That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found. Was blind, but now I see. God's grace has taught my heart to fear and praise. my fears may leave. How precious did that face appear the hour I first believed. Through many dangerous doors and stairs I've God be saved thus far, and grace will lead me home. When we've been there 10,000 years, our childhood as the sun, we've no less days to sing God's praise. Thank you. the coming of the Lord. He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored. He embers the fateful vibing of his terrible sword. Glory, glory, hallelujah. Glory, glory, hallelujah. Glory, glory, hallelujah. Our God is marching on. I'll see him in the watchfires of a hundred circling camps. They have built in him an altar in the evening dews and naps. I can read his righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps. His day is marching on. Glory, glory, hallelujah. Glory, glory, hallelujah. Glory, glory, hallelujah. Our God is marching on. He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never sound retreat. He is sifting out the hearts of men before his judgment seat. Only swift my soul to answer him be jubilant my feet. Our God is marching on. Glory, glory, hallelujah. Glory, glory, hallelujah. Glory, glory, hallelujah. Our God is marching on. With the glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me. As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free. While God is marching on. Glory, glory, hallelujah. Glory, glory, hallelujah. Glory, glory, hallelujah. Our God is marching on. I like to be It took him literally to make the moon and stars, the sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars. A lot of being patient he must be. He's still working on me. I really ought to be a sign upon my heart. Don't judge him yet, it's an unfinished part. But it'll all be perfect, just according to his plans. Rationalizing, Master 11 and 11. He's still working on me. to make me what I want to be. It took him just a week to make the moon and stars, the sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars. I love being patient, he must be. He's still working on me. He's still working on me. He's still working on me. Amen. Young people, what a blessing it is to watch our young people grow up in the house of God What a blessing it is to watch them participate in the things of the Lord. We thank the Lord for our young people. May God continue to bless our church family and our young people. I'd like to ask you to turn your Bibles this morning to the book of Matthew. Matthew chapter 27, and then I want you to also begin with 1 Corinthians chapter 11. These are the two scriptures that we will be dealing with here today. As we are looking forward to the Lord's Supper this evening, I want to remind us of some things that God's Word says we need to be mindful of and to remember. And I just pray the Lord will bless us throughout, not only this morning, but throughout the whole day. May God truly be with us in a special way as we ponder and remember the things that Jesus Christ told us to remember. That's what the Lord's Supper is all about. It's a memorial. It's something that is meant for God's children to remember. To go back and re-account everything that took place. All that it took to purchase our souls and our salvation. Remember what it took to give us forgiveness of sin. Remember everything that Jesus Christ went through in our place. And I believe that's what the Lord's Supper is all about. It's a time to reflect. It's a time to remember not only who you are, but whose you are. It's a time to remember that you're forgiven. It's a time to remember that Jesus Christ took everything so that you would not have to. We look back at these scriptures and especially in first Corinthians in chapter 11 want to begin at verse 23 to begin with There the Apostle Paul is teaching the church at Corinth All about the Lord's Supper He's teaching them what they were doing wrong, and he's also teaching them how to do it, right? The Bible states this In verse 23, For I have received of the Lord that which also I have delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread. And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, Take eat, this is my body, which is broken for you. This do in remembrance of me. And after the same manner also he took the cup, and when he had sup, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood. This do you as oft as you drink it in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death until he come. Our most gracious and divine Heavenly Father, Lord, today as we bow before your throne, we do so with faithful heart. We thank you, dear God, for the ordinances that you give to the church, the first of which is baptism and entrance into the church family in obedience to the will and laws of Jesus Christ. But also after that comes the second ordinance of the Lord's Supper, where those that are truly redeemed and in good standing in a local church have the ability to go back and remember a time according to your scriptures how our souls were saved and what it took to bring that salvation to a lost and dying world. Lord, I pray today that you would open up your words to the minds of thy people. Help us today, dear God, to rejoice in our great salvation as we look back and remember what it took to purchase that salvation. Father, I pray that you will open our minds up and help us to see every detail. Lord, help us to understand the agony, the sheer agony of a Savior