In 1 Corinthians 10, look at verse 15, it says, I speak as to wise men. Now I would look at this
church, I do believe there are a lot of wise people here in this church. He says, judge you
what I say. I love that about Paul. He says, look, you got to make sure that whatever I preach,
whatever I teach, that you make the right judgment call. And of course, going back to the scriptures
is what's going to help you, you know, believe or to settle the things that you've heard from
the preacher. And then it says in verse 16, what are we to judge? What are we to be wise about?
Verse 16, the cup of blessing, which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?
And so we are going to partake of communion, the Lord's supper, the Lord's table, these are all
the same words, the same thing. But he's saying the cup that we drink of and the cup that gets
blessed, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? Then he says the bread which we break,
is it not the communion of the body of Christ? The title of the sermon tonight is the communion
of Christ, the communion of Christ. And so we can see here that communion is the blood and it
is the body of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now this word communion, if you do a dictionary definition,
and there's nothing wrong with a dictionary definition, if you go into it though,
it's going to give you largely a religious definition, a theological definition of the
word communion. I always strongly encourage if you need to go back and look at a dictionary
definition, look for the common definition, don't look for the theological definition,
because some people, some religious, you know, leaders got together and say, we're going to
define this word in this way, and is very largely influenced by the Roman Catholic Church. But if
you go back and just look at the etymology of the word communion, okay, it's got a Latin background,
it's got two sort of thoughts when it comes to this Latin understanding of the word communion.
Let me explain what that means. First of all, the word communion is similar to the word we would
use in English as community. You know, what is a community? You know, it is something that,
you know, a group of people find in common when it comes to community, we often talk about the
location, we've got that in common. But the word community basically means anything which is found
in common that brings people together. Another way that you can understand the word here is,
of course, com or, you know, Latin, you know, of course, you know, being a Spanish speaker,
I can sort of see this com is like con or with, with union, with union. And that speaks of that
which unites, that which unites a group of people together. Union also comes from Latin word uno,
or, you know, if you, does anyone know how to count in Spanish? What's the first number,
you know, number one? Uno, you guys play the uno card, right? Uno, we got one last card left,
uno, unity, that's the idea, one, uno means one. And so the idea of communion is that which makes
one. So all of these words help us understand what communion, because you think of communion,
that's the, that's the, that's what the Roman Catholics do. Communion is like community,
you know, a group of people coming together, something we share in common, something that
makes us one. And that definition serves us really well in this passage, because when you
go straight to verse number 17 following, it says, for we be many are one bread and one body,
for we are all partakers of that one bread. So brethren, the Bible is telling us here,
what is it that brings unity in a church? Okay, Paul is writing to the Corinthian church,
what brings us, what brings us into a commonality with our Lord Jesus Christ and with one another,
because we are many, but Bible says here, we're one bread, we're one body, that body of course is
the body of our Lord Jesus Christ. You know, at the end of the day, look, there are many things
that we have in common. There are many doctrines that we would wholeheartedly agree upon. Okay,
there are other things like the King James Bible, and I agree, that's the Bible of use,
that's a perfect translation in English, the one we're going to use. But if you, if you go to name
one thing, one major thing amongst believers in a church that ought to bring communion, unity,
oneness together, it is the broken body and the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Okay, and so when we partake of this ordinance, we are remembering that which unites us together
as one body, unites us as one bread, and which unites us to our Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, the reason this has to be taught by Paul to the Corinthian church, he's teaching about unity,
guys, come together, remember the things you've got in common, the Lord Jesus Christ is because
come back with me to chapter one. Alright, this is not a united church. This is a very divided
church. And this sermon tonight is part one of a two part series. Part one is about what brings
unity in a church. And part two is what brings division in the church. Part two, I'll be preaching
on that Sunday night, Sunday afternoon, I should say Sunday afternoon service, okay. But what brings
unity? And why was this such an emphasis to, to Paul to teach his church? Hey, we're one bread,
we're one people, we're a community, we're together. It's because when you look at
First Corinthians chapter one, verse number 10, First Corinthians chapter one, verse number 10,
he says, Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you,
and that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
Look, from chapter one, he's already telling the church, guys, you need to come together,
you got to have unity, because it says in verse 11, for you have been declared unto me of you,
my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
You thought New Life Baptist Church is the only church that has contentions. No,
even the Corinthian church had contentions. Every church that I've been in, brethren,
has contentions. Some of them are visible, many of them are just swept under the rug,
and you see people disappear for no reason, because there was a contention, because there
was something causing division amongst God's people, and this church had major issues,
had major divisions. He says in verse number 12, Now this I say that every one of you sayeth,
I'm of Paul, and I'm of Paulus, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ. What was the divisions?
