Facing Anxiety: Being rich towards God

Now, again, if you have your Bibles, perhaps you can turn with me to Luke chapter 12.

Luke 12 · chapter mention

We're going to read from verses 13 to 34.

That's on page 1044.

And we find Jesus, again, teaching about anxiety.

Last week it was the fear of man.

This time it's different anxieties connected to money.

We're going to think about what it means to be rich towards God.

Let's again hear God's Word.

Luke chapter 12 at verse 13.

Luke 12 · chapter mention

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus,

Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.

Jesus replied, Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?

Then he said to them, Watch out.

Be on your guard against all kinds of greed.

Life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.

And he told them this parable.

The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest.

He thought to himself, What shall I do?

I have no place to store my crops.

Then he said, This is what I'll do.

I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones.

And there I will store my surplus grain.

And I'll say to myself, You have plenty of grain laid up for many years.

Take life easy.

Eat, drink, and be merry.

But God said to him, You fool.

This very night your life will be demanded from you.

Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?

This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves,

but is not rich towards God.

Then Jesus said to his disciples,

Therefore I tell you,

Do not worry about your life, what you will eat,

or about your body, what you will wear.

For life is more than food,

and a body more than clothes.

Consider the ravens.

They do not sow or reap.

They have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds them.

And how much more valuable you are than birds.

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?

Since you cannot do this very little thing,

why do you worry about the rest?

Consider how the wild flowers grow.

They do not labor or spin.

Yet I tell you,

not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field,

which is here today,

and tomorrow is thrown into the fire,

how much more will he clothe you,

you of little faith?

And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink.

Do not worry about it.

For the pagan world runs after all such things,

and your father knows that you need them.

But seek his kingdom,

and these things will be given to you as well.

Do not be afraid, little flock,

for your father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.

Sell your possessions and give to the poor.

Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out,

a treasure in heaven that will never fail,

where no thief comes near,

and no moth destroys.

For where your treasure is,

there your heart will be also.

Amen.

So let's begin by asking ourselves a question.

What is your relationship with money and possessions like?

Because we all have one.

So whether we are living off the bank of mum and dads,

whether we are trying to make our student loans last to the end of the term,

whether we find ourselves building a career and perhaps thinking about property,

whether we're at the stage of retirement and worrying about how our pensions will last,

whether we find ourselves today comfortable financially,

or whether the cost of living crisis has hit you hard,

all of us have some kind of relationship to money.

What does it say about us?

What does it say about our heart?

What does it do to our heart when we have money,

and also when we struggle for money?

Money was a topic that Jesus spoke on often.

His most frequent warnings were around the topic of money.

And Luke, who's very concerned about rich and poor and wealth,

emphasizes Jesus' teaching.

So in Luke chapter 9 verse 25,

Luke 9:25

we have these striking words,

What good is it for someone to gain the whole world,

and yet lose or forfeit their very sale?

As Jesus continues his journey to Jerusalem,

he will meet a rich young man who refuses to follow Jesus

because he loves his money too much.

And Jesus will say,

How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.

It's easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle.

So money is something that obviously is essential to life.

The Bible reminds us that money is something that can be used to bless others,

should be used to bless others.

But there's also this warning,

this recurring warning that Jesus presents,

that money can become for us a distraction.

Money can, in the first instance,

keep us from seeing that we need God,

from recognizing that only God can truly satisfy,

or it can take all of our energy,

all of our heart away from serving Jesus

because we have anxiety about,

will I have enough money to provide for myself?

So if our wallets stand as a window into our hearts and our souls,

Jesus wants to say two things to us.

First, he wants to warn us.

He warns us to guard against greed.

And secondly, he wants to encourage his people to say,

I am the answer to your anxieties about money and indeed about everything.

So let's look at verses 13 to 21 together,

where Jesus says to guard against all kinds of greed.

So we find that often, don't we,

our newspaper headlines,

they delight in exposing greed.

You know, corporate bonuses,

in hard times,

those who are found guilty of stealing from charities,

you know, some of those crazy football transfer deals,

the newspapers delight to expose that kind of greed.

But there's also the more acceptable forms

that we perhaps hardly even spot.

How many people find themselves chasing a career only for the wage that it offers,

rather than because they feel it's a good fit for them?

