All right, if you have your Bibles now, I'd like you to turn with me to the book of the Revelation and Revelation chapter 13. We'll spend just a few moments on our meditation and thoughts prior to the taking of the Lord's Supper. Revelation chapter 13. This is an interesting portion. I'm not going to expound it by any means, but I'm going to draw one thought from what the text tells us in our text. but I'm going to read from verse 4 and read through verse 8, Revelation 13. So they worshipped the demon who gave authority to the beast and they worshipped the beast saying who is like the beast who was able to make war with him and he was given a mouth to speak great things and blasphemies and he was given authority to continue for 42 months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, his tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. He was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. And listen to what was said. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the book of life of the Lamb. slain from the foundation of the world. He identifies these who are going to worship the beast, who has blasphemed, of course, God and his people. He says, all on the earth will worship him whose names, here they are, whose names are not written in the Book of Life. Not written in the Book of Life. That's the believers. Notice he says, the Book of Life, the Book of Life of the Lamb identified him. And then it identifies even more. It says, slain, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. I want to focus our attention on that little phrase, slain from the foundation of the world. This is a testimony of the reality of our redemption that has occurred in Christ, which did not simply begin when Christ died, but rather before the foundation of the world, the Lamb was slain. So I want us to focus and consider our special union as believers, as believers in God, and the election that we have in Christ, because our election was before the foundation of the world. Now I'm not going to consider any time-axe union, I'm referring to such things as the union to the nature of the Son of God by His incarnation, that is when He became our brother, our near kinsman, our flesh and flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone he and we were then of course united in nature Hebrews tells us about that when it says in as much as then as the children were partakers of flesh and blood he himself likewise shared in the same that he through death he might destroy him who had the power of death I'm not talking about this union which is a real union Now I'm not going to consider the idea of the vital union that we have with him in regeneration. That is when we are made alive spiritually by the power and the grace of God, which we as Christians have. That's when Christ is formed in our hearts and we become new creatures in him. And we are a living fruitful branch from him as he is the true vine. This union, of course, this regeneration union that we have with him is in Christ is a consequence of that secret being in Him from eternity by electing grace which we are going to deal with. Nor are we going to consider the union that we have declared as being saints with God forever after we die. We're not talking about that. That is when we as believers are in Christ and are always to be in Him. That is when we die in union with Him, we will rise in union with Him. It is then that we'll be in soul and body one in God, in the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We will be then in God, the Father, in the Son, as the Father and the Son are in union together. That's an example of the union which the Lord Jesus refers to when he's referring to the Trinity and our part with him. It's the union pattern which is ours that Jesus prayed for in John 17. that they may be one, he says, in you, Father, as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, and that they also may be one in us. And the glory which you gave me, I have given them, that they may be one, just as we are one. That's that special union. That is not what we're going to talk about. So it's not the incarnation. It's not the union in the flesh or in regeneration or in that future time. But let us consider this union of election, the union that we have with God before the foundation of the world in its original and in its eternal subjective act of God. This is the amazing thing. This act is simply the act of God's heart in love to us and by that uniting us to himself. Now this love is from everlasting. Jeremiah records these words. Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love. Therefore, with loving kindness, I have drawn you. This love is of a cementing, uniting nature. This love is that uniting nature. In fact, this love is the bond That's the glue, that's the tie that unites us together, giving us the certainty, the security of our union between God and us, his people. Or we could say it this way, it is that by which he, God, has taken us into close union with himself. The other day we were walking by some places they were selling things and they had this advertisement of a glue. And this glue had the advertisement of the last glue. The idea was we all know what super glue is. We all know what Elmer's glue is, but this is the last one. That's all you need. This is the permanent one. So, well, we're talking about a, and I don't want to use the word because glue, because it's not the best, but it's a bond that we have with God. And this bond that we have with God is God's love for us. Not our love for him, not our work for him, but simply God's subjective love for his elect. Love, of course, as we understand it, is the bond, is the