A Gospel Exhortation for the New Year

and we'll read from the 23rd verse as Colossians chapter 1 verse 23, if indeed you continue in the faith stable steadfast not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven and of which I, Paul, became a minister. May God richly bless both the reading and the hearing of his holy word. Now this morning this being the first Sunday of a new year. What we want to do is just offer a gospel exhortation for the new year, a gospel exhortation. Now that can be tricky. I was listening to an interview with Fleming Rutledge who was an outstanding Piscopalian, theologian slash writer, etc. And she was commenting on how she hates when preachers become exhortive in their preaching. And she gave a good reason. She says the reason is because usually our exhortations are you must. And she says preachers if your sermon ends with then you must then you are probably not doing a good job in preaching the gospel. And so with Fleming's great classic Southern accent in my ear, I do want to offer an exhortation but I want to offer an exhortation that is drenched in the gospel. So I want to look at this really through three, from three different perspectives or three vantage points that we want to consider from this particular passage. And the first thing to note as we look at this exhortation is that the nature of this exhortation, and I think this is where Fleming is concerned. But anyways, the nature of this exhortation corresponds to the central truth or the central concern that Paul addresses in the letter. So the nature of the exhortation, even though it's given at the beginning of the letter, it really is, it acts as everything else that he writes in this letter. And it is actually his corrective to the problem. You see, in other words, the problem that Paul was addressing, the question that he seems to be answering in this particular letter, is the tendency towards a law-slash or works based approach to spiritual empowerment and spiritual intimacy. And that seems to be the issue. I've often said that the contrast between Colossians and the book of Galatians is that the problem that Paul addresses in the book of Galatians is those who were teaching a gospel of justification by faith and works. So at that point, Paul completely repudiates a dependence on obedience to the law as a means of justification before God. The question that he seems to be answering to the Colossians is sanctification and spiritual empowerment that according to the teachers that were infecting this congregation was also law-based. And so in other words, it was not justification by the law, but it was spiritual empowerment by the law and spiritual intimacy through works of the law or works of obedience. And Paul in this passage repudiates all of that. Now, to get an idea of what I mean by spiritual intimacy and spiritual empowerment by works of the law, look at his warnings that he gives throughout this letter. And I'll call attention first to two places in chapter two. In chapter two, verse eight, here's Paul's warning to the Colossians. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world and not according to Christ. Now here, again, the philosophies and the principles that he's addressing are not those things that will make you save, but those things that will make you strong. In other words, those things that will make you closer to God, those things that will break the bondage of this. So he says, no, don't, now that you've been saved by grace, don't seek intimacy with God through human performance or through law or even secondary laws. But also in chapter eight, goes in even or chapter two, I'm sorry, he goes even further in chapter two and verses 16 through 19. Now here he calls attention to some of the things that the teachers in the church among the Colossians were those things that this is what you need to do with you had this if you suffered this last year then this is what this maybe is because you're not doing this or you're not doing the other thing. So beginning in verse 16 he says, therefore, let no one pass judgment on you in question of food and drink or with regard to festival or new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one disqualify you insisting on asceticism and worship of angels going on in detail about visions puffed up without reason by this by their sensuous mind and not holding fast to the head from whom the whole body nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments and grows with the growth that is from God. So in other words, what Paul is warning or writing against in this exhortation is that if you seek to be empowered, if you recognize there's a deficiency in your spirituality, don't return to the elemental things of the world. Don't go back to law thinking that somehow that's going to give you the breakthrough that you are looking for. Now I would contend that there are many Christian resolutions including I'm going to start going to church this year. I'm going to start going to Bible study. There are a number of many Christian resolutions and redeucations and recommitments that are based on some false assumptions that Paul seeks to debunk in this passage. In other words, there are some people that are going to start tithing because they got they were reckless last year and they figured that God cursed them last year. The reason they couldn't do this and the others because the Lord put a curse on them because they weren't giving the first fruit. Flush that. Right? And some people might even be here or somewhere else in a building like this. As a matter of fact, on our way to church we passed by a kingdom hall and I don't know what was going on today but people