Communion Sermon - Father Forgive Them

Please turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 23 this morning and to words that we find in verse 34.

Luke 23 · chapter mention

! Luke chapter 23 verse 34.

Luke 23:34

A few years ago there was an 18 year old young man called Brant Jean who was in the witness box at the trial of the individual who murdered his brother.

The woman was a lady called Amber Geigor. She was an ex-police woman and she found Brant's brother in what she thought was her flat and she shot him dead.

He was actually in his own flat and for whatever reason that they couldn't quite ascertain she had been so disorientated she thought that he was in her flat and she shot him dead.

It was what Brant Jean did during his time on the witness stand that means we have heard about his actions.

So in the witness books he addressed directly this young woman whose life was now forever going to be changed for what she did.

And he addressed her with regard to wanting the very best for her.

And knowing that his murdered brother would want the very best for her.

He explained to her that the very best for her would be to know Jesus Christ as her own personal saviour.

Now this was highly unusual as he explained what was taking place but he then turned to the judge and he asked the judge for permission to come out of the witness box and to go and hug the accused to show that he really had forgiven her for murdering his brother.

And the judge agreed and so Brant Jean went and he hugged this accused young woman and it was the image of him hugging her as a sign of his forgiveness toward her that was being around the US and actually around the world.

And so when we live in a culture where we have this clamour to cancel people.

Where we want people punished.

We want people sidelined.

We want people to pay the penalty for the wrongs that they've done.

Because in our generation there always has to be somebody who has to pay the price isn't there.

But in such a culture it's quite remarkable just how genuine forgiveness shines out.

Now I don't know how you react to hearing a story about that.

In one sense it's lovely to hear.

It's remarkable.

But if you try and put yourself as I try and put myself into the shoes of this young man Brant Jean.

I wonder how we would react if somebody had done something barbaric to our family.

Humanly speaking there's absolutely no chance that I would behave in the way he had behaved.

Because if it's one of my loved ones then every instinct is to somehow seek revenge.

Humanly speaking there's no chance.

But spiritually speaking there is.

Because spiritually speaking when we have a living connection with Jesus Christ.

Then the way in which our lives are transformed by that means that we have a very different relationship with wrongdoing.

And a very different relationship with forgiveness.

So when this young 18 year old man was talking about her deepest need and her need to connect with Jesus.

And how he wanted to show his forgiveness offer.

Perhaps he had in mind the words of Jesus in Luke chapter 6.

Luke 6 · chapter mention

When Jesus says but love your enemies and to good to them and lend from them.

Maybe he had in mind the teaching of Jesus.

Maybe he had in mind however the example of Jesus that we find here.

Because the example of Jesus in this episode is that Jesus himself is on the receiving end of barbaric treatment.

By this stage of verse 34.

Jesus is his body is processing the impact of these large iron nails being hammered through his wrists and his feet.

Severing the nerves and all of the pain signals that are going from different parts of his body.

And flooding to his brain so that his brain realizes what's taking place.

He's in the middle of beginning to endure some of the physical torture that crucifixion involves.

Not simply is it that his nerves will have been torn to shreds through these nails that were used.

But then he's now feeling the impact of gravity.

Gravity that he himself called into existence.

As it pulls down upon his joints and muscles.

Potentially dislocating some of them as he tries to push himself up and push himself out to somehow be able to breathe.

Jesus is here.

The one who was present at the very dawn of time.

The one who's the power of whose word actually put into existence all that we can see and hear and feel and touch and smell.

He is the one on the end of this horrendous treatment.

If there was ever in one sense an injustice perpetrated in this world it was on this occasion.

And so what does Jesus do?

He asks his heavenly father to forgive those soldiers who are doing their job and the others implicated.

Because they don't appreciate what they've done.

Father forgive them.

And so this morning I want us to pause over these words.

And to hopefully have our own souls warmed as we think of the forgiveness that is available for us through Jesus Christ and all that he has done.

Those of you who enjoy novels or drama series or whatever movies will know that there is one.

There's a standard technique amongst many techniques that the scriptwriters have.

About placing characters in circumstances that really doesn't fit for them.

So it tends to go in one of two ways.

Either you have the spoiled rich kid who is put into a situation where they have to slum it with the underclass.

