John 15:18-16:4 “Be Prepared”

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Good morning, Southwood.

Good to be with you this morning.

Excited to share from God's Word.

If you'd like to, you can turn to chapter 15 and the book of John as we continue our study of the gospel of John.

I want to make sure I confess something up front before we get started in regards to the title of the sermon.

I'm a failed Boy Scout.

Okay, I'm a failed Boy Scout.

I grew up doing scouting.

I made it to the beginning of Boy Scouts and I did something terrible.

I quit.

I didn't stick with it.

But I couldn't help as I studied our passage this morning, as I wrestled with it, I think about what Jesus is trying to convey to the disciples.

I'm thinking about what we need to hear as God's people now.

And I can't help but think back to the Scout motto of be prepared or always be prepared, actually.

So, again, failed.

Failed Scout.

And so, I do remember it, though.

Always be prepared was something that has stuck in my mind.

That's one of the things I could remember for my scouting days.

And then I read about just a little bit more kind of looking back into it.

Haven't thought about it in a long time.

And one of the early Scout handbooks for Boy Scouts said,

be prepared, which means you are always in a state of readiness in mind and body to do your duty.

To be prepared in mind by having disciplined yourself to be obedient to every order and also having thought out beforehand any accident or situation that might occur.

So, you know the right thing to do at the right moment and are willing to do it.

So, I'm not meaning to talk about scouting to make it the measure of how we ought to live.

I'm pointing to God's word.

That's where we looked, how we ought to live in our lives as Christians.

But I couldn't help but feel like Jesus is preparing us.

He's preparing the disciples.

Not just warn them of bad things.

But preparing them.

And as you look back, if you rewind to a couple of our sermons from the previous weeks.

And you look back at some of the language that Jesus uses when he calls the disciples his little children.

As they are preparing in the upper room.

When he reminds them in the previous chapter in John chapter.

Or earlier in the chapter in John 15 about how he calls them his friends.

I was listening recently to some of a well-known Scottish Presbyterian.

This is what we do as pastors.

We listen to Scottish Presbyterians.

And he was reminding us that this is Jesus' discourse with his friends.

Jesus is having this conversation.

Not with just servants.

But people he has called his friends.

And so certainly he is warning them of the dangers of the world in this passage that we're going to look at.

But I think importantly.

He's preparing them.

He's preparing the disciples.

For a life following Jesus.

He's preparing us.

For how we might live in a world.

Whose values and actions.

The brokenness.

The sin that runs contrary to the way of Jesus.

It's a preparation for God's people to live with Christ.

And for Christ.

To know how we are to live in a world that is indeed antagonistic to Jesus and his word.

And so John is setting the stage.

And he helps us to be prepared.

And our three points this morning.

Which are not in the bulletin.

So if you'd like to write them down.

Are going to be centered around this idea of being prepared.

First is that we need to be prepared for the pain and conflict of living in this world.

Second we need to be prepared for the help that Jesus promises and sends.

And then third and finally.

We need to be prepared in order that we might persevere with Jesus.

Be prepared for pain and conflict.

Be prepared for help.

And be prepared in order that we might persevere.

And so God is speaking to us now through his word.

So let's read it.

This is God's word.

If the world hates you.

Know that it has hated me before it hated you.

If you were of the world.

The world would love you as its own.

But because you are not of the world.

But I chose you out of the world.

Therefore the world hates you.

Remember the word I said to you.

A servant is not greater than his master.

If they persecuted me.

They will also persecute you.

If they kept my word.

They will also keep yours.

But all these things they will do to you on account of my name.

Because they do not know him who sent me.

If I had not come and spoken to them.

They would not have been guilty of sin.

But now they have no excuse for their sin.

Whoever hates me hates my father also.

If I had not done among them the works that no one else did.

They would not be guilty of sin.

But now they have seen and hated both me and my father.

But the word that is written in their law must be fulfilled.

They hated me without a cause.

But when the helper comes whom I will send to you from the father.

The spirit of truth who proceeds from the father.

He will bear witness about me.