were usually we see them mostly after on our way home from church but they were lined up outside of the kingdom hall and I'm thinking yeah they are law-based. Somebody has dedicated themselves because they are convinced that the reason they went through a slump last year is because they didn't do A, B and C. I think this is what Paul is attempting to debunk. Some people are thinking that somehow by doing this that or the other are starting a new regimen or making the reason I wasn't blessed is because I didn't plant seed money. The reason I didn't do this is or the reason I didn't get that, the reason my children didn't behave because I forgot. I took I stopped having my quiet time so I'm going I told the Lord I'm going to start my quiet time as soon as the first of the year came and Paul's exhortation in this letter and really centralize in this verse has nothing to do with human effort and human performance. Paul is not writing in other words he's telling people that the means of the route to intimacy the route to spiritual empowerment is not according to you remembering to do A, B or C and he's not telling us to he's exhorting us not by telling people to do more but the whole thrust of his letter or the thrust of his thought throughout this letter is not that Christians would do more but rather we would rest. This tension his his his focus and his his main point seems to be that your empowerment lies in what you've been given and so therefore this exhortation it it follows it follows the thrust of the balance of the letter that that and it and it is a rebuttal that somehow by doing these things or stopping certain things that's the other thing that I'm just going to stop doing this and yeah I got two caught up and and all and by the way all of those things might be true maybe you did waste too much time maybe you did neglect some things that you shouldn't have neglected but A is not the cause of B. A is not the cause of B. A is just A and B is just B. So Paul is is undermining this idea that seems to have been circulating and and it's interesting especially in the verses that we just read from verses 16 through 19 it's interesting how contemporary are some of those things out just this morning I was looking through a jury box and and saw this this pin that someone gave me years ago and they gave it to me and all sincerity and it just amazes me this came from a Christian setting they gave me this pin to put on my lapel so that I would always be mindful it was a guardian angel that they gave me a pin that by my guardian angel and I never wore it in fact it's still stuck to the paper but I have it now I just I just stuck I just it just dawned on me it just you know it satan's me I mean if I were on the street if I were going to a flea market or someplace I understand it if I'm just walking the street somebody give me some nonsense like that I understand it but the thing that satan's me and the reason I didn't throw it away and it reminded me of why we need to be clear of the gospel that we embrace and I refuse to throw it away put it away so that we never forget how important the gospel is because that prettiest pin was given to me by someone in a Christian church someone is really thinking that somehow God's power this is a point of contact and by wearing this that somehow blessings will be open so pause exhortation this exhortation is to refute all of these things but but look in verses 16 through 19 and all of these things visions people are waiting for visions so that they can find out something honoring this feast day and that feast day honoring angels worship of angels all of these things pause says no there's no power in that and that's what he says don't get cheated by these things I know sometimes when you get sad at night and your televisions on and that's where all the crap pots come out on Christian television and they will they will catch you in the midst of your misery feeling sorry for yourself and they have all sorts of stuff everything from holy water to holy cloths pause exhortation is to say no these things don't have any value to them so the nature of his exhortation that's found in this verse corresponds to the problem that he's addressing within this church and it also corresponds to his solution to that problem yes spiritual empowerment we're all we all get a little spiritually sluggish at times we all drag our feet at times we all are weakened at times the pause argument is that the solution to those issues real as they may be is not about you doing but rather about you resting but that brings us to the second thing to note here and that is the tone and the thrust of this exhortation as we said is not aimed at exerting more human effort towards moral improvement if you if you need to to make some moral improvement then just make it just in other words if you need to be more involved in your family just do it don't expect anything on the other side of it other than it's the right thing to do if you need to be more conscientious of your giving towards church and others then just do it not hoping that at the end of it you'll have more of an increase no just do it because it's the right thing to do but the tone and the thrust of pause exhortation here is not aimed at exerting more human effort towards moral improvement and then presenting this as the means of gaining spiritual intimacy or being empowered on the contrary pause exhortation is for his readers and listen at this to continue he says and he lists a couple things for us to continue in he says continue and he gives this this this this catchphrase continue in the faith continue in the faith now we need to just kind of delineate here and make a