Four Cups - One Christ

I'm going to give you all a very warm welcome again as we gather to worship God and come under

his word this evening as we prepare our hearts for the Lord's table tomorrow. We especially

welcome visitors into our midst this evening and also those who are tuning in online. We do ask

that the Lord would bless us all together. We're thankful as we were hearing last evening for all

the heavenly blessings that we have in Christ Jesus. And we come in his name this evening,

thankful for all that he has done for us. And the psalmist asks a question in Psalm 116,

how shall I thank the Lord? And he says, I'll offer salvation, take the cup, on God's name will I call.

And that's what we prepare ourselves for this evening. As believers in Christ, we want to

remember what he has done for us and to take off that cup of salvation. And we pray that God's spirit

will help us and stir us up in that. The Kirk Session meets immediately after the service

in the session room here next door. I'd be delighted to meet with anyone who wishes to join the congregation,

who wishes to profess their faith for the first time, or either moving into the congregation as well,

maybe by certificate too. You'd be very welcome to come and meet with us this evening.

The services tomorrow will be English here in the church at 11 a.m. That'll be led by Reverend

Murdoch Campbell. And the Gaelic service at 11 a.m. in the seminary, that'll be led by the Reverend

Murdoch Campbell as well. And after the evening service tomorrow, there'll be a time of fellowship

in the hall next door where everybody's very welcome to come through for that. And we'll hear

a little more of both Murdoch and Callum's Christian experience. Again, I'll just give a very warm welcome

to Murdoch to the pulpit this evening to lead us in our worship. We do look forward to his ministry

this evening and tomorrow as well, and do pray for him and Callum as they lead us in our worship

over this weekend, that we would know God's blessing as a people together.

Well, good evening. It's lovely to be with you again this evening as we gather together for worship.

I was just thinking as Callum was speaking, it's like the man has just stolen my sermon

before I've started. So that's our text tonight. Before we even get there, Psalm 116 at verse 13.

So Callum gave it all away before we reached there. But it's good to be together and it's good to worship

the Lord together. So let us worship God this evening. We're going to sing to God's praise in Psalm 122.

I don't think he knew that that's what I was preaching on, but it's always amazing when you're

sitting behind someone and they just give it all away. It's so encouraging.

Psalm 122 is in the Scottish Psalter, page 416. We're going to sing the whole psalm.

As you know, Psalm 122, it's one of the songs of ascent. It's one of the 15 songs or it's a Spurgeon

called it a psalter within the psalter. Those songs that were sung by the pilgrims as they went towards

Jerusalem for the feast. And how did they go? They went with joy. How should we come to the Lord's

feast? We should come with joy. And some of us come with sorrow in our heart. It's not joy instead of

sorrow. It's joy in the midst of sorrow. It's joy in the midst of hard providence. It's joy in the

midst of all that we're going through in life. Because as the Bible reminds us, it is only the

joy of the Lord that is our strength. And that's why the psalmist could say,

I joyed when to the house of God go up, they said to me, Jerusalem within thy gates,

our feet shall standing be. Jerusalem as a city is compactly built together.

And to that place, the tribes go up, the tribes of God go thither. So we'll sing the whole psalm of

Psalm 122. And we'll stand to sing, if you're able, to God's praise.

I joyed when to the house of God, O what they said to me, Jerusalem within thy gates,

our feet shall stand in thee. Jerusalem as a city is, come and lead them together. Come to the place that I saw,

the tribes of God

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Well, let us come before the Lord in prayer.

Let's pray together.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

We give thanks this evening for those wonderful words we have just been singing.

Remind us of how we are to come to church.

And how often, Lord, we come rushing in.

And our mind is racing and thinking about other things.

But Lord, enable us, we pray this evening, to stop and to come aside.

And to rest a while.

To rest a while at the feet of Jesus.

And to hear his voice speaking to us.

Reminding us and reassuring us.

That he is our saviour.

And that we are his flock.

And Lord, we give thanks for what we have been singing there.

That I joyed when to the house of God.

Go up, they said to me.

And we give thanks, Lord, that there is joy in our heart this evening.

In gathering together in worship.

In singing praise to our great God.

And our great King.

To seek to worship him in spirit and in truth.

To lift up his name.

The name that is above every other name.

Knowing that it will be at the name of Jesus.

That every knee will bow.

And every tongue will confess that he is Lord.

To the glory of God the Father.

And Lord, whatever providence we are going through at present.

Whatever trial or tribulation we are facing.

Whatever struggle or sorrow that is in our heart.

Help us to know that the joy of the Lord.

Remains our strength.

That whatever weakness we may feel in and of ourselves.

Even weakness and vulnerability.

And even professing our faith.

But Lord, help us to know that we find strength in thee.

And in thee alone.

The God who gives us strength.

The God who promises never to leave us.

And never to forsake us.

And help us to see this evening that.

Even as thy word teaches us.

That therefore with joy.

Shall you draw water.

Out of the wells of salvation.

And help us then this evening.

To drink and to taste and to see.

That thou art good.

And to trust in thee and be blessed.

To come to this living water.

And to be refreshed.

To be renewed.

To be restored.

To be reminded once again.

