Luke 6:12-49*

12 through 49. That's page 862 in the Pew Bible. Go ahead and turn there with me. Luke chapter 6

Luke 6:12–49

verses 12 through 49. We're looking this morning at a large block of Jesus's teaching.

People will often acknowledge that Jesus was a great moral or spiritual teacher,

but how often have we actually taken a close look at what he actually taught?

Well, that's what we're going to do just here in Luke chapter 6. Since this is a long text,

Luke 6 · chapter mention

I won't read it all at first like we normally do. Instead, we'll just kind of walk through the text

this morning section by section, and we'll see together here what Jesus taught. So let's pray

as we turn to God's word, and then we'll pick up in verses 12 through 16. Let's pray.

Our Lord Jesus, indeed you are a good shepherd. You lead us, you feed us,

you protect us. And we know that you do that all by your Holy Spirit through your word. So we ask,

Lord, that you would indeed teach us and shepherd us and guide us this morning as your church,

as your flock, as we gather around your word. Hungry, Lord, to hear a word from you.

Lord, wanting to know what direction our lives as your people should take. God, thank you for the gift

of your speaking word, of your speaking voice that continues to be the Lord of the church today.

Lord, we acknowledge you as such. Pray that you would meet with us this morning

and guide our thoughts as we walk through this text together. For your sake, amen.

Amen. All right. Luke chapter six. Let's start with verses 12 through 19.

In those days, he, Jesus, went out to the mountain to pray. And all night, he continued in prayer to God.

And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them 12 whom he named apostles.

Simon, whom he named Peter and Andrew, his brother, and James and John and Philip and Bartholomew and

Matthew and Thomas and James, the son of Alphaeus and Simon, who was called the Zealot and Judas,

the son of James and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. And he came down with them and stood on a

level place with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and

Jerusalem and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases.

And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured and all the crowd sought to touch him

for power came out from him and healed them all.

Now, before we dive into the block of Jesus's teaching, starting in verse 20, we have to get

this context that we just read because Jesus isn't just going to sort of lay out some general

moral and spiritual principles here. No, he's doing something much more specific. And what is that?

Well, think of it this way. One writer put it this way. He said, imagine you're a school teacher

and you're out on the playground after school and a large crowd of kids are there and they're

throwing a football around, a whole group of them. And then you walk over and you start counting them

off. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11. And you gather them in a group.

Well, what have you just done? What are you doing? Obviously you just counted off a football team,

right? There they are. 11 players. You're ready to go. You're organizing a team. You're starting a game

time to turn this mess into an actual organized sport.

And you see, when Jews, when Jesus chooses out 12 of his disciples and gives them a unique role as

apostles, you see, it would have been just as clear to his contemporaries, what he was doing as that

playground example is to us. Of course, he wasn't sort of putting together a football team or a sports

team. No, Jesus was reestablishing and renewing the people of God.

12, of course, wasn't just a nice, even number. It was the number of the ancient tribes of Israel.

Jesus appoints 12 apostles as a sign of what he's come to do, that he's come to renew God's people,

that this group of 12 is going to be the seed, the representative start of the new people of God

around him and his ministry. And in renewing God's people, Jesus is going to bring God's blessing

to the world. And sure enough, in verse 17, that's exactly what happens, isn't it? He brings the 12

down with him and along with a great crowd of his disciples, they minister to the multitude of the

people who've come at this point in Luke's gospel from all over, Jews and Gentiles.

Now, as we approach a passage like this, it's sometimes good to ask, who are we?

Who are you and I in a passage like this? Where are we in this story?

Well, I hope you would agree that we're obviously not Jesus in this story, right? Okay. And you know,

we're not even the 12, really. They had a unique role in redemptive history.