And you also will bear witness.

Because you have been with me from the beginning.

I have said these things to you to keep you from falling away.

They will put you out of the synagogues.

Indeed the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.

And they will do these things because they have not known the father nor me.

But I have said these things to you.

That when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.

This is God's word.

Let's pray.

Father we thank you for your word.

We thank you that it's powerful.

That it is meaningful.

That it transforms us.

And it's at work in us.

That this is not red.

This is not just empty words that we say out loud at church.

But these have power.

May your spirit be at work in us.

So that we might seek after you in all that we do.

Lord we love you.

And we thank you for your son Jesus.

And how his word transforms us.

In Jesus name we pray.

Amen.

In this first section if you're looking at John 15 verses 18 through 25.

John 15:18–25

We're going to look first at those few verses.

And there's some pretty strong words in there about persecution and hate.

And if you're a visitor I just want I had this feeling today.

That you got the sermon on persecution and an announcement about money.

So we're glad you're here.

But we want to tell you more than anything about the Jesus that we cling to tightly.

Because he is alone the one way that we might endure in the midst of suffering and persecution and pain and conflict.

And pain and persecution may look very different here in America, here in Huntsville, in our culture, in our world than anywhere else.

I heard another pastor speak that outside of the U.S.

It looks often like being disowned by your family.

Killed.

Extreme results of placing your faith in Jesus.

Extreme persecution.

And in America we have this different posture.

Because for the most part we experience at times mild conflict.

It doesn't look the way the rest of the world looks.

But we must take persecution.

We must take the pain and conflict.

The hate that Jesus is speaking about seriously.

And so we as we think on these words hate and persecution.

We have to remember who we're clinging to.

Right?

But there's bad news for us if we really look at the person that we're clinging to.

Let's see what Jesus says.

You know, if you cling to me, the world's going to be great and easy and perfect.

Right?

No.

If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.

If you were of the world, the world would love you and as its own.

But you are not of the world because I chose you out of the world.

Therefore, the world hates you.

You who belong to Jesus.

Those who are aligned with Jesus.

Those who are disciples of Jesus.

To use the words of Paul.

Those who are in Jesus.

You will receive hate because you belong to Jesus.

You will be persecuted.

And so we live in a broken world.

We live in this idea that John is speaking about.

This idea of the cosmos, the world.

The Greek word cosmos.

Meaning this broken.

A lot of the gentlemen who write these books.

And the ladies who write these commentaries.

They talk about how this world is a broken system that John is speaking about.

Sinfully against and antagonistic to Jesus.

And so when he says that the world hates you.

This system hated Jesus first.

And so when it comes to disciples.

Those who have aligned themselves with the way of Jesus.

You too will experience this hate.

And some of us.

There are a variety of different places that you'll experience it.

You might experience it at your work.

You might experience it at your school.

You might experience it in your neighborhood.

Some of it might be passive aggressiveness.

Some of it might be just outright anger and hatred for what you believe.

But I want to make sure we remember that because we belong to Jesus.

There is something even more.

Right?

Remember that this has been the identity that you've been given in Christ.

You belong to Jesus now.

Right?

You have something that is much more than just hate.

And so we have to remember who we are first.

Right?

And we can be very much people guilty of clinging to this us versus them mentality.

Like we have to remember what the scriptures say about us.

As sinners.

Poor and wretched.

In need of saving.

So really it's not about us versus them.

It's about former thems versus sin and brokenness and the world and flesh of the world.

It's former thems showing others where life is.

Because we belong to Jesus.

You have a new identity.

He's called you out of the world.

I chose you out of the world.

You are his.

You are no longer of the world.

And so the hate that Jesus received in his life that ultimately led to his death.

We will experience some of that as we follow him.

Because we belong to him.

And then this idea of persecution.

This idea of is one translator I thought was kind of a great way of us to think about how it will look.

And how it does look.

As we encounter pain and we encounter.

And to just make sure that we understand the early church experiences.

That you will experience persecution as one being chased by a wild beast.

