How The Living Jesus Christ Makes A Fisher of Souls

We saw last week in John 20 how Jesus being raised from the dead appeared to the disciples and he appeared to them on the Lord's Day.

He loves to minister on the Lord's Day, the day of his resurrection.

One of the signs that Christ did in this appearance in John 20 was to breathe on the disciples.

I believe this is the ministry of Christ as the great and final prophet.

He's our prophet, priest and king and the Old Testament prophets would do a sign that was really a revelation.

And so by breathing on them, he's showing the apostles, my spirit will be breathed out on you.

And we see that fulfilled in Acts 2.

I believe what we have in John 21 verses 1 through 14 is another sign act.

John 21:1–14

It's another way that Christ is letting his apostles know how his mission will be carried on through them.

So listen for this as you read these verses.

I'll read it out loud and you can follow along.

When I'm done reading, I'll say this is the word of the Lord.

And if you receive it as God's inspired, infallible, clear and sufficient word, you respond.

Thanks be to God.

After this, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples by the Sea of Tiberias.

He revealed himself in this way.

Simon Peter, Thomas, called the twin, Nathaniel from Cana of Galilee, Zebedee's sons and two others of his disciples were together.

I am going fishing, Simon Peter said to them.

We're coming with you, they told him.

They went out and got into the boat.

But that night they caught nothing.

When daybreak came, Jesus stood on the shore.

But the disciples did not know it was Jesus.

Friends, Jesus called to them.

Do you not?

You don't have any fish, do you?

No, they answered.

Cast the net on the right side of the boat, he told them, and you'll find some.

So they did.

And they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish.

The disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, it is the Lord.

When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his outer clothing around him, for he had taken it off, and plunged into the sea.

Since they were not far from the land, about a hundred yards away, the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish.

When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there with fish lying on it in bread.

Bring some of the fish you've just caught, Jesus told them.

So Simon Peter climbed up and hauled the net ashore full of large fish, 153 of them.

Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.

Come and have breakfast, Jesus told them.

None of the disciples dared ask him, Who are you?

Because they knew it was the Lord.

Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them.

He did the same with the fish.

This was now the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God indeed.

You may be seated.

The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of the Lord endures forever.

Let's pray.

God, we saw how you have brought rain and snow, and now you're bringing forth the green grass and the wheat.

You're faithful to your promise.

We pray that you'll do the same, Lord, with your word as it goes forth.

You promise it will not return void.

It will prosper in your purpose.

I pray, Lord, that as your word goes forth through the ministry of preaching,

I pray that you will drag in more souls to Jesus Christ.

For your glory we ask.

Amen.

I believe this passage is about evangelism.

It's about evangelism.

It's about how Jesus Christ will carry on the mission of his church,

and it will be set in motion by the ministry of the apostles.

That's what he gives us a sign act and a picture about.

So I want to walk through this passage with that in mind.

The lesson, the picture lesson we could say is fishing.

Do you ever have something that you really love and you enjoy, but you're just not good at it?

Maybe opera, for example, or the NBA.

You're never going to be able to dunk a basketball, but you like watching it.

For me, it's fish.

I love fish.

I love to eat fish, whether they're cooked or raw.

I love fish in any form.

I'm really bad at fishing, though.

I cannot catch a fish on my own.

Growing up, my dad did not like to fish, and so we never had a lot of opportunities.

One time, a friend of mine had a lure like this with a hook on either end,

and I got both of those hooks stuck on both of my thumbs.

In our little town, we had to ride our bikes everywhere in Brazil,

and so I had a bandage on each thumb riding around like this,

and I got made fun of a lot.

The reason I share that is because I did have a good experience with fishing,

and so we see a contrast with these disciples' failures that now God blesses greatly.

So for me, the turnaround for fishing was once I was married, my in-laws,

they live on the country in Oklahoma.

Think of all the things they did to set me up for success.

They have a reservoir.

They stock that reservoir.