Of this wonderful saviour.

Who loved us and gave himself for us.

And Lord, we pray that even if we have grown cold.

In our Christian faith.

Even if we feel distant from the Lord.

Even if we feel we are not fit enough.

Or good enough.

Or worthy enough to come to the Lord's table.

Remind us Lord, as one of old said.

That feelings come and feelings go.

Feelings are deceiving.

That my warrant is the word of God.

Not else is worth believing.

And help us then we pray to trust afresh.

In the word that remains true.

The word that remains steadfast.

The word of the Lord that remains as it teaches us.

It remains forever.

Help us to come back to it this evening.

And to be reminded and reassured.

That we do love the Lord.

And that we are to do as thy word teaches us.

To take the cup.

That we are to acknowledge that the Lord is ours.

That we are his.

That we are to profess our faith.

And to confess that I love him.

Because he first loved me.

Lord, we give thanks to thee for the wonder of salvation.

Even the fact that we are here tonight.

That we are trophies of grace.

And that we are here on a Saturday evening.

Desiring to be in church.

Wanting to worship with the Lord's people.

Because when we look back over our lives.

When we look back to our past.

Of what we once were when we were strangers to grace and to God.

We had no desire to be here.

We had no interest in the gospel.

We had no thought of eternity.

We had no care for our soul.

We had no love towards Jesus.

And yet we give thanks this evening.

That thou art the God who has so worked in our hearts and in our lives.

By his spirit.

That as we are taught in thy word.

That we were convinced of our sin and misery.

That thy spirit enlightened our minds in the knowledge of Christ.

He renewed our will.

And he enabled us and even persuaded us.

To embrace Jesus Christ.

As he was freely offered to us in the gospel.

Oh Lord help us to see what the Lord has done.

And what the Lord is still doing.

That he has begun that good work in us.

And he promises to bring it all to completion.

At the day of Jesus Christ.

Help us then to trust him.

To trust him even in the darkness.

Knowing that the darkness.

Is still as light unto our God.

For thou art a God who is light.

And in whom there is no darkness at all.

Help us then we pray this evening.

To walk even in the light.

As thou art in the light.

That we would have fellowship with thy son.

That we would learn to love him more deeply.

To walk with him more closely.

To serve him more faithfully.

And ultimately to see him.

In all his beauty.

Lord bless us we pray we ask.

Remember those who are unable to be with us this evening.

Those Lord who are confined to their homes.

Those who are maybe watching online.

Whose heart's desire is to be here.

Whose longing and love is the Lord's house.

That how often they sang those words.

That they joyed going to God's house.

And yet for them providence has it.

That they are at home tonight.

Be gracious to them who they are.

That they would know the peace of God.

That passes all understanding.

That they would know grace to be sufficient.

And strength made perfect.

Even in their weakness.

And so Lord we ask that thou wouldst bless us here this evening.

Bless thy servant over this congregation.

We thank thee for him.

Uphold him and support him.

Strengthen him in the work of the Lord.

That he would know that his labour is not in vain in the Lord.

And we pray for the congregation here.

Even as we see them going about.

And reaching out to their community.

Even the Back to Church Sunday Lord.

We pray for it.

We pray that thou wouldst give to us as thy people.

A boldness to invite.

To call and to entreat.

People to come.

And to hear.

And that their soul might live.

But Lord we pray also for the youth fellowship that we met this afternoon.

And we pray for them.

For these young lives.

And we ask Lord that even in their youth.

That they would come and see Jesus.

That they would come and follow him.

That they would give the best years of their life.

To following this wonderful saviour.

And Lord we pray for our covenant children.

Because we know that these promises.

These promises that are in thy word.

That they are to us and to our children.

And so Lord our prayer is for them.

As it has been from the moment they were born.

Lord our longing is that they too.

Would come to know this wonderful saviour.

That they would follow him.

That they would confess him.

That they would live their lives for him.

And Lord protect them we pray.

Because we know that there are many voices and many vices.

That call out for their soul.

But our longing is Lord.

That they would hear the voice of the good shepherd.

As we heard him.

That they would hear what Jesus has to say.

Because to his folk he speaks peace.

And Lord we give thanks that the shepherd speaks to us.

And that he says to us that my sheep hear my voice.

And I know them and they follow me.

And I give to them eternal life.

And they will never perish.

Neither shall they be plucked out of my hand.

Help us Lord we pray.

To keep praying for one another.

But ultimately to be assured.

That our salvation is secure.

In the hands of this good shepherd.

The good shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep.

The good shepherd who loved his sheep.

And who protects his sheep.

And who walks with his sheep.

And who watches over his sheep day by day.

Help us to see that we are the flock of God.

That we are his flock.

And the sheep of his pasture.

Lord keep us then we pray.

Watch over us we ask.

Bless thy truth to us this evening as we open it.

As we study it together.

And Lord our prayer is that in it we would see more of Jesus.

That he would increase.

That we would decrease.

That we might behold his glory.

The glory is of the only begotten of the Father.

Full of grace and truth.

Oh Lord we give thanks.

That thou hast opened our eyes.

But Lord we pray that as we come to thy truth.

We might have the prayer of the psalmist.

