Colossians 2:11-12 - Celebrating Grace in our Worship

As you please find your seats this morning. Would you take your Bibles as we continue in our sermon series, on servants and friends. We've been looking at the one another's. We are turning this morning to Colossians. Chapter 2 will look, especially this morning at the sacraments of the Lord's supper and baptism In this passage will speak of baptism. There is not a passage that speaks of both of these together and I will read Colossians chapter 2 verses 6 through 15 and a moment for us. We are so grateful for the many things that God is doing for us and working through us as his people. Just the opportunity to be together and share as we have been talking in this one another's. Let me tell you. If some one another's that are finally on the calendar because of the Pavilion Lottery of that took place for the village of Valley View where we go up to Valley View. Woods score are worshiping the woods. We lord William plan to have Worship in the woods AT Pavilion. A that will be on the third Sunday in August, which is August 21st, will put it in the bulletin and things of that nature because of this weekend, just the lottery. We were able to get to that date, August 21st. And then also the men's Forge made sausage, the men's Ward is going to hold for the church and its friends a class. Baked AT Pavilion, a as well, and that's going to be on the last Friday in September. So, we have September 30th, reserved for it. All Church, Clambake that the men from the forge will be putting on in men. We invite you to be part of the, The Fellowship of the forge is a great time. We usually meet at Rodger Pope's, Barn hang out together around the campfire. If it's warm enough and we can get Rodger out of the barn, get them to light, a fire for us and we have a great time. I'm sorry. Rodger for picking on you this morning, but you got big skin. I know that you were there helping us this weekend. Colossians chapter 2, would you follow along in your copy of God's word and if you don't have a copy of the Bible for yourself, we highly encourage you in command you to have one. First of all, we have free Bibles that we love to give you those two are there on the sound booth as well as on the welcome table. If you're with us online today, you can just go to our website. Under our contact is just contact us there and say I'd like a Bible. Give us your address will send it to you for free. We would love for you to have God's word there for yourself. Colossians chapter 2. Would you follow along? Would you hear God's word?

Beginning, the first number 6. Therefore, as you received 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. See to it. That no one takes. You captive by philosophy and empty, deceit. According to the human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world and not according to Christ. For in him, the whole fullness of diety dwells bodily and you have been filled in him who is the head of all Rule and authority and him. Also, you were circumsized with the circumcision made without hands by putting off the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. Having been buried with him in baptism in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you who are dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flash. God made a live together with him. Having forgiven us all our trespasses by canceling, the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands, this tea set aside nailing it to the cross. He disarmed, the rulers and authorities, and put them to open. Shame by triumphing, over them in him. And God bless the reading of his word in our ears. This morning. We want to take time now that we've heard from. Also for us to speak with God personally and privately and go to him in prayer before we pray together. If there's anything that you would like to bring before him and cleanse your conscience to confess to him, that you would like to ring before him as praise and thanksgiving or to bring your request for yourself and others. We want to encourage you to do so that at this time, would you pray?

Father, as we come before you this morning and worship on the name of your son. Our Savior, Jesus Christ. We are so grateful that you have bought us with the precious blood of Christ and that we belong to both Body and Soul. All of us in Christ Jesus. Thank you, that we are not our own. Thank you that we belong to you. Thank you that nothing can separate. From you. And from the love of God, that is in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Jesus, that you are with us Emmanuel and that you have given to us your spirits, making us all alive, and enabling us and empowering us to follow and trust, you and believe, and obey. God this morning, we desire as your people to walk with you. We ask that you would give us. Strength in the understanding. The follow you all of our days. Thank you so much that you call us to be your disciples. The Lord as we follow you as Believers together in this church, here in Valley View. We ask God that you would be exalted among stuss. We asked father that you would encourage us to love one another as you have loved us to serve one, another as you have served us to befriend, one another as you have become the front of us through your son, Jesus.