But we are like this large crowd of disciples gathering around Jesus in the 12, ready to hear

his instructions to us, asking and learning from Jesus, what does it mean to be his people, to be

on mission with him? How are we to be his followers? How are we to be the church that Jesus at this point

in his ministry is launching out? That's where we are. Or maybe some of us, maybe we're not quite in

the group of disciples yet. Maybe some of us are in the multitude, curious about Jesus. You've heard

some rumors about him. Your friends seem to keep talking about him and they keep coming to this

weird thing called church. So you've decided to come along and listen in. And you're considering

for yourself whether you too will take up his call to follow him, to be a part of his new people.

So the teaching here in Luke six, then when we put it in context, is really about what it means to be

the church called by Jesus to head into the world after him on mission, to be the renewed people of

God. And so then as we do the same, even today here in New Haven, what does it mean? What does Jesus

have to say to us as Trinity Baptist church? What does it look like for us to be the church on mission?

That's what Luke six is about. And the first thing that Jesus has to say to us in this regard,

as we think about being the church on mission, following Jesus, our King, the first thing that Jesus

says to us is, don't be afraid to lose everything. Lose everything. This is verses 20 through 26. And he

lifted up his eyes on his disciples and said, blessed are you who are poor for yours is the

kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you

who weep now for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and

revile you and spurn your name as evil on account of the son of man. Rejoice in that day and leap for

joy for behold, your reward is great in heaven for so their fathers did to the prophets.

But woe to you who are rich for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now

for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now for you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when all

people speak well of you for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

Not a bad way to grab attention at the beginning of a sermon, is it?

Now to understand what Jesus is saying here, notice first his audience. Who is Jesus speaking to?

Not just anyone who happens to be poor in verse 20. No, he's speaking to his disciples,

to those who have already responded to his call to follow him. And notice second in verse 22,

why they're in this condition. Why are they poor and hungry and sorrowful and rejected?

Verse 22 says that it's on account of the son of man.

So Jesus is painting a picture of discipleship here. That to genuinely follow him, to really be

the church, to be his people on mission is going to be genuinely costly.

But Jesus says, if you're poor and hungry, if you become sad and rejected on my account,

if you find that following me puts you on the margins, socially excluded, financially strained,

emotionally taxed, if that's true of you because you're following me, then in reality,

you're blessed. You've got the good life. In other words, if you have me, even though you have

nothing else, the reality is you ultimately have everything. Yours is the kingdom of God.

And then Jesus puts it in stark relief for us by flipping it around. Let's say you have everything

worldly speaking, wealth, food, laughter, acceptance, and yet to hang on to those things,

you forsake him. Instead of him pushing you to the margins of society, you push him to the margins

of your life. In that case, Jesus says, woe to you. Which was how the Old Testament prophets would

announce the coming disaster of living apart from the living God. Woe to you.

And so you see, friends, the church on mission, you and I, we are meant to have a whole new set of

priorities. No longer does financial security or relational comfort or social acceptance drive our

decisions. That's not our agenda anymore. We can hold those things with a loose grip. In fact,

we can even give those things up for the sake of being faithful to Christ and his kingdom.

And I hope you see that that means we will treat others very differently. How we treat others will

be very different. After all, if worldly status and wealth aren't what matter in God's kingdom,

if that's not what drives our agenda, why would we end up then showing favoritism toward those who are

more wealthy or socially connected? In fact, Luke's gospel has shown us more often than not

that it's the socially marginalized whom God seems most often to call and to use.

Just think of the first two chapters of Luke's gospel. Who does God choose to work through?

You ready? A barren woman, a poor virgin, a bunch of working class shepherds out in the fields,

an elderly man, an elderly widow. That's just the first two chapters.

Through whom does God's kingdom break into the world?

Not exactly the rich and powerful, are they?

Friends, God often delights to display his grace and power through human weakness.

Not many of you were wise or powerful or of noble birth when God called you,

Paul says in 1 Corinthians chapter 1,

1 Corinthians 1 · chapter mention

so that our boast might not be in ourselves, but in the Lord.

Now, of course, that's not to say that being wealthy or socially connected is a bad thing.

