Who We Are in Christ — John McGregor

Say a little about the birthday just to mention. I will be out of the office this week except for Friday and Pastor Brad is actually going to work full-time hours all of August because I'm gone so much with the South Africa trip and so on so if you have needs don't be.

Feeling that you have to put them off till end of the month or whatever. Be free to give him a call. He and Carol are away on a family visit this weekend. So pray for their safety as they journey home.

Last of my long list of things is just to mention. There's no prayer meeting tonight because it is a long weekend. Stick our Bibles and go to Luke chapter 22 and verses 14 to 20. And I want to say special.

Thanks to pastor Tom and Rachel for this morning and to Jesse for Stepping in the gap and also to Mark for looking after son there. It's good to be together. Luke chapter 22 14 through 20 is where the Lord is instituting the Lord's Supper, and we want to just Begin here.

The Lord’s Supper and Remembering Jesus

We'll move around a little bit in some other verses. But it says when the hour had come he sat down and the twelve apostles with him. Then he said to them with fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.

For I say to you. I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. Then he took the cup and gave thanks and said Take this and divide it among yourselves. For I say to you. I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.

He took bread and gave thanks and broke it and gave it to them saying this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. Likewise he also took the cup after supper saying this cup is the new covenant in my blood which is shed for you.

Father how we thank you that we celebrate a risen Savior this morning. And the love of God at flows to us from Calvary. And as we pause and look in your word, we pray that you would strengthen us equip us touch us Lord that your word would live in our hearts by your Spirit's power.

So we surrender these moments to you and ask you just to minister to us in Jesus name. Amen as we come to the Lord's table. Most of the time I preach the message and it isn't necessarily always super connected to the Lord's table.

But this Sunday, I wanted us just to zero in Jesus said do this in remembrance of me and I'd like us to think about Some things some reasons why we can remember him. Some strong things that can help us and encourage us in our daily walk and life and I Love how the Holy Spirit puts service together and high.

Things really come together Sunday mornings. So as we think about Jesus saying do this in remembrance of me. You know, this is how he institutes the supper and then he goes on into the garden of Gethsemane.

Jesus’ Agony in Gethsemane and the Cup of Sin

And you get a picture of his prayer life there that is incredible and You know, the disciples are so weary they can't stick with them in it. But as Jesus is praying you remember what he prayed and I start here.

Before we go into just things to remember just to focus our hearts on how much it is that Jesus Loves you and me and what a friend we do have in Jesus. You remember what he prayed in the garden? Father if this cup may pass from me this cup.

You know, I've pondered that a little bit this past week and just thinking about was Jesus Afraid of the cross, is that what he was shrinking back from that night in the garden? I Don't think so. Because you'll recall when he sent out the disciples and he told them to go and preach the word and heal the sick and all those Things he sent to them.

I give you authority over the devil and all of his Forces and over all of these things I give you authority over them. So I don't think that Jesus was shrinking back in any way from the cross. So what is he?

Saying as he says Lord our Father if this cup might pass from me. That made me ask the question What's in the cup now? We know what's in the cup here this morning. But as Jesus was facing Calvary What was the cup that he was talking about?

What was in it? It was the cup of sin. That's what he would shrink back from Holy God glorious Son of God and on that cross He's going to drink that cup of sin and you know as I think about it My heart is overwhelmed.

What would possess? The living God Who called all things into creation? Who is absolutely pure and holy and sinless? To say but not my will yours be done and To take that cup and drink it all. I'll tell you what would possess him to do that the depth of his love For you and for me.

And when we come to this table You know it's often said this is a love feast. But just think about the extent of that love you know that the Holy One of God I Mean I can think about my life and some of the things I've done and said and thought and the extent in the depth of the sin that I know.

And Here is Jesus confronted with that cup and Yet he says Not my. Well, so this morning just as you think about the love of God for you. Think about the immensity of what he is saying as he institutes this love feast for us and goes on through Gethsemane and Takes that cup and drinks it all.

Now it's not popular to preach about sin these days I know. But I kind of like what Vance Havner once said about it. He was preaching about the total depravity of mankind and somebody wanted to argue with him afterwards.

And they said I just can't buy this total depravity thing and sin in us and so on and he said you don't have to. It's already in you. You don't have to buy it. It's already a part of every single one of us isn't it.

And so as we come to the Lord's table this morning We come to a table where there is forgiveness. Where there is reconciliation. Where there is the power of God not only over the evil one and all those evil forces but over all things.

Christ as the End of the Law

And so just quickly for a few moments before we come to the table let me give you some reasons to remember him this morning in joy and in strength and in power. Turn over with me in your Bibles to Romans chapter 10 and verse 4.

