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213 burger dog bowl my servant shall deal through fish he shall be exalted and it stole that he very high just as men were astonished at you so his visit was marred more than any man and his form north of the sons of men socially sprinkle many nations Kings shall shut their mouths it for what had not been told it they shall see and what they had on earth they shall consider who does believed our work and to whom is the arm of the Lord being revealed where he showed up acorda has a tender plant and as a root on dry ground he has no horror ominous and when we see him there is no beauty division desire he is despised and rejected by man a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and he did as per our faces from him he was despised and needed us surely he has borne our griefs and carried our stories yet esteem him stricken smitten by God when he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement for our peace was upon him and by his all we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all he was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth he was led as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep or a cheer as a silent so he opened up his not he was stated for prison from jasmine and who will declare his generation where he was cut off the land of the living for the transgression of my people in description and they made his grave with the wicked but with rigid his death because he had done no violence nor was any deceit in his mouth yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he has grown intrigued when he made his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed he shall prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand I shall see you later the soul and be satisfied by his knowledge where he shall bear their iniquities therefore I would like an abortion would be great and he shall I the spoil of the strong because he poured out his soul unto death and he was numbered with the transgressors and he bore the sin of him and they let's stand together please be seated let's go to our God in prayer let us pray our righteous and our Heavenly Father we rejoice now a second time that we can gather on your lord's day Sabbath for your worship we thank you that we have this time and again that we have it in liberty and freedom unhindered by the outside world or by the government we thank you that we can gather together now in Liberty and we do pray that we would hallo your name that we would give you all honor and praise would you pray that you would be with us as we engage in the various elements of worship we pray that as we do so we would be in spirit and in truth worshipping you we would not have brought our blind or lame sacrifices this evening but we would rather worship you as you ought to be worshiped and we pray that it would come from us with genuineness of heart and with great joy that we can gather together to sing the praises of our triune God to rejoice in the saving perfection of our of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ and we would just ask that you would help us now to worship you are right we do thank you and praise you again for the forgiveness of sins we know that this comes solely and alone by your grace through the perfect work of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ the shedding of his blood we know that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin and we rejoice in the fact that we do have that in Jesus Christ our Lord we rejoice in his perfect work of obedience to your law his perfect workup on Calvary's tree wherein he secured the salvation of a multitude that no man can number we rejoice in his glorious and victorious resurrection from the dead on the third day and we thank you that he has been ascended to your right hand where he does ever live to intercede for all your Saints and we just rejoice in the truth of your word the truth of the gospel and would pray that you'd help us to do so throughout this time of worship we thank you that we can gather for a in a peculiar way for the observation of the Lord's Supper we do pray that our hearts would be prepared to meet you and worship this manner that we would take of the bread that we would take of the wine as we do this a little later this evening we pray that you would help us to do so reflecting solemnly upon the work of the Lord Jesus Christ but also in great joy and knowing that it is by the breaking of his body in the shedding of his blood that we have the forgiveness of sins and a Salvation in him by your grace that is perfect and we do just pray that you would be with us as we observe that blessed ordinance we do pray God that you would be again with all those who need prayer for those things physical there many sick many injured just strengthen them Lord and give them grace in the midst of suffering and affliction to endure the various pains and the various discomforts and the various restrictions that come with these things just help them and bless them in the midst of these things we do pray that you would lift them up in spirit that just caused them to rejoice in Christ and to rejoice in your gospel and to be resigned unto your will we do pray God that you would be with our fellow Saints brothers and sisters around the world we think of those in churches that are near to us here in chilliwack we do just pray that you'd strengthen your your churches here locally administers in the pulpits would proclaim the Word of God rightly and would preach our Christ and the gospel rightly we do pray that you give them them weekly the grace to do so we do pray that those who gather for worship would do so as well in spirit and in truth and that they would be well instructed and equipped by their in their churches in order to live in light of the glorious gospel we do pray for a churches that we know that our dear to us we think of the linlin glads across the border we think of a manual reformed baptist church in seatac we think of tom lyons church we think of pastor of our selasis church as well and many others god we do pray that you would strengthen them you would knit their hearts together of the Saints in those places and God that you would just grow them in the grace and in the knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord we pray that as well for us in this place that we would be united that we would be marked by a peace and unity in the spirit and God that we would strive as one man and in one spirit with one mind and that we would be striving for the faith of the gospel we do pray God that you would be with pastor Butler again as he brings the