They all had their favorite preachers, they all had their favorite speakers,
and that was causing divisions. Now look, I'm sure that Paul, Apollos, Cephas is Peter,
Christ of course, I'm sure when they got behind the pulpit, whatever it was, and they taught,
I'm sure that 99% of what they taught, 99.9% of what they taught was the same.
And if they taught the same, there would be no divisions. Shouldn't there be?
But I guarantee you there were some points of differences amongst them. And so,
on that issue I'm with Paul, with that issue I'm with Peter, on that one I'm with Apollos,
and for those that think, oh come on guys, don't follow men, I'm with Christ in this one.
Okay, the holier than thou, nah, you guys. But look, when you start following man,
hey when you start following pastors of pulvera, when you start following a man,
you're going to start causing divisions in the church. Unity is our eyes on Christ,
on his body and his blood, on his sacrifice. His church started causing divisions,
you alright? Now if we keep going, he says in verse number 13, is Christ divided?
Is Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I can see this being a slap
in the face for those that said, where of Paul? Where with you Paul? And Paul's like, hey, did I
die for you? Did you get baptized in my name? Alright, like he's having a go at those that
were the Paul followers. It's like, no, it's Christ, right? Christ is the focus. Christ is
what brings union, unity, communion amongst God's people. Drop down to verse number 17,
for Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the
cross of Christ should be made of none effect. Preaching the gospel is what? The cross of Christ.
Verse number 18, for the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us
which are saved, it is the power of God. Just look, you got to see your eyes on the cross.
You got to see your eyes on the broken body of Jesus. You've got to see your eyes on the
shed blood of our Saviour. That's what's going to bring unity church.
Look at verse number 22, for the Jews require a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom,
but we preach Christ crucified. Look, the Jews aren't going to get the sign they're looking for.
The Greeks aren't going to get the wisdom that they're looking for, wisdom of the world.
No, we're not going to tailor our approach. We're going to preach the same message,
Christ crucified. For we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block and unto the
Greeks foolishness, but unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and
the wisdom of God. So look, Jews, Greeks again, just clarifying the only way you can be saved
is by the preaching of Christ crucified. Okay. And of course your faith upon that.
So brethren, there are many reasons New Life Baptist Church exists. There are many
commonalities, many doctrines that we hold in, you know, together. And sometimes people speak
of being a like-minded in that sense. And I've got no problem with that, but I can't allow that
to become the emphasis when that which brings communion is the broken body and the shed blood
of Christ. That's what's going to keep our church together. Okay. It's our eyes on Christ. It has to
be brethren. It has to be. Our eyes on anything else failed. It's all failed. Our eyes on ourselves
or our eyes on a preacher or a pastor, that's going to fail us. Okay. But what's going to keep
this church united is our eyes on Christ. Now we're going to spend most of our time here in
1 Corinthians and also a little bit in the book of Hebrews, but if you can come, actually, no,
stay there in chapter one. I want to bring this to your attention. First Corinthians chapter one,
verse 29. Here's the issue when we become, I'm of Paul, I'm of Apollos, I agree with Cephas on
this one. This is the problem. Okay. He says, and we lose our eyes and our focus of Christ.
He says in verse 29, that no flesh should glory in his presence. The reason we preach Christ
crucified, the reason we preach his body that suffer for us is so we don't glory in our own
flesh. That's going to start causing division. When you start to glory in your own flesh,
look, part two is coming, don't worry. But when you think, oh, my way is better than your way,
you're going to start setting your eyes on man. You're going to start forming a cult following
because man does this or man does it that way. You're not eyes on Jesus.
Flesh is not to be glorified in the eyes of the Lord. He keeps going in verse number 30,
but of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness
and sanctification and redemption. Brethren, why do you have wisdom? Why do you have
righteousness? Why do you have sanctification and redemption? It's in Christ Jesus. Look,
verse number 31, that according as it is written, hear that glory of, let him glory in the Lord.