They have a little fishing boat.

They know all the good spots.

They get the rods ready.

All I have to do is just jump in and do exactly whatever they tell me.

We come back with all the fish.

Then they clean them, and they fry them, and it's amazing.

Fresh fish on the farm.

I think the disciples are a little bit like that here.

God is teaching them by the living Jesus Christ.

There is no greater mission you can be part of than to obey him

and to be part of drawing a perishing soul in to the kingdom of life by the net of God's word.

There's no greater mission.

That's the lesson.

Maybe you feel like that.

You love the Lord Jesus,

but you're a lousy fisher of souls,

and maybe you think you're hopeless.

Maybe you think,

I've been distant from God for so long.

Maybe just this past week,

I've denied God with my life.

I'm barely surviving on my own.

Why should I expect any results of ministering God's word?

In Matthew 117, Jesus said,

Follow me, and I will make you a fisher of men.

In John 21, the living Jesus Christ,

he gives this church this glorious portrait of apostles

bringing a net full of fish in to the Lord.

So, beloved congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

today I want to try to prove to you

how the Lord Jesus Christ, who's alive,

how it is that he can make someone like you and like me

also a fisher of souls.

The first lesson is that he makes you see

he is near you even in your ordinary work.

Look at verse 1.

After these things,

Jesus showed himself again to the disciples

at the Sea of Tiberias.

This is the same sea called Galilee

in the northern part of Israel.

Up to this point,

Jesus' other appearances

had all taken place on the Lord's Day.

We walked through that last week.

His congregation had gathered,

the disciples were all in one place,

and the Lord appeared,

and he ministered among them.

And then the next Lord's Day,

to Thomas this time,

he ministered among them.

It was his pleasure to do that.

But here in John 21,

it's the only appearance

after Christ rose from the dead

in this Gospel of John,

in which he does not indicate

the day of the week.

And so that's significant

because it could be any day,

and it could be all,

and every day,

the Lord Jesus is near his disciples.

We go on to read that in this way

he showed himself.

Verse 2,

there were together the disciples,

Simon Peter,

Thomas called Didymus,

which means twin,

Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee,

the sons of Zebedee,

which are James and John,

and then two other disciples,

which are most likely

Andrew and Philip,

because we know

all these disciples

were from that northern region

around Galilee.

So here are those disciples.

They've seen the Lord.

They know he's alive,

but they don't know

what their mission is.

What do we do

in response to this?

They know that his kingdom

is of heaven

and not of earth.

What are we supposed to do

day in, day out,

week in, week out,

as part of this heavenly kingdom

while we remain on earth?

What is it?

So in verse 3,

without further instruction,

Simon Peter says,

I'm going fishing.

And they say to him,

we will go with you also.

So they enter their ship

and they set out.

I don't see this

as a lack of faith

or a sin in any way.

Peter leads the other disciples

in making a living.

It's what they knew how to do.

They're doing the work

God put in their hands to do.

They're providing

for their families.

We can conclude

that it's biblical and wise

for fishers of souls

to also have marketable skills.

Why?

Because that's the pattern.

They're able to work for bread.

You know, Peter was a tent maker.

And as he was making tents,

he was discipling those

God brought to him

in his ordinary work

every single day of the week.

We read in Acts 28, 30

that when Paul lived in Rome,

he lived there for two whole years.

At his own expense.

And he welcomed everyone who came

and he preached boldly.

So on that night,

these men of Galilee

of the northern part

around the sea,

it's dark.

They're likely hungry.

They're tired.

They're feeling the pressure

of providing for their families.

But they caught nothing.

And they know what they're doing.

They're professional fishermen.

It was God's providence

that they would not catch anything

because there's a much greater lesson

to be learned.

Look at verse four.

When the morning came,

Jesus stood on the shore.

There they are in their ordinary work.

And there's Jesus Christ alive,

the living God.

Where does he want to be?

With his people

in their ordinary work.

