Colossians chapter 2 verses 6 and 7. Colossians chapter 2 verses 6 and 7. I'm going to read it. You're going to follow along. I'm hoping that the slides will work with me. I don't see one behind me. Did I drop the ball on that too? I don't think I did. Someone give me a cue from up there from behind the scenes. There's my cue it's working. All right, fantastic Colossians chapter 2 verses 6 and 7 I'm gonna read it you're gonna follow along therefore as you receive Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him Rooted and built up in him and established in the faith just as you were taught abounding in Thanksgiving stop there That verse has a familiar term and the familiar term is the word walk walk. What does walk mean? I Talk to me a little bit. What does walk mean? When Paul writes, therefore as you receive Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him. What's he talking about? Daily life. Anyone else? Go ahead, George. Living your life. Okay, you guys got it. Anyone else? One step at a time towards sanctification. Anyone else? I don't want to leave you. Hold on, I can't hear you. I'm sorry Alice Okay, be like Jesus Jose Follow follow him. Yes, Marlon Your behavior, yeah, listen, I think all of you I'm sorry Maria Be obedient. Listen Ronnie hit it. It's close really close at least to what I have in my notes and that's what counts, right? So walk means daily conduct When we talk about walking in Christ, daily conduct, the Amplified Bible captures this nuance and puts it this way, it will be on the screen there. As you have therefore received the Christ, even Jesus the Lord, so regulate your lives and conduct yourself in union and conformity to Him. The Amplified Bible, if you use it for study purposes, can help because that translation captures some of the nuances that we lose sometimes when you translate from the manuscripts or from the copies of the manuscripts in the Greek language to the English language. But the Amplified Bible reminds us that as followers of Jesus, as Christians, our daily conduct should not contradict our profession of faith. How you and I behave and believe on Sunday should not disappear on Monday. Now, we say that, we know we say Amen, but we also know a reality that too often we contradict our profession of faith with our behavior. And that should not be. We should be consistent with it. Okay. I've been meditating on something that I read early in the week and I was Desirous to share with you because I read it. It struck me. I started chewing on it and going Let me see if this is really true as I as I say then as far as I'm concerned Yeah, it affected me and it was true. This is what it is on the screen there Behind every sin we commit. It's a lie. We have believed I Do you agree with me or disagree with me? Behind every sin we commit, think about it. Think the sin that you know. Not the sin you don't know. The Lord does, but you don't. But the last time you chose to sin, you chose to believe a lie that undergirded that sin. Just think about it. I chewed on, and as I sinned throughout the week, whether it was my thoughts, whether it was my speech, driving down Pines Boulevard with these savages next to me, or my actions. When I committed the sin, I stopped because I was meditating on that phrase. Hold on, what lie did I just believe that caused me to sin? See, one of the things, one of those lies is often the illusion of anonymity. We actually believe, we do, we actually believe that there are sins that God doesn't see. Otherwise, how can you explain such blatant sin in the life of a believer? Really? How can I explain such blatant sin in my life? I have to deep down somewhere believe the lie that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. We actually think we can sin in secret, but we forget that what happens in secret does not remain a secret to the Lord in heaven. Why not? On the screen there, sins cry, pierces the heavens like a train whistle ringing in the ears of God who is bound by His own holiness to punish evil. See, you and I have a disconnect. That's why you can have Bible-believing, Jesus-loving, heaven-bound believers commit such heinous sin. Sexual, attitudinal. Why? Because they have to believe. Somewhere down there, you're believing the lie that God really doesn't see. God knows deleted internet searches. God knows the deleted text messages. God knows the secret sins that are lurking in my heart and in your heart. God knows it. But we have to believe the lie that I can commit this sin, I can live this way, that dishonors God, because He really can't do much about it. So not only do we call Him a fool, we call Him out. You're grasping some of the gravity behind that statement, behind every sin we commit, we've believed a lie. If you can find exceptions to that, you're welcome to pay for lunch and we talk about it. Because I'm not going to pay for lunch, I'm convinced that this is true. Because I've seen it time and time again, this week alone, this week alone. See, are you nursing? Am I nursing a secret sin because you think God can't see it? See, this is why Moses says in Numbers, be sure of this. What? Your sin will find you out. Your sin will find you out. You think you can commit sin and keep it a secret. And God says, you're doing it before the whole of heaven, before me and the hosts. We see this. Just because you turn off the light or you close your eyes, doesn't mean that I stop existing. That's the bad news, sinners. The good news is that we need to beg the Lord to pardon us of our sins. And