If you have a Bible, we're going to be in Luke, the 13th chapter.
And looking at the kingdom.
And the kingdom of God, I think, sometimes is not what we think.
But we're going to look at some stuff here this morning that's quite interesting.
Jesus had lambasted the Pharisee for the hypocrisy of having seen a woman bound and then chastising him for healing her on the Sabbath day when they themselves do what is considered work by watering their donkey or their ox.
And so I have a tendency to be the dumb ox.
But we're going to be reading verses 18 through 30, 12 verses.
So read along with me.
Well, I want to back up just for a second.
Just how glorious verse 17 was.
And it says, and when he had said these things, all his adversaries were put to
shame. All the adversaries of Jesus are going to be put to shame. If you talk to people that just
kind of scoff at the idea of Christ, they just scoff. They're just like, you people, you fundamental
ignorant people. You believe in this crazy idea of a carpenter two thousand years ago that died on a
Roman cross and you stock, you put all your stock in who he is. Yep, pretty much. You got that right.
I mean, it's, you know, Paul said, I'm a fool. I'm a fool for Christ. Years ago I saw a bumper
snicker. It said, I'm a fool for Christ. Who's fool or you?
but he will put all of his his adversaries to shame, all of them, and without a word,
and they'll not be able to say a word.
They'll be dumb before him, not being able to have any excuse whatsoever,
why they turned their nose up at the Lord of Glory.
And so, and it said, but all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
And I'm rejoicing.
Got saved pretty seriously in 1985, and I've been rejoicing ever since.
So read with me, if you have your Bibles, we're in Luke 13, we're in the 18th verse.
And it says, then he said, what is the kingdom of God like?
And to what shall I compare it?
It is like a mustard seed, which a man.
took and put in his garden and it grew and became a large tree and the birds of the air nested in its branches
and again he said to what shall I like in the kingdom of God it is like it is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three
measures of meal till it was all leavened and he went through the cities and villages teaching and journeying
towards Jerusalem then one said to him Lord are there few who are saved and he said to them
strive to enter through the narrow gate. For many I say to you, we'll seek to enter and will not be able.
When once the master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door saying,
Lord, Lord, open for us. For he will answer and say to you, I do not know you where you are from.
And then you will begin to say, we ate and drank in your presence. You taught in our streets.
but he will say, I tell you, I do not know you where you are from. Depart from me, all you workers of
iniquity. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and yourselves thrust out.
They will come from the east and from the west, from the north and south and sit down in the kingdom of God.
and indeed there are last who will be first and there are first who will be last.
Shall we pray?
Lord, thank you for your word.
Lord, it's convicting.
It's provocative.
Lord, it's even hard to understand sometimes.
But you by your spirit will reveal truth to our hearts.
And so I just pray for everyone in this room, myself included, Lord, that we would glean the truth from the word of God.
that we would truly have ears to hear.
Lord, that this would sink deep into our souls,
knowing that our soul is converted by the power of your word,
that sharp sword that comes from your mouth.
And so Lord Jesus speak to our hearts today.
Lord, may we be near the kingdom of God,
knowing that tomorrow is not guaranteed for us.
Lord, but your kingdom is guaranteed to all those
who fully trust in you,
who love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.
And may that be us today in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.
And so he starts right off the bat there saying, what is the kingdom of God like?
Well, you ever wondered that? What is the kingdom of God like?
You know, I think we, a few chapters back, we looked where it said the kingdom of God is within you,
that the Lord comes by his spirit and indwells us.
It's a fascinating thought.
You know, Paul tells us,
do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit?
And so, but Jesus here kind of gives a couple parables.
I believe they're one, by the way.
But he says, what is the kingdom of God like?
And to what shall I compare it?
It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden,
and it grew and became a large tree.
And the birds of the air nested in its branches.
It faced value.
It just doesn't even make sense, because mustard, I just went by a field of mustard.
It wasn't trees.