Or how many people find themselves trapped in this consumerism cycle

of earning or borrowing simply to spend on the next thing and the next thing?

Or we concern ourselves for looking after our own future,

and it prevents us from open-handed generosity.

What's the case here?

Look at verses 13 to 15.

Jesus is speaking to a great crowd,

and someone from the crowd says to him,

Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.

Jesus, judge in my favor.

Jesus, I want to make sure that I get a good deal.

Here is a self-interested brother

who is risking dividing the family

for the sake of making sure he has gain.

And he says,

Jesus, I want you to judge in my case and in my favor.

Jesus will judge.

But not on property law.

Jesus has something far, far bigger.

Jesus wants to judge his heart and our hearts.

And Jesus brings a judgment on,

here is what really matters.

Verse 15,

Watch out.

Be on your guard against all kinds of greed.

Life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.

And from this conversation from the crowd,

Jesus then goes on to tell a story,

a parable to illustrate his point.

It's the ultimate,

you can't take it with you story.

The plot is very simple.

A farmer has some surplus wealth.

That leads to a decision

towards selfish spending.

To gaining more and more,

imagining it will bring security and comfort.

But that dream becomes a nightmare

as judgment comes

and his life is gone.

Into his story,

Jesus presents the reality of mortality and eternity.

He wants to cut through that chasing after wealth

to remind us,

the one with the most toys,

the one with the most comfort,

the one with the most experiences

does not win

if we're not rich towards God.

And notice that Jesus takes us

to the biblical category

of wisdom and folly.

Verse 20,

God said to him,

You fool.

A fool in the Bible,

Old Testament wisdom,

Proverbs,

Psalms,

the fool is someone who says in his heart,

there is no God.

Or that God doesn't see

or care about what I do with my life.

And so Jesus pitches this story

in the context of Old Testament wisdom.

So we're going to use,

actually,

some Old Testament wisdom

to ask ourselves for questions

in the light of this story

and in light of Jesus' warning

to guard against greed.

Here's the first question

to ask ourselves,

Who gets the credit?

So in Proverbs chapter 30

Proverbs 30 · chapter mention

and verse 9,

there is this wise request,

Give me neither poverty nor riches.

And of riches he says,

Otherwise I may have too much

and disown you and say,

Who is the Lord?

If we have too much money,

it can lead us away from God.

Proverbs 3 verse 9 also says,

Proverbs 3:9

Honor the Lord with your wealth

and with the firstfruits of your harvest.

In this parable,

who gave the wealth?

Verse 16,

The ground of a certain rich man

yielded an abundant harvest.

God gave the wealth.

God caused the growth.

God gives every good gift.

And we are invited to serve

as stewards of God's gifts

to use them for God's glory.

But notice that this man

is absolutely self-centered,

not God-centered.

Listen to the conversation

he has with himself.

What shall I do?

I have no place to store my crops.

This is what I'll do.

I'll tear down my barns.

I'll build bigger ones.

And there I'll store my surplus grain.

It's all about himself.

The danger of wealth and greed

is that it can lead us to self-trust.

I earned this on the basis of my skills.

I received this wealth

because of my hard work.

Forgetting God gave those skills.

He gave our abilities.

It is that danger

that we can enjoy God's gifts

in the world that he created

while we reject God the giver.

Instead, we're called to a better way

to love God with our money,

to treat it as his and not ours,

and to send it out

on the things that he loves.

Second question,

what's my bottom line?

Proverbs 11 verse 26

Proverbs 11:26

says,

people curse the one who hoards grain,

but they pray God's blessing

on the one who is willing to sell.

The way Jesus tells this parable

invites us to recognize

that because of this man's greed,

he has isolated himself

from others.

And often, greed cuts like a knife

through human relationships.

His only thought is,

how can I build those bigger barns?

How can I get a bigger stockpile

to look after myself?

Not thinking,

who else can benefit?

His bottom line is,

let me look after number one.

It's my comfort that matters

more than my community.

Indeed, they can curse me if they want

because I'm sitting secure here

in my nice cozy castle.

God has a different bottom line,

doesn't he?

God gives us a different guide

for how we are to use our money.