He's right there.

The disciples did not know

that it was Jesus, though.

As I was reflecting

on these first few verses,

I thought of many moments

throughout my week

in my ordinary work

where I didn't even know

but Jesus is near me.

Think of the lowest point

you had this week

with your household,

with a relationship,

or maybe with work.

You were low.

Isn't it easy to forget

that our Lord Jesus is alive

and he's with us.

He's near his disciples

every day of the week.

And he loves you

to see that.

If you didn't see it

in the moment,

look back and remember

just as he stood on the shore

near his disciples,

he stands near you

every day of the week.

He is alive.

And he watches you

in your ordinary work.

And his command,

John 4, 8,

is to draw near to God.

God will draw near to you.

Mark 1, 17,

he says,

follow me.

Walk with me.

As you walk

every day of your life,

no matter what you're doing,

walk with me.

And I will make you

a fisher of men.

There's no greater mission

than to obey

the living Jesus Christ

in this glorious mission

of dragging,

perishing souls

into his kingdom of life.

We do that

by the net of his word.

And this is how

Jesus Christ

makes people like you

and me,

ordinary as we are,

into fishers of souls.

We draw near to him

and we follow

the living Jesus Christ.

He makes you see

that he is near you

in your ordinary work.

So much of our evangelism

will take place there

wherever we are

as we walk with him.

The second lesson is this.

Before making a fisher of souls,

Jesus teaches you

that he alone

gets all the glory

for any results.

Before making you

a fisher of souls,

he teaches you,

and make sure you learn

the lesson,

that he alone

gets all the glory

for any results.

Look at verse 5.

Then Jesus said to them,

Children,

have you any food,

any meat?

Did you catch anything?

They answered him,

No.

And he said to them,

Cast the net

on the right side

of the ship

and you will find some.

Try to think of that scene

from the perspective

of the fish underwater.

We know in the book of Jonah

that God appointed

a great fish.

God caused that great fish

to swallow Jonah

and spit him out

on the shore.

And here we read

that there are 153 big fish.

They're not as big

as the one Jonah had.

They're ones that could

be dragged by a net.

But we can understand

from the context

this would be a fish

that would get you

the best market price.

When you drag this in,

take it into the village

and try to sell it.

These are good sized fish.

There's none of the little ones

that waste everybody's time.

Every fish is worth pulling in.

So there's that school of fish.

All the little ones,

God appoints them

to get weeded out

and just leaves

all the big nice ones

underneath the water.

And he won't let them go

on one side of the boat.

He's going to make them

wait for his instruction.

That's the sovereignty

of God.

A pastor named John Stott,

he pointed out

that to evangelize

doesn't mean

to win souls.

It simply means

to announce

the good news

and leave any results

up to God.

Do the work

of an evangelist.

God has commanded it,

obey and leave

the results to him.

He's the only one

who can give results anyway.

In Matthew 13, 47,

Jesus said,

the kingdom of heaven

is like a net

thrown into the sea

and it gathers fish

of every kind.

Christ in Matthew 13

was already envisioning

this picture lesson

for them.

And beyond that,

he was envisioning

the throne of heaven.

Revelation 7, 8.

John,

the same apostle,

he testifies,

he says,

I beheld

a great multitude

which no man

could number

of all nations,

tribes,

peoples,

and tongues.

And they all stood

before the throne

and before the Lamb.

And they were clothed

with white robes

and palm branches

in their hands.

And they cried

with a loud voice

saying,

Salvation belongs

to our God

which sitteth

upon the throne

and unto the Lamb.

And if Jesus

is your Savior

and your Lord,

you are one of those fish.

You are one of those

of that great number

from every people,

nation,

tribe,

and tongue.

And the word

of God went out

like a net

and it captured you

and it brought you

to Jesus.

God teaches us

that he alone

gets all the glory

for any results.

Paul testified of this

in Romans 11, 36.

For of him

and through him

and to him

are all things

to whom be glory

forever.

