Focus Your Eyes On The Eternal
The Sermon on the Mount • Sermon • Submitted
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· 28 viewsA Sermon about the result of fixing our eyes on temporal things versus eternal things.
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Good morning Calvary Chapel Lake City! Please open your Bibles to Matt 6. We are continuing our verse-by-verse journey through the Sermon on the Mount- the message of the King. And, I don’t know about you, but in the lives of my family...each weeks sermon (which is just wherever we are as we teach straight through the Bible) seems to touch on the things we are experiencing as a family. His word is indeed ‘living and powerful.’
Over the past several weeks, we have been studying Jesus’ lessons on ‘Practicing Righteousness’- Giving, praying, and fasting. These were common acts of Jewish piety…not just for the religious leader, but for the common Jew as well. And, while Jesus did mention “Do not be like they hypocrites,” (the religious leaders), Jesus was beginning to shift focus away from the religious leaders and touch issues that hit home to every Jew…and to us today.
For the rest of this Sermon, Jesus does not mention the religious leaders by name or by title of “hypocrites” anymore (though certainly “loving money” and “judging” (our next two topics) apply to Pharisaic practices). But, it seems that Jesus is centering His focus personally on His disciples and their personal heart attitudes.
I can imagine being a disciple, as Jesus shifted focus to issues I struggle with...things would get rather uncomfortable…a little bit personal...it’s difficult to face the person in the mirror. And, for the rest of this sermon, Jesus will be touching on a variety of issues we all struggle with in varying degrees.
Today, we will look at the topics of Wealth and Worry, and what happens when we lose sight on the eternal and focus on the temporal…the material. Today, we will cover Matt 6:19-34 and the message is entitled, “Focus Your Eyes On The Eternal.” After the message, we will partake in communion.
Let’s Pray!
Matt 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Jesus just spoke to His disciples about giving, praying, and fasting and when these acts of righteousness are done in secret, the Father will reward that person.
I wonder if Jesus sensed that all this talk of rewards perhaps had His audience thinking about material things, for now he addresses wealth.
First, Jesus speaks in the negative- verse 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal...”
It’s important to understand that Jesus is not condemning wealth. Money is a great tool and can be used to further God’s kingdom, and to bless. Wealthy people who are open-handed, and led by the Lord on how to use their finances spiritually are great stewards.
Biblically, we can think of several people of great wealth who used money wisely: Job, Abraham, and David…to name a few.
In Jesus’ ministry, some of the women were financially wealthy and likely supported Him; as well as Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus.
Wealth is not the problem. Jesus is condemning laying up treasure for yourself and since “lay up” is a present imperative, this is actually a command. “Stop storing up treasure for yourselves.”
Hoarding wealth reveals a heart issue- this person is not content, they don’t trust God to care for them, they are not using their wealth for spiritual purposes, and they have their eyes on the temporal (the world), not the eternal. They are selfish, and their value system has been corrupted.
Jesus also cites that storing up wealth is elusive. You store up wealth, and outside forces take the wealth from you.
My outside force is the Dentist. My HSA account was looking pretty good until we got those dental bills. Highway robbery.
But Jesus calls these outside forces “moths,” “rust,” and “thieves.”
Moths can destroy a wardrobe (particularly natural fibers like silk and wool). It has not happened to me, but moths can indeed destroy clothing.
Straight off the Terminex website I read, “The adult moths lay their eggs — lots and lots of eggs — on keratin-rich materials so that the larvae will have plenty of nourishment as they grow.”
So, these moth larvae are the culprits…feeding on clothes. And clothes are certainly a high place, a treasure for many people.
Rust destroys metal. Rust in Gk. literally means “eating food.” It can be interpreted as ‘rust’ or it could be rendered as ‘consumption.’ Either way, earthly treasures fade over time. And, even if your wealth outlives you, it does you no good in eternity.
I like James’ condemnation against oppressive rich people, using similar illustrations…James 5:1-3 “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days.”
Thieves in Gk. klĕptēs; a stealer; root word klĕptō-to steal; where our English diagnosis ‘kleptomania’ derives. Thieves will steal just about anything.
So, Jesus warns that if you have your heart set on earthly treasures, and you are storing them up, don’t do this…earthly treasures are prone to decay and theft…they will surely disappoint.