We are, as Jesus says,

to guard against greed,

to not spend or save selfishly,

rather to use money

so that others can live well,

so that we can seek to extend God's kingdom,

that we might follow God's pattern,

God the great giver,

God the one who gives us life,

God who ultimately in the gospel

gave us his son's life.

A third question to consider

from this story is this,

where is my identity found?

Again, in Proverbs chapter 10, verse 15,

Proverbs 10:15

we read there,

the wealth of the rich

is their fortified city.

That's a negative assessment.

Rich people can so easily think,

here is my security

because I've got plenty

laid up for myself.

And we know it's a negative assessment

because all through the Bible,

God presents himself

as the refuge

that people should seek to run to.

But in this parable,

we have a man who preaches

a false gospel to himself.

This wealth that God has given,

this is the key to my security

and to my comfort

and to my joy.

I'll say to myself,

you have plenty of grain

laid up for many years.

Take life easy,

eat, drink, and be merry.

The key to life,

having money.

Money spins a web of lies.

Money tells us it can satisfy

our longings.

But actually,

we often find ourselves enslaved

because we never get enough.

And then occasionally,

perhaps in the newspapers,

you read the stories,

the interviews of those

who do get enough,

who do become the multimillionaires.

And what we find is often,

they too feel emptiness

and a sense of longing.

Money says to us,

listen,

trust in me,

I can give you security.

But we know that money can come

and money can go.

The banking crisis

in the early 2000s

brought with it

a huge spike

in suicides

of guys

head up,

high up

in the banking industry.

Their life

had been completely

bound up

with their wealth

and it did not give security.

Money would say to us,

I am the only savior you need.

If you have me,

you have the good life.

And we can so easily

believe that lie,

we can be like children

building sandcastles

on the beach

all the while

ignoring the reality

of the waves

of uncertainty,

of death,

and of the judgment

of God.

And Jesus warns us,

don't build your life

and identity

on money and stuff.

You cannot take it with you.

It can so easily

be lost

and it does not

give ultimate security.

Question four

is the question,

what am I

living for?

Proverbs 11,

verse four

takes us

in the same direction

as the conclusion

of Jesus' parable.

Wealth is worthless

in the day of wrath,

but righteousness

delivers from death.

Go to verse 20,

verse 21.

God says,

you fool

this very night,

your life

will be demanded

from you.

This is how it will be

with whoever

stores up things

for themselves

but is not rich

towards God.

The judgment

falls.

This man has

distracted himself

to death.

He has chosen

to live for greed

and not God.

His energy

and his heart

has gone

to bigger barns,

bigger piles,

greater wealth

and comfort

only to discover

that what he was chasing

was fool's gold.

And so Jesus

gives this story

as a loving

warning

that wealth

so often

becomes an idol

in our heart,

becomes the key

to our happiness,

our security,

our hopes

and dreams.

He reminds us

that wealth

can isolate us

as it makes us selfish

and not generous.

He says to us,

your wealth

can be dangerous

so you need to be

on guard

because this life

is not

all

there is.

and then from there

he continues

to talk

about money

but to treat it

in a very different way

because there's

a different audience.

His attention

now turns

to his followers

and he seeks

to answer

the anxieties

of his followers

in verses 22

to 34.

verse 22

then Jesus

said to his disciples

therefore I tell you

do not worry

about your life

what you will eat

or about your body

what you will wear.

So Jesus knows

that worries

about wealth

can be a possible

barrier

for any follower

of Jesus.

For example

we might

find ourselves

saying

well I would love

to serve

but first of all

I need to make sure

I've got my own

personal security

sorted out.

that we do

want to follow

Jesus our master

but we have this

battle in our heart

where money also

wants to be our master.

Where we can easily

have that tendency

to be self-serving

rather than

sacrificial

when it comes

to our money.

And so Jesus

wants to deal

with those

anxieties

and to invite

trust.

He doesn't want

fears about

paying the bills.

He doesn't want

fears about

us providing

for ourselves

and our future

to take our energy

to take our hearts

away from him.

He doesn't want

us to overly

worry about

the cost

of supporting

church mission.

He doesn't want

our hearts

to be gripped

by fear

as we're called

to spend

on others.

He wants

to free us

from those anxieties

so that we're

ready to follow

Jesus.