Where he said open thou mine eyes.

That I might behold wondrous things.

Out of thy law.

So Lord teach us then we pray.

Bless us we ask.

And prepare us for thy day tomorrow.

If we are spared to see it.

The great privilege it is for us as thy people.

To sit at the Lord's table.

And we know we are not worthy.

We know we have done nothing to earn it.

We know Lord that.

Oh there is nothing good in us.

For as thy word teaches us.

That from the sole of our foot.

To the crown of our head.

There is no soundness in us.

But Lord we look not to ourselves.

But to Christ Jesus as our Lord.

We look to the one who has prepared the table for us.

We look to the one who is the head of the table.

And we pray that in preparing ourselves to come to this table.

We would see him more and more.

We would see him and love him.

And want to follow him more.

We confess oh Lord how much time we waste.

How often we procrastinate.

Doing the things we shouldn't do.

And not doing the things we should.

But Lord we pray that even this communion season.

Would be a means of renewing us.

Would be a means of reminding us of what is important.

That we are to seek first the kingdom of God.

And his righteousness.

Knowing then that all other things.

Will be added unto us.

So Lord remember us then we pray.

Bless those who lead us in the singing.

We thank thee oh Lord that thou hast given us.

Even voices to sing.

That we might show our worth.

How worthy the Lord is of our praise.

That we might lift our voices in praise and adoration.

And sing that worthy is the lamb.

Who was slain.

Cleanse us then we pray.

Take away our iniquities.

Receive us graciously for Jesus sake.

Amen.

We're going to sing again.

This time in Psalm 116.

The psalm we're looking at this evening.

Psalm 116.

We're singing from the beginning.

It's on the Scottish Psalter.

Page 395.

We're singing from the beginning down to the verse marked 6.

Psalm 116.

Psalm 116.

And as you know it is the confession of the Christian.

Where the Christian says.

I love the Lord because my voice and prayers he did hear.

I while I live will call on him.

Who bowed to me his ear.

Of death the cords and sorrows did.

About me compass round.

The pains of hell took hold on me.

I grief and trouble found.

Upon the name of God the Lord.

Then did I call and say.

Deliver thou my soul O Lord.

I do thee humbly pray.

I'm going to sing on down to the verse marked 6.

Of Psalm 116.

And we'll stand to sing if you're able.

To God's praise.

Amen.

Amen.

I love the Lord.

May cross my voice.

And may urge me dear.

I while I live will call on him.

Look unto thee.

Look unto thee this year.

O death the cords and sorrows did.

Have I take help as round.

The pins of hell took hold on me.

I leave that trouble found.

oses empez, glorinated try Levine,

Especially with other questions of such else on earth.

O Lord, I do Thee humbly pay.

O mercy, full and righteousness,

In which justice is our Lord,

O Lord, since the King I was brought to you,

He did me help before.

I'm now going to read the Word of God,

as we find it first of all in the book of Exodus.

The book of Exodus and chapter 6.

Exodus chapter 6,

Exodus 6 · chapter mention

and then we're going to read Psalm 116.

Exodus chapter 6, we're reading from the beginning,

Exodus 6 · chapter mention

and we're reading down to verse 8.

Let us hear the Word of God.

But the Lord said to Moses,

Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh.

For with a strong hand he will send them out,

and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.

God spoke to Moses and said to him,

I am the Lord.

I appeared to Abraham,

I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty,

but by my name the Lord I did not make myself known to them.

I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan,

the land in which they live as sojourners.

Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel,

whom the Egyptians hold as slaves,

and I have remembered my covenant.

So therefore,

to the people of Israel,

I am the Lord.

Say therefore to the people of Israel,

I am the Lord,

and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians,

and I will deliver you from slavery to them,

and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm,

and with great acts of judgment.

I will take you to be my people,

and I will be your God,

and you shall know that I am the Lord your God,

who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham,

to Isaac, and to Jacob.

I will give it to you for a possession.

I am the Lord.

And then we're going to read also in the book of Psalms,

Psalm 116.

The book of Psalms, Psalm 116,

we're going to read the whole psalm.

I love the Lord because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy,

because he inclined his ear to me.

Therefore, I will call on him as long as I live.

The snares of death encompassed me.

The pangs of Sheol, or the grave, laid hold on me.

I suffer distress and anguish.

Then I called on the name of the Lord.

O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul.

Gracious is the Lord and righteous.

Our God is merciful.

The Lord preserves the simple.

When I was brought low, he saved me.

Return, O my soul, to your rest.

For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

For you have delivered my soul from death,

my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.

I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

I believed, even when I spoke.

I am greatly afflicted.

I said in my alarm, all mankind are liars.

What shall I render to the Lord?

For all his benefits to me.

I will lift up the cup of salvation

and call on the name of the Lord.

I will pay my vows to the Lord

in the presence of all his people.

Precious in the sight of the Lord

is the death of his saints.

O Lord, I am your servant.

I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.

You have loosed my bonds.

I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving

and call on the name of the Lord.

I will pay my vows to the Lord

in the presence of all his people,

in the courts of the house of the Lord,

in your midst, O Jerusalem.

Praise the Lord.