In verse 19, Jesus spoke in the negative, now in verse 20, Jesus speaks in the positive. “...but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
Jesus now commands ‘lay up (“lay up”- again an imperative) heavenly treasures.’ Treasures that are not subject to earthly decay and theft. Eternal treasures cannot be lost by any earthly manner.
So, how do we lay up treasures in heaven?
We read earlier in 1 Tim 6:7 7 “...we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.”
We are not taking our earthly treasures to heaven. We cannot bury ourselves with treasures and awake in eternity with those same treasures, like Pharaohs of Egypt mistakenly believed. And, even if we could take earthly treasures to heavenly, they have no value there. Gold, one of our most precious metals, is revealed in Rev 21:21 to be used as material for the streets…like asphalt.
So, how do we lay up treasures in heaven?
In the Sermon on the Mount, several times Jesus spoke about “rewards” which are “heavenly treasures.” Jesus promised His disciples would be rewarded for:
Being persecuted for Christ’s sake. Matt 5:12
Loving enemies. Matt 5:46
Giving, Praying, and Fasting. Matt 6:4, 6, 18
So, as we live out the Beatitudes, as we live out the law in it’s true intent, as we practice righteousness…we are storing up for ourselves treasures in heaven.
Beyond the Sermon on the mount Jesus spoke several other places about reaping eternal rewards for a variety of other reasons.
For our “light affliction.” 2 Cor 4:17
For showing kindness to Jesus’ disciples. Matt 10:42
For showing kindness to the Jews. Matt 25:40
For being “...rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share...” 1 Tim 6:18-19
And, Jesus told the rich young ruler, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” Matt 19:21
So, forsaking all to follow Jesus, and having mercy on the poor.
Anything you do here and now on earth that has eternal purpose, and is done with the right motives (for God’s glory and not personal glory) will result in eternal rewards- treasures in heaven.
Jesus teaches in verse 21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
The heart here is symbolic for the core of a person- your love, thoughts, and will. And, your heart is in the same place as your treasure. If you hoard all your wealth and channel it all to earthly sources- that’s where your heart is. It takes faith to trust God’s promise- that spending your money now towards spiritual things will yield eternal deposits. But, that person’s heart is in eternity.
In Luke 16, Jesus gave the Parable of the Unjust Steward, who knew he was going to get fired for wasting his master’s goods, so before he was fired he decreased the amount owed of several of the Master’s debtors. Surprisingly, Jesus commended him, not for his dishonesty, but for planning his future…for his shrewdness, by def. “practical wisdom.” Jesus said, “For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. 9 “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.” Lk 16:8–9
And the point is this, just like the Unjust Steward used money to plan for his future, believers should use money to plan for their future…only their future is not on this earth…it’s an “everlasting home.” Jesus is teaching us to use money now for kingdom purposes (buy bibles, tithe, support missions, and so forth). Investing in kingdom purposes now, lays up treasure in heaven.
But, here is the sad thing. Jesus said, “…the sons of this word are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.” Unbelievers are more practically wise in using money to secure their future on earth, then believers are practically wise in using money to secure their future in eternity.
You can see your bank account grow and your investments grow, but eternal riches…it takes faith to trust they are growing.
Your heart and treasure are either earthly or heavenly.
You either love, desire and treasure earthly things or heavenly things. But, one takes precedence, and God is a jealous God. Anything you love more than Him is idolatry…a high place that must be torn down.
Jesus instructed the rich young ruler to free himself from his earthly treasures, and “...he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.”
It is difficult for some rich people to trust God to save, IF they have already placed their trust and salvation in their wealth.
Not surprising, Jesus next gives an illustration about the eye...because if your eye is set on wealth, your soul will be darkened.
Matt 6:22-23 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”
Jesus uses this illustration of the eye to ensure that His teaching touches His audience. If the audience was a little confused about laying up treasures in heaven…a very spiritual teaching, perhaps this illustration with the eye will illuminate the subject.
Just like how one’s heart is set on either earthly or heavenly treasures…one’s eye is either set on good or bad- resulting in light or darkness.
“The lamp of the body is the eye.” A lamp is used to brighten a room or a path, so that a person can function at night and not stumble in darkness. The eye is used to focus on and process our surroundings.
A good eye has good spiritual vision. Consider Ps 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.” The eye is what reads the word of God and allows the word to be processed by the body resulting in spiritual light.