And I thought that was such an interesting thing.

Because the early church was persecuted.

And put through so much pain and suffering.

In order that Jesus might be glorified.

But we need to be people who are prepared for this reality.

Not because we enjoy it.

But because it's real.

Right?

One of the things I want us to also be mindful of is this idea of how we're called to live in a world that does hate us.

That we do have enemies.

The reality that Jesus is telling us that is we're hated and we're persecuted.

The person who hates us.

The person who persecutes us.

We have to remember that they're our enemies.

And what posture might Jesus call us to?

What famous words might Jesus give us as we're called to look on these folks.

This world that might hate us.

We have to turn our hearts.

Truly our hearts.

My heart first and foremost.

To Jesus' words in Matthew 5 is what I first think of.

Because my natural instinct is to hate back.

My natural instinct is to turn my heart against people.

My natural instinct is to turn away from them.

To hide.

To protect.

But Jesus tells us in Matthew chapter 5.

Matthew 5 · chapter mention

You've heard it said.

Love your neighbor.

And hate your enemy.

But I tell you love your enemies.

And pray for those who persecute you.

That you may be children of your father in heaven.

He causes his son to rise on the evil and the good.

And sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

If you love those who love you.

What reward will you get?

Are not even the tax collectors doing that?

And if you greet only your own people.

What are you doing more than others?

Do not even pagans do that?

This reality that Jesus.

This when we are his.

We have to take the whole of scripture seriously.

We cannot just take this one little passage in John.

Which we're trying to look through the whole book.

But we have to take the whole of scripture seriously.

In order that we might see that as we face pain.

Suffering.

Persecution.

We might know how to turn our hearts.

Towards those.

Who are far off from God.

And then our hearts.

Begin to melt.

Because again.

Former thems.

Becoming Jesus's.

Not us versus them.

But former thems.

Becoming God's people.

And so in this passage.

We see that Jesus is preparing us.

To face this reality.

That there is.

Hate.

There is persecution.

And so.

When we see.

Jesus.

Having taken on all that hate.

All of it ultimately leading to his.

To his crucifixion.

His death on the cross.

We can look.

Even now.

As God's people.

And understand.

That there is something bigger.

Right.

Right.

There's something much more.

Right.

We can remember these things.

That Jesus.

Calls us.

To himself.

That we belong to him.

In a way that.

Is different than.

The world talks about.

Jesus calls us.

Again.

Like I mentioned earlier.

In chapter 13.

His children.

We're called his friends.

We have an intimate.

And close.

Relationship.

What beautiful.

And comforting.

Words.

We get to cling to.

When we.

Face.

Hate.

And persecution.

And so.

I've.

As I've.

Read through.

This.

I've.

Looked hard.

To remember.

That he said.

He's called us out of the world.

So.

Is there something in scripture.

That reminds us.

That this is.

Who we are.

That we belong to something more.

Something bigger.

And in Philippians chapter 3.

Philippians 3 · chapter mention

The apostle Paul.

Reminds us.

That our citizenship.

Is not.

Of this earth.

But it is in heaven.

And.

And what is.

What struck me even more.

As I read this.

Is that.

Our identity.

We're his children.

That we are his friends.

That our citizenship.

Is elsewhere.

We can fix our eyes.

On something.

That is bigger.

That is bigger.

Than even the hurt.

The pain.

And the suffering.

And the persecution.

We face.

Here on earth.

Paul starts.

This section.

Of Philippians chapter 3.

Philippians 3 · chapter mention

For as often.

As I told you before.

And now tell you again.

Even with tears.

Many live as enemies.

Of the cross.

Of Christ.

Through tears.

He mourns.

The brokenness.

He weeps.

Over the enemies.

Of God.

They are.

Far away.

From their savior.

And so when we look.

At the places.

That we have to go.

Whether it's.

In our jobs.

In our neighborhoods.

In our schools.

Or whatever team you're on.

Whatever you participate in.

We can remember.

That Christ goes with us.

That our citizenship.

Is in heaven.

That we belong to him.

That we were called.