the good news of the gospel is that He does that in Jesus Christ. That's the gospel in which we stand. See, in our daily walk, we should never get away from the foundation of the gospel. the foundation that we find in Jesus Christ. Some will try to tell you and me, oh, you need a different experience, you need to do this, you need to speak in that, or you need to see this vision. No, no, no, no. Our text reminds us of just the common sense reality of understanding our walk with Jesus Christ. For this morning, before we observe the Lord's Supper. Just two things, two truths that I want you to see that emerge from the text. Number one, our walk with Christ requires a beginning. Our walk with Christ requires a beginning. Therefore, as you receive Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. You have to receive. Here's the kicker. You have millions of people who have made an outward profession of faith and don't have an inward possession of faith. And sometimes the church, the preacher, is the one that should be charged. Because we preach a gospel that's not biblical. The reality is, it's presumptuous to think that you can walk with Christ not having received Christ on the front end. The Bible doesn't set you up to fail. The Lord doesn't set you up to fail. That which He demands, He provides. He demands holiness, He provides holiness in Christ Jesus. He demands repentance, He grants you repentance. He demands faith, He grants you faith. He doesn't set you up to fail. We may do it to each other, we may do it to our families, we may even do it to our own lives. But God doesn't set up His children to fail. He provides all that is needed and is presumptuous to try to walk with Christ without having Him as Redeemer and Lord. Would you really attempt to fly without a plane? It wouldn't go too long. Or would you try to eat without food? Think of that one. Hey, I'm going to eat. Right? It's kind of presumptuous. If I'm going to eat, that presupposes there's something to eat. And if you think that's ridiculous, how much more ridiculous is to try to walk with Christ, not having received Christ? See, our walk with Christ requires a beginning. And what does that mean? Two things. Number one, there's a gospel truth that's delivered. Look at your Bible there. Therefore, as you received. Stop there. Circle that word. Received. That's a technical term that points to the authority of the message delivered. It refers to a body of truth that has been authoritatively delivered to a particular people. Let me give you an example. ¿Qué pasa papito? ¿Qué pasa? He now looks at me and goes... A body of truth authoritatively delivered to a particular people. Moses receives a body of truth. from the Lord God. And He then delivers it to the people of Israel. He then delivers it to his successor, and his successor, Joshua, delivers it authoritatively to succeeding generations. And this is why he uses that technical term. In our English language, we lose it. We call it received, yeah, but it's received as authoritative. That's why we say this word, that's why the Reformers called it sola scriptura. The Word of God is the ultimate authority in everything that has to do with life and godliness. This is why I tell you we love to stand on the promises of God, but live under the authority of God's Word, different day. That's why there's the inconsistency. The reality is we have received. Why can we meet today and consider this authoritatively? Because it is. It was delivered. to servants of God who captured it, He protected it, and today you and I can have it in our midst, whether it's the Bible or the Bible app. But the reality is the Scriptures hold value because they're God's Word. A gospel truth has been delivered. It doesn't need any changes. It doesn't need any dressing up. It doesn't need to accommodate to local ideas. You don't have to update the Bible as far as the content is concerned. The reality is that you and I, in our minds, we can say we've received the Word of God. The beginning of our walk with Christ requires a beginning, and that includes a gospel that's gospel truth that's delivered, but it has to go beyond our head and penetrate our heart, our inner being, let's say. And for that, we have a living person that's received. Look at it there. Therefore, as you received the doctrines of Christ, is that what your Bible says? Because if it does, throw out your Bible. See, you and I, yes, we've received the doctrines about Christ, but what we have received according to the Scriptures is a living person. Therefore, as you have received Christ, yes, you have received the authority of God's Word, yes, our message is binding because it comes from God, but the message is bound, let's say, in a living person. Receiving is a lot more, and listen, I like it better than when you and I express ourselves as, I've accepted Christ. You know, you can accept a lot of things. But the bottom line in the Scriptures is not whether you or I accept Christ. The bottom line is whether Christ accepts us. But not to receive. That has overtones of John 1, verse 12. Those who received Him were given the power. So listen, I like that biblical language. Received. Received. Received Christ Jesus, the Lord. When we receive Christ, we receive all of Christ. You don't have to add it. There's no second blessing requirement. Listen, there were troublemakers in the church of the Colossians, the city of Colossae. They were saying, hey, receiving Christ is not enough. You still got to do this. If you want to tap into that