Because, friends, we all have to admit that compared to the rest of the world,

all of us sitting in this room are fabulously wealthy.

Are we not?

Abraham and Job, Old Testament saints, were both wealthy men.

What is Jesus showing us?

He's showing us that these things aren't ultimate.

They aren't the driving and deciding factor in God's kingdom.

They don't drive our agenda.

And they don't drive who we favor.

If following Christ, if being the church means giving up wealth and social status,

giving it away so that others can flourish,

if being the church means giving up wealth and status for Christ's sake, for others' sake,

then so be it.

Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of heaven.

But that is much easier said than done, isn't it?

Of course, there are many parts of the world today where allegiance to Christ does result in very obvious poverty and hunger,

in being disowned from one's family,

fired from your work,

even physically persecuted.

But even for us here in our part of the world,

what if your commitment to Christ in your job field, in your workplace, for instance,

also means walking a very narrow road?

Maybe there are widespread practices in your particular field that you won't engage in.

Maybe you're in the medical field,

and you won't perform procedures that compromise the dignity of human life,

whether at the beginning or at the end.

Maybe you're in the business world,

and you won't round the numbers to make things look just a little bit better at the end of the quarter.

These are incredibly hard decisions to face, aren't they?

When everyone around you, supervisor included,

is simply expecting certain actions, certain behaviors, certain attitudes,

because this is how the world works.

And to go against the grain means not just that your reputation is at stake,

and whether people invite you to happy hour after work.

To go against the grain could possibly cost you your very job itself.

And might even come to a crisis point,

where we have to decide between faithfulness to Christ

and the prospect of rejection, exclusion,

maybe even hunger and financial loss.

And friends, it's at moments like these when we need to hear

the comforting voice of our Savior saying,

blessed are you who are poor,

for yours is the kingdom of God.

blessed are you who are poor,

and hungry, and sorrowful, and rejected on my account.

For you will be full,

and you will laugh,

and you will be in my kingdom.

Even if you lose it all,

you are a part of a kingdom that cannot fail.

And whatever you lose here for his sake

will be nothing compared to what you gain on that day.

So Jesus' words here are meant to actually be a comfort

and an encouragement to us.

That even if discipleship is costly,

don't be afraid.

Don't be afraid.

Don't be afraid even to lose everything.

That's the first thing Jesus is teaching us here.

But he doesn't stop there.

If following him means rejection or exclusion,

how are we going to respond to those

who reject and exclude us?

How should we treat those

who will inevitably come against us,

possibly even hate us on account of Christ?

And that's why Jesus continues his second big point

in verse 27 with the word, but.

You'll be rejected,

but here's how you're going to respond.

But I say to you who hear,

love your enemies.

Do you see what Jesus is saying?

What does it mean to be the church on mission?

Not just to lose everything,

but then to love those who take it from you.

Look at verses 27 through 38.

But I say to you who hear,

love your enemies.

Do good to those who hate you.

Bless those who curse you.

Pray for those who abuse you.

To the one who strikes you on the cheek,

offer the other also.

And from the one who takes away your cloak,

do not withhold your tunic either.

Give to everyone who begs from you.

And from one who takes away your goods,

do not demand them back.

And as you wish that others would do to you,

do so to them.

If you love those who love you,

what benefit is that to you?

For even sinners love those who love them.

And if you do good to those who do good to you,

what benefit is that to you?

For even sinners do the same.

And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive,

what credit is that to you?

Even sinners lend to sinners to get back the same amount.

But love your enemies and do good and lend,

expecting nothing in return.

And your reward will be great.

And you will be sons of the Most High,

for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

Be merciful, be merciful,

even as your Father is merciful.

Judge not, and you will not be judged.

Condemn not, and you will not be condemned.

Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Give, and it will be given to you.

Good measure, pressed down, shaken together,

running over will be put into your lap.

For with the measure you use,

it will be measured back to you.