Or the opposite.

You've got the hardened tough nut who is now mixing it with the rich and the powerful and influential.

And at some point within the plot, usually reasonably near the start, the words,

You don't belong here, are communicated.

Now Jesus was in neither of these categories.

But there was a very real sense in which he did not belong in this scene that we have just read about here at Calvary.

The scene that was unfolding at Golgotha.

He, in that one sense, he didn't belong in that environment.

Now I see this because we have possibly sanitized what Golgotha, what Calvary was actually like.

But if we actually were on the ground in that era, then it would be the type of place that we really would have to prepare to enter.

It would be the type of place that we would have to get ready for the sights and the sounds and the smells of what was going to be evident.

Because it genuinely was grotesque.

If this had been made into a movie, the British Board of Film Control would be struggling to get a proper rating for this movie.

Because an 18 rating wouldn't be enough because some of the sights that would be seen.

The sights of the brutality of the crucifixion process.

The sights of nakedness.

The sights of shame.

But more than that, it wouldn't simply be the sights that would be placing the events that would unfold at Calvary into a category all of its own.

It would even be the sounds.

The sounds of what was taking place.

The sounds of screams.

Of sobbing.

Of groaning.

Of the abuse that would be thrown at those being crucified by passers-by.

The sights were graphic.

The sounds would be haunting.

And the smells.

Well, the smells would be just catching in your throat.

It would be the type of place that you would be holding your breath.

You'd be breathing out your mouth rather than out your nose.

Because you don't want to inhale the noxious smell.

It's a place where there's constant burning taking place.

Where the refuge of the city is being burnt.

But on top of that, you've got human remains that are being burnt within that also.

Because frequently those who had been crucified, once parts of them had been eaten by vultures, the rest is just thrown into gaps.

And then eventually it's going to be burned.

And so you think if there is ever a location that the Lord of glory ought not to be in, it is in that location.

We could turn around and say to Jesus, you really don't belong here.

And I want to contrast that image as it is portrayed for us in our minds with how very different it was at the start of the world.

I want to contrast just the grotesque brutality and awful horror of what takes place at Calvary.

With what we imagine from what the Bible teaches us, the Garden of Eden to be.

A place that would be so lush.

A place that would be so beautiful.

The variety of colour.

The aroma coming from the various different flowers and fauna, whatever else would be there.

The place where the Lord God would walk in the cool of the day with the pinnacle of his creative work.

The place that is ultimately the place that we've been longing for ever since.

But that place of beauty, that place of delight, that place of rest.

That place of being in the very near, close presence of God.

And can you contrast anything greater than the place of the skull?

The very mention.

The place of the skull.

It implies that connection, does it not, with the curse that sin has brought into this very world.

And the place of the skull is contrasted with the place of beauty that God created for humanity to inhabit.

And to enjoy.

And to enjoy him.

And so where the Lord God once walked in the cool of the day.

Here you have the Lord of glory.

And he's now barely able to walk.

Isn't that what the passage says to us in verse 29?

That they compelled Simon to help carry the cross behind Jesus.

It had been an evening whereby Jesus would have had little, if any, sleep.

It would have been an evening whereby he would have had little, if any, food.

Following the first Lord's Supper that he inaugurated, instituted with his disciples that evening.

It had been, in the intervening hours, he had been beaten.

He had been flogged.

And sometimes we read that and we forget just how brutal even that was.

Flogging used to have leather ropes.

And it used to have bits of bone.

And other sharp objects in it.

And it would go diagonally across the back of the person being flogged.

And the bits would dig into their skin.

And then it would be yanked.

So that the skin would be ripped.

And it would go over one side and then diagonally the other side.

And it would keep going.

And it's recorded in Roman history that many, many people died from being flogged alone.

So here you have the Savior.

He's had no sleep.

He's had minimal nourishment.

He has had abuse.

He has been flogged.

And now he's been asked to carry this piece of wood upon which he himself is going to be impaled.

And his strength is almost non-existent.

And so he is the Lord of Glory.

The one who would have walked in the cool of the day.

As the Lord God walked in the cool of the day with Adam and Eve.

Here you have the Lord of Glory now stumbling.

But his alertness is not in question, however.

We note that from the intervening section from verse 27 onwards.