word tonight we pray that you would strengthen him in this pulpit as he opens his Bible to preach the things from your revealed Word we do pray that you would help him and give him much grace and aid in the pulpit we do pray that the act of preaching would be unto the praise of your name and God again that the gathered Saints here tonight would be instructed and encouraged by your word and God bye-bye spirit we would leave this place seeking to live in this upcoming week in a manner worthy of the gospel and we would yet pray again God that you would buy Amazing Grace save sinners tonight those who came in outside of Christ would leave in him and would leave singing the praises of your Most High name and it's in the name of the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ that we pray amen well let's stand and sing again our final him before the preaching is going to be him 129 him 129 let's stand and sing that together you Oh please be seated we can turn in your Bibles to first Peter chapter 2 for a meditation before we participate in the Lord's Supper first Peter chapter 2 our focus will be on verses 21 to 25 but I'll begin reading in verse 18 servants be submissive to your masters with all fear not only to the good and gentle but also to the harsh for this is commendable if because of conscience toward God one indoors grief suffering wrongly for what credit is it if when you are beaten for your faults you take it patiently but when you do good and suffer if you take it patiently this is commendable before God for to this you were called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that you should follow his steps who committed no sin nor was deceit found in his mouth who when he was reviled did not revile in return when he suffered he did not threaten but committed himself to him who judges righteously who himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree that we having died to sins might live for righteousness by whose stripes you were healed for you were like sheep going astray but have now returned to the Shepherd and overseer of your souls amen well let us pray our Father we thank you for the written word and we pray now for the Ministry of the Spirit who gave us this word we pray that he would be in our minds and hearts and that he would shine the light upon this passage of scripture that we would have fond thoughts of our Lord Jesus we go into the supper tonight help us to recall his substitution aerie atonement on behalf of his people help us to think through the implications of this on who bore our sins on the cross how great you are Lord God and how wonderful is the gospel of free and sovereign grace and how much we rejoice that you have called us to yourself through your son the Lord Jesus so fill us now with your Holy Spirit forgive us now from all of our sins and our transgressions wash us in the blood of the Lord Jesus and we pray in his Most Blessed name amen well the primary reason that Christ came into this world was to save his people from their sins oftentimes pastor Porter and I make sure try to highlight that reality in the first place he didn't come to be an example but primarily he came to be an atonement to be a substitute on behalf of his people but having said that that does not take away from the reality that he is an example and both Peter here Paul elsewhere show us or point us to the Lord Jesus when it comes to certain types of conduct and in this particular context he's talking to servants in fact one of the overarching themes in first Peter is submission to authority over you and in this particular section it is servants being submissive to their masters the previous section it's everyone submitting to the civil government in the following section we find wives being submissive to their own husbands so it's a repetitive theme in Peters epistle here this is what the Christian life worked out in life looks like it is submitting to lawful authority over us and so Peter sets forth the duty in verse 18 he says servants be submissive to your masters with all fear notice the specifics not only to the good and gentle but also to the harsh in other words it's easy to be submissive to those who are good and gentle the challenge comes when we have to be submissive to one who is harsh so it makes sense that Peter would point us to the example of the Lord Jesus who submits to those who are harsh toward him men wanted to destroy him what men wanted to kill him and crucify him and nevertheless he was indeed submissive in the next two verses Peter sets forth or explains why this is easing to God notice in verse 19 for this is commendable if because of conscience toward God one indoors Greece suffering wrongly you don't think we always think the way the bible calls us to think in other words if we are servants submitting to our masters and we are doing in a manner that is consistent with God's Word we can have that peace and that assurance and that comfort and encouragement that God is pleased in that I think sometimes we think that God is pleased with you know pioneer missionaries or God is pleased with the CH Spurgeon's and the John Calvin's God doesn't really notice those servants however that are submitting to their masters well Peter tells us opposite to that Peter tells us that this is commendable before the Lord God most high I think that the Bible gives dignity to every calling and to every vocation it doesn't matter where you find yourself in the wide spectrum of lawful callings you can do what you do for the glory of God and rest assured that he takes note of it and that it's commendable to him when servants are submissive in this manner Paul Peter goes on in verse 24 what credit is it if when you are beaten for your faults you take it patiently in other words you deserve it you ought to take it patiently but when you do good and suffer if you take it patiently this is commendable before God so you see Peters emphasis here for the servants being submissive to their masters now here he motivates her now here he encourages or he points them to the example of our Lord Jesus so the primary purpose Christ came to make substitution ariat own men but we can certainly draw out practical lessons in terms of example and that is precisely what Peter does in verses 21 to 25 so will notice two things first the description of Christ's redemptive suffering and then secondly the result of Christ's redemptive suffering note in the first place the description verses 21 to 24 a it is intriguing that the backdrop here is Isaiah the prophet pastor Porter red eyes 53 and while Peter specifically quotes Isaiah 53 verse 9 in verse 22 Peter alludes to the prophet