Let's read the Word of God from Romans 5. We'll read the first 11 verses of Romans 5 this morning. And our text is the first two verses of the chapter. Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope. And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. Or if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. We read God's word just that far and again the text is those first two verses. Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God that is found here in Romans 5 is a triumphant conclusion to all that's been set before us already. Especially in the last few chapters, chapters 3 and 4 of the book of Romans, there's been set forth the glorious doctrine of justification by faith alone. In the previous chapter, the Apostle Paul confirmed and illustrated that truth by appeal to the Old Testament Scriptures and the histories of Abraham and of David. And that settles the matter. That appeal to the Old Testament Word of God settles the doctrine of justification by faith without works. Now here in chapter 5, the apostle goes on to set forth the precious benefits of being justified by faith alone. There's three of them that are mentioned here in our text. Benefits are that we have peace with God, that we have access to the grace wherein we stand, and we have hope of glory. The preciousness of those benefits is indicated in a couple of ways in the Word of God here. First of all, preciousness is indicated by the fact that the Word of God is very personal. It uses the word we. It's not talking just abstractly about God's people, but it's talking to us directly. These are our benefits. We have peace, and we have access, and we have the hope of glory. And then the second thing that indicates how precious these benefits are is that the whole of this first part of Romans 5 is a kind of song of rejoicing and praise to God. Three times in these first 11 verses, the same word is used. It's translated differently, but it's the same word that means boasting or rejoicing. Verse 2, verse 3, and then again in the end in verse 11, that same word is used so that all of these different things that we're talking about, all of these benefits are something that we're boasting in, something that we rejoice in, this triumphant conclusion in which we meditate upon the benefits of our justification. All of which makes this a fitting word of God for us to hear before we come to the table of the Lord Jesus Christ this morning. The sacrament of the Lord's Supper is a sign to teach us about our salvation, about our justification, and about the benefits of that for us. It's also a seal to confirm our faith, to strengthen our confidence, That all of these things are ours personally. That we, you and me, we have peace with God and we have access to grace and we have the hope of glory. And the Lord's Supper is a celebration It's a celebratory meal in which we boast and we rejoice with triumphant rejoicing in all that God has done for us in His grace. We consider the Word of God this morning taking as our theme the precious benefits of justification. First of all, peace. Secondly, access. And then thirdly, glory. The very first benefit of our salvation, our justification that's mentioned here, and it's mentioned first because it's foundational, is peace. Verse 1, we have peace with God. That peace that's spoken of there is first and foremost an objective relationship in which we stand to God. That's made more clear in the original because literally the Word of God says we have peace toward God. That is, we have peace in relation to God. And the peace that's talked about then here is the objective, right relationship in which we stand to God. Think of peace that's brought about between two warring nations. There's a treaty that's signed. There's an objective agreement that's been reached as to the standing between these two nations now. The piece that's talked about here is our relationship to God. When Adam and Eve fell into sin, they forfeited a right relationship with God. The effect of their fall into sin was that they brought the whole human race into alienation from God. They forfeited peace. And that was evident even in their relationships to one another. Having brought about alienation with God, the effect in their own relationship was the loss of peace where husband and wife turn on each other. That's evident in the lives of their sons between Cain and Abel, where Cain kills Abel. The whole human race has been brought down into this state. That's the natural spiritual condition into which each one of us was conceived and born. Later in Romans 5 verse 10 it says we were enemies. By nature we were enemies of God. We hated God. We were at war with God. We did not know peace with God. We deserved God's condemnation and his wrath to be poured out upon us on account of our sins. It's only by a wonder of his grace that God reconciles us, who by nature are enemies, to himself. And that's again verse 10, for if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son. God is the one who in his grace has established peace between us and him. He's reconciled us to him so that we're no longer in this state of alienation from God and the fellowship of God. But we're brought to stand in right relationship to Him. And no longer then are we deserving of God's condemnation and His wrath to be poured out upon us. Being reconciled to God, we have peace with God. Our objective standing in relationship to God is one of peace. What's true objectively has bearing also subjectively. Even though what's on the foreground here is this objective state of peace toward God in relationship to God. You can't separate that from the subjective sense of peace that we also have. Subjectively, then, peace refers to the calm, the quietness, the tranquility that we have in our hearts and souls knowing that we