As he turns and he addresses those almost professional mourners who had gathered.

And who were expressing their sorrow over what was unfolding.

Realizing these men were being led off to their graves.

And Jesus turns and he speaks to them and he tells them not to weep for him.

He speaks to them that if this can happen to somebody who's innocent like him, what may happen in a day for those who are not so innocent.

And so he is very aware of the people who are there.

And then even as his hands are held down and his feet are held down and as he is then manhandled and hoisted vertical.

He is alert enough to utter these words.

Father, forgive them.

For they don't know what they do.

Well, let's press in a little deeper.

And think about this prayer itself.

And I want us to notice two or three things.

I want to notice first of all to whom he prays.

The Lord Jesus says, Father.

Here at the start of his time upon the cross.

Our Savior is very much aware of that father-son relationship.

That bond.

That presence.

That has accompanied him through his ministry.

On multiple occasions he spoke about his father being with him.

And him seeking to do his father's will.

And him saying the words that the father has given him to say.

And him reminding people that he's not alone.

That the father is with him.

Here he is at the start of his time on the cross.

And he is aware that the father-son relationship.

That he has so prized and has been so precious to him.

That that is still in existence.

There's going to come a point.

In a number of hours time.

And even that itself.

As we see a number of hours.

I think there's only been once or twice in my life.

That have known you know real acute horrendous pain.

And if you've been in such a situation.

That every second.

As you wait for pain relief to kick in.

Every second.

Seems far far longer.

And here we have.

In a number of hours time.

Jesus is going to reach that place.

Where he's not going to be alert.

To the comforting presence.

Of the father who has accompanied him.

Through his ministry.

He's going to cry out.

My God.

My God.

Why have you forsaken me?

Because it's almost as if this cloud has enveloped his soul.

In a similar way to the darkness that has enveloped his body at Calvary.

Where that darkness.

Wrapped that scene.

For these three hours.

It's almost as if there is this cloud that has enveloped the Lord's soul.

Because he's calling out.

Because he doesn't sense the felt presence of his father with him.

And he cries out.

And he cries out.

My God.

My God.

Why have you forsaken me?

The one individual who has never experienced a distance.

From his father.

Is now sensing that there is a distance.

You see.

For you and I.

Being at a distance from God.

Is almost our default natural position.

It's not something that we had to necessarily work at.

It's what we are as humans.

We're at a distance.

Through our sin.

By nature and by practice.

But not the Lord.

Not the Lord at all.

And so if there was anybody less prepared.

To be.

To sense himself at a distance from his father.

It was the Lord Jesus Christ.

And of course by the time he.

He's coming towards the end of his time on the cross.

We see that once again.

He's back.

Thinking in terms of his father.

So at the start of his.

Of the time on the cross.

And at the end of his time on the cross.

At the start.

He says father forgive.

And at the end he's saying father receive.

And so at the start.

And at the end he's conscious of his father's presence.

But as he plumbed the very depths.

He's not.

And so we remind ourselves.

That that sense of utter forsakenness.

Was not constant.

Through the time.

That our savior was on the cross.

But that there was that.

That.

That time of.

Of where this cry of dereliction.

This cry of abandonment.

Articulates that sense.

Of being.

That sense of being cut off.

And then we look at that.

And we.

And we.

We.

We realize that actually we're connected.

To what's taking place there.

And we realize that.

That I.

That we.

Caused.

That.

And so he is.

At the start.

Of.

This.

Time in the cross.

He is conscious of his father.

And.

And he's coming to the father.

With a prayer that.

That in many ways.

Would meet.

A warm reception.

In the heart of the father.

Because.

Jesus has.

Has told us.

We.

We have it recorded for us.

In John chapter 3.

John 3 · chapter mention

That.

That God so loved the world.

And the world.

In John.

Is.

Is.

The.

The.

The.

The.

The.

The.

Created order.

And rebellion.

And rejection of God.

God so loved this.

Rebellious.

Rejecting world.

That he.

That he gave his one and only son.

That whoever believes in him.

And will not perish.

But will have everlasting life.

And so here you have.

The son.

Reflecting the heart of the father.

Praying for those.

Rebel.

Those rebellious.

Those rejecting.

Those who are.

Actually.

