Sustenance

Folks we know what Christianity is. Christianity is not just that I believe in Jesus. Christianity is not just that I got say and I know my name is written in the Lamb's book of life Christianity is that I am one with my sleep that he is in me and almond that were connected. That's the meaning whatever wiki becomes part of what your little saying you are watching whatever you eat whatever you drink now becomes part of when Jesus told them here's my body that is broken for you indicated here's my blood drink it when they drank the cup became part not physically but spiritually, not just damn believe in Jesus never connected you to start a portion of the upcoming message titled sustenance asked Robert on Shaw church in Henderson Carolina I can give you our focus is on making Christ is the way we worship. We serve the way we love one another. Come check us out at 3485 Oxford Rd. in Henderson or visit us online@clearviewbc.org join us for the rest of this week's message when my favorite commercials on TV is the Snickers that anybody here seen that commercial watch TV. Good for you. It's okay. You don't you know somebody feels guilty for watching TV or not watching TV but am it's it's funny because it is so true.

The tagline is what you not you when you are hungry right and they show you celebrities in their element of said tour cranky or whatever you not you when you are hungry and the reason we like it is because it is so true were not us when we are hungry we feel sluggish.

We feel cranky. We feel anxious, nauseous when we don't have physical food so also in the Christian life are you're not you.

When you are spiritually hungry. Just as we need physical food. You have physical sustenance. We also need spiritual food for spiritual sustenance and what is spiritual food.

Spiritual food is feeding upon Jesus Christ and his words and is not optional. It is essential for the Christian life.

We can talk about that and towards the end we going to celebrate the communion we got take part of the Lords table and this message is going to help us understand how important that is not just to drink the cup I need that piece of wafer but to feed upon Christ to know that were connected to him and to know that we can have this stop go income and and feel once in a while, but we have to have a connection with Christ at all times so if you have your Bibles with you turn to John chapter 6 verse 53 through verse 56 and let's once again stand for the reading of God's word. Then Jesus said to them, most assuredly, or in some Bibles and said amen. Amen I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Let those words sink into your mind sink into your hearts. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day for my flesh is food. Indeed, in my blood is drink indeed he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him before we look at this very deep in sora difficult passage. How is your spiritual nutrition. Are you feeding upon Christ.

Are you connected to the source of our spiritual sustenance are nourishment, are you daily feeding upon his word and are you saved unless you saved all this will be gibberish unless you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you, this seems like cannibalism for me to say. Eat my flesh and drink my blood were talking about something that is very barbaric this very heinous. How can we do that you have to be saved, you need the Holy Spirit in your life to say I get it I get so if you do not know Christ. Here's what I want to do, never prayed to receive Jesus as your Savior. Whatever reason you here tonight. Maybe you here because a family may view here because of friends. Maybe you just check it out see what's going on.

A clear view.

Maybe it is that God has brought you here for you to get saved because all this time you living in delusion you thinking you are saved when you really not. It is very simple to goes like this, Jesus. I believe that you are the son of God, who died on the cross for my sins, and you are buried, and he rose again and I need you to come into my life.

I need you to save me. I need you to forgive me of my sins and I need you here is very important I need you take over.

I want to be my Savior but I want you to be my king, which means I want to follow you will bear you the matter the cost. Typically, when we have the Lord's supper or the communion on some traditions, they have a different word for it. They call it the Eucharist store. The mass or the sacrament the Blessed Sacrament many different names people use, but typically when we celebrate this this ordinance, we turn to either the end of the synoptic Gospels, which are Matthew Mark and Luke only go to first Corinthians 11, where Paul instructs the Corinthian church how to properly take part of the communion in these passages in Matthew, Mark, and Luke and in first 2011 we encounter Jesus having his final meal with his disciples before he was crucified during this meal, Jesus preached a message on the Jesus of not been preach a message you give a familiar tradition that the the Passover meal a whole new meaning sometime back I preached a message on first Corinthians 11 where I explained what that that that meaning that he gave to the cup and the bread really meant that if you remember that you know what I'm talking about for the benefit of those who were not here a Jesus heat.

He took that bread that unleavened bread and he said this is my body which is broken for you. The disciples knew what a unleavened piece of bread was but didn't know they had never heard someone say what this is the body of your master and that's what Jesus did. Then at the same supper in the Passover meal. There were 4 cups in the turn cup was the cup of the blessing and Jesus said this cup is the new covenant in my blood. So now the bread which is unleavened becomes his body and the cup which is a cup of blessing is now his blood, which is about to be shed for their sins.