And so on, may the Lord bless those readings

of his own holy word.

But before we come back to Psalm 116,

we're going to sing again in Psalm 116.

I'm just going to pick up where we left off

in the Scottish Psalter, page 396.

Psalm 116, page 396.

We're picking up at verse 7

down to the verse marked 12.

O thou, my soul, do thou return

unto thy quiet rest.

For largely, lo, the Lord to thee

his bounty hath expressed.

For my distressed soul from death

delivered was by thee.

Thou didst my mourning eyes from tears,

my feet from falling free.

We'll sing on down to the verse marked 12

of Psalm 116.

And we'll stand to sing, if you're able,

to God's praise.

O thou, my soul, do thou return

unto thy quiet rest.

For our dear, O the Lord, to thee,

his bounty hath expressed.

For my distressed soul from death

delivered was by thee.

Thou didst my mourning eyes from tears,

my feet from falling free.

I am the land of those that will,

will walk the Lord before.

I did believe, therefore I say,

I was a fainted soul.

I said when I was in my haste,

that all may my haste be.

What shall I render to the Lord

for all this gift to thee?

Well, if we could, this evening,

with the Lord's help and the Lord's enabling,

if we could turn back to that second portion

of Scripture that we read,

the book of Psalms and Psalm 116.

Psalm 116.

As you know already,

we're looking at verses 12 to 14.

So we'll read there.

Psalm 116 at verse 12.

Where the psalmist writes,

What shall I render to the Lord

for all his benefits to me?

I will lift up the cup of salvation

and call on the name of the Lord.

I will pay my vows to the Lord

in the presence of all his people.

As you know, for many Christians,

Psalm 116 is their favorite psalm.

It might be your favorite psalm.

And when you read through this psalm,

as we did earlier,

and as we've just sung through most of it,

it's easy to understand why it would be

your favorite psalm.

Because Psalm 116,

it opens with that powerful

and even personal confession of faith

that I love the Lord because my voice

and prayers heeded here,

I, while I live,

will call on him

who bowed to me his ear.

And as you know,

that's the confession of faith

of every Christian.

Everyone who loves the Lord

is someone who follows the Lord.

And you know,

I want to say from the outset this evening

that that's the qualification

for coming to the Lord's table.

Because the qualification

to come to the Lord's table

is not,

are you good enough?

Or,

do you know enough?

Or,

have you followed the Lord

long enough?

No, the qualification

to come to the Lord's table,

as our Bible teaches us,

it is simply to believe in your heart

that Jesus Christ

is your Lord.

And you are willing

and wanting

to confess with your mouth

the opening words of this psalm,

I love the Lord.

That's your qualification.

That's your qualification

for coming to the Lord's table

tomorrow.

And you know, my friend,

if that describes you,

then you come.

You come.

Because even though Psalm 116

is the personal testimony

of every Christian,

it's the personal testimony

that must also be made public.

Which is why the psalmist

says here in verse 12,

he says there,

what shall I render to the Lord

for all his benefits to me?

I will lift up the cup of salvation

and call on the name of the Lord.

I will pay my vows to the Lord

in the presence of all his people.

So Psalm 116,

it calls us right here

to profess our personal love

for the Lord

by publicly sitting at his table

and partaking

of the Lord's Supper.

But this evening,

I'd like us to think about this cup,

the cup of salvation

mentioned there in verse 13.

Because prior to Jesus

instituting the Lord's Supper

for the first time,

the cup of salvation,

it was actually one of four cups

that were used during the Passover.

Passover.

And that's what I want you

to imagine this evening.

I want you to imagine

in front of you

that there's a table.

I wish I could actually do this.

There's a table here

and there are four cups.

There are four cups

on this table.

And each cup

had a name.

And each cup

represents

God's work of salvation

in the life

of the believer.

And what I want us to see

this evening

is that all these four cups

at the Passover,

these four cups

that were used

at the Passover,

they all point us

to the one Christ.

So I want us to think

about this evening

four cups,

one Christ.

Four cups,

one Christ.

And so when

the Passover meal

would take place,

the first cup

that was used

during the Passover

was this cup,

the cup of sanctification.

the cup

of sanctification.

That's the first cup

we're going to look at

this evening,

the cup of sanctification.

Now,

as a psalm,

Psalm 116,

it's actually a hymn.

Because as you know,

the book of Psalms,

it's a book of Psalms,

hymns,

and spiritual songs.

The only reason

it's called

the book of Psalms

is simply because

there are more psalms in it

than hymns

or spiritual songs.

And so Psalm 116,

it's a hymn.

And it's part of a group

of six hymns.

They're called

the Egyptian Hallel hymns.

The Egyptian Hallel hymns.

And they are the items

of praise

that are numbered here

in the book of Psalms

from Psalm 113,

so 113,

114,

15,

16,

17,

and 18.

So Psalms numbered

113 to 118,

they're part of this group

called the Egyptian

Hallel hymns.

And we know that

these particular items

of praise are hymns

because both Mark

and Matthew,

they both tell us

in their gospel

that after Jesus

had instituted

the Lord's Supper

for the first time,

we're told there

that Jesus

and his disciples,

they sang a hymn

and then they went out

to the Mount of Olives.