We're grateful for the privilege, not only to believe the word of God, but also walking it and Obey you. Lord, as we pursue your kingdom, in your righteousness, we ask that you would be with our dear family members that have either been going through sickness. Lord, we pray especially this morning for those that are not even mentioned in our prayer requests. That right now are fighting common colds and a for sinus infections. And for those that may even have covid real Scott that you would be with them and in their weakness, they would see your great strength. Father, I pray that you would help us to see that our times of weakness shows your greatness in US.

I pray father that you would also be the comfort of those who have lost loved ones recently. Continue to be with our dear family. The Chris. Lourdes Karen's father has gone home. We pray as well for the Turner's that you would be with them. In the passing of Hans continue to comfort the entire family, be with Dwayne and Rachel. And with his brothers and sister. Father this morning. We also ask that you would continue to bring healing to Linda shiffman and that you would continue to give her body strength that she would recover well, and that you would bless the Jeff. Watch over him, is Linda is recovering. Father, we continue as well to pray for those that are in war-torn, areas of our, our, our world, especially in and Ukraine. Lord I pray for our Brothers and Sisters in Christ that they would stand firm unmovable unshakable in Christ. Her people would see that God is truly raining in and through them regardless of the chaos. And God, you'd use are your brothers and sisters to Proclaim. Jesus is Lord him in the midst of this war-torn time. We ask God that our will would be that this could end this conflict.

You'd bring humility to our hearts.

Father, we recognize the only King, the only ruler that will truly bring peace to this. World is our Lord, the King of Kings, the Lord of lords, Jesus Christ. Jesus this morning, we worship you. We bow before you, we Bend our knees. We declare from our minds and our hearts, our hands Jesus is Lord.

When we announce that your will would be done that, your kingdom would come. We long for your presence. Yeah, there's we abide in these days. We ask God that your will would be our will and that we would obey you and follow you. That we would not ourselves live in fear. That we would not live as this world lives, but we would share the salt in the light that we have in Christ. As we come to your word. Now, this morning, we ask that you would feed and nourish us, help us better understand. The things that we are called to do as your servants, and your friends to one another.

May I be hitting in the shadow of the cross. That Jesus would be exalted among stuffs. Would you die the words from my lips? And we pray this in Christ name? Amen?