Amen.

What do we do

in response

to this awareness

that God gets

all the glory

and he will teach us

that one way

or the other?

We draw near to him.

We follow him

and we ask him

to make us

into fishers of men

knowing that any results

will come from his

appointment alone.

The third lesson

is this.

The living Jesus Christ,

he calls you

to love him

above the results

of fishing.

The living Jesus Christ

calls you and me

to love him,

the person of Jesus,

above any results.

Verse 7,

Therefore,

that disciple

whom Jesus loved,

that's John

referring to himself,

he said to Peter,

It is the Lord.

When Peter heard that,

it is the Lord

here in our

ordinary work.

We can assume

Peter's ears

were thrilled

to hear.

The Lord,

he was going to

drop everything else.

When Simon Peter

heard this,

he put his fishing

cloak around himself

for he had taken it off.

So Peter's hands

let go of the net.

Instead,

they pick up the clothes

to be presentable

to his king

and he cast himself

into the sea.

Peter couldn't bear

to stay away

from Christ

a moment longer

than he had to.

Then in verse 8,

the other disciples

came in a little ship

because they weren't

far from land.

It was about

200 cubits

and they were

dragging the net

with the fishes

while the Lord Jesus

stood on the shore

waiting for them.

Can you see that

in your mind's eye?

This glorious scene?

This is a picture

of how God

brings souls

into his kingdom.

The Lord stands

on the shore.

He stands in heaven.

The Lord appoints

the fish.

He appoints

the souls

he will bring in.

Then he appoints

and equips

and instructs

his fishermen.

When they obey,

they bring those souls

to present them

with satisfaction

and joy

back to Christ himself.

Matthew 6, 33.

We're told to seek first

the kingdom of God

and his righteousness

and all these things

he will add

unto you.

Do what he has commanded.

Obey him.

There's no greater mission

we could be part of

than to casting

the net of his word,

watching him

put into that net

every soul

he has appointed

unto eternal life.

And then all that we do

is like these

stinky,

smelly disciples

that are sweaty.

We labored,

but we did nothing.

We failed

when we were

on our own strength.

We obeyed you.

You did it all.

And we dragged them

back up,

presenting it

to the Lord.

Back to you, Lord.

This is your work.

It's unto you.

Receive what is your due.

All glory be to God.

Follow him.

He is alive.

And as you follow him,

he promises

he will make you

and me

and each one

a fisher

of souls.

There's no better mission

we could be part of him.

So draw near to God.

Follow him.

He's alive.

Fourth lesson I see

is this.

The living Jesus Christ,

he makes all the provisions

to nourish

and strengthen you

who he has made

a fisher of souls.

That's a fear,

isn't it?

I'm going to obey the Lord.

I'm going to seek

first his kingdom.

What about my needs?

What about all those things

I want

and count on in life?

I believe we see

in the next few verses

how he makes

all the provisions

and he nourishes

and strengthens

every single one

he makes into

a fisher of souls.

In verse 9,

we see as soon

as they had come to land,

they saw a fire

of coals there

and fish

laid on

the fire.

The best fish

I've ever eaten

in my life

was in

northern Brazil,

a little town

where my parents

still live

called Boa Vista.

The name of the fish

is tambaki

and it's got

fat inside

of the skin

and so they cut it

in half

and they set

the skin of the fish

on the coals

and it just slow cooks

with rock salt on top

as it starts to bubble

and boil

and get crispy

on the edges

and it's a flaky

white fish.

It's so good

and I'm imagining

what Jesus made here

even if it's that simple.

It's bread

on the coals

or fish on the coals

with some bread.

What a meal, right?

Even if it's simple,

it's their daily bread.

It's nourishing

those whom he's called.

We read in 2nd

Colossians 2, 19

that the whole body,

that's the church,

every single member

of the body

is nourished

and grows

from God.

It comes from him.

Heaven is a banquet

but as pilgrims

and sojourners

in this life,

it's daily bread.