This Savior,

the Savior who,

remember,

left the glory

and honor of

heaven,

to come and

to be born

in poverty,

to live in

humility,

to be homeless,

and to be

stripped of

everything

as he died

to save us.

How can we be

ready to follow

this Jesus

as our Savior?

Two things

to remember.

First,

remember,

this is your

Father's world,

so trust him

to provide.

When Jesus says

in verse 22,

I tell you,

do not worry

about your life,

what you'll eat,

or about your body,

what you'll wear,

for life is more

than food and the body

more than clothes.

He's not saying

be reckless,

he's not saying

don't make provision

for yourself,

but he is saying

do not worry

excessively

about those things,

about the physical

stuff of life,

don't let them

take your energy

and activity

as disciples,

keep the right

perspective.

In that sense,

that life is bigger

than this life,

life is more

than stuff,

but also,

remember

who we belong to.

Your creator

is your

Father.

And so,

we're invited

to live

with trust

in him.

So,

Jesus says,

look around.

Verse 24,

look at the ravens,

consider the ravens,

they don't sow

or reap,

they have no

storeroom

or barn,

yet God

feeds them.

The ravens

were a bird

that were

unclean

in Jesus'

day,

they had

no value,

you weren't

allowed to eat

them,

you couldn't

sacrifice

them,

they had

no value,

but God

feeds them,

they don't

need to

stress,

they don't

need to

busy themselves

storing up,

God

provides.

Jesus says,

how much

more valuable

are my

children

than

ravens?

Look around,

look at the

wildflowers,

they don't

labor or

spin,

verse 27,

yet I tell

you,

not even

Solomon in

all his

splendor

was dressed

like one

of thieves.

Think about

the wildflowers,

think for

those of

you who

were in

Edinburgh

in the

spring,

about the

cherry blossoms

in the

meadows,

beautiful

explosion of

color,

God provides

fragile beauty

for these

wildflowers

that are,

as it were,

here today

and gone

tomorrow,

and if God

clothes the

flowers of

the field,

how much

more will

he take care

of us,

because we

have more

value to

him.

Look

around,

verse 29

to 31,

look around

at the

pagans,

look at

those who

don't know

God as

creator,

and learn,

do not set

your heart on

what you'll

eat or drink,

do not worry

about it,

for the

pagan world

runs after

all such

things,

and your

father knows

that you

need them.

If you

don't know

God as

father,

Jesus says,

look at the

pagans,

they've got

all that

stress because

they're having

to rely on

themselves,

or they're

chasing and

they're grabbing

because they

act like this

life is all

there is,

you know

something different,

you know a

better way,

you know your

father,

you know this

is his

world,

he knows

what we

need.

And because

that's true,

verse 31,

seek his

kingdom,

put his

kingdom first,

put following

Jesus first,

and these

things will be

given to you

as well,

learn to

rest in

the care

of God

for our

today and

tomorrow,

and live

as a

disciple of

Jesus.

Get the

balance,

this is how

Jesus taught

us to pray,

remember in

Luke 11,

the Lord's

prayer,

we seek

the kingdom

first,

and we

ask our

father for

our daily

bread.

Thinking about

sections like

this always

make me

think of

George

Muller.

George

Muller is a

wonderful example

of this,

he was a

guy in

the 19th

century who

oversaw

multiple

orphanages in

the south

of England,

looking after

tens of

thousands of

children over

a number of

years,

and the

amazing thing

about George

Muller is he

never made

public the

needs that

those orphanages

had,

and there

were many

times where

they struggled

to pay the

bills,

many times

they worried

about how

they would

feed the

children,

but what

he did is

he prayed,

and he

encouraged people

to pray,

and to read

his story is

to read amazing

story after

story of

God's

providing,

people being

moved in

their hearts

from all

around the

world to

be generous,

God cares,

this is our

father's world,

trust him to

provide.

If we're

anxious about

the cost of

living,

and that

seems all

consuming,

if we're

anxious about

the cost of

serving Jesus,

and we

wonder can we

afford generosity,

if we're

anxious about

the life of a

disciple,

knowing that

following Jesus

is the road of

dying to self,

and facing

rejection,

what do we

need to do?

To look around,

and ultimately

to look up.