Let him glory in Christ. This is why you can't, this is why salvation is not the reforming of
your flesh because you're going to glory in the flesh. Or you start saying, oh, I think I'm saved
because I've looked at my flesh. You're glorying in your flesh. You know, we have to be careful
about a works-based gospel. It causes separation because you're glorying in man. Our glory is in
Jesus, his sacrifice. That's what's going to bring unity in our church.
Come with me to 1 Corinthians 15. Now we saw that the preaching of the cross is the power of God.
We saw that we preach Christ crucified. We see it that we are, you know, Christ sent not me not to
baptize, but to preach the gospel. Just very quickly, you all know this, but just as a refresher,
I think it's important. Sometimes I think, oh, this is basic, but I think it's important that
we cover these things. What is the preaching of the gospel? Right? What brings us communion is
the blood of Christ, the body of Christ. That's what brings unity in our church. It ought to
anyway. Verse number one, 1 Corinthians 15 verse one. Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the
gospel, which I preached unto you, which also ye have received and wherein ye stand, by which also
ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
The believing in vain, just very quickly, is people that did not believe in the resurrection.
If you keep reading the chapter, you'll see that. Okay. It's not teaching some other things. Like
people have some strange ideas about that. But anyway, verse number three, what is the preaching
of the gospel? Verse number three, for I delivered unto you first of all, that which I also received,
how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures and that he was buried and that
he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. This is the gospel that was declared
to this church. This is the gospel that was declared to Paul, the death, the burial,
the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Okay. Now, as I keep going through this, I look, there's going
to be some passages that I read from that's going to ruffle your feathers. So I just, honestly,
okay, it's going to ruffle your feathers a little bit. I'm not intending to do that.
I just want to glorify the body and the blood of Christ in this sermon. That's my goal. That's my
purpose. I don't have any ulterior motive in this sermon here tonight. Okay. But come with me to
Hebrew chapter 10, please. Come with me to Hebrew chapter 10, verse number one. Hebrew chapter 10
and verse number one. Hebrew chapter 10 and verse number one. Let's speak about the body of Christ.
What is the significance of his body? If we're going to partake of the Lord's table,
the Lord's supper communion, that we're sure to bring unity amongst us, what is the,
what is the, like, why is it so important? All right. Hebrew chapter 10, verse number one.
It says, for the law, the law being the Old Testament, the old covenant,
for the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things,
can never with those sacrifices, which they offered year by year continually,
make the comers thereunto perfect. So the sacrifices under the old covenant could never
make anybody perfect. Okay. Now some people do think that made them perfect. But then he
says in verse number two, for then would they not have ceased to be offered? He goes, if they could
make it perfect, then we would have, it would have just continued. We wouldn't have to have to cease
that system. Like if you could be saved under the old system, then, you know, it would continue. But
it says, look, for then they would not have ceased to be offered, because that the worshipers once
purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices, there is a remembrance,
again, made of sins every year. So it says the reason this is done, this is the, when they take
it, when they sacrifice and take the blood to the Holy of Holies, done every year, it's a reminder,
we're still sinners. It's a reminder, oh yeah, the sacrifices were done, but I'm still a sinner,
because the blood of bulls and goats can never take away sin. Okay. It's this reminder. But then
he says in verse number three, but in those sacrifices, I read that verse number four,
for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. I mean,
that's a clear sentence. Why do people say they had to do that to be saved?
It's just ridiculous, right? They could never take away sins. Then verse number five,
wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith, sacrifice and offering, thou wouldst not,
but a body has thou prepared me. So instead of those sacrifices, instead of those things
being done every year continually, a body was made for Christ Jesus. He would be our sacrifice.
He would be the spotless lamb of God. His body will be broken for us. This is what introduces
us then to the new covenant, the new Testament, the shed blood and the broken body of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Verse number 10, it says, by the which we are sanctified through the offering of
the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Reverend, the body is the offering. And someone said,
oh, there goes, pastor Kevin about the, let's not, the soul is the offering. Look,
we're doing communion. We're going to emphasize what God emphasizes. Okay. The body is the
sacrifice. It's the offering once for all. Okay. That's what it says. I'm not making that up.
This is where people get sick. Look, I'm not trying to
create doctrines or defend doctrines. I know that people have different opinions on things.