who was willing to die in our place, that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Father, I pray not only for this congregation, but I do pray for the radio audience. Lord, we know there are many that listen to the broadcast, and we pray that you'll bless them today. Those that are saved, Lord, I pray that you help them to be reminded once again what this salvation really entails. And Lord, if there be those that are listening by way of radio or in this audience today who do not know their Savior, Father, I pray also that they would take heed to the words that are brought forth. They will see a suffering substitute who is willing to die in their place that they might have life. Lord, I pray for the salvation of all souls today. Even as this message is pointed mainly to the redeemed already, I know that the power of God rests in the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, I pray that as we recount all the things that took place this awful time, Lord, I pray that you'll save souls in our midst. Bless us today. Give us power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit. Lord, let us have a great day, a day of pondering thy great salvation. We'll not forget to give you all the praise and honor and glory. For it's in Jesus Christ's name, his sake that I pray, and amen. Emmanuel to our visiting friends or radio audience, once again, we here at the Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church take time to do as God's word leads in the memorial in which we look back at our hope and our sure remedy for sin and its consequences. Here within the Word of God, in the text that has been given, there is instruction on what and how we are to recall our Savior's words. As He has directed His people to observe the second of two ordinances given to the church, The Lord's supper by design brings to our attention certain and sure facts about the purchase of our soul and the forgiveness of our sins and our trespasses. But the one thing in which it should cause us to consider is His suffering, His death for each and every one of us whom God had given Him even before the foundation of the world. We go back and we look for just a moment at John chapter 6. In John chapter 6 and verse 37, the Bible tells us something here that I want you to get a hold of. Now listen to this. This is who Jesus Christ came to die for and the reason He came to die for. Number one, He was doing His Father's will. And this is the will of His Father. In verse 37 it says, All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again unto last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, And everyone which seeth his Son, listen to this now, and believeth on him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day. Now what should our thoughts be considering this Lord's Day? As we consider the Lord's Supper as we meet this evening, what kind of thought process should we be having? I mean, is it something that Maybe you're looking for something after church. Maybe you're looking to see what mom's having for dinner. Listen, I want you to focus primarily not on the after church events, but I want you to focus for just a little while today on the sacrifice of the perfect Son of God in your place. I want your mind today to be going back in time Two thousand years ago, when Jesus Christ was betrayed, when Jesus Christ was left all alone, when Jesus Christ had gone through all the mock trials that were going on, those were hideous to even consider. But yet, during those trials, there were many atrocities that happened to our Savior. Inhumane treatment. Today, society would go plum crazy if our law enforcement was to do what was done to Jesus Christ. The ACLU would go completely ballistic if they were to see and hear of the atrocities that were performed upon Jesus Christ take place in modern day society. But mark it down. The things that Jesus Christ went through, they were real. The things that Jesus Christ went through were felt by our Savior. I mentioned this the other day, that many will say, well, He was God and He's able to overpower the pain that He was going through. No. He was God, alright, but He was a man as well. And He felt everything that man was inflicting upon Him. The sorrow. the anguish, and all the things that Jesus went through there as He was being lied upon. I want you today to focus upon these things, because that's what the Lord's Supper is all about. That's the reason why Jesus said, This do in remembrance of Me. He wants you to remember more than just Him as a person, but He wants you to remember Him as a sacrificial Lamb. You see, that's what the bread and the blood or the wine represents. That broken body and that shed blood, the atoning covering that was given for you and me. This was all done that you and I might have life. This was all done because you and I could never do what Jesus did. There was the perfect sacrifice. Number one, we were blemished from the beginning. From Adam and Eve on, every person who has been born into this world is born in sin, the Bible says. Therefore, we're blemished and unable to do what Jesus did. He was the perfect Son of God. He was not only the perfect Son of God, He was the sinless substitute. His blood was pure. His blood was amazing, immaculately pure. Listen, His sinless life preached to the world around. This is the way my Father wants you to be. But because of our tainted life already, because of our sin, because of our being born into this world through humanity, we were born with