Right?
It's little stems that probably aren't strong enough to hold birds.
But he starts.
It's like it's small.
It starts small.
A mustard seed is one of the smaller seeds.
I guess some believe there are, they found there are smaller seeds.
They're mustard seeds.
But Jesus uses this analogy a couple times.
He compares it also to faith.
But faith grows.
The kingdom of God grows.
The kingdom of God grows in my heart.
Because I want to be there.
now a whole lot more than I used to want her to be there. And so, but, but this, so this little thing
turns into this tree and, um, instead of a bush. And so that's, that's, uh, that's odd. It's not
logical, um, but, and then the birds come. And so, uh, this is odd. It's,
doesn't seem to be natural, which I don't think it is. It's not natural. Our nature does not have us seek God, right?
God seeks us out and he presents himself to us. And then when you and I have a decision to make.
And so the seed is small, but it grows strong. And so in John 1224,
Jesus says, most assuredly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it produces much grain. And so it's talking about a seed. A seed always has life in it. Right? And we see that in Genesis, where every seed this planet, it produces after its own kind. But it dies first. And Jesus, like in that, in Genesis, where every seed this planet, it's, it produces after its own kind. But it dies first. And Jesus, like in
this obviously to the resurrection. We went down to Twin yesterday and driving by all the fields.
It's a picture of the resurrection, all those seeds that had been broadcast and drilled into the
dirt. All of a sudden there's life coming up. It's fascinating. But it produces life when that
seed goes in the ground and it dies. There was a great seed quote I heard this week. It says,
any fool can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the apples in a seed.
Right? Think about that. Any fool can count the seeds in an apple, but only God knows the amount of apples in a seed.
And, you know, exponentially, you just think, wow, that's cool. But the seed here is like picturesque of the gospel.
Isn't the gospel seem to be so small?
Like I just said, so many people think it's so foolish.
The gospel, the good news, the cross, the Bible says, is foolishness to those who are perishing.
You perishing this morning?
Is the gospel the thought of Jesus dying on a cross foolishness to you?
But those who believe it, it's life.
It's life everlasting.
So we have the sower, Jesus, four things here. First we have the sower, which is Jesus, right?
We have the little seed of the gospel. It seems so small. And when you look at it, and I'll just challenge you the next time you're around somebody that seems to be right with God, ask them. So tell me, what's the gospel? If I ask you that question, tell me the gospel. What's the gospel? What would you tell me right now?
what would you tell me? Would you take me to 1 Corinthians 15? Because you probably should.
Because Paul lays it out there in 1 Corinthians 15 verses 3 and 4. He says,
for I delivered to you first of all, that which I also received, that Christ died for our sins
according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day
according to the scriptures. That's it? That's it. That's the gospel. Right there,
that's the gospel. Do you believe it? See, that's the issue.
It's so simple.
It, I think it even turns people off the gospel.
Because it's so simple.
Listen, Paul's saying, listen, God told us this in advance what this gospel would be.
That Christ would come.
That a Savior would come.
The Messiah, the Christ, he would come.
And that he would die on a cross.
He would atone for our sins.
and that he would raise again the third day.
That's the complete message of the gospel for those who would receive it.
And it seems so small, it just seems like this little seed.
I don't know about you, but it has become huge in my life.
Huge.
I can't get my mind around it.
It gets bigger and bigger and bigger.
It becomes like that tree.
That tree, the word tree there,
here in Luke, it's equal to an oak, a mighty oak.
And that's what the gospel is to those who embrace it.
It's life. It's life everlasting.
It's interesting that kingdoms are compared to trees throughout scripture, right?
Nebuchadnezzar, when he had his vision about this tree in Daniel chapter 4 and then Egypt
are referred to his trees in Ezekiel 31.
This tree that is talking about, it's supernatural.
It's supernatural.
Nebuchadnezzar himself was compared to a tree there in Daniel chapter 4.