It's my

father's world,

and I trust

him, trust

him to

provide, I

trust him

with my

life.

That's the

first thing to

remember, this is

your father's

world, trust

him to

provide.

The second

is this,

Jesus says to

his followers,

remember you

are rich in

Christ, so be

generous.

Jesus presents

the only true

solution to

escaping the

grip that money

can have on

our hearts.

That stranglehold

that can have

our hearts, so

either we tend

towards greed, or

we tend towards

anxiety.

How do we

escape that

trap?

Jesus says,

only as we

come to see

ourselves rich in

Christ.

Verse 21,

this is how it

will be with

whoever stores up

things for

themselves but is

not rich towards

God.

To be rich

towards God,

the end of the

day, is to have

Jesus Christ as

Lord and

Savior.

Verse 31,

to seek his

kingdom and

these things will

be given to

you as well.

It's only when

our heart is set

on the Lord

Jesus Christ as

our true and

living hope that

we have the

freedom, the

single-minded

devotion to seek

his kingdom and

not our own.

To pray and to

work, your kingdom

come and your

will be done.

Verse 32,

do not be

afraid, little

flock, for your

father has been

pleased to give

you the kingdom.

It's only as we

know Christ as

our good shepherd

that we know

that there is no

need to fear.

He is the one

who laid down

his life for us.

He is the one

who has called

us into God's

flock, into

God's family.

He is the gate

through which we

enter into the

eternal kingdom of

God and in him

we are eternally

secure.

Verse 34, for

where your

treasure is,

there your heart

will be also.

To know Christ,

for him to have

our heart,

is to have

eternal treasure

in heaven.

That is the one

treasure that can

never be taken

from us, can never

be lost.

And it is to have

a greater glory,

a greater wealth

than anything

that this world

offers.

Notice what Jesus

says in verse 33

and 34.

Or notice what he

connects.

He connects our

hearts and our

treasure.

Sell your

possessions and

give to the

poor.

Provide purses for

yourselves that

will not wear out.

A treasure in

heaven that will

never fail, where

no thief comes

near and no moth

destroys.

For where your

treasure is, there

your heart will be

also.

Our heart and our

treasure, they go

together.

So when Christ has

our heart, when we

know that we are

rich in Christ, in

him we have

everything, that's an

implication for our

money.

Jesus says, then

there'll be the

freedom to gladly be

generous, to give

wisely, to ministries,

to churches, to

people, to help

spiritually and

physically.

Then there'll be the

joy and the

excitement of using

our money to bless

others rather than

hoarding it or feeling

anxious about it.

Tim Keller, in one of

his books, used the

imagery of scattering

seed.

You know, to view our

money as seed.

We scatter it not

looking for a harvest

for ourselves.

We scatter it so that

Christ's grace and

Christ's life and

Christ's word might

grow in the lives of

others.

Because we've come to

understand that's real

riches.

Changed lives to the

glory of God, that's

wealth to pursue.

And so to help us

towards that, in verse

33, Jesus gives this,

begins to give us this

comparison, to see what

has real value.

Is it treasure on

earth or is it

treasure in heaven?

So that we do not

find ourselves chasing

fool's gold, but that

we gladly live for the

real thing, pursuing

treasure.

Think about riches on

earth.

If we have wealth, then

we will likely have some

measure of status.

Some measure of

status.

But when we are rich in

Christ, what is true of

us is that we are

children, the king of

the universe.

That's unbelievable

status right there.

Riches on earth, when we

have them, we know this,

we're not naive.

They can provide some

security.

But when we are rich in

Christ, we have the

security.

security.

We have Romans 8

security.

We have the security that

all things work together

for the good of those who

love him.

Riches on earth.

We have money.

We have some surplus

wealth.

That can bring us some

joy.

And we're not naive, but

that's one of the good

things that God gives.

We have money so that we

can enjoy life.

We can enjoy it with

others.

But we know there's

always the day after.

We know things wear out.

But when we have riches

in Christ, we have joy in

this life and everlasting

joy.

Perfect joy in the world

to come.

Riches on earth, they can

be extremely helpful for

us.

They can free us from some

debt.

Find ourselves in debt.

It's good to have money

to pay it off.

But when we are rich in

Christ, we are set free

from the only debt that

would destroy us eternally.