Romans chapter 10 and verse 4 and here's what it says for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. So here's a reason why we can remember him. Scripture says he is the end of the law.

And what does Jesus have to do with the law? Well, he is the purpose and the object of it he is the fulfillment of it. He's a completion of it and He's the termination of it. This verse says up until Calvary there was the shedding of blood of goats and bulls and sheep and all kinds of things and You and I would be rather cluttered if we were coming once a month to the Lord's table.

Towing along a sheep or a goat or whatever, but those things could not atone. For sin it is as Jesus drank that cup for you and for me that atonement takes place. He is the end of the law and the law shows us our sin.

Doesn't it it teaches us the result of sin is death. And this morning as we think about This thing of sin and how the Lord dealt with it we are either in Christ and Sin is atoned for forgiven or we're outside of Christ and Many people say to me these days.

Well, I'm not sure I'm doing pretty good. I'm not sure if I need you know all this Christianity stuff. But when you look at the Ten Commandments the law. How many of them do you have to read before you can say whoops?

Jesus is the fulfillment of all of that and I so love the Lord that It's no longer this walk in Christ is no longer about what I can do to please God. It is about what I can be in Christ Jesus gloriously saved and transformed and filled with the Spirit of the Living God.

Not any longer trusting in the things that I could do to help placate Him. But trusting instead in all that Jesus has done to fulfill the law of God and when I look at those Commandments and the law I know my great need of Christ.

Believing in Him brings us to an end of the law. You see what it says here in this fourth verse is the end of the law for righteousness to Just one or two people who believe. Is that what it says? No for everyone who believes it's for all who believe he is The end of the law faith in him alone brings righteousness Into our lives and it is through him that we know the righteousness of God.

So when I think about this table, I thank Lorne. You're the end of the law. And I'm so grateful. Because I remember times of trying trying trying. Not to curse not to do something that wasn't acceptable in society.

Am I the only one no other Irish people in here today? Okay. All right. But when we think about Jesus and the fulfillment of the law We can stand this morning on free ground. No longer what we can do, but what we can be and become in him.

The Promise of Christ’s Victory over Satan

Here's another Reason why this morning I would remember the Lord Jesus in Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15 and I promised we'd move around a bit today. So it's a good sword drill, isn't it? Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15.

This is just after the fall has taken place where Adam and Eve have disobeyed God and sin has come into the world. In verse 15 God is speaking and he says I will put Enmity between you and the woman between your seed and her seed.

He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel. The Lord is talking to the evil one who brought sin into the picture and tempted Adam and Eve and You see what the father is saying there. He's saying That the seed of the woman the Lord Jesus Christ is going to wound the devil's head and The devil is going to injure his heel now.

I love to think on this because At Jesus at Calvary dealt a head wound to the evil one which is more damaging a head wound or a heel wound a Head wound right. Are you sure? Okay, I'm just checking. So at Calvary there is an ending wound a head wound and At Calvary the best that the competition can do is bruise his heel.

You think about this God that we were singing about this morning and the power that is in him and the authority that is in Him you think about the fact says scripture gives it to us. Christ is the great victor, isn't he?

And we need that exercise faith in the promises of God that he's given to us. Just as Pastor Tom said as he shared the kind of week and the things that the Lord has been doing in his heart. And in his life all my friends.

What is it that you're facing? Today. That is beyond the power of This God that we call our Savior. He is the conqueror of Satan. Move on over with me to John 16 and verse 33 and I I thought about preaching the whole message on this verse actually John 16 and verse 33.

Christ’s Peace in the Midst of Tribulation

Here's what it says. Jesus is speaking and he says these things I have spoken to you that in me you may have peace in the world. You will have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world now.

Look at what Jesus is saying in that verse. He says these things I've spoken to you what things it goes all the way back to John 13 where he is with his disciples in his love and he's teaching them all of the things That they will face and how he's going to send the Holy Spirit and so on to their lives.

That's the things he's speaking about as he summarizes here in verse 33 of chapter 16 and what is it that Jesus says he's he's facing the cross. He's facing all the opposition that can be thrown at him.

He's facing the weight of every sin in that cup as he drinks it on Calvary's cross. But what is it that he says? These things I spoke to you. So that in me you might have peace. Sorry, you mean in the midst of all the stuff that can go on of all the sicknesses and all the pressures and all the stresses and all the Unsteady grind that we are called upon to walk upon on this earth that Jesus desire is that we would have Peace and you know, it can become just such an exercise to take the bread and the juice.