And the prophecy wasn't good.
It says, it says the leaves, this is Daniel 4, verse 12.
It says, for the leaves thereof were fair.
and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all.
The beasts of the fields had shadow under it,
and the fowls of heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof,
and all flesh fed of it.
Babylon throughout scripture is always a type of false religion.
I remember when Nimrod was going to build the tower of Babel,
and they all spoke one language.
and God goes,
I think we better go check this out.
He knew what was happening.
But he said, listen, if we don't intervene here,
there will be nothing impossible for them.
Folks, listen, we're moving towards that really fast in our world right now.
Right?
We're moving into this AI realm where AI is God.
there will be nothing impossible.
Right now they're coming up with drugs and different mechanisms to help people live for a long time.
I think I've had enough.
I don't need much more life.
Not in this flesh, right?
Notice that's what it says, and all flesh was fed of it.
people are trusting in things that won't give them eternal life right they oh they might be
able to take some wrinkles away right might do a little lift here and there
I'm telling you it's going away okay you can do all that you want to do
like my grandpa used to say, I'm losing my grip, right?
Losing our grip on this life.
Because it's, we just read it through, leading through ecclesiastes.
Me and my wife had quite the little discussion.
It may have been a debate, possibly an argument,
about Solomon's take on life.
and youth and it's vain and it's empty.
Why? Because it's fleeting.
Right? It's fleeting.
When you're young, you don't realize how fleeting it is.
And then when the sag starts to come, you're going, wow, this is fleeting.
Right? Because everything starts to sag.
Gravity takes over.
But not trusting in the flesh, not trusting in the things of this world.
but if the things in eternity like Jesus like Paul said set your mind on things above right so first you had a
the sower which is Jesus the seed that's the that turns into the tree and then fourthly you have the birds
come and rest in it they come and they come into this tree
wasn't the tree supposed to be a type of the kingdom of God?
Yeah?
What about the birds?
Well, the birds aren't a good thing.
These aren't chirpy robins, songbirds.
These are dirty birds, right?
These are bad birds.
You remember back in chapter 8 verses 11 and 12 where it says,
and this is the meaning of the parable.
You remember the first seeds that were broadcast were came,
and they were gobbled up by the birds.
Notice what the birds are.
It says, this is the meaning of the parable.
The seed is the word of God.
Those along the path are the ones who hear.
And then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts so that they may not believe and be saved.
Satan comes along and whispers in their ear, that ain't true.
It is a myth.
This Jesus thing, this gospel, it's a myth.
It's not true.
and he convinces them.
These birds will try to convince you.
This is a picture of the kingdom of God,
and it is infected with sin.
It's infected with sin.
This body right here,
I'm with you, but I'm the only one standing.
we're all infected with this whole sin thing.
And Jesus is coming for this chaste bride,
but we become chaste as individuals.
Right?
Because Paul tells us,
a little bit of leaven, what's it do?
11's the whole lump.
And so God has called us to this life of holiness,
but it's always going to be affected by sin.
Your life, my life, is always affected by sin.
And so these birds come and they rest.
They're deceptive and devouring birds,
like those ones that we just read about.
Revelation talks about this,
about birds in Revelation 1822,
and it said,
and he cried mightily with a strong voice saying Babylon the great is fallen is fallen
and become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit and a cage of every unclean
and hateful bird.
Speaking of the demonic,
that we see Babylon in ancient history and we see Babylon in future history.
And it's all corrupt.
It's all corruption.
And this corruption seeks in to the kingdom of God.
These birds, I listened to Adrian Rogers, and he says, you got these birds, these wicked birds.
You got the yellow belly compromiser.
You ever seen that one?
You got the liberal loon.
We got a lot of liberal loons in America.
How about the cultic crow, right?
People try to mesh occultism or cultism with Jesus.
It's like, what?
You're doing seances and then going to church on Sunday?
What's up with that?
That's perverse.