connection of union among men who are in friends together. It's that union that's there. Love is the bond of the saints' union together. Our hearts are knit together. There's a love relationship that is there. It was this love, of course, that knit the soul of Jonathan to the soul of David, so that he loved him as his own soul. Love, this bond, is what we're talking about. And so love is called, in the scriptures, the bond of perfection. The bond of perfection. Or we could translate it this way, the perfect bond. which joins and keeps together. Nothing separates it. It's the perfect bond. Paul writes it in Colossians 3.14 where he says, above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. The bond of perfection. It was this love that so closely cemented the hearts of the first Christians together when they were first gathered together. And the Bible tells us that now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul there was a special bond that united them together now love then is the bond and this love bond that we are referring to in reference to our electing grace and electing love of God this love bond operates infinitely stronger in the heart of God than any examples of it that we've been talking about infinitely stronger it is that which draws and unites the objects of that love his love for us to himself and gives us a nearness and a union to him that cannot be dissolved it cannot be dissolved Paul writes in the text that we read in the scriptures that we just read nothing can separate us from the love of Christ Nothing can separate. That's the bond which we have because of God's electing love. Nothing can separate us. Not the fall of God's elect in Adam, not our actual sins and transgressions in the state of our unregeneracy, not our revolting and backsliding after our conversions. That does not separate us from the love of God. Listen to what the scripture says in Ephesians. It says, concerning us, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But it goes on, but God, who is rich in mercy, and hear this, because of his great love which he loved us. Even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive with Christ. It's that love bond, that love bond because God, his great love for us. This bond of union is indissolvable. even by the joint power of men and devils, nothing can separate us from that love of God. It's in virtue of this that the people of God, that means you and I, we become a part of Him. We become near to Him, dear to Him, tender, a tender part of Him, even as the apple of His eye, precious, valuable. That's the relationship that the elect have with God. We have a place as God's people, and because of his electing love, we have a place in God's heart. Old Testament words would be, graven upon his hands is the picture, the type. And we are always in his thoughts. We talk about our love that we have for each other, for our mates, and we say, you're always in my thoughts. Can't wake up without, here's something far more valuable, far deeper, but it is true with a holy God, we are always in his thoughts. How great is that goodness? How great is that? The desires and the affections of God and our God and Father are always towards us. He is always looking or working things out for our welfare. How great is that goodness? which has been laid up for us and been given to us. Listen to the psalmist say it. How precious also are your thoughts to me. How precious are those thoughts to me, to me, oh God. How great is the sum of them. Powerful, straightforward words concerning God's love for us. Psalm 31 says it this way. Oh, how great is your goodness, which you have laid up for those who fear you, which you have prepared for those who trust in you in the presence of the sons of men. What goodness it is. And then that verse that is so valuable to us, Romans 11, 33. Oh, the depths of the riches, both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out. That's the love of God for you and I. That's included in that. His love for sinners. We've kind of focused upon the love of God. Let's focus a little bit more directly upon the love that Christ has, that Christ has for the elect. It's just as early as the Father's love to Christ and for us, in which we, in which that love is complete and satisfied and a delight. Before the world was, our Lord's delights were in us. This is what he says, as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Of course, we're never going to separate the Trinity, but here's a statement that refers to our Savior, who offered Himself, a clear statement of His love for us. And this love is of the same cementing, uniting nature as the Father's love, as we have often referred to His electing love. Makes Him stick closer than a brother. as this Proverbs tells us, and nothing can separate us from His love any more than the love of the Father for us. Having loved His own, which were in the world, He loved them to the end, the scripture says. Now the bond of union that we have then with God is firm, sure, and gives us a special nearness to Him, more than we could ever have wished for. That's the condition that the child of God has in the love of God. More than we could wish for. And that's what's stated in the scriptures. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword. What is it you think can do it? Nothing. What a love God has given to such guilty sinners as we are. But the same goes with the Holy Spirit. The love of the Spirit is still there, is the same as the Son. The everlasting God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the bond union of God's elect is in a sacred three, all three together. All three have, all three loved the elect with an everlasting love, and by this love have firmly and everlastingly united us to themselves. So because of the Spirit's love, of course, we have a union. He has a union with us. We are now in time, having the Spirit of God giving us life and grace. Now, because of this love union that we have in Christ, there are some areas which the scripture very clearly points out to us as an illustration, if we could use that word, of what that love is, trying to draw some picture to us so that we can see something of the depths of that love. It flows, of course, from God. It's a love of God. our relationship is based upon His love. Listen to 2 Thessalonians 2.13, But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, beloved by the Lord. Beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation. Now there are certain particulars that the scriptures reveal to us about the love of Christ as being chosen in Him. There are certain particulars persons that are specifically mentioned in the scriptures. We don't know much about Rufus but in Romans 16, 13 we find that the scripture says, greet Rufus chosen in the Lord. It is a definition of this man. The Apostle Paul himself and others says that God has chosen them in Christ before the foundation of the world. You know the passage, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. That is our relationship with God. in this electing, chosen love, we have a being in Christ, a kind of existence in Him. And that's what Ephesians tells us, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him. So we see that special union of having been chosen by Christ, chosen by the Father. And then there's another illustration given us of this love, and that's the marriage union which is illustrated for this love that God has for us. It's between Christ and the elect, of course. And again, this comes from love which began in eternity. Now, natural marriage, which we're all familiar with, natural marriage between a man and woman is when these two become one flesh, as Adam and Eve did in the statements of the book of Genesis. Their marriage and all marriages are a shadow and representation of what is between Christ and His people. The open relationship took place at conversion. The more public notification of this love will be when all the elect will be gathered at the marriage supper of the Lamb. Revelation tells us, Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory. For the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready. Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the land. So there's a picture of the love that Christ has. And then finally, looking at three areas, we have also a legal union in this love which we have with Christ that he has for us. It is a covenant union. We have a promised existence in him as our head and representative. Now this solemn promise comes from and is the effect of his love his grace is mercy Psalm 89 says it this way for I have said mercy shall be built up forever your faithfulness you shall establish in the heavens I have made a covenant with my chosen Psalm 89 verse 33 Nevertheless, my lovingkindness I will not utterly take from him, nor allow my faithfulness to fail. My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of my lips. We've got a promised relationship in the love of God. And then that last one, Isaiah 54 10. For the mountains shall depart, but my kindness shall not depart. nor shall my covenant of peace, says the Lord." An unbelievable fact. An eternal, holy God has chosen to love a sinner like you and I, if we are believers in Christ. Amazing fact. Simply said, the believer's union and relationship with the Lord is before time and in eternity and for eternity. This is the ground, this is the reason for all that our Lord has done and suffered for us because of His love. In Him, of Him, you are in Christ Jesus. Now this electing love of God has been demonstrated. Not only is it spoken in His Word, Not only has the Spirit of God opened up to us in somewhat of an understanding of it, I think it's going to take eternity for us to understand all the depths of His love, but we have before us a picture, having been demonstrated in time, the love of Jesus Christ dying for our sins. The love of the Father sending His Son to die for our sins. Amazing fact. And here we are, coming to this relationship coming into this service recognizing the relationship that we have with Him because of His love. It's been demonstrated and it was before the foundation of the world that He was slain. So sure, so real is that love. Our Lord Jesus literally died on the cross in time demonstrating to us His love. And tonight This afternoon we are gathered around this table to remember the covenant that before time He made with you and I. What a privilege to come and be reminded of this covenant love that God has for such sinners as we are. Today then, as we partake of this supper, let us again remember His death and remember this eternal covenant that he has made, this momentous event demonstrated to us in the supper. May God help us in recognizing that the Lord Jesus died for our sins. Let's pray. Our Father, we thank you again with hearts that so often fail to express our thanks to you. for your love, eternal love, how we know we have no merit, but your electing love has taken us, chose us to be part of you, your family, made us sons and daughters of you, and demonstrated that love when the Lord Jesus was on that cross dying for us. We come tonight in remembrance remembers of that event so long ago, and remembers, Father, of this great promise that has been given to us of your love. Bless our time now as we remember Christ, we ask in Jesus' name, amen.