couple things clear anytime you see the in front of faith it is the the emphasis there is not on subjective faith in other words you're subjective or personal trust anytime you see the in turn in front of faith it's it's it's referring not to subjective or even situational faith now here's what I mean by situational faith in any given situation situational faith in safe for instance Daniel Daniel in the lion's den Daniel's saving faith was not on display there but his situational faith was he trusted that God would deliver him through that experience that situational trust and and and his it's not saving faith it's situational it's not it's not objective it's subjective Daniel's faith is not you know the same thing could be said of his three friends when they were facing the prospect of the fiery furnace they they're individual situational faith caused them to trust in God in that situation so that even though in the case of the of Daniel he did not refuse to pray even though he knew that praying would cause him to be executed and the same thing with his three friends they did not bow down to the idol even though they knew it meant the death penalty so that situational faith but when you see the word the in front of faith it's not about personal subjective situational faith rather faith in use in that context and in that sense refers to the body of truth about the person and work of Christ held in common by everyone who looks to Christ for salvation every time you see the faith that's what's referred to it's not about your personal trust is not about your personal experience but what is alluded to there is the body of truth about the person and work of Christ held in common by everyone who looks to Christ for salvation in essence what Paul says here or what he means here by the term faith is the same thing that Jude means in Jude the book of Jude when he when he writes beloved I was eager to write to you about our common salvation and I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith and notice there's that phrase again to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints now whereas Jude is exhorting believers to contend for the faith which means defended in other words fight for and basically what Jude is exhorting is that and he's writing to a congregation or a group of churches telling them they've been in essence too sloppy concerning the faith you've let anybody and everybody come up in here and he says you need to contend for the faith and in fact he goes on to say because there are those who have crept in unawares they come in looking like us perhaps sounding like us on some things but then when they open their mouth they are spewing heresy so what Jude is saying is he's exhorting his readers to fight for the faith amen defend the faith if people don't like it then they just don't like it but defend for the truth don't water down the truth of what God has said be clear be unapologetic about what we believe and so his exhortation is to fight for those for that body of truth that makes us Christian don't broaden the circle and make everybody Christian who just happens to have them who everyone who is spiritual is not necessarily Christian and that's what Jude is saying but Paul is exhorting Christians not to fight for the faith not to defend for the faith but Paul is exhorting us to be stable and to be steadfast and to not be shifting in the faith which he calls by the way the hope of the gospel I think the important implication here is that Paul is suggesting that a firm grasp of the faith is what strengthens us in our walk in our service and perhaps some of those things that that the Colossians were seeking to fix by programs and seeking to fix fixed by principles were really could be fixed by being more steadfast in the body of truth that we hold to as Christians and so we see this by the way in chapter two in chapter two verses one through five similar exhortation and in light of it in fact he says for I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Lea Decia and for all who have not seen me face to face that their hearts may be encouraged being knit together in love to reach all of the riches of full assurance and notice this how of understanding the knowledge and the knowledge of God's mystery which is in Christ in who are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge I say this or in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments so in other words what Paul is saying here's what I here's my here's what might help you not not being suffered into buying this program or that program or starting this regiment over something else but as he says here in our text that Christians would be stable and steadfast and unshifting and then what he says here in chapter two is to really drop down into the rich treasures of God's grace in the knowledge of Christ. In other words brothers and sisters the road to empowerment and the road to enrichment and the road to spiritual intimacy is not found in human efforts but really in going into the riches of what we have in Jesus what a wonderful thought Paul was saying on the flip side of this is that perhaps a shifting or an unsteady grasp of the faith is the source of confusion and it is the source of spiritual insecurity and it is this state of spiritual insecurity and spiritual immaturity that makes one vulnerable to all sorts of rules all sorts of laws all sorts of principles all sorts of steps that can lead us to an empowerment that we'll never get I've talked to Christians who have been down just about every fat that has come out I've talked to some and and they said you know I if it came out I had it I had it I went through it was every