We are in the middle almost at the end. I should say of a sermon series. We will finish it next week. Lord willing on servants and friends in these last two weeks as we have been thinking about the one another's of scripture and how we are to serve one. Another, how we are to be the friends. One another, how we are to love one. Another as Christ has loved us. I want you to see that what we are actually calling us to is simply to follow in the steps as we have read here. So walk in him. In other words, these should become our regular routines and habits. Is there not something we just do? Because we're bringing attention to them. In this particular series that were preaching from the word of God, but ultimately recognize these are the things that we should be doing day in and day out as the people of God. These are things that should flow from our lives and is one of the things as you leave today. If you would like to have is I printed out a sheet, that's not original with me. Actually the man whose produced our Biblical counseling book has this and I've convinced it was on three pages with him. I made it a little bit smaller font size fits on the back and front of these are all the one another's or a sampler of the one another's in scripture and I'd love for you to take one of these and think about it. I challenge you much like I have challenged recently, our our troop and Trail life to be able to say, what is the one another that you should focus upon that. God would have you to be doing more and more as you develop habits. Today is we come to Colossians chapter 2. We want to talk about the habits in this week and next week that we engage and as we worship God, what is it that we should be doing as we gather together with one another, on the Lord's Day. And today we want to talk about celebrating the grace of God in our worship. The talk about the means of Grace that God has given to us. And particularly. The sermon is going to be a sermon that is more doctrinal in the stance of our practice of why we baptized one another, why we come and celebrate the Lord's table together as we will do next Sunday. And as we go through this this morning, we will also talk about a couple things that we want to recover and ReDiscover as the church here in Valley View in the practices of that. And so, yes, there will be some things that we are planning to change and hold on to your seats. As I will talk of those and do time this morning. I would like this morning to begin and explaining what we mean by the Lord's supper. And in what we often call communion as well, as in baptism. You may use the words ordinance for these. We choose to use the word sacraments. We believe that there are only two sacraments in the New Testament. With, as there were two sacraments in the Old Testament, the two sacraments of the Old Testament, where circumcision and Passover. That began came baptism and the Lord's supper, and are doctrinal statement that you can find. We can give you a copy of that if you would so desire, as well as it's still on our website reads this way when it speaks of these things. We believe that baptism in the Lord's Supper are ordained by the Lord Jesus himself. As physically visible expressions and proclamations of the Gospel. Okay. So we living in a very experienced, emotional world. That wants to turn all things religious and spiritual into a feeling into if we're not careful. Moral therapeutic deism where God is distant from us. We live according to our lives of moral life. That's very therapeutic and healing to us, but I want to tell you, God has given us two things in particular to experience physically, if you want to put it that way, as it comes to expressing the gospel. So another words when we partake of the Lord's, Supper when we are in baptism, whether we are the Canada being baptized or we are the church who has been baptized. Now, I rejoice in the God, is adding into our numbers another, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and just do as we've talked in a couple weeks ago, that not just being something that we say over them. But understanding, this is the unity of the Trinity that we invite them into. Also, the unity that should be amongst us as brothers and sisters. And so, these are visible expressions and proclamation of the gospel. And so hence, that's why I often people when they are baptized, will invite their family and friends to come. And that is a wonderful thing that those Sundays off. And are those times that they are saying, I am following the Lord. I am submitting to him trusting him, and I'm being baptized, and often family. That is not even Believers come in our present. There as the gospel is proclaimed. That as they go down into the Waters of visible expression of dying to ourselves in Christ. And his were raised from the water where raised walk in newness of life. As God, in Jesus said, to Nicodemus, unless you're born of water and the spirit. You cannot be born in the kingdom of heaven. And so it continues on this way and seeing this baptism is a picture of our life death. And Resurrection with Christ, as members of the New Covenant Community. We have died with Christ were raised again to walk with him in life and our life belongs to him and not unto ourselves. Then about the Lord's. Supper The Lord's Supper is an ongoing Covenant, renewal celebration of our Union with Christ. And so we would understand scripturally from the scriptures that sell that baptism is a one-time sacraments. We don't have to continue to be re-baptized. However, the Lord's Supper is as often as you do this, as often as we Fellowship around the table as we will. Next Sunday, we come to this. It's a renewal celebration of our Union with Christ. We're bringing being brought to the table. In fellowship with him and sold these to stand there before us. Together, they are simultaneously, God's pledged to us. We're going to walk through these in a moment. Divinely ordained means of Grace and public balls of submission, to the once crucified and now resent resurrected Christ and anticipations of his return and of consummation of all things. When we unpack those four for us a little bit. First of all together, they are simultaneously. Speaking of baptism of the Lord supper. God has pledged to us. We speak of them. This way, as being signs and seals to us. I say this, when I am expressing, this understanding of signs that if you get onto the turnpike and you're heading west, you will see a sign that will say Cedar Point. Gina will say fifty miles away. It is a sign of a reality that is 50 miles away and that sign points you when you come 50 miles on the highway that you should arrive at Cedar Point that Sandusky the same way as the steel to us steel being as though what takes place is. The King has put his stamp of ownership upon us just as they would put it with in wax with a Signet ring showing. This is from the King. This is all the king, the slaughter belongs from the King and comes with his full Authority. God is showing to us. This is pledge, the good work that I've begun in you. I'm going to continue to the day of your Redemption. So, we lived through this life. We never come to the point of perfection in this life. And if you think that you're perfectly, you haven't been married yet. You need, you need to get married. You'll soon. Understand. You're not perfect. I'm glad you got the joke. But the reality is this. We look for Romans. He speaks of us groaning even with creation for our adoption. The sun's when Christ in all his glory will return and establish his kingdom forever. My friends baptism in the Lord's, Supper, is that way? It's a sign that he owns us. We are sign. This is where we're headed. We belong to him. Secondly, their divinely ordained means of Grace. When we say their divinely ordained means of Grace. What we mean by that. Is that they work for us and bringing us unto Christ? A means of Grace of bringing God's grace into our lives. Next week. We're going to be speaking of how when We Gather in worship prayer and the word are to the primary means of grace of God gives us that we regularly feed from and find his grace for our lives. I do believe along with those are the sacraments. They are divinely. Ordained means of Grace as well as John frame. Often points out in his as his teaching fellowship with the church. The one another's is also means of Grace for us to bring God's grace to Bear upon one another's lives. Thirdly, they are public vows of submission to the once crucified and now resurrected Christ, and I love this language here.