are at peace with God. It's the confidence that we have personally that God is not against us, but He's for us. He's not our enemy. He's our Father and our Friend. It's the quietness of soul that we have. Not having a bad conscience that continually condemns us and plagues us, but for the sake of Jesus Christ, we have a quiet conscience before God. These two go together, hand in hand. Objectively being right with God. Subjectively, in our own hearts and minds, we have that quiet confidence and peace. Now, the subjective sense of peace can fluctuate. There are times, of course, where we wrestle with doubts and fears. And the explanation for that is that the sense of peace is related to the exercise of faith or the lack thereof. It's not that our standing with God has changed. It's on account of our weakness of faith, our unbelief that we're now wrestling with these doubts and we don't experience in this moment this sense of calm and quiet. But the object of peace has never changed. This is sure. This is certain. This is unchanging. Being justified by faith, we have peace toward God. That can never be taken away or lost. How we have that is explained in the Word of God here. First of all, this is a benefit of justification. Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God. God is a just God. Those whom God brings into relationship with Himself must also be just or righteous. And so God, in His grace, justifies us, declares to us that our standing with Him is as if We've never sinned against Him, but as if we perfectly kept all of His commandments. Our justification is sure, it's certain, it's perfect, it's unchanging. It's something that can never be lost, never forfeited. And since we're right with God, in an unchangeable standing with Him that can never be lost, the benefit is peace. We have peace with God. We're reconciled to him. He's not against us, but he's for us. And we can and we do have then the quietness and the calmness of soul knowing that God is our God. Even though we talk about this as a benefit of justification, we may not divorce this benefit of our salvation from Jesus Christ. And the Word of God says here, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. This peace with God is merited for us by Jesus Christ. It comes to us only on the basis of what Jesus Christ has done. And it's a benefit of salvation that's mediated to us by Jesus Christ. He not only earned it by his death and resurrection, but now as he sits at God's right hand, he's the mediator of all of these blessings, who continues daily to bestow upon us peace with God. What a precious blessing of salvation. What a precious blessing to know that God is not against us as our enemy. But He's for us. As our Father and our Friend, what a precious benefit to know in a world that knows nothing of peace, to have a quietness and a calmness in our soul. Knowing that for the sake of Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven. We have a standing before God that can never be lost. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. Secondly, and related to that first benefit, the benefit of our justification in salvation is also that we have access to grace. Verse 2. It says, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand. The word grace in the Bible means most basically beauty. Grace is first of all an attribute of God, which indicates that God in himself is a beautiful God, supremely beautiful as the God of holiness and love and purity and righteousness. God is a gracious, beautiful God. As God demonstrates His grace to sinners, His chosen people, that grace then is the attitude of favor and beauty that God has toward us. God has a beautiful attitude of favor towards us. And since the objects of this gracious attitude. Our undeserving sinners, we say that this grace is unmerited, undeserved favor. Then also God's grace is the power by which He actually makes us beautiful. Grace is not only an attitude that God has towards us, it is But it's also the real spiritual power of God Himself whereby He transforms us and He makes us beautiful, blessing us with all of the blessings of salvation. And it's by the power of His grace whereby He preserves us in this salvation so that we can never be lost. The entirety of our salvation is explained by this attitude of favor and this mighty power of God's grace. The Word of God says we stand in that grace. And the nature of the word that's used there indicates that this is a present state That's based upon a past reality. It would be perhaps too clunky to translate it this way, but you could legitimately translate it this way. The grace wherein we were made to stand in the past and wherein we continue to stand in the present and can never fall out of. The grace wherein we've been made to stand. In our own lifetime, that's the work of God by the Holy Spirit in our regeneration and in our saving call. Personally, we were made to stand in the sphere of God's grace. So that we know that grace. We experience that grace. We're preserved in that grace. We're standing in it now, and we will continue to stand in it and never fall from it. We've been made to stand in the sphere of God's wonderful grace. Now, the main benefit that's being set forth here is that we have access into this grace wherein we stand. The idea of access means you're brought in. It means you're given entrance so that you can receive or you can enjoy something. Think of the illustration of a state park or a campground Or the beach. To get in you need access. Maybe you need a little sticker on your windshield that allows you to get past the person who's in charge there. And then once you have access, you're allowed in and you're able to receive and to enjoy the benefits of the campground, the park, the beach. Or to use a biblical illustration, Think of Queen Esther