workshop was all of the conferences tried it all and at the end of it we come back looking for more and Paul's exhortation is that maybe maybe our journey towards something else is because we never took the time to really get in and do a deep dive into what it means to be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ maybe we didn't really do a deep dive into the fact of God amazing amazing grace why shared an article with me a couple years ago about that was written by this this woman who was writing about Christians who were wondering if whether or not they're sin now that they were believers had somehow distanced themselves from God and maybe that God no longer loved them and they needed to do this that and the other and she was very plain and very simple about it she she went back to the book of Romans and in Romans chapter five God says while you were yet sinners God said forth to Son while you and then he and in a number of different ways while you were enemies God said forth to Son and so the writer went on to say if God loved you while you were dead in trespasses and sins if he sent his son for you while you were guilty and an enemy of his what makes you think now that you are his child he doesn't continue to love you if you want to steady your feet if you want to realize more of his power take time to really get into what it means to be loved by such an awesome holy God brothers and sisters try it go the steps you can go and some folk have stuff all over in fact I have in my office and I share it sometimes a brother came from this radio station wanted to meet with me and talk and and he gave me because he knew he was coming to meet with me so he gave me I thought it was a joke but he meant it gave me a bottle of anointing oil somebody's resolution this year is to discover the anointing of God and I want to tell you right now that's yours or if you know someone who was on that journey and if it leads you anywhere other then to probe the deep treasures of God's grace in Christ I tell you you need to be a good loving brother and sister and point them in another direction you see pause exhortation is not for Christians to do more but for Christians to have a stronger grasp I love what he says and do not shift from the hope of the gospel do not shift from it hold steps as to it trust it is it what else do I need to do and we are restless but we are like toddlers right we can't be still on spiritual things we just have to add something to it and Paul says here's what you do just be steadfast in believing no human effort but human trust and belief in spite of what is what has been and what you are afraid of that brings me to the third thing and that is what are some of the aspects of the faith that we need to be steadfast and on shifting in and those things and I would argue this that when Paul says that we are to be steadfast and on shifting he also means that the truth because the facts the basic facts of the gospel do not change but we get different grasp and different angles of that same truth and our responsibility is to integrate the truth and the implications of that truth into every aspect of our being I don't know how many of you remember that game that came out in the 70s it was a color cold game called mastermind and then they even had super mastermind but there was a little slogan on the box that I loved about that game it says it takes minutes to learn but a lifetime to master minutes to learn I think about that with the gospel the basic facts of the gospel you can set it out in in in a few seconds Paul does it he summarizes it beautifully in 1 Corinthians 15 that Jesus according to the scriptures was was was born and that Jesus according to the scriptures was offered up and died and was crucified and according to the scriptures he rose on the third day boom that's it the life birth or the birth the life and the death and resurrection of Jesus what is the gospel you would ask me the gospel is that God sends forth his son to be born of a woman who takes on our nature and in our nature he obeys the law of God for us and in our nature he bears the penalty for our sins and in our nature he is buried and raised from the dead on the third day seen by men believed on by many and 40 days later he is sent it into the heavens where he presently sits in our nature in a body like ours at the right hand of the father waiting until his enemies are made his footstool now we said that I'm just in a couple minutes right brothers and sisters I've been on this journey a little bit now and I'm amazed at how much is packed into that truth and not only how much is there but to integrate the truth of that into various aspects of my human existential experience that's what what what Paul is calling for here not that we learn new facts now granted sometimes we get lazy that's one of the reasons if we get no more if we get no more than the creed our nice thing creed you have enough to know what the gospel is but here's what what Paul has given us and I want to just look at what he says we had in our in our call to worship verses 15 through 20 so let me just cite four things that Paul sort of summarizes that we need to be steady on that we need to be unshifting on and that we need to find ways to integrate into our thinking and into all of our actions as we encounter whatever unfolds in 2019 first one is this Christ is Lord over all of creation verses 15 through 17 he makes this point in chapter 1 beginning in verse 15 he is the image of the invisible God the first born of all creation by the way let me just say that of about that first born of creation that does not mean Jesus is the first thing born what that means you remember in