Out of the world.

In order that we might.

Belong to him.

And as we go to those places.

We can walk through.

Suffering.

Because Christ.

Himself.

Went through suffering.

And we can.

Share with him.

And so as we.

Think on this.

We have to remember.

Ultimately.

That following Jesus.

This idea of hatred.

And persecution.

That.

That.

Following Jesus.

Is a costly endeavor.

It is a costly endeavor.

My own inclinations.

My own inclinations.

Are.

To comfort.

Whether it's.

Certain TV shows.

Certain.

Things that I like.

I'm going to move.

I'm going to move.

Towards comfort.

To protect myself.

To make my life.

Easier.

And Jesus.

Tells us.

That this life.

We have in him.

Will come with trouble.

With pain.

And with conflict.

In Matthew 16.

Jesus tells his disciples.

If anyone would come.

Anyone would come after me.

Let him deny himself.

And take up his cross.

And follow me.

For whoever.

For whoever would save his life.

Will lose it.

But whoever loses his life.

For my sake.

Will find it.

In Jesus.

There is real life.

That transcends.

The hate.

And persecution.

That we experience.

In this life.

That Jesus.

Who goes with us.

Is present with us.

He.

Cares enough.

To remind us.

There's something greater.

Than just the world.

That we experience.

And on top of that.

I love the verses here.

In John chapter 15.

John 15 · chapter mention

At the end.

Of the section.

It says.

Verse 25.

But the word.

That is written.

In their law.

Must be fulfilled.

They hated me.

Without cause.

Jesus is.

Reminding.

The disciples.

That this was.

What was going to happen.

And I know.

It sounds like.

A weird comfort.

To us.

That.

Though they knew.

Though God knew.

This would happen.

This is to fulfill.

That they hated.

Jesus.

Without cause.

It's a reminder.

That Jesus.

And God's plan.

Cannot.

Be thwarted.

It's a reminder.

That the.

The reality.

Of what Jesus experienced.

Though he's hated.

By the world.

That this came.

To fruition.

By God's plan.

And that all.

The things that God.

Plans through his death.

Jesus' death.

And resurrection.

Cannot be.

Thwarted.

Changed.

Or.

Derailed.

And so.

We will walk.

Through this life.

We will.

Experience.

Pain.

And persecution.

And so.

Jesus is preparing.

Us for that.

And.

And more than.

Just preparing.

Us for that.

Pain and persecution.

He's preparing.

Us for help.

After.

After.

After he goes on.

About the reality.

Of being.

United to him.

And how.

The realities.

Of the hate.

He experiences.

And the hate.

That God's people.

Will experience.

He goes on to say.

But.

In verse 26.

He says.

When the helper.

Comes.

Whom I will send.

To you.

From the father.

The spirit of truth.

Who proceeds.

From the father.

He will bear witness.

About me.

And you also.

Will bear witness.

Because you have been.

With me.

From the beginning.

Jesus is promising.

Us.

Help.

From God.

The father.

And this is the third time.

In the past few chapters.

Of John.

That we hear.

About the holy spirit.

That the help.

From the holy spirit.

Is coming to us.

From Jesus.

From the father.

And he will bear witness.

About you.

And you will bear witness.

About Jesus.

Right.

In John 14.

He talks about.

How the advocate.

Another advocate.

Will help you.

And be with you forever.

And then he said.

Goes on to say.

But the advocate.

The holy spirit.

Whom the father.

Will send in my name.

Will teach you.

All things.

And remind you.

Of everything.

I have said to you.

This is the kind of help.

That we need.

We do not need help.

That we manufacture.

And manifest ourself.

As we face pain.

And trial.

We do not need help.

That a worldly.

Or human.

Effort.

Would build up.

So that we can.

Hey.

We'll just muster up.

Enough courage.

And we'll fight back.

And we'll figure it out.

And we'll win the battle.

By ourselves.

But this is a reminder.

Of the kind of help.

That we need.

In the midst of struggle.

And pain.

And suffering.

We need real power.

Not of human origin.