And the hymn

that they sang

was the last hymn

of these Egyptian

Hallel hymns,

Psalm 118.

It was always

the last hymn

that was sung

at the end

of the Passover meal.

And it's a hymn

of thanksgiving.

That's why we

traditionally sing

Psalm 118

as we come

to the Lord's table

because it's a hymn

of thanksgiving.

And the Lord's table,

as you know,

is a table

of thanksgiving.

And the Lord's supper

is a Eucharist.

It's a meal

of thanksgiving.

And so these

six Egyptian

Hallel hymns

numbered

113 to 118

in the Psalter,

they were originally

sung during

the Passover meal.

And of course

they're called

Hallel hymns

from the word

Hallelujah.

Praise the Lord.

They're Psalms

that praise the Lord

for the Exodus

at Egypt.

They praise the Lord

for rescuing

and redeeming

the Israelites

from slavery

and bondage

in Egypt.

That's why

they are the

Egyptian Hallel hymns.

They point us back

to the Exodus

at Egypt.

And you know,

every Christian,

we tonight,

we are to sing

these hymns

because we're to

give our

Hallelujah

to the Lord.

We are to give

our Hallelujah

to the Lord.

Let no one tell you

that we never sing

Hallelujah

in church.

We give our

Hallelujah to the Lord.

We praise the Lord

because we have been

rescued

and redeemed

from the burden

and bondage

of slavery

to sin.

Now, as we said,

on this table,

there are four cups.

Four cups

that were used

during the Passover meal.

And these four cups,

they were all filled

with wine.

And these four cups,

as we said,

they all point us

to the one Christ.

Four cups,

one Christ.

And each cup

is associated

with the blessings

and benefits

that the Israelites

received

at the Exodus

from Egypt.

In fact,

these four cups,

they were all given

their name

because of four promises

that the Lord made

to his people.

There are four promises

that we read there

in Exodus chapter 6.

Exodus 6 · chapter mention

Four I will promises.

Because the Lord said

to Moses there

in Exodus chapter 6,

Exodus 6 · chapter mention

he said,

Say to the people

of Israel,

I am the Lord.

I will bring you out

from under the burdens

of the Egyptians.

I will deliver you

from slavery to them

and I will redeem you

with an outstretched arm

and great acts

of judgment.

I will take you

to be my people

and I will be your God

and you shall know

that I am the Lord.

Again and again,

the Lord says

to his people,

I will do it.

I will save you.

I will redeem you.

I will bring you out.

Not Moses.

He's my servant.

I'm going to do it.

And based upon that

I will passage,

there were four promises

from the Lord.

Four I will promises.

I will bring you out.

I will deliver you.

I will redeem you.

I will be your God.

And those four promises,

they were the basis

for these four,

the names of these four cups

that were used

during the Passover meal.

So the first cup

is the cup of sanctification.

Then there's the cup

of deliverance.

Then there's the cup

of salvation.

And lastly,

there's the cup of praise.

And these four cups,

as we said,

they were filled with wine

and they were drunk

during the Passover meal.

These four cups,

they point us ultimately

to Christ.

Four cups,

one Christ.

And so when the Passover meal

was prepared,

there were many elements

that would have been

on the table

among these cups.

There would have been

the four cups,

but there would also have been,

as you know,

there would have been

the Passover lamb.

Which at the Exodus,

you know the story

of the Exodus,

the Passover lamb

was prepared

by shedding

and smearing

the blood

of the Passover lamb

on the lintel

and the doorposts

of their home

so that everyone

in Israel

was sheltering

under the blood

of the Passover lamb.

And then the Passover lamb

was roasted in fire

to give this vivid

and visual pointer

towards the Passover lamb.

Our Passover lamb.

Our Jesus.

Who would take away

the sin of the world.

Another element

that would be on the table

would be the bitter herbs

or the maror.

That's what it was called.

And the bitter herbs,

they were this symbolic reminder

of the bitter slavery.

This burdensome labor

that the Israelites

experienced

and endured

while they were in Egypt

under Pharaoh.

And then there's this other element

that was on the table.

The unleavened bread

or the matzah.

It would have looked like

flatbread.

It was made from flour

and water

without any yeast.

And the separation

of the yeast

from the dough

was a symbol

of separation.

A symbol of separation

from slavery

and sin.

It was a symbol

of the Lord's people

being set apart,

being separated

and sanctified

to the Lord.

And that's the idea.

The idea of being

separated and set apart

and sanctified

to the Lord,

that's what connects us

to the first cup.

The cup of sanctification.

Because as you would have been

sitting around

the Passover table,

it would begin

by first of all singing.

You would sing

the first Egyptian

Hallel hymn,

Psalm 113.

A hymn that begins

and ends with the word

Hallelujah.

Praise the Lord.

The hymn writer says

there in verse 1,

Praise the Lord.

Praise, O servants

of the Lord.

Praise the name

of the Lord.

Blessed be the name

of the Lord

from this time forth

and forevermore.

From the rising of the sun

to its setting,

the name of the Lord

is to be praised.

Praise the Lord.