It's manna

and it's enough.

It nourishes

and strengthens us.

1 Timothy 4, 6

Paul wrote to Timothy

as he would

open up God's word

to the church.

He said,

Nourish God's people

with the words

of the faith

and the good teaching

that you follow

as a servant

of the living Jesus Christ.

And Peter learned

the source

of a disciple's strength.

In 1 Peter 5, 10

Peter wrote,

The God of all grace

will strengthen you, church.

He could testify.

God had done that to him

and that's what he's writing

to encourage the church

as well,

inspired by the spirit.

Then in verse 10,

Jesus said to them,

Bring of the fish

which you have now caught.

Verse 11,

Simon Peter went up

and he drew the net

to land full of big fish.

153 of them.

I told you,

Jesus is acting like a prophet.

He's giving them

a sign act

of something that will happen.

How will this unfold

in redemptive history?

Well, when we finish

the gospel of John

and we begin reading

the history of the church

in the book of Acts,

we read in Acts 2, 40

that Peter was the one

God appointed to stand up

to preach the gospel

and not just 153,

but over 3,000

repented and believed

and were added

to their number

that day.

God had given simple means,

a simple net,

just as he's given the church

the simple,

ordinary means of grace,

the ministry of the word,

prayer,

sacraments,

the Lord's Supper

and baptism.

It's ordinary,

but he's ordained it.

It's simple.

That's fine.

Let us be ordinary

in these means

and let him be extraordinary.

All glory be to God.

God's means of saving souls

like these nets

as they're being drug

full of these fish,

they don't fail.

John makes note of that.

It was full.

These are experienced fishermen

who spent hours

mending nets

and tying them back,

but these nets

that day did not break.

They were simply obeying

what Christ commanded

and the means were sufficient.

The nets do not break.

Now I want to draw your attention

to a verb

that's used three times here.

Two times here

and then one time previously.

So look at verse six.

The verb in verse six

is to draw.

It says that they were not able

to drag them up themselves,

but then in verse 11,

Peter drew

or dragged the net

to the land

full of the great fish.

The reason I highlight that verb

is because Jesus

uses that same verb

in John chapter 12,

John 12:32

verse 32.

He says,

when I am lifted up

from the earth,

lifted up,

I will draw

all people

to myself.

It's the same verb.

It's the same verb.

It's Christ.

Just as he gives Peter

along with the disciples

the ability now

to draw in this

net full of fish.

Jesus,

by the power

of the Holy Spirit,

draws all men

to himself.

That's what's in view here.

John Gill saw it

this way as well.

He commented,

this is an emblem

of the whole number

of God's elect

brought out

from the waves

to the shore

to Christ

and ultimately

to heaven.

Jesus Christ

makes all the provisions

and he strengthens

every single one

that he calls

and prepares

to be a fisher

of souls.

He wants you

and me

to draw near

to him

to follow him

and trust

that he will

make you

into just that.

There's no greater

mission we can be

part of

than to cast

the net

of the word

and watch

Jesus draw

all men

to himself,

everyone

who has an ear

to hear

and eyes

to see his glory.

Jesus can make

you and me

into fishers

of souls

through our

ordinary work

as we trust

the simple means

he's commanded.

So draw near

to him

and follow him.

Well,

the fifth

and final lesson

I see here

for us today

is that

the living

Jesus Christ,

he abides

with those

that he has

made a fisher

of souls.

He abides

with you

in this work

and he proves

again and again

to you and me

I am alive.

Look at verse 12,

Jesus said to them

come and dine.

He's inviting them

to stay,

to eat,

to abide.

In John 15,

4,

he had told them

abide in me

and I in you.

In verse 12,

we read that

none of the disciples

had to ask him

who are you

knowing that

it was the Lord.

Isn't that so true?

When you're abiding

with Christ,

you know it.

You know it.

In verse 13,

Jesus then came

and he took the bread

and gave it to them

and also the fish.