Putting the Lord of glory himself.

To death.

And so the first.

The first component.

That we.

That we.

We highlight.

With regard to this prayer.

Is.

To whom.

He prays.

He prays to the father.

And then we notice.

What he prays for.

We notice what he prays for.

He doesn't pray for rescue.

He had mentioned to Peter.

When Peter thought that it was time to.

To somehow.

Resort to.

To physical violence.

To secure Jesus's release.

We learn that.

That he is.

That there were legions of angels.

That he could have called on.

To come and rescue him.

That's.

But he's not going to come.

It's not going to call for rescue.

It's not going to call for those to come to his aid.

To help him.

In his current plight.

he's also not crying out for justice

we're very quick to communicate to friends and families

when we've been unfairly treated

when things have been said about us that are not accurate

when things are done to us that are grossly unfair

we don't just sit back and absorb that

we very much plead our case

we very much try and make the injustice known

we very much try and take control of the situation

that's not what Jesus is doing

he's not praying for rescue

he is not praying for justice

he is not praying for retribution

you need to make them pay for what they're doing here

you need to intervene

this has to stop

he doesn't pray for that

instead he prays

Father forgive them

Father forgive them

for they don't know what they're doing

now Jesus' prayer

for these soldiers to be forgiven

we need to contrast his prayer for their forgiveness

as we pray when we're seeking to forgive others

because when we are struggling with forgiveness

one of the things that gives a degree of clarity to us

is the fact that we ourselves have sinned

that we ourselves have not behaved in the way that we ought to have done

that we ourselves have said and done and thought and acted in ways

that have needed us to be forgiven by God

and so it's on the basis that we have been forgiven

that we then forgive others

and so we forgive other people's debts

as we have our own debts forgiven

as Jesus makes that clear in the prayer he taught his disciples

and so when we are seeking to forgive somebody else

we're doing so

and in fact we can probably only do so

from the basis that we ourselves have been forgiven

and been forgiven much worse

but Jesus has never been forgiven has he

he's never had to come before his heavenly father

and acknowledge a word spoken inappropriately

or an act done with the wrong motives

or anything like that

he's never had to come with any word of repentance

there's never been a single stray sinful thought

in the mind of our master

not even for a nanosecond

so when Jesus is coming and he's asking for their forgiveness

he's coming in a different way

in which we come and ask for forgiveness for others

and ask for forgiveness for ourselves

because he's never himself been forgiven

there was never a moment of rebellion

or rejection

or going off on his own timeline or timetable

because everything was lived in accordance

with the will and purposes of his heavenly father

and it's also worth noting

when we think of what Jesus is praying for here

that when he's praying for forgiveness

he's asking the father to forgive

and you may be correct in concluding

but didn't Jesus himself declare people forgiven

in other episodes within the gospel

and if you're thinking along these lines

you'd be correct

you remember when the guy's mates took him to meet Jesus

best thing you can do as a mate

is to take your mates to meet Jesus

well they carried this mate

they carried him

there's four of them carrying him

they can't get in

and so they're beginning to take the ceiling off this roof

and they're going to lower this guy down

and he's in front of Jesus

and it's you know

the commotion must have been quite something

but he's in front of Jesus

they're waiting

what's Jesus going to say

and Jesus says

son your sins are forgiven

he doesn't say father forgive his sins

he says son your sins are forgiven

and then there was another occasion

when this woman is coming

and she's wiping Jesus' feet

with her tears and with her hair

and Jesus is declaring her

that her sins are forgiven

and Jesus has said

it's recorded for us in Matthew chapter 9

Matthew 9 · chapter mention

that the son of man has power to forgive sins

so why is he not forgiving the soldiers

directly at this point

why is he asking the father to forgive

because by this stage

we have the saviour

he has been lifted up

from the earth

he is now the one

who is absorbing sin himself

he is the one who has been designated

as a sinner

not because of anything he has by nature

or by practice

but for everything that we have

by nature and by practice

and so here he is upon the cross

and so he is not declaring

forgiveness for these soldiers

because he as the one who has become sin