Okay. But my goal in the past with this church is to emphasize what God emphasizes.
Cause I teach things and people ask me questions like, and to me, they're not even that important,
but what brings communion, what brings unity, what brings a togetherness is what I'm concerned about.
That's the body, the blood of Christ. That's why we have communion. That's why the bread represents
the body. That's why the juice represents the blood. Okay. I'm not trying to, you know,
I don't know, whatever people sometimes have in their mind that I'm trying to
convert the church from one position to another. Look, I'm just trying to tell you what the Bible
says. The body was prepared. The body is the offering. All right. It says there verse number
11, for every priest stand of daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices,
which can never take away sins. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins
forever, sat down on the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made
his footstools. So I want you to notice again, one sacrifice for sins forever, his body. Okay.
That's what the passage and the book of Hebrews is really important in our understanding from the
transition of the practices of the old covenant to what we are then required to understand and
remember and appreciate under the new covenant. All right. Now, come with me to another passage,
Romans chapter eight, Romans chapter eight and verse number three, Romans chapter eight and verse
number three, Romans chapter eight and verse number three, Romans chapter eight and verse
number three. So this body once for all the offering for our sins. Okay. What is the
significance of the body? And I kind of touched upon this when I was preaching through, was it
Psalm 69, I believe, but Romans eight verse three, it says for what the law could not do
in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and
for sin condemned sin in the flesh. Christ was made, hey, he did not have sinful flesh.
It says he was made in the likeness of sinful flesh. Christ did not have a sin nature. Okay.
But sin was condemned in his flesh. All of our sins were put on Christ. I touched upon this,
not just our sins, but the consequences of sins, the consequences of the curse,
our infirmities, our sicknesses, our worries, our stresses, all of that was put bodily on
Jesus Christ. That's where sin was condemned in his body. Okay. This is the significance of his
broken body for us. It says verse number four, that the righteousness of the law might be
fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. So it's not our flesh that
saves us. Okay. It's the flesh of Christ, but hey, we walk in the spirit. It's that new man,
not this outer flesh. It's a new man that has been redeemed by the sacrifice of our savior. Okay.
We have the power then to live righteous and godly lives by walking lives in the spirit and
not in the flesh. Can we do another passage? First Peter chapter two, please. First Peter chapter two
and verse number 22. First Peter chapter two and verse number 22. First Peter chapter two
and verse number 22, please. First Peter chapter two, 22. Again, speaking of Christ,
who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. That's hard. I mean, it doesn't take much
to say foolish words. Christ did not even say anything. Like you could even, like,
like think about how many words we speak in life and how much we say, how much foolishness. Christ
was able to hold his tongue, tame the tongue. There was no sin in his flesh, no sin in his
tongue. And it says, when he was reviled, reviled not again. When he suffered, he threatened not,
but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously, who his own self bear our sins
in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sins should live unto righteousness
by whose stripes ye were healed. So you can see once again that our sins were laid upon his body
on the tree. Okay. That's the significance of the body of Christ. And this is the part that I just
can't comprehend. Like my own sins, my own consequences and punishment of sin
and our own sicknesses are many times overwhelming to us. And yet Christ was able to carry yours and
carry mine and carry the sins of the whole world upon his body. And that's the thing, like, you
know, when we talk about Christ crucified, yeah, the crucifixion is horrible, but what he was
carrying was more damaging, more damaging. You know, the sins, the consequences, the sicknesses,
all of them on his body. Okay. Sin was condemned in his flesh. And so when we break the bread,
I want you to remember that. We're breaking a body that was perfect, a body that was prepared
as an offering for us. So we would not be broken. Christ was broken for us. And he's the perfect
Lamb of God. Like he is without sin. I can't comprehend it. I can't comprehend what Christ
has done for us. Anyway, come with me now to, where did I get you to turn? Oh, you're still there.
Okay. Come with me back to Hebrews 13. I have a lot of passages, but I'm just going to read
them through. I just want to give proper honor, proper respect to the body and the blood of Jesus
Christ. Okay. So as we partake of the Lord's table, you know, we're not just going through
the motions. We're not just going through some religious practice. I want your minds and your
hearts truly set on Christ and his sacrifice, his love, his brokenness. And Hebrews 13 verse 11,
let's talk about his blood now. Hebrews 13 verse 11. Hebrews 13 verse 11.