Isaiah chapter 53 several times in the space of a few verses in verse 22 Isaiah 53 9 is quoted specifically verse 23 Isaiah 53 verse 7 several clauses in verse 7 or alluded to in verse 24 we find Isaiah 53 12 and Isaiah 53 4 and 5 and then of course in first Peter 225 we see Isaiah 53 verse 6 where we like sheep have gone astray but we have been recovered by the Shepherd and overseer of our souls so in many respects what Peter is doing is simply applying the suffering servant song to these servants in in his audience and he is telling them to likewise be the way that Christ conducted himself and Peter develops here first the person of Christ and the work of Christ notice he refers to the person of Christ in terms of his incarnation he doesn't spell out he doesn't get into the particulars he doesn't give us a broad detailed explanation but notice specifically in verse 24 who himself bore our sins in his own body this is a reference obviously to the form of Christ as a servant the fact that he came and he took on our nature the fact that he came and he identified with man the fact that he came and he took all our common infirmities and yet without sin Christ bore our sins in his own body the description of his suffering for his people indicates that was in the flesh Christ literally Christ really Christ affirmative Lee suffered in his flesh this does not negate the soulish suffering of Christ we see that in the garden his soul was exceedingly sorrowful even unto death but when Peter highlights this in the flesh ness I think Peter wants to encourage his readers that just as they are in the flash they need to submit to some difficult things as well and our Lord Christ did so in order to bear the sin of all those whom the father had given him he highlights with reference to the person of Christ the fact that he has sinless notice what Peter says in verse 21 for to this you were called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that you should follow his steps who committed no sin nor was deceit found in his mouth those who have been here for any period of time know where I'm going to go in the next few seconds the closer you are to someone the more you see their sin steel and Rebecca are going to get married on Saturday by Sunday they're going to learn some things about each other they that they hadn't previously known my dear wife is being surprised each and every day after 30 long years I can't imagine how I never saw these things before the familiar of the more familiar we are with a person the more we see their shortcomings the more familiar we are with a person the more we see their sins and it's an unfortunate reality of the human condition that those were most familiar with we typically send the most against there are things will do to our wonderful brides or husbands that we wouldn't do to other people we wouldn't be rude the way that we are to our wives or to our husbands you know if there was company over there are certain things we just wouldn't do notice that Peter spent three years with the Lord Jesus consider that three years with the Lord Jesus could someone spend three years with you and then say who committed no sin nor was deceit found in his mouth could they spend three seconds with you could they son spend three minutes with you could they spend three long years and be able to testify what Paul says elsewhere he was holy and harmless and undefiled this Lord Jesus Christ identifies with us and all our common infirmities he takes on our flesh he assumes our nature and yet without sin notice the specific concrete application of this verse 9 the state verse 23 22 rather the statement is given and now notice verse 23 who when he was reviled did not revile in return you see how helpful that would be for a servant who is being treated harshly your master is reviling be like your master and don't revile in return when he suffered he did not threaten but notice positively at the end of verse 23 but he committed himself to him who judges righteously now certainly as Jesus is holy harmless and undefiled as Jesus is this perfect being we notice in the first place that he does fulfill the law of God the act of obedience of our Lord Jesus but also he is the sinless one to provide the perfect sacrifice remember the Levitical law stipulated that when you brought your offering to the temple you didn't bring the leg you didn't bring the main you didn't bring the blind you didn't bring the one that was cancerous and diseased and was going to die no you went to the flock and you selected the best from your flock because you're serving the best god you're serving your way of Israel and our God deserves the best of your flock our God deserves what the temple signified the temple with all its pomp and splendor and show and glory was fitting for the great cave and so when the worshippers selected his animal he picked the best if he was a faithful Israelite we know of course from Malachi not everybody operated on that principle to see our Lord Jesus holy harmless and undefiled our Lord Jesus is the spotless one our Lord Jesus in the language of John the Baptist is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world this one never sinned so he does fulfill and serve and complete the act of obedience of Christ but he's also the perfect substitute to stand in the place of very imperfect people now notice Peter highlights the work of Christ still under the description of His redemptive suffering he states simply the fact of his suffering and death notice his suffering referred to in verse 23 it says who when he was reviled did not revile in return when he suffered he did not threaten now the suffering there is according to Jesus at in the form of a servant that's according to his humanity as God Jesus does not suffer this is what the doctrine of divine impossibility teaches the divine essence does not suffer it is not provoked there is no II motiva T there is no sort of reaction or response so Peter is highlighting the person of Christ in terms of this humanity Christ suffered the doctrine of divine impossibility ought never lead us to reduce that reality in that truth our Blessed Lord suffered our Blessed Lord went to great lengths to save us from our sins our Blessed Lord was identified as the man of sorrows and acquainted with grief our Blessed Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane sweated drops of blood under the the prospect of the coming wrath of God our Blessed Lord was slapped by a Roman soldier our Blessed Lord was spat upon by wicked man our Blessed Lord heard the cries of people saying away with him away with him crucify crucify him you see what Peter is doing you