Come Away with Christ | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series)

Many Sundays. Let me put it this way.

Almost, every Saturday night. I feel like the next day is

Christmas. For many reasons.

And one of those reasons is, I am eager to preach the word.

And even there, as I'm singing with you, I feel that excitement

and I pray and ask the Lord to help.

But there are also many Sunday's including this one, where I just

wish we can keep singing. We will continue to sing but for

now we will go to the word of God.

And so meet me in Mark chapter 6 As we look at three simple

Mark 6 · chapter mention

versus today, Mark 6. It may be there in verse 30.

My goal today is to invite the Willing heart. to take the time

and to sit before this text and to stare at this snapshot of the

Lord Jesus Christ, long enough that you would be able to

comprehend on some level The mindfulness, the compassion and

the gentleness of Jesus. And that your heart would be

more convinced and more compelled regarding such

qualities in the Savior than ever before.

My Hope. And my prayer is that these

lingering observations over these three verses would

stimulate higher exaltation of Christ in your life and in mine.

That with every minute that passes by through the word of

God, this afternoon, the Lord himself would be elevated in our

affections elevated in our meditations and eventually

elevated in are imitations by his power.

And by his grace If you're wondering what the topic of this

sermon will be, if you're wondering what will dominate

this presentation, it's very simple.

It's very clear, it's very plain.

It's Jesus Christ. There is no greater subject than

him. He is the golden thread that

weaves through the holy scriptures.

He is the Bedrock that every narrative, every story, every

psalm, every proverb every prophecy every epistle, Is built

on. It's Christ, it's the Lord

Jesus, the son of the Living. God The Treasure of the father

and the object of our adoration. The great Apostles said

something and it is no wonder in Colossians 2 3, that Christ in

whom is hidden all all what the treasures of wisdom and

knowledge. That wonderful Apostle also said

in Romans 16:25 now to him who is able to strengthen you,

Romans 16:25

according to my gospel and get this and the preaching of Jesus

Christ. Did you catch it?

There is a strength that is reserved for and imparted to the

Saints who are willing to give their ear to the preaching of

the man Jesus Christ. Iced.

There's something powerful about Christ, being heralded Christ,

being expounded, Christ being discovered, just Christ.

Just Jesus. And what do we have before us

today? That will help us no, this

strength that Paul speaks of let's read together.

And verse 30 in Mark 6. The apostles returned to Jesus

and told him all that they had done and taught.

And he said to them, come away by yourselves to a desolate

place and rest a while. For many were coming and going,

and they had no leisure even to eat.

Lord. May you bless us with the

strength that your servant Paul spoke of as we simply Behold The

Glory of your son. In Jesus name, amen.

The Holy Spirit. Has just finished concluding a

flashback concerning, John the Baptist martyrdom, the gruesome

execution that he experienced under the Filthy Hands of Herod

and herodias. And after giving us a very

detailed account, he now brings us back to real time and reminds

us that the disciples were sent out by Jesus on their first

Evangelistic campaign, and apparently they came back

successful. They came back with a completed

mission. And for the first time in the

gospel of Mark in verse 30 the Disciples of referred to as the

apostles and it's very fitting because these disciples fulfill

the very meaning of that word, the word Apostle simply means

one who is sent out? Or you can expound upon that.

Definition one, who is sent out with orders and these men

Faithfully fulfilled? Exactly.

That they were given a commission, they were given

orders, and they went out and they came I'm back.

Satisfying. What Christ had asked of them?

But these Apostles did not just go out.

They did use not fulfill what the desires of their master was.

No, we read here that they knew instinctively to come back to

Jesus. To return to Jesus.

A transitional comment here, that's worthy of Greater

meditation. Something that offers us more

than just an awareness that they were indeed faithful in what

Jesus told them to do. Here we have some kind of a

model here. We have some kind of a brilliant

example. Of the steps that we should

follow in in our service here we have some kind of a balance a

principle for us when it comes to serving God and I pray that

you want to serve him. I pray that you are serving him.

And what is that? Exactly.

These disciples who were committed to activity for

Christ. At the same time, did not lose

sight of their fellowship and their accountability to Christ.

Unfortunately, this is not the case for many people.