So this section of Jesus' teaching

breaks down into two parts.

First, the command.

Second, the motivation.

The command's obviously found in verse 27 through 31, isn't it?

Love your enemies.

And then, lest we're uncertain what that looks like,

if it just sort of means

having a nice fuzzy feeling in our heart,

Jesus immediately gives us some examples.

Think of someone who hates you.

Do good to them.

Think of someone who's cursing you.

Bless them.

Who's abusing you?

Pray for them.

Who's slapping you on the cheek

because they're so offended by you?

Who's taking the clothes off your back?

Who's greedily demanding your goods,

even forcefully taking them from you?

How should you respond?

Our natural response is to retaliate, isn't it?

You hate me, I'll hate you.

You hurt me, I'll hurt you.

We pay them back.

It's justice, right?

But no, Jesus says,

that's not how you're going to respond.

You're not going to be a victim

and get sucked down into the cycle of retaliation.

You're actually going to break the cycle.

In exchange for their evil,

you're going to return good.

Now, this doesn't mean

that you should never remove yourself

from physical harm or abuse.

Think of the example of the Apostle Paul.

Paul was often secretly snuck out of town

to safety, wasn't he,

when he was in danger

of being harmed or persecuted.

So it's okay to remove yourself

from being physically harmed.

And it doesn't mean

that the right response

to someone harming you

can't be involving the police

or the legal system.

Again, the Apostle Paul's a helpful example.

When necessary,

Paul used his legal status

as a Roman citizen

to help fledgling churches

to get protection under Roman law.

from physical harm

and legal persecution.

So, physically removing yourself

from an abusive relationship,

involving the legal authorities

when necessary,

these are completely

legitimate,

Christ-like responses.

But,

in line with what Jesus

is commanding us here,

as far as we are able,

even if we decide

to respond in those ways,

it should never be done

with a spiteful heart,

an attitude that makes

the other person

want to pay.

What might that look like?

Just this week in small group,

someone mentioned

how at work,

a colleague of hers

had been sending text messages

around the office,

basically maligning

her character

for no good reason.

And these messages

eventually fell into the hands

of their mutual supervisor.

Oops.

And the supervisor

was actually ready

to fire the person

who sent the messages.

So, they called

our small group member

into her office

and said,

look,

what this person done

is a terminable offense.

Do you want me to fire her?

Now, what would you have done?

What would it look like

for you to bless those

who curse you

in this instance?

Well, I think by God's grace,

she decided to not recommend

the supervisor fire this person.

And rather,

she showed

radical mercy.

How about you, friends?

Is there a neighbor

or a roommate

or a family member,

a spouse,

maybe even a fellow church member

that Jesus is calling you

to show this kind of radical

mercy toward?

Of course, at first,

this sort of behavior

always seems impractical

and absurd and weak.

And yet,

doesn't the 20th century

show us examples

where the church acting

in this kind of weakness

is actually true strength?

Martin Luther King Jr.

stands up to racism

and segregation in America.

The truth and reconciliation movement

in South Africa

responds to apartheid.

Not through violence

or retribution,

but through actions

that stop the downward cycle

and even reverse it.

We see the power

of this sort of response

in the earliest days

of the church as well.

After Stephen gives

his groundbreaking speech

in Acts 7,

do you remember what happens?

Jerusalem doesn't repent

and the leaders

don't all become Christians.

No, what do they do?

They grab him

and they drag him out of town

and they pick up stones

to execute him.

And Stephen responds

not by cursing them,

but by praying.

Do you remember

what he prayed?

Lord,

do not hold this sin

against them.

Just as Jesus commands,

Stephen prays

for those who persecute him.

And what's the result?

A young,

zealous Pharisee

named Saul

is present

approving Stephen's death.

But in no short time,

Jesus will reveal himself

to Paul.

And what Saul

originally witnessed

in Stephen,

Saul comes to taste

for himself

when he finally

gets a glimpse

of the risen Lord.