may think you have problems as a servant with your master but you ain't seen nothing yet you haven't felt the full force of man's rebellion and man's mutiny against you you certainly haven't entered in or tasted what the wrath and fury of God is all about what is it on the cross that Jesus cries out concerning is not from the assault of man it's my God my God why hast thou forsaken me it's when the father as it were turned his back upon the son that is what caused the Son of God to cry out so when Peter refers to his suffering here we need to embrace that we need to understand that we need to contemplate that and meditate upon that blessed reality and notice his death is referred to specifically in verse 24 who himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree on the tree obviously is a reference to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ the particular choice here probably harkens back to Deuteronomy 21 cursor is one who is hung on a tree Paul the Apostle quotes that in Galatians chapter 3 we see I believe it's Peter in acts five and again in acts 10 used the image of tree it is the violent death as a criminal on the cross again just in its exemplary context you servants be submissive to your own masters you servants be submissive to your own masters if it rises up in your hearts to complain and rebel and revile and and and just be a whiner and a sniveler then look at your Lord look at what Jesus went through look at the suffering he endured and look at the death that he endured on behalf of guilty vile helpless wretched sinners now Peter I think draws out the significance of his suffering and death notice it was substitution airy in nature verse 24 this is beautiful who himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree that's the language of substitution area tone meant that's the language that you and I can hang our souls upon it's because of that you know in concert with the active obedience to be sure that we're going to go to heaven he bore our sins in his own body on the tree these are the persons identified in 1st Peter chapter 1 verse to the elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father in sanctification of the spirit for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ turn back to John's Gospel it is never a hurtful thing it is never a tiring thing for a tiresome thing for a believer to reflect upon substitution Airy atonement notice in John 10 verse 11 I am The Good Shepherd the Good Shepherd gives his life for the Sheep substitution Christ gives his life for the Sheep substitution area torment I've already referred to Galatians 3 you may turn they're Galatians 3 specifically verse 13 pick it up in contacts verse 10 Galatians 3 10 for as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse for it is written cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them you see why you're in a bad straight if you reject the Lord Jesus if you continue to not believe the gospel if you continue in unrepentant if you continue to reject the proffered mercy the prophet grace of God or the offer of grace by God in the gospel then you are choosing to go about it in your own strength according to the law it's only one a one of two ways of approach to the Father it is either through the blood atonement of our Lord Jesus or it's through our own sweat work and labor but notice what the Apostle says curse it is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do that this is why persons who say you know I'm a pretty good person i I've never killed anyone I've never revolted against the government I pay my taxes I've never committed adultery I I think all in all I'm a pretty good guy or girl we asked them you ever said well yeah you know I'm not perfect well you need to be perfect that's the rub curse it is everyone who does not continue in all things that the law specifies needs to be perfect perpetual exact entire obedience to the law of God this is the beauty of the Christian gospel Jesus comes and he obeys the father every step Jesus does continue in all things that the law specifies Jesus does provide an act of obedience for his people our righteousness for his people through his act of obedience and he dies is the sinless one in our place and takes the wrath and fury of God this is why the gospel is good news it's beautiful news its glorious news we can never tire of this news this supper ought to always remind us of this news and not to cause us like David to whirl about and dance before the ark of the lord we have much to be thankful for brethren and light game and we ought to say to the Michaels who would detract and would say why would you do that you ain't seen nothing yet my god is so great and glorious and good My Christ is so beautiful and what he's done on my behalf I can't but praise you know I can't but celebrate and I can't but thank you notice verse 11 but that no one is justified by the law on the sight of God is evident for the jaw shall live by faith yet the law is not of faith but the man who does then shall live by them Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law having become a curse for us substitution area tone meant when Jesus went to the cross and know this brethren Peter is not teaching exemplary atonement here he is saying it's the redemptive benefit of Christ wrought by his substitution area tonin the fact that he has saved you by this means is the the reason why now you can look at him for instruction on how to submit to your masters you know when we look at the cross we are not to be just swooning with or or affected by an emotional response now it's not wrong to have that response but we need to appreciate what transacted upon the cross the just for the unjust he bore our sins in his body on the train Paul says cursed is everyone hangs on a tree that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith so back to first Peter the substitution ery nature of his work you can look at Ephesians 5 to Titus 214 ebru 727 Hebrews 9 28 and all of this underscores the reality that what God does at the cross as he takes our sin and he lays it upon the Savior that's the meaning that's the emphasis who himself bore our sins how did Christ bare our sins because of second Corinthians 5 21 God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him the Bible teaches the doctrine of imputation in Adam all die right because of Adam's sin we are constituted sinners but because of Christ's life death and resurrection we are constituted righteous because our sins have been heaped upon him and he took them in our place or he took the punishment in our place John Gill explains his bearing them was in this manner he