Many laborers in the kingdom of God today, they understand their

assignment They've been able to successfully identify the gifts

that they've been given by God. They know the holy orders

according to the word and they give their strength to observing

exactly what has been given to us and this sacred blueprint.

and yet, at the same time, they rarely report to the one who

commissioned them in the first place.

Not these men. What these disciples are

demonstrating here. And this one occasion is what

every believer should Endeavor to make a holy habit.

And that is to know a dependency upon the Lord.

And dependency upon the Lord is communicated through communion

with the Lord. No matter where he sends you, no

matter what you do for his name, you and I must have it

conviction of continually and regularly bringing before him

our successes. Our concerns.

Our worries, our fears, our confusion, especially your

ideas, and your plans. And at the same time, we must

not fail to come before him regularly to give him his due.

Praise. To bring it to spread before his

feet are anxieties. And to express our faith in him

for our tomorrow's. Come to Christ.

Come to him regularly. In the midst of serving him,

don't lose sight of that, wherever he sends, you think of

yourself as someone with a rope around your waist and that rope

is held in the hands of the Savior.

And he threw the messages like this.

Tugs on you. And to remind you the source of

all of this. And not to go, too far, and not

to go too long without returning to him and looking at him and

speaking to him. And telling him all that you've

done and saying all that you have taught and expressing

exactly what it is. That is going about in your

life, especially as you live under the banner of glorifying

him. The disciples did this more than

once the disciples did this. Again, when they were sent out

on another mission, this time, with dozens more namely 272.

And in Luke 10, we see a little closer look at what this kind of

dance of service and accountability to Christ looks

like, can I show it to you in, Luke, 10 17?

And Luke 10:17 says that the 72 returned with joy.

Luke 10:17

Saying Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name.

They returned with joy. There are many dangers ahead for

the servant of Christ. There are many hazardous things.

There are many warnings, there are many challenges, but can I

tell you something the matter? How difficult it may seem no

matter what kind of things we see in the word of God,

concerning being hated for his namesake and being despised for

righteousness and persecution from our family.

In the difficult choices, in order to express our

consecration to the Lord. It's A Joyful thing to serve

him. It's a joy filled thing to serve

him. They returned with joy after

serving him. And if you're not experiencing

that Joy, not saying that you will not know difficulty, but if

you don't have joy, you maybe are doing it wrong.

Maybe for the wrong reason. And they come to Jesus.

Again, what a thing to imitate to remain connected to Christ.

Not just when you are in need, but also in your triumphs And

your accomplishments. With trophies that have been

placed in your hand with crowns that have been placed on your

brow, where do you bring those things?

Do you put them on the shelf of your self-confidence?

Do you put them in a glass casing for you to look at to

give you some worth. Or do you bring them to the feet

of Jesus? And give him the glory.

That is due his name. They come to him with joy and we

see that in this place of serving but also fellowshiping

of going. But also coming.

We see what crisis willing to give in principle in return for

the one who knows how to come before him.

Looking what we see here in Luke 10 again.

If you scroll down after verse 17, what Jesus says to them in

verse 18 and in verse 19 it says here and he said to them, I saw

Satan fall. Like, lightning from heaven.

Behold. I have given you authority to

tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the

enemy and nothing shall hurt you.

I see Revelation there, greater Revelation, I saw Satan fall

down like lightning from Heaven. Oh, there's a revelation of the

authority of Christ of the glory of Christ of the strength of

Christ, but more than just Christ's Authority.

There is this reassurance to the Disciples of the authority that

he's given them. M of the promises that belong to

them. The TaylorMade Graces that

belong to them. And this is what you can expect.

When you come to Christ greater revelation of him, greater,

assurances of his promises for you as his child.

He is faithful to do that and you need that.

I need that. I was reading Psalm 1:19 this

week. I'm in the Book of Psalms.

You heard me say that last time and when I was reading Psalm

1:19 that chap. I'm so familiar with that

chapter. Many of us are very familiar

phrase theologies and truths about the glories of the word of

God. But there is something.

Is that a surprise? There is something that I saw

and oh, did it stir me and it still stirring me now.

Go to Psalm 119. I have to share it with you.

I'm sorry. Verse 96.