And then after singing

the first Egyptian

Hallel hymn,

the cup of sanctification

would be taken

and it would be shared

among all those

who were participating

in the meal.

And as we said,

the cup of sanctification

was based upon

the Lord's promise,

I will bring you out.

I will call you out.

Because the Lord

promised his people,

he promised his people

is that what he said

was that he will bring them

out of the empire

of slavery in Egypt

and he will bring them

into the promised land

of freedom.

I will bring you out.

I will call you out.

I will separate you.

I will set you apart.

I will sanctify you.

And you know,

although we can't take

the cup of sanctification

at communion,

is that not what the Lord

has done for us

in salvation?

He has brought us out.

He has called us out.

He has separated us

from the world.

He has sanctified us

to himself.

He has set us apart

as his saints.

We don't feel like saints,

but that's what the Bible

describes us as.

We are his saints.

Paul reminds us

that we have been brought

out of the kingdom

of darkness

into the kingdom

of his dear son.

And Peter tells us

in his letter,

he says that we were once

not a people,

but we are now

the people of God.

We are those who had

once not obtained mercy,

but now we have

obtained mercy

because we have been

called out of darkness

and we've been brought

into his marvelous light.

We've been separated

from the world.

We've been set apart

by the Spirit

and we have been

sanctified to the Lord.

You know,

it's a wonderful cup

to remind us

of what we are in Christ.

It's the cup

of sanctification.

The cup of sanctification.

But then as we move

along the table,

we see the second cup,

the cup of deliverance.

So that's the second cup,

the cup of deliverance.

So after sharing

the first cup,

the cup of sanctification,

after passing it

around the table,

they would then sing

another Hallel hymn.

And the Hallel hymn

that they would sing

is, of course,

the next one,

Psalm 114,

which is a hymn

that begins with the words

when you see there

in verse 1,

it says,

when Israel went out

from Egypt.

When Israel went out

from Egypt.

So it's a hymn

all about God's wonders

and God's works

at the Exodus.

And then having sung

Psalm 114,

the second cup,

the cup of deliverance,

that would be shared

among those

who were sitting

and participating

in the meal.

And again,

it was given the name

because of the Lord's promises.

The Lord's promises there

in Exodus 6

where the Lord said,

I will deliver you.

I will deliver you.

But what's interesting

about this cup,

the second cup,

is that as this cup

was passed around

the table,

the Passover table,

as it was being shared

at the Passover,

the story of the Passover

would be told.

The story of the Exodus

would be explained.

They would be reminded

of how the Israelites

were in slavery in Egypt

and how they were there

under the ferocious

and formidable Pharaoh

and how the Lord

sent plagues,

those ten plagues

to display

and demonstrate

his great power

and how the Lord

kept proclaiming

to Pharaoh,

saying,

thus saith the Lord,

the God of Israel,

let my people go.

Let my people go.

But as you know,

Pharaoh,

he hardened his heart.

He stubbornly refused

and rejected

the Lord's command.

But that was until

the final plague

of Passover

when the angel

of the Lord

passed over Egypt

and every firstborn son

from the playground

all the way

to the palace,

they all died

in Egypt.

The only reason

the Israelites' sons

didn't die

was because of the sign

of the Passover.

The Israelites,

as you know,

they were sheltering

under the smeared blood

of the Passover lamb.

And the Lord

had said to them,

the Lord had promised

to them,

when I see the blood,

I will pass over.

When I see the blood,

I will pass over.

Beautiful reminder

to us,

to us,

is it not,

of what the Lord

sees when he looks

at us.

not our sin,

but the blood,

washed and cleansed

in the blood.

You know,

the sign of the Passover,

though,

even for the Israelites,

it was a public

proclamation.

Putting that blood

on their lintel

and their doorposts

was a public

proclamation.

Having that blood

covering them

was a public

proclamation,

which is what we're doing

this communion season.

We are making

a public

proclamation

that we too

are sheltering

under the shed

and smeared blood

of Jesus Christ.

We too

are proclaiming

publicly

that there is

a fountain

filled with blood

drawn from

Emmanuel's veins

and sinners

plunged beneath

our flood

lose all

their guilty

stains.

We are proclaiming

this Lord's day

that we have been

delivered,

my friend,

not with the

corruptible things

of silver and gold,

but by the precious

blood of Christ

as of a lamb

without blemish

and without spot.

And so after

sharing the cup

of deliverance

and after hearing

the story of the

Exodus,

the Passover meal

would then be eaten.

They would then

enjoy the Passover meal

with the Passover lamb

and the bitter herbs

and the unleavened bread,

which brings us

to consider

the third cup,

this cup,

the cup of salvation.

The cup of salvation.

So there's,

on this table,

our imaginary table,

there is

the cup of

sanctification,

the cup of

deliverance,

and then the cup

of salvation.

The cup of salvation.

That's what he talks

about in verse 13.

I will lift up

the cup of salvation

and call on the name

of the Lord.

The cup of salvation

was given its name

again because of

the Lord's promise.

The Lord's promise there

back in Exodus chapter 6,

Exodus 6 · chapter mention

the Lord said,

I will redeem you.

I will save you.

I will give you salvation.

I will bring salvation.