Not of our ability.

But of God's gracious.

And powerful work.

We need help.

That we could not make happen ourselves.

And I think of it like this often.

That in the realm of God's care for his people.

It's kind of like when reinforcements arrive.

In a.

Any kind of movie.

As someone who was in college.

When the two towers came out.

You know.

When the Lord of the Rings movies.

Were all being made.

I can't help but think of the scene.

In the two towers.

When the riders.

Riders come over the mountain.

To help in the battle.

And I'm.

I'm going to butcher it.

But I'm not going to.

Try and describe it.

But there's this feeling.

This sense.

That's.

That suddenly the tide can be turned.

That there's something that.

They couldn't do themselves.

To defeat.

The enemy.

Or perhaps.

If you're more.

A little more modern.

Perhaps.

In the Avengers.

When all the portals open up.

I won't say.

Try and spill.

You know.

There's this reality.

That suddenly.

There is power.

There is help.

That is coming.

And what Jesus is promising.

For weak.

And broken.

Sinners.

Who have turned themselves.

Over to Jesus.

Whom Jesus.

Has claimed as his own.

From this world.

He says.

I will send to you help.

You will not be able.

To do this on your own.

God has given us himself.

Through the power.

Of the Holy Spirit.

And he is with us.

And so when we face these things.

Jesus is preparing us.

To remember.

That we are not alone.

That the spirit walks with us.

And guides us.

And leads us.

And is present with us.

As we walk with Jesus.

Jesus.

And so when the helper comes.

Whom I will send to you.

From the father.

The spirit of truth.

Who proceeds from the father.

He will bear witness about me.

And so we.

Will be able.

To actually talk about Jesus.

With power.

Not because.

Of things that we are.

Are gifted.

Or able to do.

My giftings are.

Weak.

And terrible.

And light.

In comparison.

To what God can do.

And so we are able.

To then bear witness.

And tell others.

About this Jesus.

Not because of our great power.

But because of the great power.

Of the Holy Spirit.

Because the Holy Spirit.

Who is at work.

In us.

His people.

We will able.

Be able to.

Share.

With others.

About what God has done.

And so Jesus is.

Reminding us.

Preparing us.

For the.

The reality of the world.

We live in.

Where he's hated.

Where.

Those who are with him.

Will be hated.

And then he.

And then he tells us.

That they will be hated.

There'll be help.

That comes.

There'll be help.

That comes to serve.

And then he says.

There's something else.

I need to prepare you for.

I have.

Said these things to you.

In chapter 16.

Verse 1.

That you.

Things to you.

To keep you.

From falling away.

That God is preparing us.

In order.

That we might persevere.

Here.

I have shared these things.

As an encouragement.

To hold fast.

And remember.

And I want us to take.

Just a moment.

This is a pretty serious.

Passage.

That we've.

Tried to.

Understand.

And look at.

And the reality is.

That.

He points us.

To.

Two.

Choices.

Two.

Two kind of.

Conflicting things.

He says.

I have said all these things to you.

Keep you from falling away.

They will put you out of the synagogues.

Indeed.

The hour is coming.

When whoever kills you all.

Will think he's offering service to God.

So.

So there's this death.

Position against falling away.

Death.

Even death.

Harsh.

Hard.

Things.

Or falling away.

Being.

Being kicked out of the synagogue.

Being put to death.

Or falling away.

And he is sharing these things.

In order that we might.

Persevere.

That we might remember.

Who we belong to.

That it's not that we.

Can hold tightly.

And I'll make sure I don't do this.

But that we.

Rely.

On.

The very God of the universe.

Jesus Christ.

The one who came.

To die in our stead.

To die for our sins.

That we might remember.

That all the things that he's done.

And by the power of the Holy Spirit.

We might be able to persevere.

Even.

What seems to be the worst thing.

Death.

Death.

Death.

But.

Jesus.

By telling us this.

Says.

I've said these things.

To keep you from falling away.

So that we might.

Cling to Jesus.

There's something.

Greater.

Or worse.

Than death.