It says for the bodies of those beasts, they're the animal sacrifices, whose blood is brought
into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Jesus, sorry,
wherefore Jesus also that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the
gates. It says here that Christ has come to sanctify us. He sanctifies us by his blood.
So who was the false prophet that you just mentioned? John MacArthur.
John MacArthur, household name amongst many believers, but he denies the blood. He basically
does not believe that the shedding of the blood is necessary for our salvation.
By the shedding of blood, that just represents death or something like that from what I recall.
I don't know. I just spent a lot of time thinking about these people. That's ridiculous.
Look, the blood is what sanctifies us. Let me just quickly bring you up to speed here. So when they
did the sin offering, they would bring the animal into the temple or into the tabernacle, whatever
it was. They would slay the beast. The blood would be shed within the tabernacle or the temple.
Then the leftovers, the guts, I don't know, the flesh, like things that were the dung,
things like that were then taken. It says they're without the camp, outside of the camp.
And there it was burned to a crisp. Well, that parallel in verse number 12 says,
Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood,
suffered without the gates. And so it's kind of like that leftover. So Christ was brought into
the temple. He was whipped, he was beaten, crown of thorns, blood was shed in Jerusalem within the
temple. Then the leftovers, the end of the process was he was taken outside of the gates of Jerusalem
and crucified, which represents the leftovers, the dung, the fats, that final part of the
sacrifice of the sin offering. You can read about this in your own time in the Old Testament,
but the parallel is there that without the gate, he went outside of the gate of Jerusalem,
crucified, picturing the offerings of the Old Testament. So the blood is what sanctifies us.
Now come with me to first Peter chapter one, first Peter chapter one.
And this is where I'm going to ruffle some feathers. I'll tell you now.
First Peter chapter one, verse number 23, first Peter chapter one, verse number 23.
And again, it's not my intent. I just want to give proper honor and respect to the blood and
body of Christ here. But first Peter chapter one, verse number 23. And I can't recall if someone,
look, if it was somebody in our church here, I've got nothing against you. I love you, brother.
I can't, I have that many conversations and I've been in WA last week. I don't remember if these
were conversations in WA. I can't remember if these are conversations I had in Sydney
or conversations that I've had here. I don't remember everything. Sometimes people are like,
oh, I don't know who I was talking to. I can't, I don't remember anymore. Was that a phone call?
Was that face to face? I don't remember anymore. I have that many conversations. But anyway,
first Peter chapter 123, which is a great verse. It says, being born again, not of corruptible seed,
but of incorruptible by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.
And so I don't know who it was. Someone said, and again, it's you. I'm sorry. I'm not trying to
attack anybody. I don't even remember. That's how little importance it is in my mind. Okay.
But it was like, well, the incorruptible seed here must be the word of God, i.e. the King James
Bible. Therefore, in order to be saved, you must be saved the King James Bible. It's like, well,
that's the only way you can understand that verse. Look, if that's your position, I don't care.
Cause I believe in the King James Bible. I believe the King James Bible is incorruptible.
I do believe the King James Bible is a perfect preserved word of God.
But, you know, if anyone ever becomes a pastor, you'll understand what I'm talking about.
You can't build your doctrines on a single verse. You have to get the context because you will be
challenged. And if you don't have an answer, you're going to lose respectability. Okay. Now,
I'm not here to teach you about the King James Bible. Okay. But what I have seen that position
is a lot of confusion amongst believers. I get people that tell me, pastor, look,
I got saved. I believed in Christ and in him alone by faith alone. But, you know,
I don't remember if it was the King James Bible. I didn't have a King James Bible. So someone told
me, am I saved? And then I speak another language. I speak Spanish. There are many Spanish speakers
that can't speak English. And I, well, that King James Bible, I got saved reading the Spanish
letter, whatever version that is, there's several versions. Am I saved?