the Old Testament this the idea of the first born was so important to Jacob that he stole that right from his brother the the rights of the first born in other words the status of first born carried with it it meant that you were the primary heir of all that the father had and so Jacob stole the first the birthright that's what's called the birthright he was he wasn't the first born that that was really each all but Jacob and his mother helped him but he stole that birthright so in other words when it says that Jesus is the first born overall creation what is simply saying is that everything that you see that is created by God has will see later was created by him but it was also created for him that he is the heir of all of creation for by him all things were created in heaven and earth visible and invisible and here's what's going to be very important for 2019 whether it's it's thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities all things were created through him and for him and he is before all things and in him all things hold together brothers and sisters here's what we need to be steady yet here's what we need to be unshifting in here's what we need to be clear on Jesus not will be Jesus is Lord of all so as you as you get your news feeds don't forget Jesus is Lord of all things don't shift on that Christians over the last few years have shifted because they have certain political genders don't shift on this doesn't matter what happens in the Middle East Jesus not looking for a hole he's sitting on a throne he's not looking for a place no he is Lord of everything he has made all things and all things consist because of him he is Lord I remember a few years ago in Christian circles people asked well did you make Jesus your Savior which is always the spurious question have you I haven't made him anything but but then it gets worse have you made him your Lord and the answer I can finally say is no I have it but God has God has raised him from the great and has made him Lord of all things and so here's what we need to be unshifting on here's what we need to be stapled in in the knowledge that Jesus is Lord of all

he says dominion stones it doesn't matter he doesn't have a midterm he's not waiting for someone to like him he is Lord of all and you know what when he returns everybody that doesn't acknowledge it will he is Lord over all creation don't get sidetracked by the mess that the world is in it doesn't mean he is not Lord but here's the second thing Christ is head of the church verses verse 18 Paul makes this point here's the Lord of all things and then in verse 18 he says and he is the head of the body the church and I love that because it's indicating that the church is the true body it's the true humanity and Christ is the head of the church now that's that that speaks to us out of number of levels because some folk act like he's not some folk act like he's not the head of the church and sometimes we we get a little too Lucy Goosey because we forget who's the church who belongs who the church belongs to but he's the head of the church don't get confused by the denomination don't get confused by the history don't get confused by one fuzzy feeling Christ is head of the church don't get confused by the stuff that we see taking place he is still the head of the church he's the head of the church because he's the head of all creation that means it's under his control and because he's head of the church that's means not only is the church under his control it's under his care no I often said listen we we may not be safe in this world but we're secure and by safe that doesn't see we are in this world and it doesn't mean as the church it doesn't mean that people won't everybody won't you know there won't be people that don't like us it doesn't mean that doesn't mean that we won't suffer internally and externally those who seek to undermine its purpose those who seek to wipe it out of its existence but understand that the safest institution in this world is the church because the church is the body of Christ and even though he allows us to to to go as as far as in Romans that he has sent us forth as sheep before ravaging wolves but that's okay there is not a wolf that he is not ordained to be in our path

there's not a snake that he doesn't allow to exist that he in our midst that he doesn't have control over the serpent didn't sneak into the garden he snuck up on Adam but he didn't sneak up on God

in fact he was tossed to the earth brothers and sisters as you head into 2019 remember that Christ is Lord over all creation remember that Christ is the head of the church so that means whatever happens in the created order is not outside of his will or beyond his power and that means that whatever happens to his church is not outside of his will nor beyond his power and what it means is that the church is under the tender care of the God who loved it and shed his blood for it I think that ought to strike a sense of reverence in the hearts of those who are part of it and Paul uses that language to to warn preachers he says listen you didn't be careful be careful be careful how you shepherd the flock of God which he has bought with his own blood I think that reminds it's the Paul the writer of Hebrews reminds members that hey hold in mind now when you when you submit to the church you are under the oversight of the great bishop of the souls and you may not like so and so but hold in mind that when you stand before God there is one mediator between God and man and that's Christ Jesus but he does have supervisors and they will have to speak for your soul that's what look in Hebrews 13 we have to give an account for your