Redeemed to Redeem

The unfolding drama, that is the life of Moses, continues into Exodus 2-4 with the call of Moses.  Moses grew into a man in Pharaoh’s house.  Then one day, Moses, after witnessing the murder of a Hebrew man out in the field, took it upon himself to murder the murderer thus becoming a murderer himself.  He thought no one saw him but the next day Pharaoh found out and Moses fled into the desert so he would not be killed.  While in the desert, he took a wife and became a sheepherder for the flocks of his father-in-law Jethro.  For many years (till he was 80yrs old) Moses wandered through the desert without any inclination that his life would have any other meaning or purpose.

When Moses was nearly eighty years old he was watching over his flock and he saw a mysterious bush burning but not being consumed. He went closer to take a look.  As he drew nearer, God himself called to Moses out of the bush, “Moses!  Moses!”  Moses was stricken with fear and took off his shoes and bowed himself before the Lord. 

God called Moses for a special mission but Moses himself felt inadequate for the job.  The end of Exodus 3 and the beginning of 4 record for us an almost humorous exchange of words between God and Moses.  God condescends to Moses insecurities and assures him that He will be with him and give him success.  He even turns Moses rod into a snake and back again as well as his hand to leprosy and back as much to convince Moses than anyone else.  Though reluctant, Moses accepted the mission along with His brother Aaron.

The story of the call of Moses is a wonderful illustration of God’s sovereign grace.  Here was a man with God’s grace on him form the beginning: rescued from death in the Nile River by Pharaoh’s daughter; raised in Pharaoh’s house as a son; one who felt a great burden for his kinsmen who labored under the oppressive hand of the Egyptians; who stood in the presence of God and was not consumed; then a murder who was toiling away his years as a sheepherder.  But now, a man called by God in his old age for a very special mission.  A mission to set the captives free.

Like Moses, God has called all Christians for a special mission.  A mission that has been the theme of redemptive history from the early chapters of Genesis, to redeem a people back to himself for his glory.  There is no clearer command than Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  This is our mission and God’s promise.  We must go and make disciples.  Like Moses, we may feel that we are inadequate for the mission but, like Moses, we have the promise that God will be with us. 

Last week we looked at Romans 8:28 and here is the rest of thought that completes the picture for us: “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.  And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.  What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?  Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.  Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The thing that Moses and we fail to understand is that it’s not about us.  It’s about God.  It’s about his will being done for His glory, not ours.  We have no reason to feel inadequate or fearful because God is for us and He is empowering us for mission to spread the good news about what Jesus did.  The Lord has equipped each one (whether mute, deaf, seeing, blind, etc.) to fulfill His calling.  If we suffer for the sake of the Gospel then so be it.  “Count it all Joy!”  In so doing, we suffer alongside of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  If God can use Moses’ “stick” than He can surely use us!  Go, on mission!

Lord's Supper Liturgy

Lord’s Supper Service

The Lord’s Supper is a special event in the life of a church.  It’s all about remembering what God graciously did in punishing His Son to forgive our sins.  It’s about God’s grace in applying that saving work to us through the gift of faith in Christ alone.  It’s about the forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternity with him where sickness, sorrow, toil, pain, and death shall be no more and we shall see him face to face. It’s all about what God has done for us, what he is doing for us, and what he is going to do for us in Christ.

Words of Institution

In I Corinthians 11:23-29, we have the words of institution of the Lord’s Supper delivered to us by the apostle Paul.  Here the word of the Lord,

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, And when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “this is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”  In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “this cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the lord's death until he comes. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.  Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.  For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.  That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.  But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.  But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

In light of Paul’s warning, the Lord’s Supper is also a time of self-examination.  In order for us to partake of the supper rightly, each of us must examine ourselves.  You need to ask yourselves some serious questions.  Do you realize how serious your sin is to Holy God?  Are you resting fully in what Christ has done to forgive you for your sins (His perfect life, sacrificial death, and resurrection)?  Are you persevering in faith and repentance?

If you have not trusted Him as Savior, there is good news: Jesus says,

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

(Matthew 11:28-30)

And John 3:16 says, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

If you are trusting in Christ as your Savior and sin has hindered your fellowship with God and your brother there is good news for you as well, I John 1:9 says, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Invitation

If you have trusted Christ as your Savior and you have properly examined yourself and confessed your sins then you may joyfully partake of the Lord’s Supper this morning.  But, I urge you, by the Words of the Apostle Paul, if these things are not true of you then do not partake of the Lord’s Supper lest you eat and drink judgment upon yourself.

So, at this time, I’d like us to pause for a moment of silent reflection and self-examination.  I encourage you to use this time to confess sin, to praise God for his gracious plan of redemption, to remember the broken body and the shed blood of Jesus, to thank him for all the benefits of his saving work and the privilege of communing with Him at His table.  Will you bow with me?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we admit to you this morning that we are utterly sinful and unworthy of your favor.  We want to thank you for your grace and your mercy and love for us in that while we were yet sinners you sent your only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to this earth to save us from our sinful condition.  It was your plan before the foundation of the world.  Thank you Jesus for living a perfect life, for dying on the cross and shedding your blood for our sins, for defeating death and sin and satisfying the Father’s wrath that was aimed at us.  Father, thank you for the assurance of knowing that all those who trust Jesus Christ will one day spend eternity with you because on the third day Jesus rose again and ascended to your mighty right hand where he is today as our great high priest making intercession for us.  Lord, enable us day by day to live by faith in your Son, to walk by your Spirit, and serve in the strength that you supply.  And, as we come to your table this morning may we remember why Jesus died – to cleanse and to heal; to satisfy your righteousness and justice.  May we remember His eternal love and boundless grace.  May we receive the assurance of forgiveness, eternal life, and the hope of glory.  As the bread and cup nourish our body, so may your indwelling Holy Spirit strengthen our soul, until the day of Christ’s appearing when we will hunger and thirst no more, and sit with him at his heavenly table.  We ask that you would come quickly Lord Jesus.  Amen.

Lord’s Supper

Men, if you would come forward to receive the elements.

Hold up the bread

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.  (I Cor. 11:23-24)

Hold up the cup

In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.  (I Cor. 11:25-26)

Congregational Lord’s Prayer (Mat. 6:9-13)

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Lord’s Supper

Men, if you would pass out the bread.

The body of our Lord, Jesus Christ, which was given for us.  Let us eat together.

Men, if you would pass out the cup.

The blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ, through which we have the forgiveness of sins.  Let us drink together.