I just want, I want you to believe.

That when you take time for the Lord, he will honor that and he

will meet you in one way or another.

And in Psalm 119 verse 9600, this blessed me This is this is

a commentary about the word of God and this is what the

psalmist says. I have seen a limit to all

Perfection, but your commandment is exceedingly, Broad.

What a verse, what is he saying here?

Well, and the realm of all creation. no matter what

terrain, you entertain, if you're in the realm of nature,

if you go to the Arts, if you go to the Sciences, if you look at

clever inventions, If you study scientific discoveries. if you

peek into the complexities and the joys of languages, All these

things have their limits. All these things have their

limits in their brilliance. They're exhilaration and their

stimulation but the psalmist says the word of God is

exceedingly Broad. Exceedingly brought it has no

borders. There are no Dimensions.

Climb as high as you will. You will not find a ceiling dive

as deep as possible. You will not find a bottom When

you come to the word of God, unlike the objects of this life

though, the author is the creator that we worship.

Realize this. You cannot exhaust, its

excellencies. You cannot say I've reached the

point of complete Revelation and application.

No, it's never ending. It is never ending in its supply

of aw. Humbles.

You it teaches you a comforts. You it makes you wiser than your

teachers. It brings light to your path.

It Whispers, wisdom. And it never ends all your

commandment is exceedingly. Broad.

Christ. When you come to him, he'll give

you, he'll give you Revelation, he'll give you Assurance.

He'll remind you of promises, but we see him even granting

more to the one who makes that habit, and that practice of

coming to him, not just serving him, not just doing things in

his name, but sitting before him coming to him.

Look at verse 20 of Luke chapter 10.

Luke 10 · chapter mention

What does he say something that you and I are very familiar

with. He says here after talking about

their Authority. Nevertheless do not rejoice in

this that the spirits are subject to you, but Rejoice that

your names are written in heaven when you come to the word of

God, when you come before the presence of God?

Yes, there will be Revelation. Yes, he will grant you some

Assurance, but he also in his love bring correction.

And he'll realign your thinking, you see, they had this Joy but

Christ saw that, it was a misguided Joy, or that there is

a priority issue here in the object of their joy, and he

gently reminds them. The ultimate thing is my grace,

not what you do, not how you perform.

But what I have done, let that be the supremacy of your

Delight. And listen, if I'm saying this

because it's true, if you do not, I'm talking to the servant

of the Lord, if you do not make it a regular practice to come

before him. When I mean before, I mean his

word, his presence in the Simplicity of silence and

Devotion to him, then you can be misguided in your priorities,

even in your service. Then you can lose sight of what

really matters. You can begin to be tempted to

put your joy and the authority. He has given you instead of who

he is. And what he's done on your

behalf. So we see a wisdom here.

We some see something, wonderful.

These are more than just transitional comments in the

Gospels. If carefully interpreted there

is wonderful, instructions for the Saints.

And one might object to these kind of applications with these

verses and say brother you are you were trying to pull

something out of a time in church history, time and

Redemptive history. That doesn't apply.

They had access to Jesus. They could come to him at any

time. He was physically there to,

which I would respond. Do you think they were any less

dependent upon Christ after he ascended into heaven?

All, there's so many examples of that may give you one.

In Acts 15 when the elders came together to speak and to

converse it to come to a conclusion about how these

Gentiles who believe in this Jewish Messiah.

How should they live what? Jewish laws apply to them?

And there was debate, there was back and forth and finally,

there was a settlement, there was clear Direction and I love

with the letter, says the letters at the these elders and

leaders wrote to the Gentiles. And this is the part that I want

to draw to your attention, an axe, 15:28, it reads in that

letter quote for it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to

us to lay on you, no, greater burden than these requirements.

And then They spell out those requirements.

But did you see that? It seemed good to the Holy

Spirit. And to us.

Yeah, I get it this this is this is a clear indication that these

distinct representatives of Christ.

The apostles had access to divine revelation and direct

access to the Lord to have, what is necessary to lay the

foundations of the doctrine of the church.

I get it, but can you feel the familiarity and the intimacy of

that statement? It seemed good to the Holy

Spirit and to us as though the Lord was in their midst and was

numbered among them. As though, the Lord was present.