as she's allowed to come before King Ahasuerus. She's given access. She can come into the presence of this king, be received. We have access. We've been brought in. We've been made to enter so that we can enjoy the grace wherein we stand. As those who are justified and who have peace with God, we have at all times access to grace. And we need that at all times. We need grace in the good days. Things are going well or in ordinary days when we're simply carrying out our ordinary callings. We need in those days God's grace. We need also grace in the difficult days. When we're weighed down with the guilt and the shame of our sins. When we're rustling with some grievous temptation. When we're bearing great and heavy burdens, sorrows and afflictions. We need the grace of God. Because it's the grace of God alone that can sustain us in every circumstance, in every day of the Christian life, and the benefit of salvation for us, being right with God, having peace with Him, we have access to grace. Every day, in every circumstance, in the good days, the ordinary days, the bad days, we have access to grace. And that's because we have access to the God of grace. The same word for access that's used here is used in Ephesians 2 verse 18 in reference to access to God. For through Him, Jesus, we both, Jews and Gentile Christians, have access by one Spirit unto the Father. The veil has been torn in two. And we have access into the throne room of the king. We have access into the holy of holies. We have access to the God of grace, and because we have at all times, as those who have peace with him, access to the God of grace, we have access to his grace. The fact that God is our God, He's for us, we're reconciled to Him, means that we need not live in any fear of being cut off from God's grace. We have the confidence that we have access to this grace wherein we've been made to stand. Again, the only explanation for that is the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The first part of verse 2. By whom? Referring to Jesus. By Jesus also we have access, by faith, into this grace. It's only for the sake of Jesus Christ. It's only by His ongoing mediation and through the instrumentality of faith in Him That we have access to this grace wherein we stand. This is one of the benefits of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. What a precious blessing this is as well. To be right with God. Have peace with Him and be reconciled to Him. We have access to grace. You do, and I do, as children of God who have been justified for the sake of Jesus Christ. We have access daily to grace because we have access at all times to the God of grace. And then third, we have the hope of glory. The benefits of our justification are that we're at peace with God, we have access to grace, and we have the hope of glory. The idea of hope has three elements to it. Hope is the expectation of something to come in the future, because we don't have it yet. Secondly, it's something that we know with confidence is going to come to us in the future. This is not a mere wish. It's not a, I hope it happens, but I'm not really sure. The nature of biblical hope is that this thing that's going to come in the future, we're absolutely certain it's going to come to us and be ours. And then thirdly, hope is a longing and it's a desire. It's this fervent, burning desire for that thing that's going to come in the future that I'm confident is going to be mine. Earnest longing and expectation with confidence for God's goodness to us in the future. That's hope. The object of our hope, according to the Word of God here, is glory. Verse 2, in hope of the glory of God. When it speaks of the glory of God there, we have to begin with God's own glory, even though that's not what's being emphasized here. God, of course, is the God of glory, and God's glory refers to the weight and the radiation of all of His divine perfections. God is a God of love, and grace, and mercy, righteousness, and holiness, and all of these attributes and perfections of God have a weight and they radiate with glory. God's glory is especially revealed in the Lord Jesus Christ. When the Word of God talks here about the glory of God, what it's referring to is God's own glory in Jesus Christ, but as that's reflected in us. It's God's work of bestowing upon us glory so that we radiate with the glory of God Himself in Jesus Christ, our Savior. Elsewhere in the book of Romans, it's made plain that it's talking about our glory, for I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 9 verse 23, that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had aforeprepared unto glory. There's a glory that awaits us in the future that we don't yet possess. And that glory is the glory of perfection when in both soul first, but then also in body, we are made perfect like the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, so that the glory of God and the Lord Jesus Christ will be reflected in us. That's our hope. We expect it with the utmost confidence to come in the future, though we don't have it now. And we long for that. This is the burning passion of the Christian. Glory! We have that confidence for the sake of Jesus Christ and being justified. To know now that I'm justified. That I'm right with God. I have peace with Him. I'm reconciled to Him. I have this standing that's certain and can never be lost. I have the utmost confidence of glory. For God to say to me, now you're righteous and you're forgiven. is the same thing that God is going to say to me in the judgment day. I don't have to live in fear of condemnation because I know that my Savior is going to stand in judgment and the same verdict is going to be pronounced. You're righteous and therefore glorified. In that confidence, we rejoice. Verse 2, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And