He comes to a personal

knowledge

of Christ's mercy

and grace.

You see,

Stephen's radical love

became part

of what actually

converts

the church's

greatest missionary

and theologian,

the apostle Paul.

So what's the command?

Love your enemies.

And what's the motivation?

Again,

Jesus mentions

a great reward

in verse 35.

And in verse 38,

that great reward

is described

with an image

from the marketplace.

A giant heaping

measure of grain

that's been shaken

and pressed down

and it's spilling over

and then poured

into your lap.

In the ancient world,

you would sometimes

fold up sort of

the front layer

of your robe

to create a bit

of a carrying sack

and then they would

just dump stuff

into it

and you could

carry it home.

That's what Jesus

is talking about here.

That's the image

he's using.

And isn't this

a very earthy image

for what heavenly reward

will be like?

Grain

spilling over

the edges

of the cup,

weighing down

your robe.

It's no surprise

that Jesus uses

such an earthy image

because what do we know

about the kingdom of God?

The kingdom of God

holds out

a new creation,

friends.

It's not leaving

behind this material life

but it's God

eventually healing it

and transforming it

and transfiguring it

in the way

it was always

meant to be.

You see,

living against

the grain now

is really living

with the grain

of the age

that's coming

and cannot be stopped.

I didn't even

intend that

to be a pun

by the way.

The grain

of the...

Never mind.

But in addition

to the great reward

he had something

even more

in verse 35.

What does he say?

He says,

you will be

sons of the most high.

In other words,

your status

as the children

of God

will be confirmed.

Your family likeness

will come shining through

just as God's kindness

extends

to the ungrateful

and evil

so you

when you love

your enemies

will be acting

like the children

of God

that you are.

Of course,

Jesus isn't saying

that these actions

are going to make you

sons and daughters

of God, right?

Only the gracious

regenerating work

of the Holy Spirit

can do that

as we respond

in faith

to Christ's death

and resurrection.

However,

as those who have been

made God's children

there's a deep joy

that comes

in pleasing

and in resembling

our Heavenly Father.

What's the motivation

to love our enemies

in this radical

non-reciprocal way?

that we get to be

like our Heavenly Father.

That we get to be

imitators of God.

That we get to display

His character

and mercy

to the world.

That we get to

participate a little more

in His being

and likeness.

That we get to live out

the life of the sons

and daughters

that we are.

So this is Jesus'

second point.

What does it look like

to be the church?

Don't be afraid

to lose everything.

And then

even to love those

who take it from you.

But Jesus isn't done.

There's one more thing

we need to get straight.

And perhaps you've already

started to feel it.

I have walking through

this passage again

this morning.

Listen to what Jesus

is saying.

Blessed are you

who are poor.

Love your enemies.

Friends, I don't know

about you,

but hasn't your heart

been saying,

but I don't want

to be poor.

I don't want

to love my enemies.

That's a bridge

too far.

But Jesus' sermon

ends without any

possibility of letting

us off the hook.

He ends with actually

three interlocking

parables or images

that drive us

to the very end

of ourselves.

And that becomes

the last point.

Lose everything.

Love those who take it.

And through it all,

humbly acknowledge

your need

for grace.

Let's pick up

in verse 39.

Jesus starts

bringing things

to a conclusion.

He says,

He also told them

a parable.

Can a blind man

lead a blind man?

Will they not both

fall into a pit?

A disciple's not

above his teacher,

but everyone,

when he's fully trained,

will be like his teacher.

Why do you see the speck

that is in your brother's eye,

but do not notice

the log that is

in your own eye?

How can you say

to your brother,

Brother,

let me take the speck,

let me take out the speck

that is in your eye,

when you yourself

do not see the log

that is in your own eye?

You hypocrite.

First take the log

out of your own eye,

and then you will see

clearly to take the speck

out that is in your

brother's eye.