inner esoteric and mysterious knowledge of God, you need to do this. He says, no, you have received Christ Jesus, the Lord. Don't miss the language. Christ, Jesus, the Lord. Three words there that you and I should be highlighting, okay? It says, Christ, Jesus, Lord. He could have just said, hey, have you received Christ? Have you received Jesus? Have you received the Lord? No, no, he uses Christ, Jesus, Lord. As Christ, he's the anointed one. Promised to Abraham, promised to Israel, promised to Moses. He's the one. That's Christ that Isaiah talks about, and Jeremiah talks about, and Micah prophesies. Isaiah 61, the Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedoms to prisoners, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God. And that is fulfilled. When Jesus enters in a synagogue, He says, this day, that word has been fulfilled. He is anointed. As Christ, He fulfills the role of prophet. He's the one proclaiming the good news of God, the good news of salvation. He's the ultimate authority. So as Christ, He serves us as prophet. As Jesus, it reminds us of His priestly work. Because not only does He provide salvation to His own, He becomes the salvation to His own. Right? That's what these elements tell us the story of. The body and the blood of Christ. So he's not just saying, hey, here's some some doctrine. Here's some teaching. No, no, no. I am. Salvation to people. That's him being our priest. He becomes the sacrifice. And when he says, Lord, listen, the early confession of the church was Jesus Christ is Lord. Roman Empire didn't like that because they wanted Caesar to be Lord. And there's cases in read your Roman history, read your Bible history. When you didn't say Caesar's Lord, you paid with your life. Jesus Christ is Lord in defiance to emperor worship and to worship to hundreds of other gods. The Christians were willing to lay down their lives because Jesus is Lord. And as Lord, he's King. He's king. Not only is he sovereign all around, he's sovereign over our lives. So in that phrase, Christ, Jesus, the Lord, Paul engages all that needs to be engaged. He is the deity of Christ, the anointing of God. Judaism had a problem with that. Okay, he's Jesus, the human, the theanthropos, the God-man. You know who had a problem with that? The false teachers at Colossae, the Gnostics. They denied the humanity of Christ. You can't have something divine mixed with something that's not. And as Lord, He was reigning over the Roman and Greek mythologies that denied only one God. So He's telling the church there and He's telling the church here, Christ Jesus, the Lord. You take Him as He is. Child of God, my friend, please don't ever say that you and I need to make Jesus Lord. You do not add or actually detract from Jesus Christ. Because He is God. So you can't make Him something He already is. By virtue of the resurrection, He is the name that's above all names, which is Lord. You don't make Him anything. I don't add value. I don't detract value. God is self-sufficient. He didn't have to create you or me to feel better about Himself. Because He got a little lonely up there in heaven after eons of time. I don't know, I can't tolerate this. Oh my gosh. All by myself. Number one is the loneliest. No! No! None of that stuff. God said, no, he makes it because he wants to. Billy Graham said, it's on the screen there, no man can be said to be truly converted to Christ who has not bent his will to Christ. He may give intellectual assent to the claims of Christ and may have had an emotional and religious experiences. However, he is not truly converted until he has surrendered his will to Christ as Lord, Savior and Master. So the question is, have you received Christ Jesus, the Lord? we're gonna lose all that in a couple of weeks when we're gonna have baby Jesus and all the little stables and and we're gonna we're gonna think that that this is what Christmas is all about just as the baby and the stable really listen that what what are you gonna hear from me in a couple of weeks if if if if Christmas doesn't lead you to Calvary you missed the point You missed the point Christmas is not just the the birth of baby Jesus. I Christmas tells the story that a Savior was needed because sinners needed rescuing. And you lose track of that. And if Christmas doesn't lead you to Calvary, you're losing it. You're losing it. You're with the spirit of the age. Be counter-cultural this Christmas time. Have you received? See, there is no justification without receiving Christ Jesus as Lord. There is no sanctification. How can you grow in Christ if you're not in Christ? There's no discipleship. There's no growth. There's nothing apart from that. You have to receive Him by faith as Christ Jesus, the Lord. Our walk with Christ requires a beginning. But that's only part of the story here in Colossians 2. Secondly, our walk with Christ results in growth. First word there in chapter 2 verse 6, therefore. Anytime you see the word therefore, you have to figure out why it's there for. Right? That's just good Bible hermeneutics. That's just good Bible study. Why is it there? Well, the reason is, it points backwards. It points backwards to all that's been said in chapter 1 about Jesus, His sufficiency. the knowledge, all that we have in Him, and immediately, the immediate context is in chapter 2, refusing to go after any other teaching apart from what has been revealed about Jesus Christ. Therefore, therefore, we received Christ Jesus as Lord, now we continue to live in Him as such. And that's where