That's wickedness.
What wasn't on the list was a perverted pelican.
And the blasphemous buzzard.
these birds
and seeping in
and people just let it come
they just let it come in
when we should
resist the Bible says resist the devil
and he will flee from you
and it's the same parable there
in verses
verses 20 and 21
when
Jesus talks about the leaven, where it says that this woman, it says a woman takes,
I'm in the wrong place, I apologize, where it says, and again he said, to what shall I like in the kingdom of God?
It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.
Well, leavened throughout scripture is a type of sin.
Why would you do that?
and to the Jewish mind this they may have been thinking of the fellowship offerings which
you would actually present flower to the Lord but it was always the peace offerings was without
leaven no but you think you see how this works people want to come to God and they want to
have peace with God but they want to keep their sin right no I want to I don't want to give this up
is my pet. I like this sin. I like my pornography addiction or my drug addiction. I want peace with God,
but I want this too. Sorry, it don't work that way. It don't work that way. There is a forsaking
that needs to happen in my heart and your heart when it comes to walking with the Lord.
And it's not just forsaking a few things.
It's forsaking all, including self.
Then we read that about them when he called the disciples, right?
They forsook all and followed him.
But here we are, and this leaven or this sin is like a slithering snake that touches everyone.
People think they sinned unto themselves.
I'm not hurting anybody.
Yes, you are.
if you sin you hurt
even when you don't know it
the effect that a husband
can have on a wife and a wife on a husband
the effect that a woman can have on our children
and a father can have on his children
if you're
addicted to some kind of
sinfulness, it affects everyone around you, everyone that knows you. Why? Because it affects you.
And the wages of sin is, it's a death. And it's just not physical death. It's a death of
relationships, right? It can be the death of your business. It can be the death of all kinds of
things.
And so
so many folks are
close, but not close enough.
They haven't come to that place of surrender.
And have either been to see.
or they've deceived themselves. And Jesus warns us about this in Matthew 24 versus
five, four and five, and it says, and Jesus answered to them, take heed that no one deceives you.
For many will come in my name saying I am the Christ and will deceive many.
You know people that are deceived?
Because so many of the people I talk to, they just want to say, hey, I'm okay, you're okay.
Right? Aren't we all okay?
number one
I'm not okay
and if I'm not okay I'm
if I'm not okay I'm sure you're probably not okay
that's why you need Jesus
I need Jesus because I'm not okay
he can come and help me be okay
Peter mentions
to beware of this
deception as well when he says
in 2 Peter 2 1 it says
says, but there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers
among you who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them,
and bring up themselves, bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Because God's going to deal with this stuff, you guys. He's going to deal with the birds.
He's going to deal with the lemon.
And there's no guarantees that he's going to be gentle about it.
Now, it appears that these two parables that Jesus shares,
provokes a big question here in the next few verses.
Where they come to him in verse 22,
and they say, and he went through the cities and villages,
teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem,
and then one said to him, Lord, are there few who are saved?
And he said, oh boy.
What do you think?
Are there few who are saved?
That's really, it is a good question.
Yes, I would have to say yes.
There's few who are saved, and we're going to look at that as we read through this.
from what I've seen in the last 40 years of walking with Jesus,
I see few people who honestly lay down their lives and pick up their cross and follow him.
Very few.
In fact, I got to hang out with a couple of them that have yesterday.
I've known these guys for 40 years.
And to watch them still walk with Jesus with zeal is encouraging to me because they're older than I.
am. One's a pastor friend of mine who we had gone to prison with each other. You didn't know your
pastor was a jailbird. We actually were part of the Chuck Colson prison invasion back in 1986.
We had this incredible experience with the Lord, he and I. And as I looked back, that was the
defining moment, I think, for both of us. Because it's almost something you can't, you can't put
into words. It was one of those things that the presence of the Lord was speaking to both of our hearts
simultaneously at the same time. And then as I look back at the trajectory of my life, in his life,
I'm just going, wow, God had a plan. And he's one of them. But I can count probably on just on both
hands how many that I've been really close to over the years.