For no good tree

bears bad fruit,

nor again does a bad tree

bear good fruit.

For each tree is known

by its own fruit,

for figs are not gathered

from thorn bushes,

nor are grapes picked

from a bramble bush.

The good person

out of the good treasure

of his heart

produces good,

and the evil person

out of the evil treasure

produces evil.

For out of the abundance

of the heart

his mouth speaks.

Why do you call me

Lord, Lord,

and not do what I tell you?

Everyone who comes to me

and hears my words

and does them,

I will show you

what he's like.

He's like a man

building a house

who dug deep

and laid the foundation

on the rock,

and when a flood arose,

a stream broke

against that house

and could not shake it

because it had been

well built.

But the one who hears

and does not do them

is like a man

who built a house

on the ground

without a foundation.

When the stream

broke against it,

immediately it fell,

and the ruin

of that house

was great.

These images

increase in gravity,

don't they?

The first,

you have to admit,

is a bit comical.

It assumes

that the disciples

will be leading others

and teaching others

and training others.

That's good.

And yet there's a problem.

Jesus says,

how can the blind

lead the blind?

How can a student

get above

their faulty teacher?

How are you going

to get that speck

out of your student's eye

when you have a beam

swinging around

out of yours?

I mean,

imagine walking around

with a giant piece

of lumber

protruding out of your face.

And it's not just me,

it's all of us.

Church becomes

a pretty dangerous place

to hang out.

You just might get

hit in the head.

Watch out.

So we need some help,

don't we?

We need to do

some self-examination.

And we need to be open

to each other's correction.

But the next image

is a little more serious.

A good tree

doesn't produce

bad fruit,

Jesus says.

How often do we think

that my bad actions,

that slip of the tongue here,

that burst of anger there,

that small revenge

over here,

ah, well,

those are just

little slip-ups,

you see.

Deep down,

I'm really a good person.

That's me acting

out of character.

But friends,

if the fruit

coming off the tree

is bad,

then that tells you

that something

is wrong with the tree,

doesn't it?

The evil person

out of his evil treasure

produces evil.

And suddenly,

Jesus has stopped

being funny.

No more beams

sticking out of eyes,

now we're getting

down to the heart.

You need more

than just a little push.

You need more

than just

some remediation.

What you need

is a new heart,

Jesus says.

Third image.

Two houses,

one flood,

one house stands,

the other comes

crashing down

in ruin.

And that's the image

Jesus leaves us with.

A house.

Devastated.

Utterly in shambles.

And why?

Because they heard

Jesus' words,

but didn't actually

do what he said.

By the way,

it's quite a claim

Jesus makes,

isn't it?

The only way

to avoid

utter spiritual ruin

is to build your life

on his words.

anything or anyone

else will simply

not do

shocking.

And yet,

how should we

respond to this

string of images

that Jesus

ends with?

There's really

only one way

to respond.

Humility.

Doesn't Jesus

remove any ground

for spiritual pride

in this final movement

of the sermon?

This is the most

uncomfortable sermon

conclusion I've ever

heard.

Who of us

doesn't fall short?

Who of us

really does

love our enemy

exactly as we

ourselves would like

to be loved,

as verse 31 says?

This is how you're

supposed to love them,

exactly like you'd

want to be loved.

I mean,

I can get loving

my neighbor as myself,

perhaps,

but I'm not so sure

about loving my

enemy as myself.

You see,

friends,

Jesus is pushing

us here,

pushing us

to acknowledge

our need

for grace.

Because the church

on mission

ceases

to be the church

at all

when it forgets

that it lives

solely by

and through

grace.

friends,

our logs

are wide

and our hearts

are dark

and our house

is built on sand.

And at the end

of the day,

we need more

than a teacher.

We need a

redeemer.

And that's

who Jesus is.

Look at this

sermon.

Who does it

really describe?

Whose character

is on display

here?

Blessed are you

who are poor.

Jesus Christ

was the one

who truly

became poor,

friends.