So, present in that vital crucial council meeting, As

though the Lord graciously. Was given access by these

Apostles. They had access to him with such

immediacy and availability and he was willing to bring a

comforting conclusion to this difficult time for the church,

it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us indicating

that. They consulted them indicating

that in that room filled with Saints.

They did not fail to turn to their God.

And to seek him and to ask of him and they receive something

from him. Is he any different today?

I'm not speaking about him, giving you more Revelations of

the word of God. That's a different Spirit

speaking to you. I'm speaking about how he is

there and he can speak and he can guide and he can lead and he

can illuminate. Surely he is the same.

Surely he is the same. He is with us now.

He's with you at all times. And this is one of the great

Thrills of our faith. We're coming to celebrate today

and this is one of the great Thrills of our faith.

Yes, the gospel, but who is our God, what kind of God is he?

Can I tell you what kind of God is?

He is a personal God. He is an approachable God and

more than that, he is a God. Who is acquainted with each of

us? He is acquainted with each of

us. And that is what you see in,

Mark, 6, and Mark 6 when these men came to tell them, all that

they had done and taught, Jesus said to them, come away by

yourselves to a desolate place. And rest a while.

What care, what attention? What love What's sympathy?

What understanding you know what I love about that?

This was Jesus. As idea this Retreat to rest was

not a protest from the disciples after a long journey out.

Preaching saying, Lord, we've been, we've been working really

hard. We need some kind of a vacation

here. Can you work something up?

Because we need a few days to just kick back and relax.

That's not what these disciples is.

This was the Lord Jesus who looked at his men and after

they've given him the account of their service, he says come

let's go. Now, that's rest.

Why? Because he knew that they needed

rest. There's no indication that these

men expressed that need or that desire.

And I think that's by Design, is to show us that the Lord was

aware of something that perhaps, they were not even aware of

themselves. And the lord gave them, what?

Perhaps? They did not know they needed.

He knew what his servants needed and he provided exactly what was

needed. That's Christ, he he just

doesn't send you off to do things.

And in says, I'll see you on Judgement Day to give you your

grade He's there observing and watching, as long as we are

close to him, we are safest and as long as we are close to him,

we will know. his presence in this way, I thought to myself,

looking at this, you know, when we think about the omniscience

of God, when you even here that the very word demands are right

on the emissions, that the the doctrine of God being

all-knowing, And usually what comes and what Spring sport in

the imagination. Is the massive implications of

that ability. God knows all things and when we

just even begin to entertain what that looks like.

We usually can't get Beyond his perfect awareness of the future

and his ability to solve every mystery and matter known to man.

And all of that is true. God knowing all things Christ,

knowing what was happening in the lives of their disciples and

beyond all of that. Should the man such amazement of

the, the depth and the breadth of that kind of characteristic.

Just like the other Omni characteristics of God. but you

know what, the Holy Spirit help David, recognize something about

the Omni omniscience of God, rather and what he realized

about the omniscience of God is that it was not just something

that was so Grand and powerful and Beyond what we can

contemplate, it was deeply personal And individually

applicable. You know, the text that I'm

perhaps referring to Psalm 139, Psalm 139, the plain reading of

it, alone can melt the heart. Let me read it to you.

And then, let me show you some things about it.

What is David say, as the Holy Spirit brooded over his mind and

showed him something, just something about the mind of God.

Well, this is it. Oh Lord, you have searched me.

And known me. You know, when I sit down and

when I Rise Up, you discern my thoughts from afar, you search

out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my

ways. Even before a word is on my

tongue behold O Lord you know it all together.

You hem me in behind and before and laid your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me.

It is high. I cannot attain it.

Generally, it is not a comforting thought to know that

somebody is watching you all the time.

It's not usually a comforting thought to know that somebody is

evaluating and watching your every move.

And I agree. That's disturbing.

It really depends who's doing it and why they're doing it.

And when it comes to understanding how God

investigates, There is an element of that that should

cause a fear of God to arise in the heart of a rebel or a

hypocrite to reconsider their ways.

And yet David when this download comes to him, he understands

that this aspect of who God is is worthy of Wonder and

admiration. This is something that he's

enjoying as much as he is perplexed by.