So often we think of it. Well. I am doing something for God. I'm obeying him in and I understand what we mean by that. But the reality of also is this first and foremost. I am in submitting to Jesus Christ, as Lord. And there's nothing else that I can do, but follow and Obey him. It's not about me.

It's about him and what he has done in me and through me. Lasley. It's anticipations of his return and the consummation of all things and I want you to think of these things of his return. In the consummation of all things that has we have spoken of recently. As we come to the table together, what is taking place is God's Hospitality that we spoke of earlier. God is showing to us. You are my friends. You are the redeemed. You belong to me. And we look forward to the marriage supper of the Lamb, when God returns, and all of us will miss. And so we pray, even so come Lord, Jesus, and establish your kingdom. We think of it in the same way in baptism that we have died and do ourselves in that Christ. May he reign in us, and through us?

Knows we think of these things this morning. I've said earlier that the Old Testament spoke of tooth counterparts to the two sacraments circumcision in Passover. I want to see you as we come to the New Testament that there are two sacraments as well baptism and the Lord's Supper that we also call communion. And this morning, I want to walk you now through several things. As we think about these two, what we are doing. As we come together and celebrate the grace of God in our worship. Let's begin my first of all, looking at Communion. Communion is what we are celebrating. As we come to the table of Our Lord. As often, as you eat this bread, you do show for the Lord's death until he comes. Another words were proclaiming the gospel. We come to understand that his body is broken for us that the cup of God's Wrath is that he drank, it's worse than that this cup. It represents the New Covenant in his blood that he was given for us. As we do these things, they are full film ants. Any expectations of what God will continue to do in our lives as his children?

So, he's spiritually meets with us at the table. He feeds you and me. He nourishes us. All who are weary and heavy-laden come and eat and fellowship as a child of God. Maybe you are encumbered with this world. And the gospel. Once again, you find in it, the joy of forgiveness, and you come to the table.

Secondly, baptism. Baptism, is that act by which the gospel is proclaimed in our lives, in fact, communion and baptism. If you watch closely within our church, is celebrated, after the gospel has been proclaimed because they are gospel proclamations themselves. We celebrate the Lord's Supper after the gospel has been preached. We celebrate baptisms at the end of our service. After the gospels, been preached, because the gospel is now being proclaimed. As we going to the water. We are buried with him in baptism or raised to walk in newness of life.

These are things that God has mercifully and graciously done to us. I want to say is we think of these things, one of the things that we cry out in the church, is as the reformers said, always reforming or semper. Rough Amanda, that doesn't mean always changing just to change, but it means another word, some more. And more that we understand scripture. We want to align ourselves with the word of God. What I mean by that is this. Valley View Village Church is a unique Church in the sense that we are, what we call non-denominational. Not a lot of people think that means anything goes. That's not what it means.

We're not a church that just whatever you want to do takes place. We are governed by the word of God by. Jesus the word himself by the trinity. If you look closely at our doctrinal statement, and we will, you will see. We are governed by that. That is our Authority, our supreme authority are sufficient Authority. We need no other That's why we want to teach it. We want to preach it. We want to practice it. But we recognize in the Nuance of being a church. When this church was called into existence. By one man going around right after World War II. Who is legally blind saying, there needs to be a gospel Proclamation. There needs to be a gospel witness in Valley View and he knocked on doors. It's the thing that he needed to do was a Salesman and he invited people to go to the Village Hall and worship Jesus. And that started 75 years ago, 76 years ago, in September of this year.