He left

heaven

to become

poor

and despised

and rejected

so that through

him,

we might gain

heaven,

though we deserve

no part in it.

Love your enemies,

Jesus says

to his disciples.

And on the cross,

Jesus died

for his enemies.

for you and me

so that we could

become his friends.

Do you see

what he's done

for you?

Have you let

that sink in?

Do you see

that he's the only

one who's lived

this sermon

perfectly

and he lived

it perfectly

for you?

how are we going

to be ultimately

the church

on mission?

Only

when we live

in humble

dependence

on grace.

But if we do

that

by his spirit,

if we live

in constant

dependence

on grace,

then we won't

be afraid

to lose

anything.

Reputation,

wealth,

status.

Friends,

if God

did not

spare his

own son,

how will

he not

graciously

with him

give us

all things?

And if we

live

in Christ's

grace,

we'll even

find the

strength

to love

our enemies.

Because we

see that in

the light

of the cross

that I was

once an

enemy.

And he

loved me

and gave

himself for

me.

Friends,

this is the

church that

the world

desperately

needs.

Paul says

in Romans

8,

the creation

is groaning

for the

revelation

of the

sons of

God.

Speaking

ultimately

about the

kingdom

coming in

fullness.

But isn't

it true

now?

Isn't our

city groaning

for the

church to

be the

church?

Willing to

lose,

willing to

love,

and permeated

with grace?

That's what

it looks like

to be the

church.

church.

In just

a second,

we're going

to go to

the table

and we're

going to

remember what

Jesus did

for us on

the cross.

And this,

around the

cross of

Jesus,

is where we

find the

strength and

the power

and the

resource to

actually do

this.

So as we

do so,

let's pray that

God makes us

into this kind

of church.

Not so that

people think

much of us,

but so that

they think

much of

Jesus,

who's not

just our

teacher,

but who's

our

redeemer.

Let's pray

together.

Lord Jesus,

what shocking,

startling,

and seemingly

impossible commands

you've given

us.

Lord, this

way of life

we confess

in our own

strength,

in our own

power,

in our own

thinking is

beyond our

reach.

And yet,

Lord,

and yet,

you have

given us

your own

spirit.

You have

come,

and you've

gone before

us,

becoming poor

for us,

loving us

in our

hatred of

you,

changing our

hearts,

releasing us

from a

love of

this world.

Lord,

you've given

us what we

need,

depending on

your grace,

dependent on

your grace

to go

forth and

live this

way.

So help

us to

do it,

Lord Jesus.

Help us

to be your

church on

mission,

for your

name's sake.

Amen.

I wonder

if those

who are

helping with

the Lord's

Supper would

come up.

In 1 Corinthians,

Paul says,

for you know

the grace of

our Lord Jesus

Christ,

that though he

was rich,

yet for your

sake he

became poor,

so that you

by his

poverty might

become rich.

Friends,

when we come

to the Lord's

Supper,

we're coming

again to

remember the

cross of

Jesus Christ,

where he

spent literally

everything in

order to pay

your debt in

full and to

earn for you a

righteous record

with the

Father that is

perfect in every

way.

This is what

Christ has done

and this is why

we come to the

table, to

remember it and

to take hold of

it again.

And to

confess sin in

ways in which

we've fallen

short, but to

receive again and

remember again is

grace for us.

So friends, if

you're here and

you've turned from

sin and placed

your trust in

Christ, then

you're welcome to

take this bread and

take this cup and

to remember Christ's

death with us

together.

If you're here and

you're not a

follower of Jesus,

then instead of

taking the bread and

cup, just pass them

by and use this as a

time to pray.

What would it look

like for you to

build your life on

the words of

Jesus?

And not just on

the words of

Jesus, but on the

work of Jesus.

What's keeping you

from stepping over

that line?

Use this time to

do some soul

searching and take

hold of him.

So let's take the

bread first.

James, would you

pray first?