Not only did he prepare

and make provisions,

he also personally

is nourishing

and serving them

just like he does

you and me.

The living Jesus Christ,

he's not in a hurry

with you.

He lingers,

he hosts,

he serves,

he communes

and his disciples

abide with him.

Revelation 3.20,

if anyone hears my voice,

I will come in

to him

and dine with him

and he with me.

John makes the comment

in the last verse

of our sermon text,

verse 14,

that this was

the third time

Jesus showed himself.

to his disciples

after he rose

from the dead.

He's dining

and communing

with his disciples

to prove to you

again and again

that he is alive.

There's no greater work

than walking

with the living God

and watching him

draw in those

he's appointed to alive

by the means

he's commanded.

Have you gotten

that experience

maybe in a very small way

like we read

of sowing a little bit

or watering a little bit

and watching God

give the increase

in the soul

in a life?

Isn't it true

that there is no greater

mission,

no greater work

we could be part of?

When we first moved

to Colorado

we had one child

we were happy

we were very poor

we were barely

being able to pay our bills

and climb out

of student loans

we were still wanting

to find a biblical church

we had almost thought

those don't exist

in Colorado

there are many though

now I've come to see

during that time

I was

you might find it

hard to believe

but I was able

to play soccer

once or twice a week

and we had an indoor

soccer team

and our team colors

were Brazil

we were yellow

and there was one guy

Pedro

who still is the best

I'll say he's the best

soccer player

I've ever played with

at least in Colorado

maybe in the USA

he's an amazing

soccer player

and he was on our team

his story is that

he had crossed the border

from Mexico

to the USA

twice

one time he was

with a group

and he was very little

and he had to go back

and then the next time

his relatives all

abandoned him

and he was a teenager

and all alone

as a teenager

crossing the desert

he had stories

of how he almost died

but he didn't make it here

he got a girlfriend

they had two children

and he was working

a couple jobs

one of his jobs

was at McDonald's

and on the soccer team

one of our other friends

was going through

a divorce

and I just commented

something like

we should pray for him

and his family

because we could tell

he was really down

that was it

I didn't do a better job

of bearing witness

or sowing a seed

in God's providence

though

there was one night

where Pedro texted me

if he could just come over

Andrea was working

a night shift

at a nursing home

and so he came over

and he just broke down

he was on his knees

he was weeping

he had said

how he just knew

there was something

missing in his life

a couple of Jehovah

witnesses

young people came by

and knocked

and he tried to talk

with them

and he said

he felt even more

confused

and more darkness

he didn't know

who else to reach out to

his wife was going

to leave him

and his boss lied

and got him fired

instead of her

at McDonald's

and in that night

the Lord

through the simple

ministry of the word

I didn't have anything

to say beyond

reading some verses

and the Lord gave him

a new heart I believe

and the Lord

started putting his life

back together

his wife didn't leave him

a longer story

but the Lord restored him

back to that job

he had at McDonald's

he had to keep changing

phones because of his job

he took a job in Pennsylvania

on an oil rig

and so I lost touch

but I pray for him

when God brings him to mind

and it's such an encouragement

there's nothing I will do

it's nothing of me

it's nothing of any one of us

but God knows

those that he will draw

to himself

and when he does

he gets all the glory

we believe Jesus is alive

he's working

we stay close to him

he abides

and he ministers

and we simple people like us

broken with all of our own problems

we get to be like these fishermen

we get to be ones

who he uses

to drag another soul

to the shore

where Jesus Christ stands

ready to receive them

we read in Luke 15

there is great joy in heaven

and that joy and rejoicing

is led by the angels

around the throne of God

and it's over one soul

who believes

and repents

who becomes a follower

of Jesus Christ

we get to be part of this great mission

don't you want that

you don't want the results

you want Christ himself

like Peter

you want to be with him

and as you're with him

he makes you into a fisherman

of souls

let's pray that he'll do that

through us

in powerful ways

just one soul