a blemish. We were born not with just a blemish. but with intolerable, depraved spirits. Think about it. What are you not capable of sinning? Mankind is capable of sinning the worst sins ever, and he will still continue to go on in that worst sin because he's totally depraved. There is nothing beneath or nothing beyond what man will do. We see that in today's society, don't we? The things that are being brought out in the world today are things that the Bible states that shows that the depravity of man is only growing worse and worse as the days go by. As a matter of fact, the Bible says in the end times, men will wax worse. We're talking about the sins of man. The sins of mankind will continue to go on deeper in depravity. Today we don't even blush at the things that yesteryear we would have stopped to ever believe that would ever come to pass. What a shame it is. What a shame it is to watch how depraved human beings can only grow worse and worse with time. It's sad to say the Christian, the Christian anymore just kind of turns their way from it and don't pay any attention to it. God says, listen, there is a recompense. There is a payday coming. And I want you to know that Jesus Christ paid the awful debt that was due mankind. The Bible says in Romans chapter 6, the wages of sin is death. But think about it. The gift of God is eternal life through His Son, Jesus Christ. So as we look at these things today, I want your mind to go back to Calvary. I want your mind to go back to Jerusalem. I want your mind to go back to a time and place where just before the crucifixion, Jesus was gathered around His disciples. And all His disciples were there, even the one who would betray Him. Even the one who had set Him up for the fall of all time. As we look at it today in human standards, we think of it as a great fall, but actually what it was, it was God's plan of salvation coming to fruition. So what are we going to learn today? What are we going to remember today? I believe today, first of all, we should consider Him being betrayed and denied by those within His own circle. We go back to Matthew for just a moment in chapter 26. And I want you to begin here with me. Matthew 26 and beginning at verse 14. Notice what it says here. The Bible says then one of the twelve, this was the disciples, these were the very first men that Jesus called to His side. Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priest. And he said unto them, What will you give me? And I will deliver him unto you. And they coveted him thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him. Here was Jesus Christ, the very Son of God. And here was all of his disciples gathered around him. But there was one of them who was filled with mischief. There was one of them that was filled with lust and covetousness, but there was one of them that was also filled with the devil himself. Can you just imagine? As Jesus Christ called those men unto Himself, as Jesus would gather around, and there they would gather around the Sovereign of the Universe, the Savior of man, and this one was plotting against Him all alone. You think about Judas. You think about the life that he had to have had. Here he was with the very Son of God, the very perfect Son of God, the one who was going to give His life for ransom for many. He watched Him. He walked with Him. He saw His miracles. He saw all the things that Jesus Christ did, and yet he was willing to sacrifice his own life, his own eternal destiny for the sake of a few silver pieces. Him was the one who walked with Jesus. Him was the one who sat at the Passover with Jesus. And as they ate the Passover, Jesus revealed unto them something that was going to take place. Think about it. Could you imagine the heart of Jesus Christ? Now, I know Jesus, He knew all things. He knew all this was going to take place. But can you just imagine? Here was one whom the Bible says when Judas came to Him, there in the garden of Gethsemane, when He led all that band of soldiers around Him, What did Jesus say to him? He said, Friend, think about it. And I want you to consider yourself today. How many times have you had a friend to actually dishonor you this way? Here, our Savior was betrayed by one who was there with Him. perhaps even looked at him as a friend since he was numbered with the Lord's disciples. Can you just imagine the heartache of knowing that a close acquaintance was going to double cross you? We look at verse 50 of this same text and notice what it says here. And Jesus said unto him, now this is where Jesus was getting ready to be arrested. He says, Wherefore art thou come? Jesus knew why he was there. Jesus knew everything that was going on, yet he still called him friend. Here was the very essence of evil, if you ask me. The personification of a demon-possessed man who was willing to do everything to tarnish the life of Jesus Christ. But little did he know what he was doing was playing right into the hand of God Almighty. Now think about this. Verse 53 down through verse 56. Notice what it says. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and He shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be? And in the same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are you come out against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? He says, I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and you laid no hold on me. But all this was done. Now listen to this. Everybody wants to all of a sudden make enemies of everybody, but listen. He said all this was done that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. What Scriptures? It was the Scriptures that Jesus was going to come, the Messiah was going to come, and He was going to give His life for His people. Here was, now I want you to listen to this now. Here was the Son of God. who everywhere where he went there were miracles performed. Everywhere he went the dead rose. Everywhere he went the sick were healed. Everywhere he went the blind were made to see. The dumb were able to hear and speak. Everywhere he went he was doing good. This is one of those times when a person like that is often looked upon as a miraculous Savior. So something had to be done, didn't it? We look at Judas. Judas comes in on the scene. And what did they begin to do? They began to lie on Jesus Christ. They began to seek occasion where they could make mischief of His name and all of His good works and deeds. They began to say that he was speaking blasphemous words. Think about it. Yes, here was your Savior, the Sovereign of the Universe. Here was the One who performed miracles beyond measure. And yet, one of His own. double-crossed Him and turned their back on Him. Think of the sorrow. Can you not go there tonight or today? Think of the sorrow of having one of your best friends, one of your good friends, to, as the modern day term is, stab you in the back and walk away. See you hurting without offering any help. Can you imagine that? I would be devastated, but I look at my Savior, and He knew all this was going to take place, and He knew Judas Iscariot. That would have been hard enough, but just knowing it. But you know what? That wasn't the end of it. You see, there was not only a betrayal, But as Brother Jamie said this morning, there was a denial. Peter denied even knowing Jesus Christ. He denied it to such a degree that he began to curse and to use slanderous words. Can you imagine? Here was the Savior. Here was the One who helped Peter up out of the stormy sea. Here was the one who hushed Peter's emotions when he was ready to strike off the air, and he did strike off the air, the one of the high priests. Here was the one who saved Peter by His grace. Here was the one who made him one of His very own disciples, one of His apostles. Here was Peter, a very friend of the Savior. And now, he's denying that he even knows him. And he denies him with cursings and slanderous words. You know, I imagine the very moment that the croc crowed. When that old rooster crowed and Jesus looked around and there's Peter. Peter saw his Savior. No doubt Peter saw the anguish of a friend who was just denied in front of all those lost sinners. Jesus Christ was God, but He is the God-man. Jesus Christ, the Bible teaches us, fills with our emotions. He feels the emotions of mankind and He knows the emotions of men. As a matter of fact, when Lazarus died, if you remember, and his sisters were all broken hearted and all those were crying, the Bible says he wept. You know why? Because he could feel their pain. So Jesus understood the emotions that he was going through. Jesus understood and He felt the anguish of being betrayed and denied by those within His own circle. Think about it. Could not this have broken your heart? Would not this break your heart? Has this even broken your heart? To have those close to you. To do you the way Judas and Peter done the Savior. Yes, I would say that this would be something that would tear our hearts up. But again, remember, but only this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then, the Bible says all the disciples departed from Him. They all forsook Him. Here was your Savior. He had a backing. He had a group that was there with him. He had a group that said, I will die for you. That's what Peter said. And yet, to a man, every one of them fled from him. I can imagine the heartbreak. This is what I want you to remember today. This is what I want you to focus upon today. And I want your mind to see the denial, the hurt that had to go through the Lord Jesus Christ's heart. Secondly, I want you to consider this. I want you to consider the cruel treatment of humanity. In Matthew chapter 26, again in verse 57, we'll read this for just a little bit. I want you to look at this. And again, I want your mind to go back there. I don't want you to be sitting here half asleep. I don't want you to be sitting here with other thoughts in your mind. I want you today to look at the Savior. And I want you to see what men have done to Him. I want you to watch what mankind has done so that you and I might have salvation. Listen to this. And they laid hold on Jesus and led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest. where the scribes and the elders were assembled. But Peter followed Him afar off into the high priest's palace and went in, and he sat with the servants to see the end. Now the chief priests and the elders and all the council sought false witness against Jesus to put Him to death. They were doing everything in their power. They knew they had to find somebody that would lie against Him, because they knew the life of the Savior. They watched Him as well. They saw all that he did, so they knew he had to be lied against. Verse 60 says, But found none. Yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At last came two false witnesses and said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and build it in three days. The high priest arose and said, Answer thou nothing? What is it which these witness against thee? But Jesus