Some that I thought would never falter.
Aren't even walking with the Lord anymore.
In fact, I don't even know if they could quote John 316.
Are few saved?
Well, if you go by, just go by the parable of the sowers.
How many?
25%.
I was in a group of pastors over at Water Springs sometime back, and this question came up,
one of the pastors said, no way, not 25, only 10.
10 out of 100.
That honestly pick up their cross, deny themselves, and follow Jesus.
So the question, are there few who are saved?
And Jesus said,
strive to enter through the narrow gate.
From any I say to you, we'll seek to enter and will not be able.
Warren Wersby says, the question is not how many will be saved,
but whether or not you will be saved.
Get that settled first, and then we can discuss what you and I can do to help others get saved.
Right?
Stride.
Oh, that word.
I love it.
Because it's an athletic term.
It means to agonize.
Agonize.
Just like an athlete physically agonized to get the very,
to become the very best at their craft.
Agonized to enter.
You don't strive to be saved, folks.
You strive because you are saved.
Get it?
So many people don't get that.
No, I got to do this and I got to do this.
No, you don't.
But once you're saved, there should be a fire in your soul
that propels you out into the world to be a bright and shining light
for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake.
right? And so we strive to do that. Not to be saved, but because we're saved.
Verse 25 says, when once the master of the house, strive to enter the gate,
because once when the master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand out
and knock at the door saying, Lord, Lord, open to us, and he will answer and say to you, I do not know you,
where you are from. Could there be more fearful words ever heard by the human ear than these?
Where Jesus says, I don't know you. You're an imposter. Right? And one of the other passages that parallels this,
it was somebody trying to sneak in.
He said, take him to the tormentors and torment him
because he tried sneaking in here.
He didn't come honestly.
God loves honesty.
You just come to the Lord with all your baggage
and just be honest.
He can deal with that.
But like Proverbs said,
he who covers his sin will not prosper.
He won't prosper.
If you're covering it, get it out in the open.
Right?
Confess your faults one to another.
Find somebody you can, you have confidence in.
You can confess to them.
Get rid of it.
Otherwise, it's just this constant weight, right?
It's like the guy in the animated Pilgrim's Progress, you know, packing that load.
No, just come to Jesus.
Be honest.
confess your sin and he's faithful in just to wipe it away and take the burden off your heart,
to set you free from your guilt.
We have a certain amount of time.
Till the door's closed, in or out.
Where are you?
Are you in?
I swear I want to be when the door closes.
I want to be in.
lest we hear those horrific words.
Sorry.
Don't know you.
Verse 26.
Then you will begin to say,
we ate and drank in your presence,
and you taught in our streets.
We came to our west.
We went to the nest banquet and donated money.
We sponsored a child in Africa.
You were with us.
They were close.
They were among the wheat, but they were tears.
You know, the other parable, the weed among the tears.
The infection is going to continue until Jesus comes.
And then what does he say there?
In the parable with the tears, he says, and the angels will separate them.
Sheep and the goats, wheat and the tears.
But what we did, sorry, no but, your butts aren't going to work.
Verse 27.
But he will say, I tell you, I do not know.
you. Where you are from, depart from me, all you workers of iniquity. The word for
iniquity there is evil. You're a worker of evil. You put on a good show. Right? You know
how to say, you know, praise the Lord and pass the communion. You know how to do that.
but you're a worker of iniquity
when you're a worker of iniquity
God knows
some people
what they think they get away with
I'm just like really
you really think God doesn't see this
right
you really think that
doesn't see you playing games on your phone right now or shopping i'm just i'm just checking out
craigslist pastors i've got to admit you're a little dull
i really don't know that the the final judgment on irreverence but i'm not a very reverent reverend
So, well, I'm not a reverend, so I've been called that.