souls but here's the third thing that Paul reminds us of and I think we need to be mindful of that as we head into the new year that whatever else we have experienced Christ has reconciled us to the father through his blood we're reconciled verses 20 and 21 he says and through him to reconcile to himself all things whether on earth or in heaven making peace by the blood of his cross whatever the reason for your life becoming a living hell last year it's not because you don't have peace with God we need to know that we need to be grounded in that truth reminded of that that that yes we're not saying that that everything that you touch turned the goal it may have been the mightest touch in reverse saying by everything you touch turned to mud whatever the reasons are behind it it's not because you've not been reconciled you've been reconciled and Paul locates the point of our reconciliation in the blood of Jesus so moving forward don't shift on that don't shift on that brothers the sisters let me tell you this because one of the reasons we can't shift on that listen we sometimes surprise ourselves at the depths to which even believers will stoop there are things that you made say and do that you would disown in your sober saying moments but then when we review the tape it was you and even though it was us here is the tenacious love of God that as gross and as immature and as wicked as that was he has not turned his love away from you because the blood of ice pleads on your behalf and purges you in the eyes of the father so that he will never ever cast you out you are his so factor that whatever else might explain all of the other stuff I can't explain the drama that's not my job but I can tell you where your drama did not come from it didn't come to you because God is is waiting for you to be reconciled God is not a child he's not thirteen God is a holy and wise God and he has reached down to reconcile himself to you through his son and the love of the son means that as long as the blood of the son is valid before the father you have peace with God but here's the fourth and final thing Paul tells us here in verse 22 not only has Christ reconciled us to the father the Christ will also present us to the father blameless a holy blameless and without a reproach what a wonderful statement he self tells us again in verse and verse 20 in verse 22 I'm sorry in verse 22 he has now reconciled in his flesh in the body in his body of flesh by his death in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach to him wonderful thought it doesn't there's no room for you to add you in there doing anything here's the truth of the matter those that have been reconciled to God through the blood of Christ here's what he's not trying to do I often say this God is not a trying to God he doesn't try to do anything he does it and here's what he has to here's what he will do here's what Christ will do here's this is not what he's hoping to do this is not on his dream list here's what he will do when your life is over he will present you holy blameless and without reproach to the father whatever 2019 brings you I pray that you are stable and steadfast and unshifting in knowing that Jesus is Lord of all and knowing that he's the head of the church and knowing that you are reconciled to God through his blood and in knowing that the final destination that you will arrive at is the throne of the father and you don't you you you might not believe this but here's what you're going to look like have you ever seen yourself without spot without blemish without sin well that's why John says it has not appeared it is yet to be what we will be we it hasn't it hasn't happened yet but here's the description of it you will be holy you will be blameless and you will be without reproach here's the gospel exhortation stand in that be unmovable in that don't shift in it the winds are going to shift but don't you shift don't let anybody think that you're going to get a rusty crown when you get to heaven don't let anybody make you think that somehow you're going to be in heaven but in the outer darkness no here's what I will be I'll let anybody think that somehow God has mad at you because the blood of Christ says he's reconciled himself to you I'll let anybody make you think somehow the church has gone to hell no it hasn't some folk think they're in church are but not the church because the church is under the care of Christ whatever else happens in the world he's in control let that be our exhortation for the new year let us integrate that into all of our thinking not that we would make improvements we are to make improvements for whatever reason but here's what our exhortation is to be steadfast and unshifting in the knowledge of what God has given us in our wonderful Savior Jesus Christ let's pray father we do thank you for your word we thank you for the reminder of what you have done in Christ and who we are in him and what we will be when he returns you've given us the gift of a new year as long as we breathe we will always see things that we should have done and things that we should not have done we pray that from the vantage point of this brand new year this first Sunday of a new year that we would analyze ourselves carefully through the lens of the cross of Christ so that the deeds of the flesh would be magnified and we would be strengthened to put it to death so that we can hone our thoughts and our affections according to who we are in Christ Jesus let us be built up and steadfast in the knowledge of what you have done because this is our hope and this is your gift and your treasury of grace to us everything that has been done and everything that has been