You know, and what's the teaching there? It starts to cause a lot of confusion,
a lot of uncertainty. Like, okay, it kind of works if we're just all English speakers,
I guess it kind of works, but that's not reality of life. Like, and you start getting asked
questions and you don't know how to answer it. You better have an answer to these things. If
you ever want to be a pastor. Say, pastor, what's the answer? Look, and here it is. Oh,
there's pastor going, you know, undermining the importance of the King James Bible. Absolutely
not. I'll show you in a minute. I truly believe it is incorruptible. It is perfect. But when you
read the context, come back with me to verse number, verse number 18, first Peter chapter
one, verse number 18. Let's read this slowly. Let's get it in our minds, right? Before we get
to verse number 23, you also have read verse number 18. It says, for as much as you know that
you were not redeemed with corruptible things. So we were not saved, we were not redeemed with
corruptible things. What are some examples of those corruptible things? It says as silver and
gold, you know, vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers. Some people think
their wealth, their position, their status in life is going to save them. Some people think the
traditions of the past, of their fathers, the religion of the past, that's what's going to save
them. But the Bible tells us those things are corruptible things. So if we're not redeemed with
corruptible things, we're obviously redeemed by incorruptible things, which is why the next verse
number 19 says, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without
spot. So if we're not redeemed with corruptible things, we're also redeemed with incorruptible
things, which in that verse is the precious blood of Christ and not just the blood of Christ as of
a lamb without blemish and without spot that's speaking about his body. Christ had no sin in his
body. So what is incorruptible if you just started reading from verse 18 to 19? It's the blood and
body of Christ. That's incorruptible. That's what redeems us. Okay. So then we get to verse number
23 and let's understand that as we understand that being the blood and body of Christ, being
that which is incorruptible, it says in verse number 23, being born again, yet being saved,
right? Not of corruptible seed. So we were sort of like, you know, money, traditions,
but of incorruptible, that's the blood and body of Christ by the word of God, because it's by the
word that we learn of the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, which liveth and abideth forever.
All right. Now, both of those things, the Bible and the blood of Christ and the body of Christ,
these are all incorruptible because if you drop down to verse number 25, just quickly,
it says, but the word of the Lord endureth forever. Amen. You know, if something's going
to endure forever, it has to be incorruptible because as soon as you have corruption,
it's going to diminish over time. It's going to be wiped out. Of course, the word of God is
something that endures forever. And we have the beauty of the King James Bible in our language,
praise God for a preserved Bible that I know is going to endure forever. We as English speakers
have been given a great privilege that other languages don't have. We truly do. Okay. So I'm
not trying to undermine the King James Bible, but I'm trying to show you what is incorruptible
is the blood and body of Christ. It says here in verse number 25 again, but the word of the Lord
of God, sorry, the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word which by the
gospel is preached unto you. And what is the gospel? The death, the burial, the resurrection
of Jesus Christ, his shed blood, his broken body. What is it teaching us? You need both things. You
need the word of God to be saved, but the word of God needs to be preaching the gospel. The word of
God needs to be preaching the shed blood and the broken body of Christ. That's what saves us.
Like if I'm trying to get someone saved, I'll pull out the King James Bible and start showing
them creation. God created everything in six days. He rested on the seventh day. Do you think
someone's going to get saved? I'm using the word of God, which endure forever. Okay. I have to show
them, Hey, look, Jesus Christ is coming back. He's the rapture. He's the tribulation. He's a wrath,
et cetera, et cetera. Is someone going to get saved? No. You take the word of God,
which endure forever, and you preach them that which is incorruptible, the broken body of the
the broken body of the Lord and his shed blood. And the reason this is so important is that
it highlights that the only way to be saved is by the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. Like
it's, it's, it's, it's the only way, regardless of what time you live in, regardless of what period
you live in, regardless of Old Testament, New Testament, uh, before the Old Testament,
during the tribulation, during the thousand year reign of Christ, whatever your, your,
your time you live. The only thing that's incorruptible that redeems you is the blood
and body of Christ. I'm just going to show you, look, there are, look, I just want you to know
that as your pastor, I'm very careful. I'm maybe too careful. I own that. I think I'm too careful,
but I'd rather be too careful with the scriptures and even ruffle feathers if I have to,
because it's important for me to keep a clear conscience for God. And I think sometimes we
don't emphasize his blood and his body enough. And the reason I want to emphasize it is because
this is what brings unity. This is what brings communion. Okay. When brother so-and-so does
things differently to you. When family so-and-so runs their life differently. When these parents
have different standard for their kids to your standard of your kids and it starts causing you,
oh, which is part two coming. Okay. You remember, hold on. That's my brother in the Lord. It's my
sister. They've been redeemed by incorruptible things. They're in, they're in Christ Jesus.