is needing the father to forgive

rather than him to forgive

so we note to whom he prays

he prays to the father

at this point

whose presence he is aware of

and we note that what he prays for

that it is not for rescue

and it's not for justice

or it's not for retribution

but it is forgiveness

and we notice that

who it is that he is praying for

forgive them

for they know not what they are doing

forgive them

well the immediate context there

is there's people who have crucified him

and who have placed him

in a particular position

at Calvary's cross

and those for whom that task

has been delegated

were these Roman soldiers

they were experts in crucifixion

you would have to be

because if someone was sentenced

to be crucified

and they didn't die

well you would die in their place

and so it's in their self-interest

to ensure that they know

exactly what they are doing

and so these soldiers

are the immediate beneficiaries

of this prayer in that sense

because these soldiers

who are going about

their day's work

these soldiers who woke up

that morning

and went on shift

not quite knowing

what was about to happen

and then they turn up

to the barracks

and they're told

well there's three guys

you're going to go and crucify

and there may be a bit more

of a crowd this time

so keep an eye out

for any unrest

that may happen

we've been given a tip off

by some of these religious guys

some of these leaders

in that temple place over there

that they may be a bit of trouble today

so all eyes on what you're doing

make sure you know

what you're up to

and these soldiers

they're doing their job aren't they

and they're holding them down

and they're putting the nails

through his hands and his feet

and they're hoisting them upwards

and no doubt

they've been splattered

a little bit by blood

and they're conscious

of quite a number of eyes

upon them

but these are people

who it's highly unlikely

have heard a word

that's come from Jesus' mouth

it's possible

they may have been on duty

in different places

when Jesus has spoken

but it's also highly unlikely

it's even more unlikely

that they've seen

any of his miracles

they may have heard

a little rumour or two

as to who exactly

this person might be

but it didn't really

didn't really compute

it didn't really connect

for them

and so largely

largely

in a position of

of ignorance

they are taking

into their hands

the Lord of Glory

and they are crucifying him

and as such

they are then

being prayed for

just as Isaiah said

would happen

Isaiah some 700 years

beforehand said

that he would make

intercession

for the transgressors

and there's multiple levels

in which we can

apply that

these words

but here we have

Jesus making intercession

he is praying

for those

who have done wrong

in that sense

and he's praying

for these soldiers

but what about others

what about others

who acted

in a way

that they didn't

quite understand

because

is it not what

we learn

in Acts chapter 3

Acts 3 · chapter mention

in verse 17

when Peter

is communicating

the gospel message

he says

now brothers

I know that you

acted in ignorance

as did also

your rulers

but what God

had foretold

by the prophet

actually went

and was unfolded

exactly as was predicted

that there is

a level of ignorance

that took place here

because certainly

the Roman authorities

and even the Jewish authorities

they didn't realise

the enormity

of the sin

that they were perpetrating

at this point

they didn't realise

the enormity of it

and yet

they were directly involved

in the very crucifixion

of the Lord Jesus Christ

and we can take it

a step further

that actually

you and I

many of us in here

now realise

that there is actually

a direct relation

between what took place here

and what happens

in our lives

for long enough

we didn't recognise

that there was

a direct relationship

for long enough

this is just

this is something

that just took place

and it's not

particularly pleasant

and you know

I don't quite know

how to feel

about the whole thing

but it's nothing to do

with me

but it actually does

it does have to do

with us

because it's our sin

that was laid

upon the Saviour

and so we

were in a position

of ignorance

with our connection

to what's taking place

here

but actually

we've come to a position

where our eyes

have been opened

and our ears

have been unblocked

and we've heard

and we've seen

what our sin has caused

and we've bowed

our knee gladly

before Jesus

the Saviour

who has died

in our place

and so here

we are learning

that sins of ignorance

need to be paid for

just as well as

sins that are committed

from a position

of knowledge

sins of ignorance

need to be forgiven

just as sins

of knowledge

sinning against the light

need to be forgiven

and how wonderful

it is

that there is

a Saviour

who is very conscious

of the sin