accomplished in Christ and we thank you for your holy spirit by whom we are attached to the merits and the mercies that are in Christ and pray your blessings now in Christ name amen amen as we prepare for the table I'm going to ask brothers to come forward and we will prepare for our preparatory scripture now this is our communion service where we receive from the Lord's table so let me remind you number one that if you have never made a profession of faith a credible profession of faith and by credible profession of faith what we mean is that if you have never confessed yourself to be a sinner under the just condemnation of a holy God and if you have not looked by faith to the person of Christ as having come in human flesh to live for our righteousness and die for our sins if you have not made that profession by faith to a church body we ask that you with and that he was raised I should say by the power of God where for our justification if that has not been your confession to a church body and we ask that you would not participate in this portion of the worship service also if you have made such a profession and you are a member of a church body but for whatever reason for whatever circumstance that privilege has been withheld from you and maybe you are here this morning because you are not received over there and we ask also that you would not receive of the table because God ministers to us through his appointed means which includes his church body and so if the church has withheld the privilege then that is equivalent to God issuing his chastening through his church and so we do encourage you your presence is not by accident we encourage you to go back to your church and as much as possible to seek reconciliation according to the word and will of God but if you are a member of a church and this and you're not under the discipline of a local assembly and even if this is not your denomination whatever it is but if your belief is as we have set forth Christ living for your righteousness died for your sins raised for your justification and seated at the right hand of the Father if that is your faith then we exhort and encourage you to also receive of the emblems of the broken body and shed blood of our Savior if you you might say well I'm wrestling with something but if the church has not withheld that privilege then you don't have the right to discipline yourself self examination as Paul calls for in first Corinthians is not self discipline it is us recognizing who we are in the body and so we encourage you to receive it and to know that even now as you are as you are racked by guilt that the grace of the Father is greater than your sins and that's what he wants you to know because it is the grace of God that teaches us to say no to all unrighteousness so as you receive it receive and we admonish you to please confess to the Lord that you are not what you ought to be but thank him for the gift the gift of the Son who is and so with that we ask that you would again if you are members receive and and recognize that even though the portions are small it's not a snack it's a full blown dinner and in it we are being fed the substance of our righteous Savior his righteous life and his redeeming blood our preparatory scriptures taken from the 10th chapter of Hebrews and we'll read the first 25 verses for since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities it can never by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year make perfect those who draw near otherwise what they not have ceased to be offered since the worshipers having once been cleansed with no longer have any consciousness of sins but in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins consequently when Christ came into the world he said sacrifices and offerings you have not desired but a body you have prepared for me and burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure then I said behold I have come to do your will oh God as it is written of me in the scroll of the book when he said above you have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings these are offered according to the law then he added the whole I have come to do your will he does away with the first in order to establish the second and by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all and every priest stands daily at his service offering repeatedly the same sacrifices which can never take away sins but when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins he sat down at the right hand of God waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet for by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified and the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us for after saying this is the covenant that I will make with them after those days declares the Lord I will put my laws in their hearts and write them on their minds then he adds I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more where there is forgiveness of these there is no longer any offering for sin therefore therefore brothers since we have confidence into the holy place by the blood of Jesus by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain that is through his flesh and since we have a great priest over the house of God let us draw near with the true heart and full assurance of faith with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience in our bodies washed with pure water let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering for he who promised is faithful and let us consider how to stir up one another to love in good works not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near they God richly bless both the reading and the hearing