A bad eye is not spiritual. It’s fleshly and focuses on the things of the world, and the body becomes full of darkness…of sin. And the “lust of the eyes” or the ‘desire of the eyes’ is not of the Father but is of the world.
And while we could pull several applications from this illustration of the eye, the primary context is wealth...as the surrounding verses address wealth.
Coveting is very much a sickness of the eye, and a desire for wealth…gazing upon things of the world…things that your neighbor has and you do not…things that we think we need. Coveting robs us of feeling content with the things we have.
In great wisdom, Paul taught…“Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” 1 Tim 6:6-10
Be careful what you set your eyes on.
The good eye will desire the spiritual. This person will be full of light and godliness and content.
The bad eye will desire riches of the world. The desire to be rich is a “temptation and a snare” causing some to “wander away from the faith.” This person will be full of darkness.
But, money and having a lot of it is not the issue. It’s the love of money, and the insatiable and consuming desire for wealth that’s an issue. Verse 24.
Matt 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
Earlier Jesus taught “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” and now He identifies those two treasures- God and mammon (by def. “riches” -wealth). Which will the disciples fix their eyes upon? And the warning is clear, you cannot serve both.
The illustration of serving a master pertains to slavery, which is difficult for us to relate to. The closest comparison we have is the employee-employer relationship, but that comparison falls short, as that is a part-time devotion at best. After work and on the weekends, you control your life.
In a slave-master relationship, the slave had no control. They were owned by the master, and service to the master came paramount above all else. There was no room to serve two masters and to have a divided loyalty. The commitment was intense and unwavering.
And, while slavery is a concept that we despise, the reality is we are all mastered by something. The trick is to find a loving master.
Riches and wealth are a cruel master. “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” And, the person who is wholly devoted to wealth, will not be wholly devoted to God…they will ‘stray from the faith in their greediness.’
Jesus, on the other hand, is a loving Master. Scripture is filled with promises for the disciple in this lifetime and beyond into eternity. But, know there is a cost to be a disciple. In Matt 16:24-26 “Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”
To deny oneself is to yield total control of one’s life over to Jesus. And, many of us respond as Peter did when Jesus spoke about His own impending death and suffering, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” Mt 16:22.
The picture of the cross in one’s future is difficult for many to bear. In self-idolatry, many reject temporal suffering and sacrifice, and exclaim “Far be it from you, lord; this shall not happen to you!” Only they are talking to themselves…they are the lord of their life.
Remember Jesus’ response to Peter? “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Mt 16:23 Sometimes we need to rebuke our own ambition, if it is a spiritual hindrance.
What is your treasure? Where are your eyes fixed? Who do you serve? God or riches? “You cannot serve God and mammon.”
Jesus next addresses worry, because what happens when we are so focused on the things of the world, our life, and our possessions? When we have placed our trust in riches, and do not trust God to care for us? Worry…anxiety. That is the result.
Matt 6:25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?”
A key to understanding the point of this passage is when Jesus spoke about the eye being the lamp of the body. When our eyes are fixed on the world, bad things result- idolatry, darkness, worry, losing trust in God, and so forth. Thus, it is paramount to ‘focus your eyes on the eternal’- to have faith in God!
And, we can see the connection between ‘idolatry of riches’ and ‘worry’, by Jesus’ word, “Therefore” (verse 25). When you see ‘therefore,’ ask ‘What is it there fore?’ It looks back on the previous context.
Jesus wants His disciples to serve God, not mammon. He wants His disciples to have eyes full of light, not darkness. And, He wants His disciples to treasure spiritual and eternal things, not worldly things. Because, when your eyes lose focus on Jesus, and you focus on the wind and waves around you- the storms of life, like Peter, you worry about your situation and sink.
Therefore, Jesus instructs His disciples, ‘do not worry about your life.’ A present imperative- a command. Jesus commands His disciples not to worry about their lives- specifically about food and clothing.
God gave us life which is sustained by food and drink, and He gave us a body which is sustained by clothing. These are basic needs of life, not excess, not luxuries. And, the point is that God will provide for your basic needs…you do not need to worry.
When you were worried about that bill, did it get worked out? When you were low on funds, did they come in?