But when you put it in the context of the accomplishments of Jesus It tells me that I can walk away from this table with peace. And it's not just the kind of peace that is the end of hostilities because Jesus said in John 14 my peace I Give to you and that's very different than when if we've been having a Barney as the Irish would say.

And we just decide that we'll quit fighting. They did that a few years ago in Northern Ireland and for the most part they they haven't done it for a little while. But you know, nothing has changed in the heart.

But when Jesus is talking about his peace, he's talking about that radical change in the heart that says the peace of God. Remember listening some years ago to Evie Hill that great black preacher preaching a message on what would I have if I had Jesus and somebody from the Black Panther Organization had come to him and said I listened to you preaching for an hour and a half and you guys think you have trouble with me, but After an hour and a half has said I think you're a fraud.

I think you're putting it on. Then he said I just stood there and I prayed Lord, would you open the door just a little crack? He said when she had finished ranting and raving at him. She finally said If I had come to Christ like you said, what would I have?

Would I get a new house? Would I get a new car? Would I get a better job, you know? What would I have? And he said I'm gonna tell you 12 things that you'd have. I don't have time to list them today. But just the first one he said is you'd have peace with God.

There'd be no more struggle between the two of you. Second one is you'd have the peace of God and That's quite different than just peace with God. That's the God of peace dwelling on the inside, isn't it?

This verse teaches me that Jesus is the overcomer of the world. Now this world presses and pushes doesn't it. And the things that we wish we could get don't seem to ever Materialize and other strength things and struggles come up and start to press upon us, but listen to what Jesus said.

These things I've spoken to me to you that in me you may have peace in the world. You'll have tribulation. But be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. Do you like tribulation? I Don't see any hands.

I don't think it's a it's a Happy thing for us is it yet? Jesus says in those times you can be of good cheer. Because I've overcome it all. There is nothing that this world can throw at you that Jesus Christ has not already overcome and as you walk in him There is that place of peace and I think you know of people in the past that I have tried to witness to and tried to drop kick into the kingdom of God and tried to push and shove and convince and finagle and all those things and get them across that line and Just frustrate myself no end or circumstances that I tried to change.

And then I think too about the times when I just set it down and said Lord I can't change that Lord unless you come and change that Nothing's gonna happen. I Think about a girl some years ago who came to see me a Christian girl and she said I'm gonna have an abortion and I plead with her don't do it and She went ahead anyway and for two years we didn't see her in church.

Grace, Forgiveness, and Dying to Self

And then one day She walked back in you know the testimony that she was able to give Was absolutely incredible. Yes, we make mistakes. But God in his grace and mercy and forgiveness also ministers to us lifts us brings us back to the place of overcoming those things.

Now maybe you're here this morning and life is not ideal. Listen again to the words of Jesus. These things I've spoken to you that in me you may have peace in the world. You'll have tribulation but be of good cheer.

I Have overcome the world. See when we live for ourselves. We're constantly disappointed and we're always fighting with somebody about something. I Visited with somebody yesterday and they're not from Regina and There's a fight going on in the family brother against brother and Things can be like that can't it can be like that husband against wife or children against parents or brothers against brothers and so on because when we end up saying well Just a minute.

That's not right. I want this and we have no peace, but Jesus Gives us peace when we come to the overcomer and say Lord. I get rid of every right that I have just Take me this past week down in Maryland ministering with a dear man.

Whose name is Richard Owen Roberts and He's 78 years old and we were talking about hurt and he said, you know, I Probably could list every conceivable wound that you can imagine to have. Emotionally spiritually sometimes even physically that has happened to me over the years and he has the sweetest disposition and I sent to him.

Now if if you were to have to give a key, what is it that gets you to this place? What would you say and this is what he said? Well There's no point in listing all those wounds because I'm dead. I Said well, you're 78, but you're still here in case you hadn't noticed and he said No, there had to come a day When I lay done on my face before the Lord and said Lord I die to myself and my desires and all of those things and all of those issues and I want you to live in me in the power and fullness that only you can bring I said to him.

Do you remember all those wrongs? So what's the point? No point in remembering it. Because I'm dead to it. Jesus is the overcomer. It's one of the things I love about this table. And one thing I'd say to you this morning just to keep it clear and simple.

It's just this if you're wrestling with something or someone. Maybe the best thing today is just to come as you take this bread and this juice and say Lorne truly I want to die to myself and live the Christ life instead.

Christ’s Victory over Death and the Lost

Well in my time we've covered three and that means there's a bunch left here, but I'm just gonna quickly give you the points and you can look them up. How's that? Do this in remembrance of me. He's the end of the law.

He's the conqueror of Satan. He's the overcomer of the world in 2nd Corinthians 5 17. It says that Christ makes all things new. The old is passed away the new has come don't you love it? Yeah. In Colossians 2 15 it says Christ is the spoiler of the principalities and powers.

