give you thanks for bread this morning that we praise you for the work you've done the work of salvation for for us that you brought us out of darkness into light and just for the glory of the father you've done this love your church. Thank you for this in Jesus name body of Christ taken three take the cup listen to these words in first Peter chapter 1 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot vessel brother John Key offer prayer of thanks spray on I go to heaven.

Father, we come to you the holy precious name of Jesus morning celebrating this Lord's supper with.

Thank you Lord Jesus for willing going to cross the dying for our sins. My sins we deserve nothing but you gave it all think in your holy precious name this morning as we celebrate this Lord's supper Jesus name I pray, amen. Blood of Christ taken drink. Scripture tells us that after that first Communion Christ and his disciples, saying to him and then went out singing him as we go from this place, including our worship service and can it be that I should gain an interest in our Savior's blood would you stand with me as we sing the he will will all all all and in all will and will and will so much for coming worship with us today when he encourages me back tonight. Eugene will be preaching 6 o'clock. Would love to have you. What are we doing the, the little packets that were using to in the Lord's supper were doing it for cleanliness and keep things sterile. I think primarily were doing the teacher pastor patients closely drive me crazy but anyway I want you listen to this in the light of where we are in America right now in the world what's going on what's taken place on to think about the disease, pestilence, violence, the confusion that's taking place in. Listen to this.

The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high, he will feel Zion with justice and righteousness and he will be the stability of your times. Abundance of salvation, wisdom and knowledge.

The fear the Lord is Zion's treasure in all God's children said