I'm not sure how much the disciples truly understood what Jesus just did. I mean can you imagine the shock.

Can you imagine sitting there at a very familiar meal. You've done all your life and then someone comes and says okay guys and explain to you what this really means.

The bread is me. The cup is my blood dislike of our show, but your Thanksgiving meal and pick up a leg of turkey and say hey guys this is me. What would you do to be like we just lost her appetite.

If it is brief to become awkward real what is Jesus doing, but he did this, you can only imagine how much how they must've felt their own customs and their traditions were radically altered in a way by their master, but by faith.

These disciples did what Jesus told him to do the took that bread and the eight and the took the cup and they drank and only later on. I believe the truly understood the meaning of what Jesus told them to do. Now here's the question. Today's message is good be deep so will fall asleep, why in the world did Jesus do this thing. Why did he give this bread a whole new meaning in the cup a whole new meaning.

Why do you do that, we see Jesus was telling his disciples that by eating this bread and by drinking this cup. They were going to share and I want to give your big word. They were going to share with him in his substitutionary existence is it what what is that what Jesus was telling them is that now by drinking and by eating that bread. They were connected with him. There were going to be spiritually connected. Not physically connected with him.

He is about to.there were going to die with him when his blood was going to be shed.

There were going to be bleeding when he was buried there were going to be buried, not physically, mind you, but spiritually this is my body needed when you needed now you're connected to me, this is my blood, drink it when you drink it, now you are connected to me that you may think madness the spiritual stuff is too deep.

I've never heard something like this.

Folks, this was not a problem for the Jewish believers you know when that the Jewish people celebrated the Passover, they were told to eat the Passover meal. Listen carefully to eat the Passover meal as if you were there that night when God sent the last plague the 10th plague and you are there in that room. Standing with your loins girded, waiting to leave, to rush out because now you have been set for you where to eat the Passover meal the same way.

Listen as the first participants did you say so when Jesus told them what he did. It was not something odd and awkward already knew what it meant to visualize themselves as they were there. That first night. The difficult part was not that Jesus said this is this and this is that the difficult part was that Jesus told them that he was the bread and that he was the Passover lamb and it was his blood that was going to be shipped UC Jesus one of the disciples to understand their spiritual connection with him as he suffered as he bled as he died, as he was buried for them by the way, the spiritual connection was not just for the first disciples.

This is for all disciples is for all of us remember when Paul wrote to the Corinthians in first Corinthians chapter 11 you can read here that again when I come down and and pass out the the bread and the cup begin to hear that again.

But I want to hear those words one more time. First Corinthians 1123. What does Paul say he says, for I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which he was betrayed, he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, take heed. This is my body which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me. You see, Paul was not there that night when the disciples celebrated the Passover. He was not there in that room when they when Jesus said he was my body.

Here's my blood. He wasn't there, but he is now celebrating it as if he was there and he is passing it along to all the disciples in Corinth and to the rest of us that when we take part of the communion the bread and the cup we are to take part of it as if we were there because in a way we were in a way, when Jesus died, guess what folks you died when he was buried, you were buried when he rose you rose is that I don't know about that pastor I don't get that. Well I'm glad you feel that way because baptism just like communion is also our connection with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Look on the screen.

In Romans chapter 6, I told you the messages deep tonight Romans chapter 6 and verse three. What does Paul say he says or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death. Him and Sarah went into the baptismal waters, she was not going the water to wash her sins no matter water can wash your sins. She was not going in the water to have a special anointing no matter water can give you special anointing you know what she was telling everybody all the fuss including herself that now she knows Jesus Christ as your Savior and baptism is a demonstration that she died with Christ, she went into the water. She was buried with him and what happened go back to Romans chapter 6 and verse four. Therefore, we were buried with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father, even so we also should walk in newness of life and you came out of the waters what she's saying is, along with Jesus almost arisen.

I am one with him. We know what Christianity is. Christianity is not just that I believe in Jesus. Christianity is not just that I got saved and I know my name is written in the Lamb's book of life Christianity is that I am one with my Savior that he is in me and I'm in him. There were connected – the meaning is whatever you need becomes part of you right your that old saying you are what you eat.

You want to hear that. Did you whatever you need. Whatever you drink now becomes part of you.