Why am I expecting righteousness in their flesh? They're in the righteousness of Christ like me,
praise God. We're on the same page. This is what, you know, like, I don't like,
if we just remember that when we started to rub each other the wrong way a little bit,
we just remember how precious Christ's sacrifice is and how valuable it is that we have entered
into that, that salvation, that promise, you know, like, and remember, man, this is my brother and
sister here at church. This is a child of God. You know, I'm going to be with them for all
eternity. I want to get along at church. You know, when they do something wrong, I'm just
going to remember, hold on Lord, but I did much worse to you and you died for me. You paid my
sins. I'm able to forgive my brother. I'm able to forgive my sister because you forgave me for much
worse, Lord. Like when our eyes are on Jesus and his sacrifice, it's going to bring us into love
and unity. Honestly, more than you've ever experienced. Again, when your pastor fails,
say, well, he's just a man, isn't he? Just saved like I'm saved, forgiven like I'm forgiven. My
eyes are on Christ, what he's done for us. Praise God. When brother so-and-so fails you,
when sister so-and-so fails you, and you start wanting to cause issues and divisions and contrary
things, we're in Jesus though. Like there's so few that are saved. And even those that claim to be
Christians, there are so few within that Christendom that are actually true believers who have
trust in, that are glorifying, glorifying in Christ, their salvation. Most Christians are
glorifying in their flesh. They still don't know, I don't know if I'm saved because I messed up
today. What does that matter? You're saved because of Christ Jesus. You're saved because of
incorruptible things. His blood and his body without spot, without wrinkle.
And we come together and the Bible calls the church the body of Christ.
So we are in Christ Jesus and this is communion. This ought to bring us together regardless of what
other issues might pop up between us, you know. Can you come with me to 1 Corinthians 11? Let's
turn on this one. 1 Corinthians 11, 1 Corinthians 11 23, 1 Corinthians 11 23.
1 Corinthians 11 23.
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you,
that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread.
And when he had given thanks, he break it and said, take, eat. This is my body which is broken for
you, this do in remembrance of me. Jesus saying, look, I want you to remember my broken body.
This is how I want you to remember my broken body, by breaking bread and sharing that together,
okay, which is what we're going to do today for the Lord's supper. Then he says in verse 25,
after the same manner also he took the cup when he had supped saying, this cup is the New Testament
in my blood. This do ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me.
So how does Jesus want us to remember his sacrifice?
What's the emphasis is what I'm trying to say to you.
It's his body and it's his blood, okay. This is how you remember my sacrifice.
And do this as often, he doesn't say how often. I had the question asked, do we do it every week,
do we do it every month? As often as I feel like, to be honest with you.
We always do it for Easter, sometimes for Christmas, and I actually want to do it for
our anniversary when it rolls around to remind us of the unity that we also have in Christ Jesus.
So at least three times, maybe four times a year if, you know,
book comes, but there's no commandment how often, just as often as you do it.
Do it this way in remembrance of me. Then verse number 26, for as often as ye eat this bread
and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come.
Look, how are we showing the Lord's death till he comes?
When you eat the bread and drink this cup, the body and the blood.
This is how we remember his death. This is how we show his death till he comes.
This is not my rules. These are the rules of Jesus. This is what he commands of us.
And then you've got ruffle feathers. Oh, there's pastor going on, you know,
not teaching about Jesus suffering in hell or something like this.
Look, that's to mean a tertiary issue. I don't know where I stand on that.
I'll be honest with you guys. But the last few weeks I've had a lot of questions
from several people. What is spirits in heaven? He said, I go and prepare a place for you.
Read the context. It's about him coming back after the resurrection.
Not the rapture. His soul is in hell. Acts chapter two. His body's in the grave.
And I rest easy on that. That's easy for me to understand. I accept that.
I don't have to understand the ins and outs of every part of that.
But when I think of his death, Jesus says, look, this is how you remember my death.
This is how you show my death till I come. My broken body and my shed blood.
This is communion. This is what brings unity in our church.
And it's what I want to emphasize as the pastor of this church.
All right. All right, brethren. Unity. So important.
Look, there's one thing that causes that brings unity. Like I said, our commonality with Christ.
There's many, many things that can cause division though.
And we'll cover that in Sunday afternoon. Okay, let's pray.