the disconnect happens sometimes. because we receive, but we fail to forget that out of that relationship, an ethic, a way of life has to come forth. And it's a grace-driven effort, grace-fueled effort. Again, God doesn't leave it just up to you and me. You know why? Because we're going to fumble the ball. It's like the Steelers last Sunday. They lost the easy game. You're killing me, guys. You're killing me. That's my team, all right? You're killing me. You beat the Ravens, and you lose to the Browns. That's why God doesn't leave it to you and me in our walk with Him. He enables through the power of the Spirit, through the presence of the Spirit. It's grace-filled, grace-fueled, Spirit-filled, Spirit-fueled sanctification. It's not just you and me trying to make it a little better. I need to do more. No, no, no. It's as I cooperate with the Spirit, I bear the fruit of Christlikeness. So that's the growth. Rooted, rooted. Life is a journey. And we're not expected to sprint through it. Four ways that you see there in verse 7. Four ways of healthy growing relationship. Number one, planted in Christ, we're being nourished in Christ. Rooted. Rooted. Talks about an action that was performed in the past, but has results in the present. You were rooted. You were rooted. Remind you, you should right there, beside that verse, you can put Psalm 1. You're rooted in Christ. There's absolute dependence on the believer's part. That's John 15. With Jesus at the center, we abide in Him. He's the one who produces the fruit. We are just in Christ. See, I wrote in my notes here with trees, a general rule is that the visible spread of the branches is roughly equal to the invisible spread of the roots. Did you know that? Right? That's why some of these oaks, the span is wider than here. The root system is no less. It's no less. See, you find yourself growing deeper and deeper in Christ, the fruit and beauty will prevail. That's why we're planted, therefore we're being nourished. If you're not in Christ, you cannot grow in Christ-likeness. Oh, you can mimic it. You can be loving, you can be patient, but the reality is not loving in a way that honors God ultimately. Or patient in a way that honors God ultimately. Because ultimately, what's driving you is not the glory of God, but the glory of one, of yourself. I want to look good. So the question is, who gets the glory when I behave well? Is it the outworking of the Spirit of God in me? Or is it just me trying to go, uh, Jane, I Tarzan. That's the catch here. We're planted. He's our spiritual environment number two founded on Christ We are being built up in Christ. It says are therefore or rooted and built up in him She built up changes the word picture from the agricultural to the structural to the construction world and that's where the foundation comes in a good foundation allows you to build big and Build big. You see, false teachers are coming against the church in Colossae, against the Colossians. False teachers come against us in our day. What's the remedy on the screen there? You cannot stand firm against false teachers, heresies, and worldly distractions if you're not building on solid foundation, Jesus Christ. Again, this is why you'll find yourself on a Sunday morning, really, really intense, and your emotions are there, and your commitment is there, but you walk into Monday morning, and it just... You flush it down the toilet. How did I go from here to here? Because you're not building on the foundation. You're not building on the foundation. You can't. You can't. See, it is God who's working, who began a good work in us and will continue to the day in Jesus Christ. Philippians 1, 6. Philippians 2, 13. It is God who's at work in us, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Who do we live for? For His good pleasure. My life must be lived for His good pleasure. And that means that ultimately He says what happens to me. Again, I still remember many many years ago on a pastor appreciation Sunday. They gave me a big card I still have in my office and all the kids and kids church wrote some things and they said Pastor Lou is this but Miss Monique is so beautiful and Miss Monique is here today So I had to throw that in. Alright, so Miss Monique so beautiful in this and I remember Scotty Writing we are the sheep. He is the shepherd You're the sheep dog. I Went this kid doesn't know his Bible But I said, you know, this kid might know some more than I know, because that is true. All I do is serve him as his good pleasure. And that's what the sheepdog does. He serves the cowboy at his good pleasure, rounding up the sheep and carrying out whatever he needs to do. See, you and I have to live our lives at His good pleasure. And when we're about to do something that's going to bring upon His displeasure, that should say, don't do it. Because if you choose to sin, then you have just believed a lie. And that's why you committed. That's why this phrase has stuck with me. all this week and into the last week and into this week. See, founded on Christ, we're being built up in Christ. Once you have the foundation, once you have the foundation, all right? Number three, taught about Christ, we're being established in Christ. The word established and the phrase built up are present tense. It's not past tense like rooted, happened one time with lasting results. These are ongoing, present tense. We're being built, we're being established. They're both actions that were happening when He wrote Colossians and they're happening today when we study