It doesn't fit.
But think about this.
He's, you know, he says, depart from me.
This seems so unfair.
And we're trying, man.
We're trying.
You're trying to do what?
You're not being honest with God.
Right?
You're living in this place of Levin, not even trying to get rid of us.
But it's not about trying.
I'll try to be better.
I've been really good.
People tell me that all the time.
I got family members.
I've been being really good.
You know, this one was a meth addict.
And he's just like, I've been really good.
Haven't been doing that.
No, but you're sexually perverse.
That hasn't changed.
So you think you're okay because you did away with the alcohol and the drugs?
It's not about trying, folks.
It's about surrendering.
just surrender
surrender
all that we are
all that we hope to become
that's what my wife and I said
when we got married to each other
we surrender really
all that we are all that we hope to become
we surrender to each other
and holy matrimony
the Lord being the
centerpiece of our relationship
and that's where Connie and I find
our peace our
our worth
our hope
our joy is all found in him
and then we get to share that with one another
as we walk through this life
I love the story of America
because for the
for the idea to succeed
here in the good old US of A
for the colonists back then
our forefathers
had to truly pledge their lives, fortune, and sacred honor to establish the new country.
They had to surrender all, really.
They knew that when they put their John Hancock on that declaration, they knew that it meant death for them.
If Britain would have come in and won, it would have been death for them.
and if men can do that for a country,
ought we not be able to do it for our God
who is not threatened by death
or poverty?
He's not threatened by any of those things
that you and I could be threatened by.
It's such an awesome story.
They surrendered all.
Because those who are not willing to surrender,
those who are not willing to surrender to Jesus qualify as a worker of iniquity.
Because that's more important.
Jesus shares the conversation.
consequences in verse 28, where he says, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see
Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves
thrust out.
Now, many believe he's speaking to Jewish people here. Some think that weeping and gnashing of
teeth is just a severe displeasure. Others believe no. This is talking about the torments of hell.
being separated from God for eternity.
And in light of chapter 16 that will be to here in a while,
I would have to agree with the latter.
Because he says, notice, he says,
there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see,
notice, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,
and all the prophets in the kingdom of God,
and you thrust out. It's like they could see those who are going to be separated from God
are going to be able to see into the place of comfort where Abraham is, with the people of faith are.
Just like the rich man saw Lazarus comforted in the bosom of Abraham. And it's like there's a one-way glass
where the evil can see where those who are righteous because they surrendered to Jesus are being comforted,
are in peace, and they'll be able to see it. I think part of their torment, part of the
of their gnashing of teeth is going to be because of that, what they're going to see.
Did you imagine?
It would be pretty hellish.
Watching your family, enjoying peace and safety and joy forevermore, being in the presence of the Lord.
And you thrust out, he says.
Thrust out.
I don't know.
That gives me the eb-be-jeebies.
Because I know I deserve to be thrust out.
But that torment, that separation is going to be horrific.
Psalm 1611 says,
That will show me the path of life in thy presence is the fullness of joy.
At that right hand, there are pleasures forevermore.
And to be able to see that, see the joy.
of those who are in the presence of the Lord.
And you or I, because of our unfaithfulness, are missing out.
Verse 29, and they will come.
And this is like sticking the knife in and twisted it for the Jewish mindset.
And they will come from the east and from the west and from the north and from the south
and sit down in the kingdom of God.
He's talking about Gentiles here.
from all over the world people who have put their faith and trust in Christ,
they're going to come and they're going to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the prophets,
and they're going to experience the comfort and the peace of God and the kingdom of God.
Simply why?
Simply because they were willing to humble themselves.
It's the last time you humbled yourself before the Lord.
So I want to give you an opportunity to do that.
It's just a good practice.
It's just a good practice to humble yourself before the Lord.
I remember I used to go down for prayer for no other reason than to be humble,
saying, Lord, I need you.