There is not a power in this earth that can overcome him. Not one in 1st Corinthians 15 26. It says that Christ is the destroyer of death. We we celebrated 60 years now, you know that's. That's not all that old.

My brother sent me a note to say 60 is the new 30. So, I don't know I don't feel like 60, but you know what I Don't really care because when death comes it only opens a door To eternity all those endless days now, I like to worship and and Maybe you struggle with me on Sundays.

It'd be great to have the worship package an hour long and so on but at that throne There'd be no end to worship. That's why Cliff Barrows used to say to Billy Graham Billy when we're done here There no need for a preacher in heaven, but my job is still secure.

Christ is the destroyer of death. You look 19 verse 10. It says Jesus is the seeker and the Savior of those who are lost. A couple of weeks ago. I was witnessing to a young lady. She said to me I Had a miscarriage and things were just so dark and I felt so lost.

And nobody told me to do it but somehow Instinctively, I just knew to cry out to God and as I cried out to him He came to me he's the one who seeks and saves. Father, I want to just come before you and give you thanks and There are so many reasons to remember you this morning.

You took that cup of our sin and you drank it all. You're the end of the law. The conqueror of Satan you're the overcomer of the world. You're the one Who has conquered death. You're the one who seeks and saves.

The lost father this morning is your Holy Spirit searches our hearts. You know exactly where we are. You know the hurts and the struggles, you know the joys as well as the pain. And this morning father as we come to your table Pray that you would continue to minister to our hearts and strengthen us Through your word and by your spirit Lord that you wouldn't bless this special time around the table in just a powerful powerful way.

In Jesus name we ask. Just stay in the attitude of prayer for a moment or two. Let me ask our elders and pastor Tom if they would come and join me here and Just while you're at the attitude of prayer.

Take a moment and speak to Jesus remember none of us lives perfectly and We need his forgiveness. And so just quietly in your heart Bring those things that you know you've done wrong to him. Might be an attitude might be something you said something that you did.

But he is here to meet with you. And to make his forgiveness and his cleansing real in your heart and in your life. Father we pray that you would bring to our minds those things that we need to confess before you.

For your word says that if we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So Lord we confess That we've not lived perfectly. And we need your forgiveness.

We thank you for your truth For your overcoming power and we ask you to continue to speak to our hearts As we come before you now In Jesus name. I'll ask pastor Tom to Pray for the bread after it's distributed and as it comes if you would Just hold on to it till we are all served and then we'll partake together.

Communion: The Bread and the Cup

Jesus that night he was betrayed took bread. And he broke it and gave it to his disciples. And he told them to eat it.

Pastor Tom would you lead us in prayer for this bread. We read earlier that that night He also took the cup and that cup was passed to each of the disciples. Let's pray together as we.

Come to partake of this glass. Father, we are so grateful for the miracle of your grace. We can drink this cup today. Not because we're good enough But because you have loved us and because Jesus has died for us.

We thank you for the majesty of your forgiveness Because it cleanses away All our sin. We thank you father for the ongoing work of your spirit In our hearts and in our lives. And ask that as we partake of this cup You would cleanse away those things that should not be there But that you would also fill us afresh and anew with the Spirit of the Living God.

With a holy boldness to live in this world. With thy belonging to this world we give you our thanks and our praise that you are the overcomer and That in you There is security. You are the one who does not change.

So father as we drink this cup We thank you for the forgiveness of sin for life everlasting in Christ Jesus and for the joy of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

In Jesus name. Want to just take a moment and ask our.

Elders if they would remain at the front at every communion service If you have a need physical emotional spiritual please feel free to come to the front after the closing prayer and they'll be here to pray with you and for you.

And I want to mention the ushers will be ready as you leave to receive your glasses and Also to receive a benevolent offering for those who have needs amongst us. And that is always true. And thank God that it is always true Because he supplies our needs.

So let us Stand together, and I think Jesse's coming to Close in prayer. Am I right? After his prayer if If you need prayer come forward if not slip out into the foyer and Enjoy that little sweet treat.

Dear Heavenly Father. Thank you for such a great opportunity For me to be able to know share this morning and God. I just thank you for pastor John and his service and Just it's incredible every time and Lord just help us Just acknowledge your your wonder in your absolute Everything it just blows my mind away every time God and I just pray that it would help that we would that you would help us just understand your grace and How how you see us as perfect?

Walking walking with you God. It's amazing to me Lord I just thank you for the day and Just let us be able to enjoy it in fellowship and in your name. Amen. Dismissed. Thank you. God bless you.