Colossians. That's the beauty. See, it's a skyscraper. You can limit your growth in Christ and go, Oh, I only know I can grow this high. No, no, no, no, no. The foundation will support all that you can put on it. So grow the sky's the limit dig in learn study read the scriptures Listen when you've read the Bible and you can read rehearse it near you can tell it to me by memory then maybe you get there Until then give yourself to the study of God's Word And if that's not enough read guys and read read people who've known I tell you all the time read the dead people Read the dead people the dead people knew God in such a way that we that we don't Read the dead people Those men and women who walked with God in ways that you and I need to be challenged, and need to glean from them, and be built up. It is God who is doing the work in us. So grow, grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus. And lastly, Saved by Christ. We're thankful for Christ. So it says they're establishing the faith just as you were taught abounding in thanksgiving See thankfulness or gratitude is a good test of our spiritual state How grateful are you today leading up to Thanksgiving Are you about this grateful because you know pretty soon. I'm gonna stop talking. I'm gonna run out of Ideas, I'm on page four or five, you know How grateful are you Listen, on the screen there. A thankless spirit betrays a life which is no longer focusing on the greatness of Christ. It's looking down, not up. When you are focused on the goodness and the kindness of God toward you in Christ, you'll be grateful. In all things. You might not be grateful for all things, and I can get that, but in all things, yeah. Because God doesn't love me any less when tragedy strikes. When the diagnosis comes in. when unemployment becomes a reality. He doesn't love me less. He's just going to walk me through it. I mean, if that's not the case for those of you who have been helping with Sylvia, I mean, how can she get through one day without being grateful for the kindness and goodness of God? For those of you who've helped Sylvia, when was the last time you walked in to a bunch of gripes and complaints? I was just there this morning. My wife and I were there this morning. Smiles. Just smiles. The only one that smiles more is their little dog, Daisy. Why? Because she's looking up. She's not looking down. She's looking up. And if that doesn't get you, you walk over and you see Rachel, who lives her life in a recliner, who's going to die in a recliner. What's wrong with my life? Gratitude. Every time we walk out, just about, thank you. Hey, thank you. Hey pastor, here's some cookies. Here's some cookies. You see, this is why when you serve the Lord and you serve others, the blessing is greater to you than to them. So when we give you opportunities, when opportunities are put before you to help and be a blessing, gobble it up. Run to the opportunity. Run! You will never, you will never regret it. Ask the people who've been there for the last three weeks. Ask them. And if you don't know who they are, talk to me afterwards. I'll point you to this happy group. I haven't heard from them yet one gripe. Man, they all tell me, oh man, it was great. Oh my gosh. So run to it, child of God. Run to it. Forget the time, forget the discomfort, forget the interruption. You would do it for yourself. Run to it. Why? Because we've been saved by Christ. And I'm grateful for Christ. And I'm grateful for His own. Because they're my brothers and they're my sisters. They're my family. And I do things for my family. See, gratitude humbles us and keeps us in dependence upon Him who has redeemed us out of His infinite mercy and grace. Not because He had to, because He chose to. Out of His good pleasure. What can we take with us this morning? Let me land the plane so we can transition to the Lord's Supper. Let me just give you two practical applications. Number one, how you started is how you should live. If you started by faith in Christ, you live by faith in Christ. I don't have to sell you a pill. I don't have to sell you some, you know, song and dance. If you started by receiving in Christ, then walk in Christ. Conduct yourself. Show the Lordship of Christ in all areas of life. Stop selling yourself short. Stop selling Christianity short. Stop saying that Jesus makes a difference when He doesn't in this area, and in this area, and in that area, and in this area. Acknowledge it, and then make some changes toward holiness, instead of indulging in sin. That's what this is going to call you to. That's what it calls me to. Take some introspection, to take some time to, how am I living? How's my life saying an amen, giving an amen to the beauty of Christ? How you start is how you should live. Verse 7, how you live is based on how you started. That's the reality. See, there's root problems. Well, the reality is, listen, Because you're in Christ, you're rooted, you're being built up, you're being established, you're being taught, therefore you should abound in thanksgiving. I read the following a few years back, I brought it back here. I'll read some of it and then I'll put the rest of it on the screen. It's from a famous British dog trainer, Barbara Woodhouse. She writes the following. In a dog's mind, a master or a mistress to love, honor and obey is an absolute necessity. The love is dormant in the dog until brought into full bloom by an understanding owner. Thousands of dogs appear to love their owners. They welcome them home with enthusiastic wagging