I need somebody to pray with me.
And they will come from the east and the west and from the north and from the south
and sit down in the kingdom of God.
And indeed, there are the last who will be first and there are the first who will be last.
Who knows who that is?
I have no idea.
As long as I'm last, I'm okay.
Right?
I just soon be last.
Because Jesus talks about that, right?
When he tells that story of the guy that comes in,
he's kind of all pompous and he sits down in front.
And pretty soon the stewards come in and say,
I'm sorry, this is reserved.
Go to the back.
Jesus said, no, oh, he should have went to the back first and sat on the floor.
Because when you do that, the only way to go from there is up.
Right?
That's why the Bible says, humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Humble yourself.
We're going to enter into communion.
I'm going to have the worship team come up.
If you don't have some communion, these guys are going to be taking it around real quick.
Raise your hand and they'll get you some communion.
And we're going to remember the Lord.
But listen, I want you to think about this.
Don't feel compelled to do communion.
If you're not ready to do communion, don't do communion.
Don't heap judgment upon yourself if you're not right with God.
Right?
Just consider, count the costs.
Take your time. The Lord is patient.
And just let it go on by. You don't have to do communion.
Well, what will people think? Who cares what people think?
That's kind of like when I encourage people to humble themselves.
Well, how come pastor, you always call us to come up front?
Why is that? It's so embarrassing.
Really? Really?
That's embarrassing?
Listen, Jesus hung on a cross totally naked, totally naked for you and for me publicly.
And we get wotted up about coming up and getting prayed for.
Well, people think I'm weak.
You are weak.
That's why you need to come up and get prayed for, right?
That's why I go over here and get prayed for because I'm weak.
So humble yourself on the side of the Lord.
give him an opportunity to lift you up.
That's on you.
All this stuff we've been reading about.
It's all on us.
The attitude, what we're willing to give up.
Are we willing to worship?
Willing to worship him.
So as we take the bread, we're going to bring it before the Lord.
And that night when Jesus was betrayed and they arrested him and began to rip the flesh from his body.
Some of the studies they've done on the shroud of Turin, it's fascinating how many blows they can estimate that Christ received.
And he did that for you and I was willing to give his, as the psalmist said, he gave, I gave my back to the smiters.
that they ripped the flesh.
They said between the 22nd and 35th last with a Roman scourge,
you could push the flesh apart and see the internal organs.
And he did that for us.
Out we not to humble ourselves before him?
Lord, we hold the bread before you right now.
And we thank you.
Thank you that you are willing to give your back.
Not just your back, but your head and your hands and your feet and your side.
Lord, those that brutalized you,
their very sin of crucifying the Lord of glory was forgivable because of how good you are.
If you take this bread, Lord, and as we crush up between our teeth, Lord,
will we remember you, the greatness of our God.
The most gracious, powerful act in human history was you going to that cross for us.
Bless the bread as we partake with thankful hearts, the bread of life.
Let's partake.
Likewise, the cup. You took it.
This is the blood that is shed for you.
It's a new covenant.
Lord, you give us this covenant and you signed it with your blood.
That it scrubs all that iniquity away from us who are bent towards it, Lord.
And we all are.
We've all sinned and fallen short of your glory.
And your precious blood comes along and washes us clean.
And so, Lord, as we remember your blood, we praise you for it.
Would you bless it as we partake?
In Jesus' name, let's partake.
Lord, I just pray for those who you're ministering to their hearts, maybe even right now.
They know they just need to get right with you.
Lord, I just, by your spirit, would you encourage you?
him to come forward. As a prayer team, I ask the prayer team to come forward now.
Come forward and be prayed for. As this song plays, as you worship in your heart,
don't be ashamed of your king because he wasn't ashamed of you when you hung on that cross.
Home of yourself and let him lift you up.
We love you, Jesus.
we worship you in spirit and in truth in Jesus' name. Amen. Let's worship. Let's all stand.