that word conveys boasting, glorying, rejoicing to the highest degree. To boast in a proper sense means you know you have something that is so precious, so important, so lovely that you want to shout it out How wonderful this thing is. We rejoice, we boast in the hope of glory. Now it's striking that the Word of God says that here. It's one of the benefits of our justification because over the last couple of chapters, the Word of God has shown the nature of justification by faith is that it excludes boasting. Romans 3 verse 27, where is boasting then? It's the same word. It's excluded by what law of works? Nay, but by the law of faith. The truth of justification means boasting is excluded. That is, boasting in oneself, in one's status, privileges, works. This truth of salvation by grace, it excludes all boasting of that variety. But, the truth of justification is the foundation also for boasting. That is the only proper kind of boasting of the Christian. That is boasting in God, boasting in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, and boasting in the hope of glory. The boasting and rejoicing that's born out of an awe and a humble recognition of the wonder of God's grace to us. We rejoice, we boast this morning. All the wonderful blessings of our salvation in Jesus Christ. We gather together for a joyful, celebratory meal now. To boast in God and to rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ. And in the quiet, humble confidence that we have. That we have peace with God. Access to grace. and the hope of glory. Amen. Let's pray. Father in heaven, we pray that Thou wilt bless Thy Word to our hearts, comfort us in the truth of the gospel of our salvation, and now prepare us to come to the table to partake of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ by faith. Bless the sacrament to us. Cause it to serve as a means of Thy grace to us. Forgive our sins for Jesus' sake. Amen. Let's turn now to the form for the administration of the Lord's Supper. It's found in the back of our New Psalters on page 650. Sister has granted permission to a number of individuals to partake of the sacrament with us this morning. Howard and Lejean Bonestro from Dune PRC, Luke Talsma and Emily Olson from Pittsburgh PRC, Ed Hextra and Seth Hextra from Randolph PRC, Jeremy and Carolyn Dailing from Faith PRC, and Nicole Van Overloop from Trinity PRC. Glad to welcome these brothers and sisters to the table of the Lord Jesus Christ with us this morning. We love it in the Lord Jesus Christ. Attend to the words of the institution of the Holy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ as they are delivered by the Holy Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11, 23-29. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he break it and said, Take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you, this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup when he had supped, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood. This do ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. that we may now celebrate the supper of the Lord to our comfort, it is above all things necessary, first, rightly to examine ourselves, secondly, to direct it to that end for which Christ hath ordained and instituted the same, namely to his remembrance. The true examination of ourselves consists of these three parts. First, that everyone consider by himself his sins and the curse due to him for them, to the end that he may abhor and humble himself before God, considering that the wrath of God against sin is so great that rather than it should go unpunished, he hath punished the same in his beloved Son, Jesus Christ, with the bitter and shameful death of the cross. Secondly, that everyone examine his own heart, whether he doth believe this faithful promise of God, that all his sins are forgiven him only for the sake of the passion and death of Jesus Christ, and that the perfect righteousness of Christ is imputed and freely given him as his own, yea, so perfectly as if he had satisfied in his own person for all his sins and fulfilled all righteousness. Thirdly, that everyone examine his own conscience, whether he purposeth henceforth to show true thankfulness to God in his whole life and to walk uprightly before him, as also whether he hath laid aside unfeignedly all enmity, hatred, and envy, and doth firmly resolve henceforward to walk in true love and peace with his neighbor. All those then who are thus disposed, God will certainly receive in mercy and count them worthy partakers of the table of his son, Jesus Christ. On the contrary, those who do not feel this testimony in their hearts, eat and drink judgment to themselves. Therefore, we also, according to the command of Christ and the Apostle Paul, admonish all those who are defiled with the following sins to keep themselves from the table of the Lord and declare to them that they have no part in the kingdom of Christ. such as all idolaters, all those who invoke deceased saints, angels, or other creatures, all those who worship images, all enchanters, diviners, charmers, and those who confide in such enchantments, all despisers of God and of His Word and of the Holy Sacraments, all blasphemers, all those who are given to raise discord, sex, and mutiny in church or state, all perjured persons, all those who are disobedient to their parents and superiors, all murderers, contentious persons, and those who live in hatred and envy against their neighbors, all adulterers, whoremongers, drunkards, thieves, usurers, robbers, gamesters, covetous, and all who lead offensive lives. All these, while they continue in such sins, shall abstain from this meat, which Christ hath ordained only for the faithful, lest their judgment and condemnation be made the heavier. But this is not designed, dearly