held his peace, and the high priest answered him, and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tellest whether thou be Christ the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said. Nevertheless, I say unto you, Hereafter shall you see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy. What further need have we of witness? Behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. They said, What? Thank ye. They answered and said, He is guilty of death. Now listen to this. Then did they spit in his face. Now remember tonight. He says, I want you to remember what everything that took place. How many of you in this house to worship today could stand and watch and have somebody spit in your face? Who among you today would stand still and allow that to take place? Not a one of us, I dare say. We'd be willing to fight a running sawmill rather to have somebody spit in our face. I know I would. I couldn't handle that. But yet, here was our Savior. They spit in His face and they buffeted Him with their palms. They buffeted Him and others smote Him with the palms of their hands. Listen to what He went through for you and me. This is the reason why He wanted us to partake in the Lord's Supper. This is not a request either. This is a demand of God. This is not just a simple, I would hope that you would do so. He says, I will want you to do this. Remember what I went through for you. Remember that they spit in my face. They pulled the beard from my face. They hit me with the palms of their hands. What they do, they blindfolded me. They would hit him and they say, prophesy who it was that hit you. Yes, this was all done for you and me. Not only that, Jesus Christ, just before he was led away to be crucified, the Bible says they strapped him out and with a cat o' nine tails they began to whip our Savior. Isaiah says you wouldn't have even known Him as a man. Psalms talks about the fact that He was beyond recognition. They beat our Savior. They took the cat of nine tails and they began to rip His back wide open all the way down. The Bible says He bled profusely. Then they led him away to crucify him and all the way to the cross of Calvary. Here was our suffering substitute. And he was bleeding all along the way. Tonight, when we began to break the bread, I want your mind to go back to that old whip. I want your mind to hear the whip of the Canaanite as it would come across your Savior's back. My Savior didn't just stand there without any pain. He felt the pain and agony of the worst scourging. As a matter of fact, they wouldn't even go no further because of the law. It would naturally kill the man. That's how bad he was beaten. And then, when they made it to the old rugged hill, An old place called Golgotha, which is known as the place of the skull. The Bible says He laid down His life for you and me. And as they drove those nails in His hands, you remember the nails that the prince wore. Thomas said, I ain't going to believe until I can put my finger in His nail prints. Jesus Christ said, not only put your finger in my nail prints, but put your whole hand in my side. where the spear ran through. Every time you hear the bread break, I want you to see the hammer coming down on the nail that fastened Him to the old rugged cross. Yes, that bread is going to tell us a few things tonight. That bread in its one loaf form speaks to the unity of this body. That bread in its pure sense where it's no leavening in whatsoever speaks to the pureness of His body. And we're going to break that bread tonight, showing the awful treatment and the hatred of mankind upon this Savior. This bread will be broken, representing all the torment that Jesus Christ went through And yet, not one bone of our Savior was broken that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. So yes, I want you to consider today the cruel treatment of sinful man. I want your mind to go there. I want your mind to focus upon that fact. And when we look at that bread, that pure bread, that bread that has nothing in it except for the beaten flour, Again, like I was telling Brother Jeremy the other morning when we was in our teaching in that class, I was telling him, this wasn't just any kind of flower. This wasn't rye flower. This wasn't anything else but beaten wheat. Here was the pure symbol of pureness. Here was the symbol of immaculate. Immaculate body that was pure and sinless. And it had been broken for you and me. That bread, yes, it's going to tell us a few things tonight. It's going to take our minds back there. I pray that it does. To that body that was sinless. To that body that was wholesome. To that body that was pure. without blemish and without spot, our sin-suffering substitute. The Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. He was the Lamb of sacrifice. He was the Lamb that was going to sacrifice Himself because He was able to pay the sin debt that humanity would never be able to pay. Mankind in his total depravity unleashed upon our Savior their most undignified hatred and sinful acts. In Matthew 26 and verse 67 again, the Bible says, They did spit in his face and buffeted him, and others smote him with the palms of their hands. Many times Jesus Christ took this punishment, and He did so willingly. so that you and I might have life and have it more abundantly. Yes. Today, if you're hearing your loss, you don't know Jesus. Look at what He done. That lost sinner, just like you, might be saved. Look at what He done. That lost sinner, just like you, might have