And, even if you fall flat on your face…God provides a teaching moment. If a bill doesn’t get paid, or an overdraft occurs, sometimes these hard events can shake things up for us…causing us to evaluate our life, our spending, our stewardship.
Do not worry...have faith in God to provide.
And, Jesus gives numerous examples, very likely from His surroundings on the side of the hill He was preaching from. Birds and flowers. Jesus often used His surroundings for illustrations because He was the “Master Teacher.” Perfect in connecting the message to the heart.
Matt 6:26-27 “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?”
Seeing the birds, Jesus ties them into his sermon and there are many lessons we can draw from creation...
Rom 1:20 tells us creation testifies of God’s power and divine nature. Rom 1:20 “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead...”
Creation testifies about the need to work in order to survive. Birds “neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns...” They do no plant crops nor harvest nor store up food…they work for their daily food, and are reliant upon what they can gather; and the Lord provides for them.
Pro 6:6-11 (NLT) “Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! 7 Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, 8 they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter. 9 But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up? 10 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— 11 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.”
It’s important for us to trust God to provide, and for us to be hard working stewards. We should not sit around like this lazybones…this sluggard.
Another lesson...created beings, besides mankind, are NOT made in the image of God. They are body and soul, but lack a spirit. Only mankind was made in the image of God…made as a trinity…body, soul, and spirit- eternal (cf. Gen 1:26).
Jesus said, “Are you not of more value than they?” Yet birds, while inferior to mankind, are cared for by God, and He will care for you. So, do not worry.
Philippians 4:6-7 reads, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
This week we had a minor financial crisis, and I asked my wife, “What are we going to do?” She replied, “Pray.” Lord forgive me, but in my mind I scoffed and thought, “Yeah, but what are we going to do practically?!?” I quickly repented in my mind, and agreed with her and prayed. Either that day or the next the Lord abundantly provided the funds we needed. An insurance claim was approved that may not have been, my tentmaking job approved assisting us with one of our $1000 dental bills, and a couple other things as well. We prayed, and the Lord provided.
Jesus asks a rhetorical question, Verse 27 “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?”
None of us can. Worry will not make you taller.
A cubit is a forearms length (approx. 18”). Interesting, the Greek word for ‘cubit’ can also be rendered as ‘time’ or ‘age’, and the Gk. word for ‘stature’ or ‘height’, can also be rendered as ‘life’.
The NASB states, “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?”
The RSV uses length metaphorically in one’s life, “And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life?”
The response is the same. None of us can. So, what does worry accomplish? Nothing. It’s an emotional exercise that leaves one exhausted and fearful, and robs us of life…both the living of it, and likely the years we have. It displays a lack of faith in God, and demonstrates ones eyes have fallen to fixate on the world, instead of focusing on the eternal.
Jesus continues with the following convicting statement…Verse 28
Matt 6:28-30 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”
Clothing, which the moth destroys, has certainly become a treasure in the hearts of many people. Jesus challenges His disciples on their anxiety over even just needing just basic clothes.
And, Jesus provides another illustration from nature on how God provides. This time a lily...Galilean ‘wild flowers’.
Flowers grow…because they are provided for, even though they do not toil (labor, work) or spin (as in spin their own clothes).
Again, not an excuse not to work. Though, I don’t think I’ve ever heard this verse used to justify laziness. “Well the flowers don’t work, and God provides for them, so why should I?”
Jesus continues citing Solomon, one of the richest kings ever, the epitome of Jewish extravagance, and a man who certainly fixed his eyes on the world…even he “was not arrayed like one of these...” The natural beauty of a field of wildflowers, and the extravagance of just a single flower outshines the glory of Solomon’s apparel.
Jesus, now (verse 30) both challenges and gently rebukes…If God so extravagantly clothes something as relatively meaningless as a flower…a flower which has a tremendously short lifespan (“today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven” (used for fuel on the fire)), “…will He not much more clothe you...” (rhetorical question…of course He will…you are an eternal being…not some flower), “…O you of little faith?”
Jesus gently rebukes His disciples 4x in His ministry with this same phrase “O you of little faith.”
Here in Matt 6:30.
When Jesus rebuked the winds and the sea. Matt 8:26.
When Peter walked on water, but then sank. Matt 14:31.
And, when the disciples forgot to bring bread. Matt 16:8.