becoming the surety and substitute of his people their sins were laid upon him by his father that is they were imputed to him they were reckoned as his and placed to his account and Christ voluntarily took them upon himself please don't miss these beautiful words please don't undercut what this dear brother is saying please do not neglect what the Bible teaches in terms of substitution area totalement Christ voluntarily goes to the cross for us Christ goes to bear our sins in his own body on the tree yo goes on they were reckoned as his in place to his account Christ voluntarily took them upon himself he took them to himself as one may take the debt of another and make himself answerable for it there are some beautiful statements concerning this whole idea we see it in the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16 remember there's two goats on that day one of them is cut and the blood is sprinkled above the in the Ark of the Covenant and there's that scapegoat and what happens the high priest takes his hands I mean brethren if you were a believer back then watching this ceremony it would have been akin to the Lord's Supper it was a reminder of what God had done it's a reminder of expiation or the removal of sins it's a reminder of the fact that God has not dealt with us according to our scent but that high priest would lay his hands that goat that innocent go that victim that helpless one that's in less one and when the priest laid his hands upon that goat what did he do he confess the sins of Israel he confessed their iniquities Lord God we have had other gods before you Lord God we have been idolaters Lord God we have blasphemed your name Lord God we have broken your Sabbath Lord God we have dishonored our parents Lord God we have murdered we have committed adultery we have stolen we have allied and built borne false witness and we have coveted we have been right wretched before a holy God and then that goat would be driven out into the wilderness what's the picture what's the emblem what's being communicated my sin oh the bliss of this glorious thought my sin not in part but the whole is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more praise the Lord praise the Lord now in that setting it wasn't nailed to the cross it was imputed to this goat and it was sent out into the wilderness it's a beautiful picture of substitution ariat on man it's a beautiful picture the doctrine of imputation Isaiah 53 six a passage alluded to by Peter in verse 25 and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all John 129 the Lamb of God who does what he takes away the sin of the world second Corinthians 5 21 for he God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us the sense is legal or forensic Jesus didn't become an actual sinner just like we don't become actually righteous now certainly in sanctification we pursue that but in terms of justification it's legal its forensic it is declarative and that's what happens with the Son of God the Father heaps our sin upon him and that's how Peter can say who bore our sins in his own body on the tree now no the result of His redemptive suffering two things the freedom of his people and the recovery of his people note first the freedom of his people they are freed from the penalty of sin who himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree that we having died to sins I would suggest that this is the the freedom from the penalty of sin having died to sins the same sort of dying to see it that Paul speaks of in Romans 6 12 for Paul then gets practical and talks about what that means in terms of our lives and sanctification but there is that definitive bleach there is that death to sin there is that blessed freedom there is that blessed reality that the penalty of sin is no longer do us why because he himself bore our sins in his body on the tree if Christ bore our sins in his body on the tree then believers can say with Paul in Romans 8 1 there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus does that ever just give you a little burst of joy I was talking to a brother recently and he said something to this effect I have a lot of sin and I'm a rich and i got these problems but you know what I do love God the reason he loves God is because God has saved him from his sins God is spared in Christ bore his sin in his body on the tree brethren do you ever just get a smile on your face or in your soul when you consider Romans 8 1 there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus by the grace of god I'm believing in Christ Jesus therefore there's no condemnation from me whatever my problems between now and then our this much I know it will be Emmanuel that receives me on that day into his fair land I will be able to sing the King there in his beauty it will be the bride I the bridegroom's face brethren there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus the believer is free delivered from the curse of the law and the penalty of sin this is what Paul says in Galatians 3 13 he became a curse why so that the blessing of Abraham may come upon us so we may be ushered into the adoption as sons by Jesus Christ it is a blessed and wonderful thing that we have been freed from patna penalty of sin and the believer is delivered from the wrath of God under this head these are just teasing out some of the implications having died to sins notice the second leg of freedom we're freed from the power of San you see brethren never get to the point as a Christian to say well I just can't fight this sin I just can't put this into death I just can't gain victory here well you better watch it because according to Peter you've died to sin so that you might live for righteousness according to Paul same thing in Romans 6 you died to sin now do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness you see brethren it may not be the case that you can't it may not it may be the case that you won't or that you really don't want to you see brethren God has given every resource in terms of the cross he is broken not only the penalty of sin but the power of sin we're no longer under sins Dominion we're no longer under that control now there will be remaining corruption Butler is not preaching Wesley and perfectionism I do not believe that for one moment but brethren we have by the grace of God been freed from the penalty and from the power we have been supplied with the Holy Spirit and according to Peter we've not only died to sins but we have now the ability to live for righteous ness then notice finally verse 25 the recovery of his people for you were like sheep going astray but have now returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls this speaks this is the reason why or this for harkens back to verse 24 is because he bore our sins in his body on the tree that he recovered us it's because of substitution Airy atonement it's because of the righteousness of Christ it's because of the the death of Jesus Christ that we have been sought out and recovered now note the verb that's employed for you were like sheep going astray but have now returned that now returned almost makes it sound like we did something doesn't it like one day we woke up it was a Thursday and we thought wow I'm far from God I'm just going to return to God it's a passive verb brethren that means that God returned us could also be seen as conversion God converted us there's a sense where conversion refers to the faith and repentance that we have that closes us with Christ but that faith and repentance is given to us by God God is active in conversion God is active in this returning it's not that we woke up on Thursday saying wow I'm estranged from God I need to go back no it's that God woke us up on Thursday and said you're coming to me and we didn't kick and scream and whine and cry because the Spirit of God made us willing in the day of his power it's a very powerful statement for you were like sheep going astray note the comparison I love what D Edmond Hebert says the comparison of sinners to straying sheath is a common biblical figure you've all heard that haven't you all we like sheep have gone astray what do you think when I say sheep cuddly white soft and nice that's what I think I've never had to work with sheep what I understand his little book by a guy who was a shepherd and he says they're not always white and cuddly and nice and soft Hebert says the comparison sinners destroying sheep as a common biblical figure he says it is not a complementary comparison since sheep are notoriously dull prone to stray and helpless to find their way back straying sheep lost in the wilderness or mountains and exposed to wild beasts and destruction present a wretched picture of the needy state of the loss you see on thursday morning that's what we look like or better yet on a Sunday morning or sunday evening that's what we look like we didn't decide for Jesus we didn't say I'm going to cast in my lot with the Redeemer no he sought us he came after us the imagery of shepherd and overseer rich and beautiful this idea of have now returned or have been returned listen to Gil again he says not return themselves but will return by powerful and efficacious grace do you love the doctrines of grace it's unfortunate that we just look at them as a battleground with our minions our hearts should be warm as we consider the lip the tea's a bit depressing when we consider it describes us don't know of any of us that would say well I'm so happy to be totally depraved but the ellip is all very encouraging isn't it and you know paradoxically it's the tea that brings about the olap under the sovereignty of God so yeah you know don't sit there and rejoice and bask in the fact of your total deprave admiss or depravity but do you live the unconditional action God chose me not because I'm lovely God chose me not because I'm good God chose me not because i was going to perform well God chose me because he's God about the L limited atonement we don't like that that sounds me and it sounds on carotene and unfair and unrighteous the fact that Christ would lay down his life for one wretched sheep is enough reason to praise him for eternity the fact that he saves a whole host of man amend a group that no one can number from every tribe tongue people a nation the fact that he doesn't partially atone the fact that he doesn't help us but the fact that through his bloody saves us brethren deist lift our spirits the eye the irresistible grace again this conception that the spirit brings us dragging to God and we're kicking and screaming and whining no I makes us willing in the day of his power he changes our hearts and thus our affections and our will we come to God most happily we come to Jesus most joyfully this is what's underscored here you've been returned you were strained you were gone you were a sheep you were prey to every sort of destruction and wretched day and yet our God sought you out and when our dog sought you out he brings you back to the fold guess what the good news is you're never going to leave again I mean you may stray a little bit you may push the boundaries at times but you're never going to be lost once our blessed God goes and fetches you you are safe and secure you will persevere by His grace because he is purposed to preserve you and to keep you and to put his fear in your heart so that you may not depart from him this is what Peter alludes to this is what Peter is highlighting this is what Gil is explaining not return themselves but were returned by powerful and efficacious grace he says Saints are passive and not active in first conversion they are turned not by the power of their own free will but by the power of God's free grace they are returned under the Illuminations and quickening zuv the blessed spirit and through the efficacious drawings of the Father's love unto Christ you ever wonder if Gil just put his pen down write that in there and said praise God and how do you write that expounding something like this and not be overtaken with joy how do we come to the suppers month and a month out how do we get reminded the sermon of the gospel weekend and week out or daily as we're reading our scriptures and not whirl and dance about before the Ark of the Lord brethren there's every reason in our gospel for us to be a very happy people to be a very happy group of sheep and look at the language the shepherd the overseer they overseer we speak of pastors as being shepherds and overseers but they're under shepherds and under overseers I know that sounds a bit odd but they are under oversees the chief Shepherd is our Lord Jesus the chief overseer is our Lord Jesus he doesn't wear a funny hat he just execute his offices his king-priests and profit most excellently for his people what is Peter have in his mind with reference to the Shepherd the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want there's a picture of Yahweh a shepherd in Isaiah the prophet in chapter 40 there's a statement of promise in Ezekiel 34 will read that as we close tonight and that won't be long from now but in Ezekiel 34 description of what yahweh a shepherd will do for his people and then this overseer he is the chief Shepherd he is the overseer of your souls so brethren in the contact servants be submissive to your masters with all fear look at the one who threw his