Our moral debt before God.

Of robbing him of glory.

Of not giving him the

honor that he deserves.

All of that graciously

forgiven.

Cancelled by the

sacrificial work of the

Lord Jesus as we heard in

Colossians 2.

So Christ serves to answer

our deep anxieties by

pointing us to the greater

riches we have in him.

He makes us truly rich.

Freeing us to serve

others.

Do we know it?

Do we live it?

Do we experience that?

Being rich in Christ is the

key to a healthy

relationship to our money.

Helps us to understand this

life is not all there is so

that we would guard against

greed and just living for

today.

It will help us to grow to

trust our Father in heaven.

To provide for our needs.

Rather than living consumed by

anxiety.

And as we come to see Christ and

his kingdom as true riches.

We'll gladly give our hearts,

our lives,

and our money

for his sake,

for his kingdom,

for his glory.

Let's pray about that

together.

Lord,

our God,

we recognize

each one of us

has our own

relationship to money

that can change

at different times.

It can tend towards

contentment at some points

and greed at other points

or anxiety at other times.

Lord,

we pray that you would

settle our hearts

on this wonderful

reality.

That we live in

our Father's world.

That we would know you

as Father through faith

in Jesus

and learn to trust you.

And that

you would give us

the eyes of faith

to understand

that if we have Jesus,

we have all the wealth

and riches

we could ever need

or ever imagine.

And that,

Lord,

that would free us up

to be radically

generous,

to give,

to support

the church

that we belong to,

to give,

to be a blessing

to our family

and our friends,

to give so that

global mission

could continue.

And all for your glory

we pray.

Amen.

Now,

I think the boys and girls

are just going to

come and join us.

So we'll give them

a moment.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

I want to read

one verse

together.

So we've just been

thinking about that

reality that to know

Christ is to have

true riches.

Well,

in 2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8

and verse 9,

we have this,

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,

through His poverty,

might become rich.

And so we are

reminded of the

gospel.

The God who gives

each one of us

our life

is the God

who also gave

His Son Jesus

to come into this world.

And Jesus gladly

and willingly

made this journey

from the riches

and the glory

of heaven

to come

to live

a life

of perfect

obedience

here on the earth,

to go

to the cross,

to give His life

in our place,

so that we,

through His poverty,

we might become rich.

So we've been

reminding ourselves

from God's Word

that to know

Jesus as Savior

is what it means

to be rich,

to be rich towards God,

to have treasure

in heaven.

And as we come

to the Lord's table

and as we think

about the bread

and the wine,

we're being reminded

about an incredible

cost, aren't we?

The incredible cost

the Son of God

paid

that His people

might be set free

and saved.

Giving up His life

to give us

eternal life.

So as we take

the bread

and as we take

the wine,

we remember that.

This meal,

this simple meal

is for those

who know

Jesus

as Lord

and Savior,

who belong

to His church,

who can say,

by God's grace,

I am rich,

I have treasure

in heaven

because I'm trusting

in Jesus.

We read in Colossians 3

and verse 4,

when Christ,

who is your life,

appears,

you also will appear

with Him

in glory.

As Jesus meets us

here

at His table,

He wants this meal

to be a reminder

of the great feast

awaiting us,

the great hope,

the great glory,

the great fellowship

that's awaiting us.

So this is a meal

for the Lord's people.

So if that's you,

then please do come

and receive.

But let me say,

if that's not you today,

if you're not a follower

of Jesus,

if you don't yet trust Him

as your Lord

and your Savior,

then please

don't come forward

to take the bread

and the wine.

But let me invite you

to think about

what we've heard

in God's Word.

Think about the treasure

that Jesus offers

through His own life,

death,

and resurrection

that in the fullness

of time

you might come to Him

and you might receive.

I'm going to read

for us

from 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 11:22

chapter 11

verse 22,

verse 23 rather.

For I received

from the Lord

what I also

passed on to you.

The Lord Jesus

on the night

He was betrayed

took bread

and when He had

given thanks

He broke it.

Let's pray together.

Lord,

our God,

we thank You

for Your grace

towards us

in the Lord Jesus.

We thank You

for His willingness

to leave

the glory of heaven,

to live for us,

to suffer and die for us,

to rise again for us,

so that by trusting

in Him,

we too would have

that hope

of eternal glory.