He is enjoying it, he's writing about, he's writing a song to

it. And again, I just read it and

it's clear, it's obvious. But when you just take the time

to really pick it apart and see what this really implies, oh,

your heart would be stirred even more.

Let me give you a couple of examples.

Look, back at verse 3 of The Psalm.

He says you search out my path and my lying down and are

acquainted with all my ways. You know, the word search there

is not the same word, a search in the Hebrew as verse 1.

He says in verse 10 Lord you have searched me but that's not

the same word. Now our hebrew-speaking pastor

here is going to confirm that later on to me at least.

The word for search here. In verse 3 is the Hebrew word

Zara. A word that is associated in

that is winnowing, you know, the process of taking grain mixed

with Chaffin to throw it up into the air.

So that some kind of wind would Gus through it and remove the

chaff so that grain that the substance of Desire remains And

that is what David is using here when he says that he says you

search out my path, you are win, knowing you are casting off

certain things. You are removing certain things

about my path and when I, when I laid down, why that word?

Why bring that here at this point?

What is he trying to say? Well, I believe this is what he

is trying to say that in some way, when the Lord looks at you,

And the Lord's knowledge of you is so precise.

So true. So perfect that he is able to

distinguish in you that which is false and that which is true.

He is able to evaluate you to such a degree that he can make a

distinction between the insincere and the sincere, the

genuine and the disingenuine. He's Able with x-ray vision to

know, the truest of your motives, the deepest parts of

your thoughts, you may be able to fool your pastors, you may be

able to fool your wife, you may be able to trick your parents,

you may be able to put on a smile and convince the church or

the crowds or your employees. You may be able with your

introvert Tendencies to pull away from those who are closest

to you. But this God will scrutinize

you. He carefully examines you and it

takes him no effort to do so. Same brother.

That's kind of scary. Not if you think of it in the

right way. David is saying your knowledge

so penetrates whatever, shall I think is shielding me and you

are able to grasp my true substance, you know, it all And

yet you still want to walk with me.

You still want to provide for me.

You still want to lead me. You still want to fellowship

with me? You still want to use me.

Be honest. If some people even the closest

people knew, you knew just 10% of your deepest hearts, are your

deepest thoughts. They might want nothing to do

with you. But not this God.

He considers it all your imaginations, every passing

thought, every sigh, every idea everything that is there in your

heart, in the middle of the night.

And then you see this in verse 5.

What does he say? In verse 5, you hem me in behind

and before and lay your hand upon the you have Mian.

Something about surrounding. There's something here about

protection. Yes.

It's an idea of the omnipresence of God, but it's more than just

the presence of God surrounding me.

Remember, the context you're leading up to this point, it's

the knowledge of God that surrounds me.

Every area of who I am. Every thoughtless, step every

every word that I don't have intention to mean something.

Every plan, every idea, every everything that goes by the

quarter of my mind, all of that, you're there.

You're just there. I never, I never make you

surprised and I can't hide from you.

And what's so brilliant about verse 5 is that he goes from the

mind of God to the hand of God. And you lay your hand upon me.

Think about that, you lay your hand upon me, the idea of your

hand, his hand being Upon Us implies personal interaction,

you see, you need to understand that part.

If you're going to understand the omniscience of God, because

if you just hear the doctrine of the omniscience of God, you

might be tempted to think that all God is, is some Divine

supercomputer with a massive database that has no affection

tied to, or connected to the knowledge.

He possesses He's not just somebody who has surveillance

cameras in every corner of the universe and sits in some box

somewhere in the heavens. No, the very knowledge, the

great knowledge of God even with you.

Yes, you son of Adam, you son and daughter of a fallen parent,

Fallen parents redeemed in Christ.

Yes. Even that knowledge of all your

Brokenness in your inconsistencies, it doesn't

distance God from you, it draws him to you in a make some extend

his hand upon you that protection that provision.

That chastisement when it's necessary, that concealing of

you is all provided as a result of what he knows about you.

Everything about you. And yet still he comes to you

and he commits to you. And ultimately, we see that in

Jesus Christ, that he comes into the world.