substitution Airy atonement brought you out of darkness and the marvelous light returned you to the Shepherd and overseer of your souls learn from Christ but realize it's not that example ultimately it's what he did in terms of his Redemption on behalf of souls I did want to read that section from Ezekiel the Prophet you can either just listen or turn to chapter 34 rich imagery when we think of God as a shepherd when we think of God as overseer when we meditate upon Psalm 23 and it's unfortunate we typically associate Psalm 23 with grave sides I'd like to think we're using some 23 you know now not just when we come to die because all that's said in Psalm 23 is all the stuff we need tomorrow all the stuff we need today we need to be conscious of that reality that the Lord is my shepherd the Lord causes it such that I shall not want the Lord's provision is rich and bountiful the Lord does give to me and the Lord does provide notice 34 verse 11 for thus says the Lord God indeed I myself will search for my sheep and seek them out as a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep so will I seek out my sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day and I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and will bring them to their own land I will feed them on the mountains of Israel in the valleys and in all the inhabited places of the country I will feed them in good pasture and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel there they shall lie down in a good fold and feed and rich pasture on the mountains of Israel I will feed my flawed and I will make them lie down says the Lord God I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick but I will destroy the fat and the strong and feed them in judgment brethren the fact that Jesus speaks is the Good Shepherd in John chapter 10 does called together those lines from the old testament to bring it to bear upon the people of God today to reflect upon the reality that he is the Good Shepherd that he has laid down his life for the Sheep he did it in such a way as to bore a bare our sins in his body on the tree so that we having died to sins might live to righteousness will let us pray a blessed God and our Holy Father we thank you for the redemptive suffering and the death and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ we thank you that he is our chief shepherd and overseer we thank you that you have returned us that you have converted us that your efficacious grace is what found us out God men celebrate free will we will always celebrate free grace we will always rejoice in the fact that you have predestined that you have chosen that you are sovereign in election and that you have done these things according to your good pleasure father help us to meditate upon these things each and every help us to reflect upon these truths and may they encourage us as those who have died to sin may we indeed pursue righteousness and holiness and those things that are pleasing in your sight and we pray these things through Christ Jesus our Lord amen you can turn in your Bibles to the book of first Corinthians first Corinthians 11 the passage that we often read from when we come to observe the Lord's Supper and Paul deals in two places with the Lord's Supper he deals with it in first Corinthians 10 where there it is more of that vertical aspect with regards to the Lord's Supper our approach to God in it in our fellowship our communion with God at the Lord's Supper as opposed to fellowship with demons in engaging in pagan meals and meat offered up to idols in first Corinthians 11 it's more horizontal in its nature our communion 11 with each other we come to the Lord's table we gather together as a church and in so doing we are to observe the Lord's Supper in a manner that is fitting with respect to our calling and our gathering together as the Saints of Christ and so here in first Corinthians 11 beginning in verse 17 we have Paul's admonitions his apostolic commands his instructions as they pertain to a proper observance of the of the Lord's Supper it's going to read first Corinthians 11 17 to 22 and then 27 and following to the end of the chapter and then we'll make some observations some important statements regarding the Lord's Supper and then we'll move to it this is first Corinthians 11 beginning in verse 17 now in giving these instructions I do not praise you since you come together not for the better but for the worse the first of all for first of all when you come together as a church I hear that there are divisions among you and in part I believe it for there must also be factions among you that those who are approved may be recognized among you therefore when you come together in one place it is not to eat the Lord's Supper for in eating each one takes his own supper ahead of others and one is hungry and another is drunk what do you not have houses to eat and drink in or do you despise the Church of God and shame those who have nothing what shall I say to you shall I praise you in this I do not praise you verse 27 therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord but let a man examine himself and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup for he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself not discerning the Lord's body for this reason many are weak and sick among you in many sleep for if we would judge ourselves we would not be judged but when we are judged we are chasing by the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world therefore my brethren when you come together to eat wait for one another but if anyone is hungry let him eat at home lest you come together for judgment and the rest I will set in order when I come amen well a couple of things hopefully we get and hopefully you understand that the importance of the Lord's Supper this is something that needs to be reiterated from Christian pulpits until Christ comes again baptism and the lord's supper our ordinances given by Christ in His positive and sovereign institution that are to be observed unto the end of the world in his churches we come together and we gather together hopefully tonight not for the worse but rather for the better we come together as a church and we come together to observe something that is commanded by our Lord we noted this morning in our study in the confession on the doctrine of the church that we come to church and we do so not not coming to something that is optional for the Christian but hopefully something that we understand is yes a command but is cheerfully complied with and the same comes with the Lord's Supper Lord's Supper is not given and Christians you know you take it or leave