Lord,

we thank You

for Jesus

being willing

to lay down

His life

to make rebel sinners

into His friends,

to call us

into the family

of God.

We recognize

as we share

the Lord's Supper

as the people of God

that we don't do it

on the basis

of our own merit.

We recognize

that it's all

because of Jesus

and His blood

shed for us

on the cross.

Lord,

we ask

that You would

meet with us

as You promised,

that You would

strengthen our hearts

by faith

as we

take this moment

to consider,

to remember

the Lord Jesus

suffering and dying

in our place

and for our sins,

as we consider

the glorified Lord Jesus

who sends us

His presence,

who sends us

His Spirit,

who would feed us

spiritually today,

and who has prepared

an eternal home

in glory for us

so that we know

that there is still

that great feast

to come.

Lord,

we pray that You

would humble our hearts,

You'd fill our hearts,

with great joy

and gladness,

gratitude

for all that You

have done for us

in the gospel.

Amen.

Now,

we're going to sing.

We're going to sing

a section of,

or two sections actually,

of Psalm 73,

and as we're singing,

folks will steward you

to come,

if you're receiving

the Lord's Supper,

to come and take

some bread

and take some wine.

The lighter colored cups

are non-alcoholic,

the darker are alcoholic.

So,

if you take those,

take them back

to your seats

and then hold on to them

so that we can eat

and drink together

after we have sung.

So,

let's stand

to sing Psalm 73 together.

Surely the Lord is good

to Israel,

to those who in their hearts

are true and pure,

but as for me,

my feet had almost slipped,

my foothold had become

quite insecure.

For when I saw the wicked

prospering,

I envied them

their arrogant success.

They keep their bodies

healthy, fit, and strong.

They do not have to

struggle with distress.

They are not plagued

by human weaknesses.

from burdens common

to mankind

they're free.

They therefore clothe

themselves with violence.

Pride is their necklace,

fraunted shamelessly.

When in my heart

I was consumed with grief,

and when my soul

was filled with bitterness,

then I was like a brute beast

in your sight,

so full of ignorance

and foolishness.

yet I remain with you

continually.

By my right hand,

you hold me as my guide.

You lead me with your counsel

to the end,

and take me into glory

to abide.

In heaven,

whom have I but you alone?

On earth there's no one

else whom I adore.

Although my heart may

fail as fresh grow weak,

God is my strength

and portion evermore.

Those who are far from you

will be cut down.

All those who are unfaithful

you destroy,

but I'll draw near

and shelter in my God.

Your deeds, O Lord,

I will recount with joy.

Let me read for us from Isaiah 53.

Who has believed our message?

And to whom has the arm of the Lord

been revealed?

He grew up before him

like a tender shoot,

and like a root out of dry ground,

he had no beauty or majesty

to attract us to him,

nothing in his appearance

that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected

by mankind,

a man of suffering

and familiar with pain.

Like one from whom people

hide their faces,

he was despised,

and we held him in low esteem.

Surely he took up our pain

and bore our suffering.

Yet we considered him punished by God,

stricken by him and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,

he was crushed for our iniquities.

The punishment that brought us peace

was on him,

and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray.

Each of us has turned to our own way,

and the Lord has laid on him

the iniquity of us all.

Please have a seat.

I receive from the Lord

what I also passed on to you.

The Lord Jesus,

on the night he was betrayed,

took bread,

and when he had given thanks,

he broke it and said,

this is my body which is for you.

Do this in remembrance of me.

So let's eat and remember.

In the same way, after supper,

he took the cup saying,

this cup is the new covenant in my blood.

Do this whenever you drink it

in remembrance of me.

For whenever you eat this bread,

and drink this cup,

you proclaim the Lord's death

until he comes.

So let's drink together.

Let me lead us in prayer once again.

We have now been commemorating the death of Christ.

Lord, grant that by the power of that act,

sin may be crucified in us,

the world crucified to us,

and we to the world.

And enable your children

so to carry about with us continually

the dying of the Lord Jesus,

so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed

in our mortal bodies.

Amen.

And now, as we close,

let's sing our closing hymn,

which is in Christ alone.

And again, let's stand together to sing.