beloved brethren and sisters in the Lord, to deject the contrite hearts of the faithful, as if none might come to the supper of the Lord but those who are without sin. We do not come to this supper to testify thereby that we are perfect and righteous in ourselves, but on the contrary, considering that we seek our life out of ourselves in Jesus Christ, we acknowledge that we lie in the midst of death. Therefore, notwithstanding, we feel many infirmities and miseries in ourselves, as namely that we have not perfect faith and that we do not give ourselves to serve God with that zeal as we are bound, but have daily to strive with the weakness of our faith and the evil lusts of our flesh. Yet, since we are, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, sorry for these weaknesses and earnestly desirous to fight against our unbelief and to live according to all the commandments of God, Therefore, we rest assured that no sin or infirmity which still remaineth against our will in us can hinder us from being received of God in mercy and from being made worthy partakers of this heavenly meat and drink. Let us now also consider to what end the Lord hath instituted his supper, namely, that we do it in remembrance of him. Now, after this manner, are we to remember him by it? First, that we are confidently persuaded in our hearts that our Lord Jesus Christ, according to the promises made to our forefathers in the Old Testament, was sent of the Father into the world, that he assumed our flesh and blood, that he bore for us the wrath of God, under which we should have perished everlastingly, from the beginning of his incarnation to the end of his life upon earth, and that he hath fulfilled for us all obedience to the divine law and righteousness, especially when the weight of our sins and the wrath of God pressed out of him the bloody sweat in the garden, for he was bound that we might be freed from our sins. that he afterwards suffered innumerable reproaches, that we might never be confounded, that he was innocently condemned to death, that we might be acquitted at the judgment seat of God. Yea, that he suffered his blessed body to be nailed on the cross, that he might fix thereon the handwriting of our sins, and hath also taken upon himself the curse due to us, that he might fill us with his blessings. and hath humbled himself unto the deepest reproach and pains of hell, both in body and soul, on the tree of the cross, when he cried out with a loud voice, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? That we might be accepted of God and never be forsaken of him. And finally confirmed with his death and shedding of his blood, the new and eternal testament, that covenant of grace and reconciliation, when he said, it is finished. Secondly, and that we might firmly believe that we belong to this covenant of grace. The Lord Jesus Christ in His last supper took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to His disciples and said, Take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you, this do and remembrance of me. And like manner, also after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and said, drink ye all of it. This cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins. This do ye as often as ye drink it in remembrance of me. That is, as often as ye eat of this bread and drink of this cup, you shall thereby, as by a sure remembrance and pledge, be admonished and assured of this my hearty love and faithfulness towards you. that whereas you should otherwise have suffered eternal death, I have given my body to the death of the cross and shed my blood for you. And as certainly feed and nourish your hungry and thirsty souls with my crucified body and shed blood to everlasting life, as this bread is broken before your eyes and this cup is given to you and you eat and drink the same with your mouth in remembrance of me. From this institution of the Holy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ, we see that He directs our faith and trust to His perfect sacrifice, once offered on the cross, as to the only ground and foundation of our salvation, wherein He has become to our hungry and thirsty souls the true meat and drink of life eternal. For by his death he hath taken away the cause of our eternal death and misery, namely sin, and obtained for us the quickening spirit that we, by the same who dwelleth in Christ as in the head and in us as his members, might have true communion with him and be made partakers of all his blessings of life eternal, righteousness, and glory. Besides, that we by this same spirit may also be united as members of one body in true brotherly love. As the holy apostle Seth, for we being many are one bread and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread. For as out of many grains one meal is ground and one bread baked, and out of many berries being pressed together one wine floweth and mixeth itself together, so shall we all, who by a true faith are engrafted into Christ, be altogether one body through brotherly love for Christ's sake, our beloved Savior, who hath so exceedingly loved us. And not only show this in word, but also in very deed towards one another. here to assist us, the almighty God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ through His Holy Spirit. Amen. We may obtain all this. Let us humble ourselves before God and with true faith implore His grace. Let's pray. O most merciful God and Father, we beseech Thee that Thou wilt be pleased in this supper in which we celebrate the glorious remembrance of the bitter death of Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to work in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, that we may daily more and more with true confidence give ourselves up unto Thy Son, Jesus Christ, that our afflicted and contrite hearts, through the power of the Holy Ghost, may be fed and comforted with His true body and blood, yea, with Him, true God and man, that only heavenly bread, and that we may no longer live in our sins, that He in us and we in Him, and thus truly be made partakers of the new and everlasting covenant of grace, that we may not doubt But thou wilt forever be our gracious Father, never more imputing our sins unto us, and providing us with all things necessary, as well for the body as the soul, as thy beloved children and heirs. Grant us also thy grace that we may take up our cross cheerfully, deny ourselves, confess our Savior, and in all tribulations with uplifted heads, expect our Lord Jesus Christ from heaven, where he will make our mortal bodies like unto his most glorious body, and take us unto him in eternity. Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Strengthen us also by this Holy Supper in the Catholic, undoubted Christian faith, whereof we make confession with our mouths and hearts, saying, I believe in God, the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost. I believe in Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. We may now be fed with the true heavenly bread, Christ Jesus. Let us not cleave with our hearts unto the external bread and wine, but lift them up on high in heaven, where Christ Jesus is our advocate, at the right hand of his heavenly Father, whither all the articles of our faith lead us. not doubting, but we shall as certainly be fed and refreshed in our souls through the working of the Holy Ghost with his body and blood as we receive the holy bread and wine in remembrance of him. Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground. He hath no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from him. He was despised and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. Yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him. And with his stripes, we are healed. ♪ ♪ The bread which we break is the communion of the body of Christ. Take, eat, remember and believe that the body of our Lord Jesus Christ was broken unto a complete remission of all our sins. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment. Who shall declare his generation? he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people was he stricken and he made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death because he had done no violence neither was any deceit in his mouth yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him He hath put him to grief. When thou shalt make 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. He shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong. because he hath poured out his soul unto death. And he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. I'll be back. ♪ ♪ A cup of blessing which we bless is the communion of the blood of Christ. Take, drink ye all of it. Remember and believe that the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ was shed unto a complete remission of all our sins. Beloved in the Lord, since the Lord hath now fed our souls at this table, let us therefore jointly praise his holy name with thanksgiving, and everyone say in his heart thus. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me. Bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases, who redeemeth thy life from destruction, who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy. He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy towards them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. who hath not spared his own son, but delivered him up for us all, and given us all things with him. Therefore God commendeth therewith his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than being now justified in his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. for if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life therefore shall my mouth and heart show forth the praise of the Lord this time forth forevermore amen let's join our hearts now in praying the prayer of thanksgiving to God O Almighty, Merciful God and Father, we render Thee most humble and hearty thanks that Thou hast, of Thy infinite mercy, given us Thine only begotten Son for a mediator and a sacrifice for our sins, and to be our meat and drink unto life eternal, and that Thou givest us lively faith, whereby we are made partakers of such great benefits. Thou hast also been pleased that thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ, should institute and ordain this Holy Supper for the confirmation of the same. Grant we beseech thee, O faithful God and Father, that through the operation of thy Holy Spirit, the commemoration of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ may tend to the daily increase of our faith and saving fellowship with him. For Jesus Christ, thy Son, in whose name we conclude our prayers, saying, Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever amen this time an offering will be received as an expression of our thanks to god and that's for the care of the poor and needy while it's being collected let's turn to psalter number 103 g 103 g That last part of the form is a word of God that comes from Psalm 103. Let's sing the first three stanzas, the first three of 103 G. His heart be praised, and stately love proclaimed, as can the angels, the just divine, as can God's love to you reigneth when he has given. Rich is his grace to all that humbly seek him. His heart is high above this to his children, tender and kind to all who hear his name. Christ divine, Christ in His sermons, and in His will divine. Godspeed, O Lord, our proudest God, eternal King of Kings, who art in us. The sweetest praise and glorious name, for evermore amen. And let its glory fill the earth from shore to shore. Amen. The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace. Amen.