that needs to be

paid for

the sin that is

willfully

by rejecting

and ignoring God

in the world

he's created

not being or doing

what he asks

in his law

in his word

that the actual sin

willfully

in rejection of God

as well as the sins

committed in ignorance

that there is a Saviour

who is willing

to ensure

that all sin

all sin

the

the

particular sin

that is an issue

for me

and the particular sin

that is an issue

for you

maybe

maybe more than one

but there tends to be one

that

that each one of us

struggles with

in particular

all

sin

sin of

willful

disobedience

as well

as sins

of

committed

in ignorance

that they have

to be

dealt with

and they are

being dealt with

on the cross

by the Saviour

who knows all

about them

and so

we take these words

to ourselves

and we remind

ourselves that

that sins of

ignorance

they are still sins

and they have to be

paid for

praise God

that there is a Saviour

who can deal with it

we remind ourselves

that actually

what's more uncomfortable

to us

is not our sins

of ignorance

but our sins

in knowledge

because there are

many things

that we know

many directives

that we're given

in scripture

that we do not

live out

many

some perhaps

even here

today

who don't have

a living relationship

with Jesus yet

you know who Jesus

is though

and you know

what Jesus has done

and you know

the invitation

that Jesus has given

to you

to follow

and so you cannot

claim ignorance

in that sense

you too

have got light

and you too

need to respond

to the light

and to the invitation

of this

most remarkable

this precious Saviour

who is willing

to go through this

for you

but for those of us

who are the people

of God

I mean how often

how often do we gossip

when we know

that gossip

is listed

very highly

among the sins

in the New Testament

how often do we

harbour resentment

towards

brothers and sisters

in Christ

when we ought not to

how often do we

let pride

take a position

and twist

the impression

that we have

of ourselves

and so often

there are sins

of ignorance

and there's also

sins that are

willfully sinning

against the light

and our sin

all of it

led to this

particular place

and so we remind

ourselves of that

and we are so thankful

we are so thankful

today

that it is here

at this place

in this person

of the eternal son

that our sin

is being dealt with

we also learn

from a passage

like this

that when we are

opposed

for being

the people of God

and living a life

seeking to please God

with folks

not understanding

and folks

mistreating us

perhaps

let's not be surprised

because if there was

blindness

in the way in which

our saviour was treated

that spiritual blindness

continues today

and let's recognise

that if Jesus

was dealt with

in the way he was

well what right

do we have

to always be understood

what right do we have

to always be treated

in the right way

we're very big

on our rights

and our generation

aren't we

but then we look

at the one

who put his rights

to one side

and then we

therefore finish off

by just asking

ourselves

where

where does

your level

of forgiveness

reach

today

if we have

been forgiven

then our level

of forgiveness

forgiveness

for the things

that have been

said and done

or not said

or not done

then our level

of forgiveness

needs to be

as high as it

possibly can be

because we

have received

forgiveness

for all that we

have done

through the saviour

on the cross

who was able to pray

at this moment

father forgive them

for they know

not

what they do

amen

let's pray

father we thank you

for these words

they are precious

and we pray

that they would

sink

deeply

into our

hearts

and souls

that our lives

would be shaped

by the

person and work

the example

the teaching

of your son

and our saviour

forgive us

for our

sins

against you

against the

truth you've

given to us

forgive us

even for the

many sins

that we've

committed in

ignorance

thank you

that there is

a full

and free

and total

forgiveness

available in

Christ

keep our eyes

fixed on him

then we pray

we ask it in

his name

amen

well we

focus on

our saviour

through the

word that's

preached but

also through

the sacrament

that we're

going to

partake of

today and

it is

helpful

it is useful

it is biblical

for us to

pause and to

ask ourselves

who is it

that ought to

be remembering

the Lord's

death by

taking bread

and wine

today

and

very simply

I want to

enlist for you

three things

that first of

all it is

for those

who love

the Lord

Jesus

Christ

those who

love the

Lord Jesus

Christ

that is

for whom

this table

has been

prepared

it's not

those who

feel that

our love

could not

be better

because we

know it

could

our hearts

as well as

our minds

are so very

divided

but we

know

even in

our most

fragile

condition