With all that he knows about us. And he recruits, and he calls

for people to come to him. And when there's disciples that

do come to him, he displays his Shepherd heart and he said to

them, come away by yourselves to a desolate place, and rest

awhile. He's so real.

You and I can praise God. This afternoon that we don't

worship a cruel and insensitive unfeeling Taskmaster.

As much as he is concerned about how we serve him, he is

concerned about the servants. And he looks at you not just

what you do, but at you and he cares.

And in his Providence, he knows what to bring, what to remove,

what to add, what to subtract, he gets your attention.

He tries to get your attention when you do Veer off.

And in many ways, he communicates to us, primarily,

yes, through his word. He's just a glorious master.

Who deeply cares about us. You know, it's amazing.

How you forget some things. I'm 31 and I forget things.

And I heard it doesn't get easier as you get older.

But I was reading this late last night, I was looking over this

and I was just trying to, you know, it's very hard for

preachers. Have mercy on preachers.

To try to get up before people and to even attempt to

communicate, the excellencies of Christ is such a wearisome task.

I don't know of one true faithful preacher who who

attempts to preach on Christ and walks off the pulpit satisfied.

Satisfied yes and trying to be faithful to the text, but never

satisfied and attempting to try to color his glories with words

and with passion and with emotion, and more importantly,

by the power of the Holy Spirit. I was looking at this as

thinking about just the Lord, just Jesus Beyond Doctrine him

personally. And this this came to mind and

would, you know it? I forgot it and it came to mind.

So I'd get to journal some things.

Your brain will forget but paper doesn't And this is what came to

mind. Many years ago, just walking

with the Lord and I'll end with this testimony before we break

bread together. I remember those first first few

months that first year and a half so busy so wonderfully

busy. No, no complaints.

So wonderfully preoccupied with the things of Christ, so had

school had work but Friday's was Youth Night.

Friday's was youth night with some of the young adults where

we helped lead the youth and Saturday.

Saturday was evangelism night was prayer worship and we would

go out and then Sunday, we had church church not at 1 p.m. and

morning, 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. 11 a.m.

And then Sunday night, young adults meeting too late into the

night and in Fellowship afterwards, and then restart.

Heaven on Earth. Those days, heaven on Earth, and

remember that going week after week after week, and I began to

realize I'm human. And I actually need to eat and I

need good sleep. And so I was beginning to feel

the weight not of the difficulties of it, not of the

displeasures of it. No it was the most enjoyable

thing. You could not convince me to do

anything else on a weekend. There was a band of brothers and

sisters who felt the same way. And what began to happen was

because of wise people in my life older people.

Who observed. My Life, One in particular

reached out and said, brother. It's wonderful.

It's great but just consider how this might work out in the long

term. And I began to even feel that

weariness. And I would begin to talk to the

Lord about it, and I had to had to take a city bus to take the

subway to take the street train, just to get to the internship

for the week. And so this friend advised me he

just gave me biblical principles of rest not rest in the way you

and I understand dressed to go on a vacation somewhere for, you

know, it's amazing that you go on vacation thinking, you need a

break, you come back from vacation.

You need a vacation from your vacation because true rest true.

Rest comes from Christ. You're going to go on vacation

that's fine. Go on vacation with Jesus and

not from Jesus. And so the true rest.

True rest. There's a place for physical

Repose. I get it.

Don't hear me wrong here. And it should begin to talk to

it. Talk to about about these things

to the Lord. I was just walk to the bus.

I remember walking to the bus and just in my heart with my

backpack, just talking to the Lord, talking to the Lord about

it. Lord, this is where I'm at.

This is what I'm feeling. I have a wise brother, who's

speaking it to my life and telling me just to get a

different kind of rhythm going on and And it was challenging to

me, because usually, when you hear about people, taking a

break from serving the lord, they were using that even really

doing anything for the Lord. They want to take a break from

worldly Pursuits. They barely attend church.

They're not part of any Ministry yet.

They want to take a break. I'm aware of that and I don't

see serving Christ as a difficult thing, but just like,

in Mark 6, we're human. He remembers that we were

destined, but flesh. Spraying to the Lord about it.