Is that began to take place? This church was established not as a denominational Church such as Baptist or Presbyterian Lutheran or Methodist or any other denomination that you want to think of what it was developed as a community church.

No, in the many years that I've been here with us.

and thinking through what that looks like we have at times, considered should we Become part of a particular denomination. And we would consider a denomination. We would look at it and say that really doesn't fit us here. We look at another one. Doesn't fit a Seether. And finally, we just said, because we were looking for that ability to encourage one another as fellow sister churches. That, what would that look like for us? And we recognize our setting is mint in his in his best way to be, we recognize we have people from all backgrounds, denominational, e-baptist Presbyterian, Lutheran, Methodist and others amongst us. We've all come together under the banner of Christ and his early church fathers are known to say in Essentials. We'd want to truly declare Unity. In other words, there are things that we are united with that will not and cannot be in any way shaking, for example, as I said already, the word of God is our Authority. We are not going to get up here and preach to you from some journal or some scientist, some of the day or anything else.

We are going to declare the word of God. We're going to declare that. Jesus is the word in. There is no other way on 2G unto, the father. He is the way the truth, and the life. There are things of this nature that are not unchangeable that God has made us in His image male and female. These are things that are essential.

The we must know and understand and be United in them, but they would also say and all in, in Essentials unity, in non-essentials, Liberty yet in all things, charity. Understanding our nature is a church that has many amongst us, and we look especially at these areas of the second sacraments. We recognize that all throughout the practices of the church. That there has been differing views. These are not primary doctrines. He's our secondary doctrines. Went all to also to us that there has never been a church Council ever called on the issue of baptism. But things have been said about it, obviously it from time to time, but the early church practice, many different forms of baptism of that being Believers baptism or a we win sometimes called believing the Creed credobaptism or baptized in children. Paedobaptism. Immediately. As soon as we start to think of these, we take up sides.

So I want to encourage you, we need to look at this properly in the way that we usually look at it is from our perspective. First rather than a historic perspective. What do I mean by that? We in the modern world tend to look backwards and think that we are the greatest thing that has ever ride on this face of this Earth and everyone should look and say, thank you very much. I wish we could be like, you throughout history. As revisionism. The reality is, though. As we look backward on that, we can miss understand many things. And so I want to encourage us that we would have a historic view that we would have a forward-looking understanding of the scriptures. And so in that mind is we look at the secondary doctrines. I want to point out to us, a couple things as I've already said, no council's, I would call them baptism. There has been a historic diversity in the church. Orthodox on these issues. Now, if we look backwards, we're going to immediately come in the last hundred years or so to what we call Prohibition in the day and age in which we live. It colors and change everything that we see. We recognize that had a huge influence within the church. We understand all that is has entailed upon us. And it wasn't until the late 1800's that this came to be predominance. Of course. This was the only Constitutional Amendment here in the United States. That was repealed. And yet it has his lingering effects and yet, because we don't think modernistic lie back any further than that. We think it's always been like that. But do you realize even in the late 1800s, people still drink the from the same Cup in almost every Church? How would you like to do that? I'm not encouraging us to do that.

But we also have the idea. That it was grape juice. And not whine. Years ago, we began using a form of unleavened bread amongst us. That is sweetened with honey. Has a recipe that one of our members made. It has that idea Incorporated in with it. Oh taste and see that the Lord is good.

Jesus should be sweet unto us.

As we look forward through the historic view, we need to understand that the Lord's Supper was has been practiced. Are you ready for this? I say this intensely from the Old Testament and the New Testament for 3,500 years.

Jesus was celebrating in the upper room. The Passover that started in Egypt.