The cup of salvation

was given its name

because of the Lord's promise

of salvation.

And the cup of salvation,

it's mentioned here

at the close of Psalm 116

because after eating

and enjoying

the Passover meal,

after sharing

in this Passover meal,

they would then sing

some more.

They would sing

the next two

Egyptian Hallel hymns.

They would sing

Psalm 115

and Psalm 116,

which as you know,

and I'm sure you've read

them before,

they're hymns

which confess

our faith

and our commitment

to the Lord.

They're hymns

which confess

our faith

and our commitment

to the Lord.

Psalm 115,

it begins with

this confession

of faith

and commitment

to the Lord.

That our life song

in this world,

it's not unto us,

Lord,

not to us,

but do thou glory take

unto thy naming

for thy truth

and for thy mercy's sake.

And Psalm 116,

it also begins

with this confession

of faith

and commitment

to the Lord

with those wonderful words,

I love the Lord

because my voice

and prayers

he did hear.

I, while I live,

will call on him

who bowed to me

his ear.

But you know,

Psalm 116,

it has this confession

of faith

and this commitment

to the Lord.

And he confesses

his faith

and his commitment

to the Lord

because as he says

throughout the Psalm,

the Lord has listened

to his longings.

The Lord has delivered

him from death.

The Lord has saved

his soul.

Therefore,

in response

to the Lord's redemption,

in response

to the Lord's salvation,

he asks the question

there in verse 12,

what shall I render

to the Lord

for all his benefits

to me?

What shall I render

to the Lord

for all his blessings

towards me?

What shall I render

to the Lord

for receiving

every spiritual blessing

in heavenly places

in Christ?

What shall I render

to the Lord

for receiving

from the hand

of King Jesus

what I do not deserve?

And we are to respond,

verse 13,

we are to respond

by obediently

and publicly

making this confession

and commitment

to the Lord.

I will lift up

the cup of salvation

and call on the name

of the Lord.

I will pay my vows

to the Lord

in the presence

of all his people.

We are to respond

by obediently

and publicly

making a confession

and commitment

to the Lord.

Now when it comes

to Jesus instituting

the Lord's Supper

for the first time,

some suggest

that it was this cup,

the cup of salvation

that Jesus took.

But there are many,

I've read many,

differing and diverging

views on this.

And what often adds

to the confusion

when you read up on this

is that they all use

different names

for these different cups.

And it takes a while

to decipher

which cup

they're actually

talking about.

There was one professor

in the Free Church College

a long time ago,

R.A. Finlayson.

He was a professor

of systematic theology

from the 1940s

to the 1960s.

And he wrote

a brilliant book.

Maybe you've read it.

If you don't have it,

I suggest you go

to the religious bookshop

and get it.

It's called

The Cross

in the Experience

of Our Lord.

The Cross

in the Experience

of Our Lord.

And R.A. Finlayson,

he says that Jesus

used the fourth cup

to institute

the Lord's Supper,

which was the cup

of praise.

He didn't use,

as he suggests,

the cup of salvation.

But the fourth cup,

the cup of praise.

That's the cup

I want us to consider

next then.

So there's four cups,

the cup of sanctification,

the cup of deliverance,

the cup of salvation,

and the cup of praise.

Four cups

pointing us

to one Christ.

One Christ.

So the last cup

is the cup of praise.

And like the other three,

the fourth cup,

it's given its name

because of the Lord's promise.

The Lord has promised

His people.

He's a covenant-making God

and a covenant-keeping God.

He makes promises

and He keeps His promise.

And He says to His people

about this cup,

I will be your God

and you shall be

my people.

I will be your God

and you shall be

my people.

But the cup of praise,

it wasn't shared

among the Passover meal

until another Egyptian

Hallel hymn was sung.

This time it was

the shortest one.

As you see there

in Psalm 117.

It's the Hallel hymn

that exhorts us

and encourages

the nations of the world

to also give

their hallelujah

to the Lord.

We're all to praise

the Lord,

he says.

We're all to praise

the Lord for His

steadfast love

and faithfulness

because His love

endures forever.

But what's remarkable

is that this short

Hallel hymn

praises the Lord

and proclaims His promise.

The promise that was given

way back in Genesis 12

to Abraham.

The promise that

through the seed of Abraham

all the nations,

all the families

of the earth

would be blessed.

All the nations

and all the families

would come to know

this great and precious promise.

And they're blessed

says the psalmist

he reminds us

because the Lord

promised His people

I will be your God

and you will be my people.

There's ownership.

We belong to Him.

We've been redeemed by Him.

I will be your God

you will be my people.

And so after singing

Psalm 117

the cup of praise

was then shared

among those sitting.

at the Passover meal.

And it was shared

before they would come

to sing the final

hymn of thanksgiving.

Psalm 118.

However,

Ari Finlayson

the professor

in the Free Church College

in the 1940s

he named the fourth cup

not the cup of praise

but the cup

of the Messiah.

Because Ari Finlayson

he claimed that

when this cup

was shared

no one was to drink it

until the Messiah

would appear

and drink it himself.