And that is eternal.

Separation.

And broken.

Relationship.

With the very God.

Of the universe.

Jesus is calling us.

To remember.

That.

That our relationship.

With God.

Is a promise.

To eternal life.

Jesus.

Earlier in.

This discourse.

In.

John chapter 13.

John 13 · chapter mention

Talks about being.

The way.

Oh no.

Sorry.

Oh shoot.

12 or 13.

I'm going to blank on it right now.

But.

Earlier in the chapters.

John.

John talks about how.

Jesus is the way.

The truth.

And the life.

And so.

We need to remember.

That there is something.

About being in relationship.

With Jesus.

That reminds us.

That we belong to the way.

The truth.

And the life.

Life.

And so.

Because of that.

We have something.

That transcends.

Even the death.

That Jesus is talking about here.

Being put out of the synagogue.

Being put to death.

Jesus is trying.

To remind us.

That we are.

Being prepared.

In order to persevere.

Because there is something.

Much more.

Beautiful.

Much more.

Incredible.

Than just life.

Here.

As we experience it.

That there is something.

More.

To this world.

And so.

He is preparing us.

In order.

That we might persevere.

To cling to the very thing.

That is more important.

Than even.

Life.

And that is life.

With God himself.

It is interesting.

That.

That will mention the prayer.

From Acts chapter 4.

Acts 4 · chapter mention

This morning.

Just as a reminder.

Because.

One of the things.

That it is.

Isaiah 4 · chapter mention

Chapter 4.

Of.

The book of Acts.

The early church.

One of my favorite passages.

In all of.

All of the New Testament.

Really.

Is this passage.

In chapter 4.

And it is.

The apostles.

Peter and John.

And they are before.

The leaders.

And the council.

And.

They are annoyed.

That Jesus is teaching.

That Peter and John.

Are teaching about Jesus.

They are annoyed.

That they are teaching.

About the resurrection.

Of the dead.

And.

And this is.

Would be a fearful thing.

This would be like.

Being brought before.

A government tribunal.

Or something.

Like.

The religious leaders.

Of our day.

And.

And.

And being confronted.

About something.

And.

One of my favorite passage.

One of my favorite lines.

In all of.

Scripture is.

That.

They charge them.

Not to speak.

Or teach at all.

In the name of Jesus.

But Peter and John.

Answered them.

Whether it is right.

In the sight of God.

To listen to you.

Rather than to God.

You must judge.

For we cannot.

But speak.

Of what we have seen.

And heard.

Acts chapter 4.

Acts 4 · chapter mention

Is this reminder.

To us.

And encouragement.

To us.

That our.

Job.

Our life.

Everything that we do.

Is meant.

To speak.

To the truth.

Of Jesus's life.

Death.

And resurrection.

Regardless.

Of the cost.

That we are.

Called.

To persevere.

In the midst.

Of hard things.

And again.

I understand.

And know.

That living in.

Kind of an American.

Culture.

We look at.

Persecution.

Differently.

We have a different.

Perspective.

We have a lot of.

Great.

Wonderful.

Beautiful.

Freedoms.

To enjoy.

But it doesn't mean.

We won't face.

Hurt.

And suffering.

And persecution.

As a result.

But God.

Wants us.

To be prepared.

For that moment.

When it happens.

God.

Desires.

For us.

To cling.

To him.

When it does.

And I think.

One of the things.

That is incredible.

About what God's doing.

In this passage.

Is he's.

Preparing us.

To be ready.

And he's preparing us.

To hold fast.

The Holy Spirit.

And he's preparing.

For us.

To know.

But God.

Continues.

To.

To reveal.

To us.

Ways.

That he's preparing us.

In the midst.

Of facing hard things.

Jesus.

Who was hated.

And persecuted.

And killed.

He was not done.

That wasn't done.

For nothing.

Like Jesus.

Who took our sins.

On the cross.

His death.

Was not in vain.

The hate.

And the suffering.

That he endured.

Was not empty.

See.

The reminder.

Is that we look.

To Jesus.