Within the Passover, the cup that Jesus held up was not grape juice, but wine. It was unleavened bread that they ate. And contrary to many people, that would hold to a Prohibition perspective. Jesus, first miracle was not turning water into grape juice. It was turning water into the best wine that have that ever tasted. The word there in John to is the same word that is used in Ephesians chapter 5. When it says it this way, do not be drunk with wine. The same word is when it says, in John 2. Hey, why have you left the best wine till the last? Usually people bring out the best one first? And then when they have well drunk, it's the same word that they bring out the cheap stuff, but you saved the best for the last.

And so the church historically has used wine and its celebration. I want to point out something that is unique about wine. That is not within scripture. But I think also is a very good picture for us. Just as we speak of Jesus being sweet unto us. So also wine is something that has died. And come back to life, more powerful than it was before. If you want, there's resurrection power to it.

So our intent, as we look at recovery and rediscovering. What the scriptures teach? We think that it is fitting for us as a church that we in unity. Understanding our Liberty. And the charity amongst us that we would also practice the Lord's supper with wine, and we intended begin doing so next week. We will always continue to offer wine and grape juice. First thing that we recognized with this is liberty of conscience. The liberty of conscience doesn't mean that we go and understand, Romans 14, being whatever is the lowest common denominator. We stay there. No, it means we recognized were people, our own, we bring them unto maturity. And so we want to encourage our Church Fellowship that we would begin to take place our communion with wine. As I speak of that, I want to also say this, we will continue to offer both wine and juice. And we want you to understand that there is liberty of conscience to continue with grape juice. If that is your desire, and it will be distinctively marked. As you pick it up. We do plan to continue on for a couple more months. At least we having it. We're we're not distributed in the tray, but we are distributed as you walk in and it will be clearly marked so that you will know that. You will see it next week.

We want to honor the headship of homes. And so as we think of that, we also speak then of baptism as we think of baptism. We recognize that throughout the church. If we were to go back we don't go back this time. 3,500 years in the Old Testament and the New Testament do it now. Go back four thousand years unto Abraham in Genesis chapter 17, and the one thing that we recognize that is uniquely different. Is this in the sign of the Covenant? Circumcision children were the participants. They were brought into the Covenant Community. They were brought in with the sign of the Covenant administered unto them. As we come to classes chapter two, this morning and look at our text. You will notice that there is this understanding that he speaks of you were once with a circumcision of the the hands. In other words physically, but now it's a circumcision the heart which is pictured in baptism. And so circumcision has been replaced in the church and the sign is now administered, not just the men, but the men and women

We've been buried as it says in verse 12 with him in baptism in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God. We also see if we think of it that way, it would have been a foreign concept for anyone. In those days, all throughout even acts the book of Acts, when you come to the sermon on the day of Pentecost. Is Peter's preaching, Jesus Christ. After Jesus has ascended into heaven. They asked what it was serves. What went must we do? And they said repent and believe the gospel and be baptized everyone of you and then it says Xanax 238 and 39 This Promise This Covenant is for you and your children. And for those who are far off. The idea of being is this, they would have understood it in historic. Understanding is just as it has been practice because we look backward at it. Most of us are Baptist it including me. And we look at it from this perspective, this side. But from that perspective, they would have said all this goes for our children as well. Now he hears, what comes into the play with this. We are not trying to convince you of a different path way. Again wants you to practice your conscience in your conviction of scripture upon this. So, I'm not here this morning, trying to persuade, you onto infant baptism.

What being a church as we are? In this community non-denominational with people we have already with our new Constitution made recognition for those with by conscientious conviction that have been baptized has and then still recognize the man walked on them, into the membership of our church. We also want to do that as we move forward. There's nothing pressing here with us. There's no urgency to this matter. But we want to declare this. But we also understand there is historical significance for us to recover and ReDiscover the practice of baptism for those that are conscientiously convicted of scripture, this way that they would include their children into the covenants. If one is not convinced that way, wait until late, trust, Jesus and believe in him and then have them baptized. But I will give you this one distinctive with it.