And it wasn't a one-time prayer, was just a few days, praying and

even going to the next week, praying about this praying about

this. And what I want to serve you, I

want to do this for you. But how do I go about this one

day? I'm walking to the bus.

When I got on that bus, was the same bus at the same time.

I would always sit in the same seat.

If you take me to Etobicoke Ontario, now I can tell you

where I sat on that city bus. It's right there.

So clear in my mind and there I am.

The same prayers being prayed, trying to understand this

wanting to serve the Lord, but wanting to know his will in even

serving him. And as I get on the bus which

was usually empty at that time of the day, I went up and I

climbed the back of that bus where was elevated?

And I sat in my chair and when I look down on my seat, I saw a

pamphlet And when I looked at the pamphlet, I was stunned

because on that pamphlet is said Sabbath.

Biblical principles for rest. I looked around.

There is nobody around. I picked that pamphlet up, I

made sure it wasn't some weird thing as Seventh-day Adventist

kind of teaching about the Sabbath or anything like that.

So no this is sound. This is clear.

Put it down and I took a picture of and I send it to the person

who's been speaking to me for days and weeks and all these

sent back was something on the lines of God is loud.

The bus took off. And I sat there, looking at

this, you can interpret this however you want.

I thought to myself. You know me.

You know me. You search me and you know me,

you know, my going, you know, my coming, you know where I sit on

the bus. You know what I say on my way to

the bus? You care.

You don't just cross your arms in the heavens and look down and

say, you're going to actually even peep these kind of prayers

to me, you know what I did for you?

You better get busier. Your gentle Shepherd.

I just began to praise God on that bus.

And I put that away and I think it's somewhere, I don't know

where it is. I find it.

Maybe I'll show some of you show and tell.

He's so real. He's so close.

You're saying, yeah, but you're a Ministry and your impassive

know. I was 22 years old, finishing,

my advertising degree. Barely able to make spaghetti

for lunch. Not knowing what tomorrow holds

not knowing what I'm going to do with my degree, not knowing

where I'm going to live, not knowing what I'm going to not

knowing anything other than this is the word.

I want to live for him and love him and then that place of my

life. The Lord and some providential

way. Just gave me a nudge.

I believe. Again, you can interpret it how

you want but I'm here to tell you more than my testimony more

than any Authority. This word you can trust and this

word wherever you see of Christ, even that little Glimpse where

he says, come away, I know what you need.

I'll lead you all guide you. I'm here with you even when I

send you out, don't forget to come to me.

Don't forget to open your heart to me.

From time to time, I'm sure in many ways.

He'll remind you. He'll reveal himself to you.

He will instruct you. He'll correct.

You and he'll make you fall in love with him more and more.

Do we do? Thank you.

and we ask Lord that this afternoon, we would simply

Relish in the revelation of the personal Christ. and Lord, as we

prepared to partake in this meal, Help us remember that your

ultimate Act of love the very thing that started it all.

Was the cross. You died for us, you bled for

us. So that you can have us.

Pray for the weary heart. The heart that is weary for.

Natural reasons. Lord, pray that this time

together would have just given fresh strength to serve you with

greater Zeal and passion. I pray for the weary heart whose

we read by sin who does not know you who does not know how you

can make our burden light. Your yoke is easy.

I pray Lord, with my brothers and sisters for The Sinner.

To find that Sabbath rest in Jesus Christ.

And Lord, we pray that our hearts would be clean as we come

to this table. That you would not be grieved by

our motives, you who know all things.

Lord, we can always find something that makes us

unworthy, but for conscience unrepented, sin.

Show us your what we need to do before we eat and drink. would

you be blessed, would you be blessed as we remember, you

Faithfully soundly and with worship, we look to you now and

Thanksgiving. Amen.

Let's stand and Worship the Lord.

What are we singing about? We're singing about the truth of

the Gospel were singing about what he's done for us on that

night. When Jesus was betrayed, when

Jesus knew what he was going to suffer, when Jesus knew the

agonies of the Cross, we're told there that they sang A Hymn,

they sang A Hymn. Listen, how can someone sing

knowing what they are about to suffer?

And I think there's a principal there for us.

You can sing while you suffer, why?

Because he's worthy of your song, sing of his grace, sing of

his glories, because he is worthy.