of their tail and jumping up. They follow them about their houses happily. And to the normal person seeing the dog, the affection is true and deep. But to the experienced dog trainer, this outward show is not enough. She goes on to write what's on there. The true test of real love takes place when the dog has the opportunity to go out on its own as soon as the door is left open by mistake. And it goes off and often doesn't return home for hours. That dog loves only its home comforts and the attention it gets from its family. It doesn't truly love the master or mistress as they fondly think. True love in dogs is apparent when a door is left open and the dog still stays happily within a near shot of its owner. For the owner must be the be-all and the end-all of the dog's life. So dog owner, Maybe you're not that special, huh? You say, well, what does it have to do with the prices of potato in Idaho? Nothing, really. But what does it have to do with you and me? That on the screen now. The real test of our Christianity isn't seen in our work or activity. It's found in this. When we have an opportunity to wander away, to disobey, or to leave His presence, do we choose instead to stay close to Him, to abide in Christ, or to obey? See, that's the kick in there. When we have the option, oh, listen, on a Sunday morning, everything's great. I'm wearing my new jacket, and this and that, I look like fall colors, and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. But when the door to temptation is swung open for me, not that I open it, it's swung for me. What do I do? That's the test of Christianity. Do I stay because Jesus satisfies, or do I go and satisfy myself? Be careful. And now you see why Jesus looked at people and said, why do you call me Lord? And don't do what I say. Now you know why Jesus looked at people and said, why? Enter through the narrow gate. Because why does the gate that leads to destruction? By the way, by the way, the gate you entered dictates the way you're walking. the path. You don't walk the path to get to a gate. According to Jesus in Matthew 7, you enter a gate and that opens up to a path. The narrow path unto salvation or the wide path unto destruction. Your path reveals your gate. So, child of God, I'm going to tell you again, when the opportunity to sin happens, when temptation swung open, boom, it's there. What do you choose? See, that's what you and I need to take a look at. Because when we decide to commit that sin, we just chose to believe a lie. The communion is before us. The stacks of communion trays are before us. And now it's time to observe the Lord's Supper. What does all this have to do? Because Christ Jesus is our treasure. And times like this reminds us that the Lord's Supper is something special. How should we understand the Lord's Supper? Is it something that the traditional misunderstanding is that these elements, they change in substance and they actually become the actual body and blood of Christ? And that's not what we see in Scripture. What you see in scripture is a symbolic meal that reflects salvation. Yes, we're proclaiming the death of Christ through this. This is gospel. This is why we tell you, your kids don't participate unless they know Jesus Christ. This is not snack time at PBC. This is a symbolic meal. The bread representing the body which was broken. The body that bled. The cup, the blood of the covenant. Death! We're proclaiming death, but what we're proclaiming is, in the death of Christ, we have found life. We have found life. See, this is the clear message on the screen that we say just about every time we observe the supper. Because of the dying of His body and the shedding of His blood, a holy God has dealt with our sins. Why observe it? Let me give you four reasons right up there. Because we need to remember the body and the blood of Christ. We need to reflect on our sin and on His promises. We need to renew our commitment to Christ and to one another. And we need to rejoice, for He has set us free and He's coming back. So have this verse now and meditate on it for just a moment. Psalm 139, Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any grievous way in me and lead me. in the way everlasting. I'm going to ask the men who are going to help us serve the Lord's Supper. They will come and take their place in the front row. For the rest of us, would you go before the Lord? Close your eyes and just bow your heads. This table is open to you, if you know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It's open to you. if you've trusted, if you have received Him as Christ Jesus the Lord. We welcome you to the table. We welcome you to the Lord's Supper. We welcome you here. But if you have not, including your children, we fence it. We protect it. We protect you. We don't want you partaking in something that's not meaningful. You're actually saying something that the Bible would say, be careful, don't do it. But if you're here this morning and you haven't trusted in Christ, do that even now. And for you, my brother and sister in the Lord, remembering that He knows, He sees deleted internet searches. He knows deleted text messages. He knows the sin that lurks in our hearts. He knows the sin that you and I committed just yesterday, last night, last week, this morning. Would you go before the Lord and repent? Because here's the beauty of covenant. God has said that if you repent, I forgive. If you confess your sin, 1 John 1, 9, I will forgive you and I will cleanse you. Would you do that now, child of God?