And Ari Finlayson said

it was at this point

during the Passover meal

with the fourth cup

the cup of praise

or the cup of Messiah

whatever name you want

to give it

it's here that Jesus

the Passover lamb

put the Passover meal

to one side

as it were

indicating the end

of the Passover

the end of the period

of the Passover

and then institutes

the Lord's Supper

for the first time.

Now as I said

there's many different

and many diverging

views on this

and I think

it's fascinating

and that's why

I want to

share it with you

this evening

because even rabbis

they disagree

they debate

about all of this

this table

and these four cups

and the question

that they all debate on

is should there be

four cups

or five

should there be

four cups

or five

and you're thinking

Myrtle surely

not another cup

but you know

the reason they debate

and they disagree

about the answer

to this question

is because to this day

Jews

when they sit

and partake

of the Passover meal

the Jews

they drink

from all four cups

they drink from

the cup of sanctification

and the cup of deliverance

and the cup of salvation

and the cup of praise

and because the Jews

drink from all four cups

some suggest

that there was

a fifth cup

a fifth cup

that like

Ari Finlayson said

it remained untouched

and this fifth cup

was called

and still is called

the cup

of Elijah

the cup of Elijah

now it seems

that the cup of Elijah

was actually added

later on

at a later period

and it was added

later on

towards the end

of the period

of the Old Testament

and it was added on

primarily because

of a promise

another promise

in the closing words

of the book of Malachi

the last book

in the Old Testament

the Lord says

behold I will send you

Elijah the prophet

before the great

and awesome day

of the Lord comes

and so it seems

that after Malachi's prophecy

which was about 400 BC

that whenever the Passover

was celebrated

after that point

the Jews would fill

a fifth cup

the cup of Elijah

and before concluding

the Passover meal

the Jews

they would

before they would sing

the hymn of Thanksgiving

the hymn

the Psalm 118

they would go to the door

the door of their home

wherever they were

celebrating the Passover

and they would open

the door

of their home

and they would open

the door

in anticipation

for Elijah's arrival

because they were waiting

for Elijah

to herald the arrival

of the Messiah

and of course the Jews

they're still waiting

for Elijah

to appear

but this

also means

that there were

five cups

at the Passover

when Jesus

instituted

the Lord's Supper

and for this reason

I believe

that I was using

the fifth cup

the cup of Elijah

that as Paul tells us

on the night

when Jesus

was betrayed

he took some

of the leftover bread

on the table

the unleavened bread

and when he had

given thanks

he broke it

and he said

this is my body

which is broken

for you

do this

in remembrance

of me

and then in the same way

also

he took the cup

the cup

of Elijah

the cup

of Elijah

because Elijah

had come

we're told

that when John the Baptist

appeared

he preached

a baptism

of repentance

in the spirit

and power

of Elijah

Elijah had come

the promise

had been fulfilled

and John the Baptist

had claimed

and pointed

to Jesus

saying he must

increase

I must decrease

John the Baptist

confessed that

he is the Lamb of God

who has come

to take away

the sin of the world

everyone knew

Elijah had come

and so when Jesus

instituted the Lord's Supper

he took

the cup of Elijah

and he said

this cup

this cup

is the new covenant

in my blood

do this

as often

as you drink it

in remembrance

of me

and why are we

to do it

my friend

why on

this communion season

are we to do it

Paul tells us

for as often

as you eat the bread

and you drink

the cup

you make a

proclamation

and what are you

proclaiming

you are proclaiming

the Lord's

death

until he comes

you are proclaiming

that you

worship

and serve

a saviour

who died

in your place

and rose

triumphant

over the grave

and God willing

that's what we'll be doing

tomorrow morning

we will eat the bread

we will drink the cup

we will proclaim

the promise

the promise

that we have

eternal life

and we have

eternal life

through nothing

we have achieved

in and of ourselves

we have eternal life

through the death

and resurrection

of our Passover

Lamb

the Lord Jesus

Christ

and my friend

if you've never

come to this table

if you've never

been at the

Lord's table

you're invited

to come

you're invited

to confess

that you love

the Lord

you're invited

to commit

to him

by partaking

of his supper

because he bids

us to come

to come

and sup

with him

so four cups

or five cups

however many cups

there remains

only one Christ

and that's who

we look to

the one Christ

may the Lord

bless these thoughts

to us

let us pray

oh Lord

our gracious

God

we give thanks

that

wherever we

open the Bible

we find Jesus

on every page

and that he

is there

to be found

all his promises

are there for us

to be claimed

and confessed

his word

is there

to be

lived

and loved

and Lord

help us

we pray

to do so

to do so

as thy people

to be obedient

to the call

of thy word

to come

and take

the cup

and confess

that the Lord

is one who

loved me

and gave himself

for me

that we would

all be able

to say

with the apostle

that I am

crucified

with Christ

nevertheless

I live

yet not I

but Christ

lives in me

and the life

that I now

live in the flesh

I live by faith

in the son of God

who loved me

and gave himself

for me

so Lord bless us

we pray

we ask

and oh Lord

we pray

that thou wouldst

prepare us

for thy day

if we are spared

to see it

that we would

truly come

with joy

into the Lord's

house

knowing that we

do not worship

a saviour

who is dead

but one who