it if you're able to show up that's great that's given as a commandment by Christ by a positive and sovereign institution to be observed in his churches until the end of the world and we come together and we observe it hopefully with joy a solemnity to be sure because we're remembering that time when the one who fixed the stars in place was fixed in place upon a tree but we still rejoice in it we come joyfully obedient to the command and we are to engage in the observation of the Lord's Supper with proper with a proper conduct and with great joy now when we are observing it we must understand that we are observing it and it is only Christians that are to observe if you're if you're here tonight and you're not a believer you're not to take of the bread and you're not to take of the wine this is an ordinance for Christians only just as baptism is an ordinance for believers only so to the Lord's Supper is an ordinance for believers only as we see in the institution of the Lord's Supper by our Lord he says that this is the blood of the new covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins and it is only for those who avail of the forgiveness the remission of sins that are to take of the bread and to take of the wine remember that out the Lord's Supper when the bread comes around and when the wine comes around those elements are still bread and wine it might come as a shock to you and a strange thing to hear that for example the Roman Catholic Church believes that the bread is changed actually into the body and soul of our Lord Jesus Christ and that the wine is literally changed into the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ they say that it remains bread and wine to the outward senses but they are really and truly changed into the body soul and even the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ we repudiate that of course as Protestants our confession calls it repugnant to the scriptures and the common sense we hold that these are emblematic of the body and of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ they are ever abiding symbols that Christ has broken his body for his people and shed his blood for his people and yet at the same time we must recognize that we are spiritually fed at the Lord's Supper confession speaks these same words and first Corinthians 10 alludes to that reality that at the Lord's Supper Christ from his exalted position at the right hand of God by his Spirit strengthens us in our faith as we partake in this ordinance we are fed from on high and strengthened in our walk with faith that's why we have called it the means or one of the means of our preservation to neglect the Lord's Supper is to neglect a means whereby the risen Christ strengthens his people and grows them in His grace okay when the wine comes around just a reminder that it is the juice in the outer ring if you do prefer to take the juice it is in the outer ring when it comes around reminder then that it is only believers to partake of these things if you have any questions afterwards please feel free to approach a gym or myself as the brothers come up and if you could come up now to pass out the bread you can remain seated and we're going to sing in your red Trinity salter Psalm 130 so you can stay seated Psalm 132 a familiar tune nice you for you do this in remembrance of me amen let us pray Heavenly Father we rejoice we can gather together now to observe the Lord's Supper we thank you for this bread and for what it represents we know that our Lord Jesus Christ came into this world sinners to save and he did so by the giving of his body upon galv Calvary's tree body and soul and we thank you that this represents as our Savior says the breaking of his body he shed his blood he broke his body upon Calvary's tree that he might redeem guilty sinners from their sins truly this was the case as Isaiah 53 sets forth that you it pleased you Lord God to bruise Christ and we rejoice in this reality and pray that you'd help us now as we take of this bread and each and every time that we do take that we would reflect upon this with the proper solemnity but also with that rot right and proper joy knowing that he did this that he might save us from our sins and we pray that you'd be with us now as we continue in that we would rejoice in our Savior and it's in his name that we pray amen let's take together you can remain seated and as the brothers pass out the wine again the juice is in the outer ring you can turn in your Trinity hymnal now to him 188 him 188 stay seated and we'll sing that song together you paul goes on to write rehearsing the words of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ in verse 25 in the same manner he also took the cup after supper saying this cup is the New Covenant in my blood this do as often as you drink it in remembrance of me for as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the Lord's death till he comes amen let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you now that we can take of this wine we rejoice and what it represents the shedding of the blood of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ we know that biblical truth that without the shedding of blood there can be no remission no forgiveness of sins we thank you though that we do have that and perfectly in the Lord Jesus Christ and in him alone we thank you that He shed his blood upon Calvary's tree that we might have the forgiveness of sins and we rejoice in this blessed truth and so we pray now that as we partake we would remember we would reflect upon this and that this act of taking and drinking would be a proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ and we thank you again we pray in his most precious name amen we'll take together let's all stand together we're going to sing I blessed him 175 Man of Sorrows what a name let's stand and sing 175 together you now made the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you complete and every good work to do his will working in you what is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory forever and ever amen Heavenly Father go with us now we rejoice in this day the opportunity to gather as your Saints to engage in worship and to observe this your Lord's Supper and we do pray that you'd strengthen us in Christ that you would strengthen your saints that you would save sinners you'd go with us in this upcoming week that by your grace and for your glory we might conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of your blessed gospel and it's in Christ's name that we pray amen please be seated we'll have a brief time of music meditation prayer and then you're free to go you