that he'll bring before himself

for his glory

let's pray

Lord we ask that you will take

ordinary people like us

common

simple workers

and make us part of this glorious mission

it's your mission on this earth

the salvation of souls

Lord

some of us are weary

and tired

we ask that you please

nourish and strengthen us today

Lord we confess

you do all the real work

you do all the heavy lifting

you are the one

who draw all men

to yourself

Lord you are the one

who give the increase

you're the Lord of the harvest

we praise you that

you have made our hearts free

and so now we rise

we go forth

and we follow thee

for your glory we pray

amen

we'll take some time

to respond to the long gospel

that you've heard

I invite you to consider

what is that next step

of obedience

that God is calling you to today

maybe some here

you are one of those great fish

this is the day

that the net

of God's word

is drawing you to Christ

believe

repent

follow him

maybe for some of you

it's

you need to grow

as a disciple

it's not

it's not about being

a nominal Christian

and being part of

a Christian subculture

that's not enough

you want Christ himself

you want to grow

you want to walk with him

you want to learn

what it means

to commune with him

and for him to prove

over and over

he's alive

and he'll nourish you

by his word

be discipled

and grow in your faith

maybe for some

it's to

become more of a fisherman

become a member

of the body

be all in

with his kingdom

disciple others

sharpen

your understanding

of his word

and respond

to the Lord now

he will draw you

one way or the other

praise him

for his work

in your life

let's pray

smth a big ball

of his bride

and please

follow

it's not a big thing

though

here

and then

hey

don't know

how the other

but the other

cycle

come to me

where

this

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Well, I invite you to continue responding to the Lord in obedience.

And we'll do this next by taking of the Lord's Supper.

We share the Lord's Supper together every week.

Jesus said, as often as you do this, do it in remembrance of me.

To partake in a worthy manner, according to 1 Corinthians 11, 17 through 34,

we must treasure Christ and examine ourselves.

If you love Jesus Christ and rest in him alone for salvation,

as he has offered to you in the gospel,

if you are a baptized member in good standing of a local church

that preaches the gospel of God's free grace,

and if you are living in an ongoing repentance and gratitude in Christ,

then this supper is for you.

And that includes you who are visitors.

We welcome you as well.

However, if you have not received Christ as your only salvation,

we ask that you abstain from this sacrament now

and instead reflect on the gospel message that you have heard today.

And out of the care for the souls of those who are still younger,

like children,

we ask that they partake only after being discipled

by a pastor within the church for baptism

as their first act of obedience.

Last week, I explained a little bit.

I want to clarify a bit more.

We believe that Christ is spiritually present with his church.

Do you believe that?

Christ is spiritually present,

and he loves to minister among his congregation.

So that's why this is more than a remembrance.

It's an actual spiritual partaking,

a spiritual communing with the living Christ who is with us.

I tried to explain the Zwinglian, you know, reformer.

He said the vessels of the Lord's Supper should be wooden

because it's just a remembrance.

And then Luther said there's not the Catholic transubstantiation,

but the elements become, you know, the body of Christ

because Christ says this is my body.

And so John Calvin had the mediating position.

Jesus said, yes, this is my body.

This is my blood and do this in remembrance.

So in Acts, we read that Christ is in heaven

waiting until the time of his second coming.

So he's in heaven,

but he's also bringing refreshing from the presence of the Lord.

So he's also present with his people.

Both are true.

And that's why the Calvin view of the Lord's Supper is the silver.

It's not wood or gold.

It's the silver.

It's an already not yet.

He's with us, but he's in heaven.

And one day his kingdom of heaven will be fully on the earth

as the waters cover the seas.

We take this remembering, looking forward and longing for that day.

If you long for Christ returning

and you believe that he is alive and he's with his people,

then that's what you're proclaiming

when you come up to enjoy the Lord's Supper today.

You may be served.

Thank you.

Thank you.