Where this is practice, it's understood. These children are part of the Covenant family already. They are not guaranteed salvation. There's nothing in Salvation. You need to understand this. If you look to yourself in patience, your baptism. You're looking at the wrong place. Remember to sign in the Seal of something else. It's a picture of Christ, your baptism when you think of your baptism in the Lord's Supper should dry. You onto price, not on to the thing that you did or that was done unto you.

But they understand that these are these little munchkins that are with us. Sometimes they get under our feet, that sometimes frustrate us when they run around us and almost tripped us up, a part of the family studies showing Mercy, the thousands of generations that love me and keep my Commandments. And so guess what? That's just not their mom and dad's problem. That's your problem as well. It's running by that. You probably just need to love on and pray for. Encourage. And rather than seeing those nasty, little kids are always getting in my way into getting the trip me up, and all the other things like he's got that there are children here hearing the good news, and I know Jesus what you do for all that much yourself. And they would believe in Jesus.

And there's a distinctive there, that's often how I can go into many other things, but I hold my tongue, because I might stay in and saying some things of my own opinion. That's why I encourage you in this understand that we will seriously consider in the future. Anyone that would desire to have their child, baptized. And are convinced of scripture that way that we would practice that as well. And that we would do it and charity. Let me say a couple things just to clarify everything.

This kind of infant baptism is different than what is practice and some Churches where they believe that is how a person's original sin is washed away. We would not hold that perspective. Baptism, does not bring Salvation. We're than all the rest of our lives. We keep our slate clean by continually forget asking, forgiveness and being absorbed of our sins and all these things. It is simply the sign and the seal being placed upon in the, I want to encourage you to see it this way. You are passive in your baptism. It is something that Christ is doing unto you. By the one that is officiating is unto you.

It's a beautiful picture, also the gospel. You and I, the only thing like rich, and I were talking about the earlier this morning. The only thing that we contribute to our Salvation is our sin. Christ comes in and he redeems us. He takes our sin upon himself, which he is paid for fully at the cross, and he gives to you. And I rolled in his righteousness, clothes than him. The joy of Salvation. We are forgiven. To walk in him in newness of life.

I'm sure that you will have many questions about these things and this will start many conversations. We've encouraged those conversations were available as the Elders of the church for conversations on these matters and discussion. We are not here this morning trying to say these are things that we want to force upon you. We understand the liberty of conscience. And so if you could desire to continue forward with partaking of the part of the trade, that will be great juice. We encourage you to do so.

You want good desire to continue, with Believers baptism, continue to do so.

But I also say, is we come unto Easter. That we would have a larger cells of these means of Grace. Let me ask you a question. Have you? Partaking. Of disgrace.

What takes place in the Lord's Supper? You see it as the nourishing of your soul on feeding of your soul. Also. Have you been baptized? When did this is time to consider this a, you know, I was people can say look in many ways at their baptism. I was never baptized. Or I don't consider what took place when I was baptized as a child, to be right? And I want to be baptized. Or maybe you've never been baptized in that regard. This would be a wonderful time to follow the lord if you are trusting in Him as your lord and savior and we welcome you to speak with us of these things. Above All We Want. Jesus Christ, be exalted and proclaimed. We want to lift up the grace of God. To those around us. And we want to walk together in unity with Liberty, but in all things charity. So we welcome your conversations. I encourage you. I would love to sit down with you with a cup of coffee Rich. Bob. We would love to speak with you these things. Osprey.

Oh, Father in heaven.

We are so thankful for the grace that is. Then brought to us to your son.

We thank you for the grace that we experienced together as we worship you on the Lord's day, as we celebrate around your table as we will even do next week as we celebrate in the waters of baptism. Father, our prayer is that you would be exalted in our midst as your people. Thank you that you called us from every tribe tongue and Nation to be your people to be in Covenant, with you. We love you and we thank you and Jesus our savior same, we pray. Amen. Would you stand together please? This Wee Sing.