As the one.

Who has defeated.

Death.

And then therefore.

Since we.

Who are in him.

We get to know.

That this promise.

Of eternal life.

Is ours.

Because of what he's done.

Because of his resurrection.

We.

Who walk in this life.

Know that Jesus.

Is the first born.

Of the resurrection.

The first.

First born.

Among the dead.

That Jesus.

Rose.

And so we know.

That there is something more.

Than just.

The hurt.

And the hate.

And the persecution.

That we might experience.

In this life.

And so Jesus.

As we look to him.

And his death.

And his resurrection.

This.

This table.

We're going to celebrate.

From this table.

That we look to.

It's.

It's something.

That God.

Has prepared.

For you.

And for me.

To look to.

In order.

That we.

Who might face.

Opposition.

Discouragement.

Real persecution.

That we might.

Cling.

Tightly.

To Jesus.

That we might.

Cling.

In order.

That we might.

Be encouraged.

And see.

That there is.

Life.

And nourishment.

See.

This.

Sacrament.

Isn't.

Empty.

Like I've said.

It's.

Something.

That encourages.

God's people.

It's something.

That's for you.

And for me.

As his people.

And it's a wonderful.

And beautiful.

But.

Even in the midst of that.

A serious thing.

That we.

Look to.

For our.

Health.

Spiritually.

As we are encouraged.

And walked in this life.

And here's how.

The way.

It's kind of described.

For us.

And in our.

Presbyterian language.

We.

We talk about.

It's to be reserved.

It's to be done.

In remembrance.

Remembrance of Christ.

Showing his death.

Till he comes again.

But.

Here's the encouragements.

That.

This.

Table.

Does for us.

It's.

A meal.

To be observed.

Remembrance of Christ.

Until his death.

Showing his death.

Until he comes again.

But.

It is more than that.

Something.

Actually happens.

In this means of grace.

It strengthens.

And encourages.

His people.

Against sin.

And troubles.

It moves us.

To one another.

Filling one another.

With love.

And zeal.

It grows our faith.

It encourages us.

It strengthens us.

It moves us.

Towards holiness.

And pursuit.

Of what Jesus calls us to.

It gives us.

A piece of conscience.

And a great hope.

Of eternal life.

This table.

Is a picture of God's.

Gracious.

And surprising.

Love.

For his people.

And so we draw near.

To God.

When we draw near.

At this table.

And it's a.

It's a table of welcome.

We've sung.

Today.

Come ye sinners.

That could not be.

More true.

Of this table.

Come ye sinners.

But sinners.

Saved by grace.

Who have.

Placed their faith.

In Christ.

It's a table.

For believers.

It's not a table.

That belongs to Southwood.

It's not our denominations table.

It is the Lord's table.

And so it is.

For those who possess.

True faith.

In Christ.

In our members.

In good standing.

At a gospel believing church.

And whether you're a child.

Who's professed faith.

Or you're an adult.

Who's professed faith.

The word of God.

Calls us to take this.

Part very seriously.

And we would ask.

That you.

If you've not yet.

Placed faith in Christ.

That you would.

You would pass on.

Taking the meal.

Taking the elements.

And meditate.

And contemplate.

The truth of who Jesus is.

By his death.

His resurrection.

And his promise.

To be here.

Connected with our.

His people.

I want to remind you.

That.

Today.

As we take.

The Lord's Supper.

There are gluten free options.

Both in the back.

And up here.

And that the inner cups.

Have wine.

And the outer cups.

Grape juice.

Let's pray really quickly.

As we continue to serve.

To worship the Lord.

Through the Supper.

Lord may you use.

These common elements.

For their holy purpose.

And may we see.

A clear picture.

Of our reliance on you.

So that in our lives.

That then in our lives.

We may reflect you.

And strengthen.

Encourage us.

Through this meal.

So that we might go into a world.

As we experience.

Hate and persecution.

Lord would you be with us.

And remind us.

And help us to remember.

Your provision for us.

Amen.

For more information.

Visit us online.

At southwood.org