eternal life. I'm not talking about a chance at life. I'm talking about a life that be given by Jesus Christ Himself. Oh yes, I want you to consider the cruel treatment of sinful man. But thirdly, I want you to consider the old rugged cross. Here our Savior was nailed to a cross. And He hanged in our place and in our stead. The Bible tells us in 1 Peter chapter 1, I want you to look here for just a moment. A lot of times today people say there's all kinds of ways to be saved. There's all kinds of different avenues that you can go down and be saved. But the Bible says there's one way of salvation. John 14 and 6 says, He is the way, the truth, and the life. No man come unto the Father but by Him. Verse 18 of this text here says this, For as much as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot, who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was made manifest in these last times for you." Oh yes, there on the old rugged cross, Jesus willingly laid down His life. Jesus stretched out His arms. Listen, think about it. No man has a friend greater than that than one would lay down his life for his friends. Jesus laid down His life. They didn't take it from Him. He wasn't forced down upon that old cross. Jesus Christ willingly laid down there and stretched out His arms so they could nail Him to the cross. And His feet were nailed. Now I want you to watch. Go there. There He lays upon that old cross on the ground. But now I want you to watch something with me. Hear the Savior as He laid on that ground? Yes, He was in agony. But can you just imagine when that old cross was erected and allowed to slide down in the prepared hole? When Psalms tells us that my bones stare upon me. In other words, all of his bones come out of joint. When that old cross come to a stop. There he hanged between heaven and earth. Suffering in your stead and in my stead. There all the pain and anguish of the Savior was poured out. And the wrath of God was poured out upon our Savior. Yes. I want you to go there. I want you to see Him as He hanged there. Listen. I believe that our Savior actually felt every pain that man inflicted. The agony as He held there and He stood upon those old nails. That's what He had to do. He had to stand up upon the nails to give His lungs a place to breathe. Yes, I want you to go there today. You who are saved, you who have been redeemed, I want your bind to be there. I want you to realize what it took to purchase your soul's salvation, to give you forgiveness of all your sins and trespasses. I want you to think about that old rugged cross. That old tree of suffering that Jesus laid down His life for you on. Think about it. Oh, what a Savior. Oh, what a Redeemer. What a kinsman Redeemer who would give His life for His friends. Yes. I've got one more thing I want you to think about. Well, a couple more things. I think we should remember the moment that God turned His back upon His Son. In Matthew 27, verse 45 through 50, here we see the moment that darkness overshadowed the whole earth there. God the Father turned His back upon His only Son. For you who have children today, stop and consider that. I know in this congregation, we have people that love their children. I know in some places in this old world, there are those that can do anything to their children. And not even think a thing about it, but in this congregation, your people who love your child, Can you imagine turning your back upon them when they're having their most greatest need ever? Can you imagine turning your back upon your only child, or maybe as one of your children, can you imagine turning your back upon them when they were in their greatest time of need? And just walking away, I look at my son, I look at my daughter, I can't imagine. I can't imagine being able to walk away from them and not render help in their time of need. And yet, Jesus Christ experienced His Father turn His back upon Him. Why? Because He put upon His shoulders your sins and my sins. God, if you remember, does not look upon sin. And there He is, precious Son, who was dying in our place, who took our sins upon His own shoulders so that you and I might live. His Father turned His back upon Him and turned out all the lights so nobody else could see. Here He was dying in your place and my place. Yes, that moment of darkness was excruciating. Can you just imagine being shunned by the one you've always existed with? To have one that you love and adore to simply turn their back upon you? Pay close attention to Matthew 27.45. I want you to look at this again with me. Again, we're getting ready to come to a close, so listen to me. Matthew 27. The Bible states this in 45 and verse 46. Let me get there. The Bible states this. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice. He said, Can you hear those words? Can you hear those words as Jesus uttered out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Jesus knew the answer to that. Jesus in His anguish and pain of being left all alone, Remember now, he was left all alone. Everybody fled the scene. Even those of his closest followers were afar off on another hillside watching. There he hanged between heaven and earth. And there he paid our sin, suffering, our substitute. He paid our debt. Eli, Eli, lemme ask you back here. Hebrews chapter 5 verse 1 down through verse 9 gives us a little indication. of that suffering substitute. For as he was left to suffer alone, our great high priest, he paid our sin debt. Yes, this is what I want you to remember tonight. When we take the bread and we take the wine, I want you to remember that body and blood of Jesus that was sacrificed for you. But I do want you to remember something else. There was an actual death that took place. It wasn't a near-death experience. Some in the science world today will tell you, Jesus Christ only experienced a near-death experience. The Bible says He yielded up the ghost. In John chapter 19, when He cries out in the English, it is worded, it is finished. In the Greek, it is telestai. Tell us, thou. It is finished. And the Bible says he yielded up the ghost. You see, that's the reason why his legs weren't broken when the other two thieves on each side, their legs were broken to speed along the process of death. The Sabbath was coming. And they got to get them off the cross. So they was going to break the legs of all of them, but they came to Jesus and He was already dead, they said. Yes, there was an actual death. He actually died. He gave up the ghost. His spirit departed from Him so that you and I might have life and have it more abundantly. I'm going to close with this. Again, Matthew 27 and verse 50. The Bible says, and behold, the veil of the temple was rent entwined from top to bottom, and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent. When was this? After Jesus had cried again with a loud voice, he yielded up the ghost. It is finished. That word in the Greek again is teleos, and it means to complete, accomplish. It means to finish, to make an end of. Teleos, telestai. It is finished. So yes, tonight when we partake of the Lord's Supper, I want your mind, well actually I want your mind from this point on to be upon the scene of Calvary. Not just Calvary, but I want you to see Him as He suffered. There at Pilate's Hall, there before Caiaphas, there before all the mock trials, I want you to watch Him Throughout this day, I want you to be focused upon those facts. And I want you to make yourself ready for this service tonight. Is any of us worthy? Ain't none of us worthy. But we need to make sure we partake of the Lord's Supper in a worthily manner. That means that we're discerning the body and blood of Christ. That we are focused upon what took place What the elements of the Lord's Supper indicate and what they mean. The bread and the wine. My friend, I want you to know tonight is a very special evening. It's a very special evening. And I hope and I pray that the membership of this body is all here. Because it's how important it is. It's important to know that Jesus left this for us that we may remember. That's what He wants you to do. He wants you to remember. When He said this doing remembrance of me, that's what He wants. He wants you to remember everything that He done for you. May God help us to see that. And may God save souls today. If you're here and you're lost, you don't know the Lord is your Savior, listen, come to Him today. Seek the only Savior who is able to save your life. Seek the only One who is able to give His life in your place. The Sovereign of the Universe, the Creator of all that is, Jesus Christ, the Sustainer of life and the Giver of eternal life, is here today. You say, how do I know He's here? The Bible says where two or three are gathered in His name, He says, I'm going to be in the midst. You know what? I still believe. I still believe. Those are the words of a Savior. He says, I'll never leave you and I'll never forsake you. That's the reason why today I know He's here. And I pray, oh how I pray, that if you're not saved even now, that you would come to know Him today. Come to know Him as your suffering substitute. Oh, may God bless. May God save. Let's all stand, please. Our most gracious and divine Heavenly Father, Lord, as we bow before your throne, we do so with thankful heart. We are so thankful, dear God, that you give us in thy word everything that we need to know to understand what you went through for us at Calvary. And Father, tonight as we even contemplate the Lord's Supper, help us throughout all this day to be mindful of what we're doing. Help it to be a special time for Thy children. Lord, I pray that You'll bless us, save souls and save lives. Father, forgive us our sin in Jesus Christ's name. Amen. Have our song leader and pianist to come. Like the last time we met, I'd say you'd be dead in my solemn eyes. But believe me, I know that I'd say you'd be close as a bird in its flight. I have to go now, because there are birds on the way. Where is the one I wanna go today? It was there in my day, I could see it by my side There and there I'll go in happy holidays All of the things that you're gonna tell me Maybe I'm the one you're dreaming of Oh, amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me from the grave. And the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross, and the cross ♪ And every holiday ♪ ♪ We'll rock her like the sun ♪ ♪ And we'll rock her like the sun ♪ ♪ And we'll rock her like the sun ♪ ♪ And we'll rock her like the sun ♪ ♪ And we'll rock her like the sun ♪ ♪ And we'll rock her like the sun ♪ ♪ And we'll rock her like the sun ♪ ♪ And we'll rock her like the sun ♪ ♪ And we'll rock her like the sun ♪ ♪ And we'll rock her like the sun ♪ ♪ And we'll rock her like the sun ♪ And the party went wild all the way. It was there one day, I received my sign, And it felt like it was at the old days. I said, oh, wait, wait a little bit longer. And from the second rose where I first saw light, in the burning of my heart, oh, wait, wait a second longer. Know that