This phrase obviously had an impact on Matthew as he so often records it. Luke only records this phrase once, and the other Gospel writers not at all.
It’s not that the disciples had NO faith, just they struggled in their faith…just like us. They had all the experience they needed with Jesus, yet their memory was short.
Did Jesus not already tell these fishermen to “let down their nets” and He provided a great catch? Yet they worried about food and clothing?
Did Jesus not tell His disciples, “Let us cross to the other side.” Yet they thought they would perish by the great tempest?
As Jesus walked on the water, did He not tell Peter, “Come”? Yet Peter doubted and sank.
Did Jesus not use five loaves to feed 5,000, and seven loaves to feed 4,000, and yet the disciples worried they forgot bread?
And, has Jesus not worked out all the various situations in our lives? The funds, the healing, the endurance, the peace, the forgiveness… We all have stones of remembrance in our lives of God’s faithfulness…so why do we worry? Why do we struggle with little faith? Anxiety is a symptom of doubt and unbelief in our lives.
Father forgive us, and help us to cry out like the Dad who said, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
Jesus finishes his thoughts on wealth and worry…verses 31-33.
Matt 6:31-33 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
“Therefore”- look back. What is the context? We do not need to worry because God provides. He provides for the birds and the flowers, and will provide for you. You are eternal and of much greater value than birds and flowers.
You need not worry about food and clothing, which the Gentiles seek. Gentiles (idolaters, pagans, unbelievers) neither know God nor trust God. Their eyes are fixed on the temporal, not the eternal. Their treasures are on earth.
In contrast, the believer has a relationship with God, who knows what the believer needs. “For your heavenly Father (indicating an intimate relationship) “knows that you need all these things.” Thus, the believer need not make their primary focus the temporal, like Gentiles...
Rather, to His kingdom citizens Jesus commands “Seek (present imperative- command) first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
That which should be sought first or chiefly, in matter of importance, is the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
Seeking the kingdom is to pursue after the first three vertical petitions in the Lord’s prayer: “Holy is your name...Your kingdom come... Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven...” Living as kingdom citizens now here on earth.
Seeking His righteousness is righteous living. Loving God, and loving our neighbors.
Seeking the spiritual and eternal comes with a promise “…and all these things shall be added to you.” As you seek first the things of God, He will give you all you need in this lifetime. He will take care of your basic needs, and it seems to me that He also blesses abundantly beyond.
So, in conclusion, Jesus instructs, Matt 6:34 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
I really like the NASB rendering, “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Worry and Anxiety are often projections into the future about “what if” situations, and “worse case scenarios,” but so often the future worry is unfounded as situations work themselves out or, more appropriately, God works them out.
Jesus is telling us do not let future worry rob us of today. 3x Jesus just said, “Do no worry.” The present has enough trouble (by def. “badness” or “wickedness”). Focus on what you can control…don’t be paralyzed by what you can’t control…or you will lose control of the present and the future.
And, above what you can control…what can you give to God in prayer? For as much as each day presents it’s own trouble…how much more will God give grace to those who are living day-by-day in faith?
Amen? Worship team come.
We all have a tendency to let our eyes drift off of Jesus onto the cares of the world, onto the treasures of earth. Being a good steward is good, but when we let our wealth and worry consume us, we become a slave to those things and not to God. And, we are called to serve God.
As your eyes focus on the eternal, your body will be full of light. As you walk in faith, you will not walk in worry. So, this week keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.
Communion: 1 Cor 11:23-29
“...the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
Examine Yourself
27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.”
Please distribute the elements...
As the communion elements are being distributed, please take a moment to individually pray and praise God remembering His sacrifice on the cross...His broken body and His shed blood poured out for you. And, examine yourself to take communion in a worthy manner. Is there anything you need to confess to God today? Now is a chance to do business with God.
Once you have prayed, go ahead and take the communion elements, individually, when you are ready. We are not going to take the elements together, to allow you to have an intimate time of prayer and communion with the Lord. Our worship team will play one worship song, and then close us in prayer.
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If you are not saved, if you have never confessed Jesus is your Lord, you have a couple options, either let the cup pass and do not partake in communion because then you would be taking the communion in an unworthy manner, -or- the better option... if you want to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, come up to me as the ushers are distributing the bread and the grape juice, and we will pray together, and you can partake in communion today.