even when

we have

placed

ourselves

through our

wanderings

away from

our saviour

and we've

placed ourselves

and we've

wandered away

he's never

wandered from

us we

wander from

him

but even

when we're

in the

messiest

mess we

can be

we know

deep down

that we

love the

Lord Jesus

Christ

and we

love him

because he

first loved

us

and when

we turn

around and

we echo

Peter's words

and we say

Lord you know

all things

you know

that I love

you

in our

right

spiritual

mind

we love

the Lord

Jesus

and so if

you love

the Lord

Jesus

today

your place

is at

his table

those who

love the

Lord Jesus

also want

to live

for the

Lord Jesus

don't we

and the

Lord's

table is

for those

who are

living for

the Lord

Jesus

and we're

living for

the Lord

Jesus

knowing that

we're not

living a

perfect life

knowing that

there are

gaps

knowing that

we wish

that our

prayer life

was more

vibrant

and we

wish that

our absorption

of God's

truth was

more steady

and flowing

we wish

our witness

was brighter

we wish

these things

would be

on a

different

level

perhaps

most of

the time

but we

are seeking

to live

for the

Lord Jesus

Christ

we're no

longer

living for

ourselves

we're no

longer

living for

our reputation

we're no

longer

living for

our careers

we're no

longer

living for

other things

that can be

perfectly

legitimate

but we

are seeking

to live

for the

Lord Jesus

Christ

he could

have taken

us

home to

glory

the very

instant we

came to a

living faith

but he

hasn't

he has

left us

here

to serve

him

to live

for him

and so

this table

is for

those who

love the

Lord Jesus

Christ

and are

seeking to

live for

him

and then

thirdly

it's those

who are

longing for

him too

that we

love him

that we're

living for

him

and that

we're longing

for him

that we're

longing to

know more

of him

here

now

we're longing

to have

more of

the seasons

that we

perhaps had

perhaps recently

perhaps way

way back

when we

had that

felt sense

of his

very near

presence

with us

and it

was so

precious

and we

longed to

have that

sense

of his

presence

with us

again

and we

longed to

know his

nearness

and the

whisper of

his peace

to our

souls

and we

longed to

know more

of what

he said

and when

he said

it

and why

he said

it

and how

he said

it

and what

he did

and when

and why

and how

we longed

to know

more of

him

because we

actually long

to be

with him

and that's

not to say

that we

don't love

our families

and it's

not to say

that we're

not thankful

for all

that we

have

we do

but there

is something

about Jesus

that we

want to

know more

about

a friend

of mine

died a

number of

years ago

he was a

pastor

in Aberdeen

and latterly

he was

doing different

things

helping younger

pastors like

me

and he

helped me

hugely

and I

remember

listening

to

the last

time I

heard him

speak

was

actually

down in

Keswick

at the

convention

and he

was asked

a question

what is it

that you're

what is it

that you most

want just now

and by this

point he'd had

cancer for a

number of

years

and he said

I just

I just

want to

see Jesus

and I want

to be with

him

because he's

the Lord's

table

it's not

it's not

the free church

table

it's not

the Storname

free church

denominations

none of that

this is

the Lord's

table

for the

Lord's

people

who love

him

who live

for him

and who

long for

him

and how

that

describes

you

and as

we sing

now

Psalm 118

then if

you haven't

already taken

your place

at his

table

then please

do so

we're going

to sing

in Psalm

118

singing

from the

sing

Psalms

verse

in Psalm

118

we're singing

from verse

15 to

verse 24

page 1

5

6

triumphant

shouts

of joy

resound

in places

where the

righteous dwell

the Lord's

right hand

is lifted

high

his mighty

hand

does all

things

well

we're going

to stand

as we

praise God

triumphant

triumphant

shouts

of joy

resound

in places

where the

righteous

dwell

the Lord's

right

is lifted

high

his mighty

and does

all

things

well

I

shall

not

die

but

I

shall

live

!

the

Lord's

great

works

I

will

proclaim

the

Lord

so

dearly

chastened

me

but

rescued

me

from

death's

domain

through

wide

the

gates

of

righteousness

I

enter

and

give

thanks

to

God

this

is

the

gate

of

God

through

which

the

righteous

come

before

the

Lord

you

answered

me

I

will

give

thanks

salvation

comes

from

you

alone

the

soul

the

builder

shall

reduce

!

As

thou

become

the

the

Lord

himself

all

this

this

the

Lord

himself

has

done

this

this

is

this

is

the

heart

of

the

inner

sky

this

is

the

kingdom

Lord

has

made

let

us

take

way

delight

!

Let

us

take

the

light

to

us

take

the

to

us

to

us

to

us

to

us