When Jesus told them here's my body that is broken for you indicated the became part of him. Here's my blood drink it when they drank the cup. They became part of. Not physically but spiritually, not just damn honor for us who believe in Jesus number connected to him when we get saved. God applies to us was already happened to us that we died we were buried and be rose with him. We are a new creation in Christ. Amen.

So communion is simply our corporate connection with Jesus. Baptism is our individual connection with Jesus.

That's all it is when we do this folks, what were saying is not only am I individually connected with Jesus like Sarah did were also a family connected with Jesus. It's a meal. There is no other religion like Christianity where our founder, our God, our Savior is connected beyond time to every person who has received him and every person who has received a listener. This is connected to each other you know for me to mistreat you is to mistreat the body of Christ because you have Christ in you, for me to be routine for me to gossip about you.

For me to cut you down and criticize you. Guess what I am doing something offensive against Jesus Christ.

How can I do that is convicting as it husband and wives, your your your saved and you being hateful to one another. People in the family of God. Are you saying you want to be hateful is a wall bogs I can be hateful so-and-so because they're not saved but guess what, you are the only Jesus.

They will never see because he is in you know when you get saved everything changes you can't live the same old way is not Christ is in you out of some of you are still not sure you think in man.

This connection stuff that's too deep. I like the old fashion district preach harder and tell us to repentance and get right with Jesus and God then evangelize and and fill the charge and given support this all connection. So if it's too much. Well, let's go back to John chapter 6 the passage we just read in the opening. Did you know that John is the only one who doesn't tell us what happened on that.

That evening, and how Jesus changed the meaning of the bread to his body and the meaning of the cup to his blood. He tells us that Jesus celebrated the Last Supper, but he only talks about how he washed the disciples feet.

He doesn't go into detail about the communion Matthew Mark and Luke do in first Corinthians.

Paul does but John doesn't tell us that part earlier in John chapter 6, he tells us something and that's the passage we just read. Let's listen to that. Once more John chapter 6 and verse 53 then Jesus said to them. Who was he talking to. He was talking to the Jewish people. The religious leaders who were quarreling among themselves and saying how can this man give us his flesh to eat same question many of y'all have right now. When I been in charge of my life and never heard that I didn't know what until I heard tonight the same problem they had. How can this be that this man is going to give us his flesh to eat and that's when Jesus says in John 653. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you without Jesus Christ in you, you are dead in trespasses and sins humanity a good person, you may be a kind person, you may get people to shut off your back, but you are still a dead person and sent them and they quarreled among themselves.

Jesus said that they says again verse 54 which we read in the opening. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has what has eternal life, and here's a promise that if my life is in you that hold eating the bread and drinking the cup is simply a spiritual representation is symbolic that if my life is in you, here's the promise was the promise I will raise him up at the last day for Jesus did not do that is to let part of conduct is the better. Now you'll never be God. I will never be God but because of Jesus Christ. I'm in the family of God, and he doesn't leave any part of the family behind that awesome no matter what happens now listen to this verse 55 for my flesh is food. Indeed, what is talking about is spiritually in my blood is drink indeed he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood.

What's the word abides in me was that word again abides in me. In John 15 Jesus talked about pedal abiding with him things were connected.

He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, but here's a bigger promise and I in him were connected in a you heard people say well if you been slipping away from God gets who moved or if you really know Jesus Christ. No one's moved you're just living in disobedience temporarily. Your under the same roof God have to give you some spiritual open as a different issue but nobody moved is still connected to. You could truly save my fiancé as a whole different problem were connected and then in verse 57 he says as the living father sent me, and I live because of the father so he who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread which came down from heaven, not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead.

He who eats this bread will live forever, who is the let bread is a Jesus himself and was their reaction. This is as beautiful, not really, but this is kind of awesome to read there for many of his disciples. Did you know that.

Did you hear that word many of his disciples when they heard this said, this is a hard saying.

Who can understand just like many of us tonight are saying this is too deep and what is Jesus's response. This is powerful, he said to them, does this offend you.

What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where he was before. It is the Spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words I speak to you are spirit and they are live, but there are some who do not believe for Jesus knew from the beginning who they were, who did not believe in who would betray him in a batch tells us that Judas was only the one who carried it out. There were others waiting to betray him as amazing as an here's a question if you were there that night.

If you were there 2000 years ago. What would you have done.

Would you be with Judas. Would you be with those who like men mama realistic person and I like to see clear cut in and I live in the real world.

I hear a lot of people say that to me more realistic.

For the past not your real more spiritually. Mine are more realistic for you would be lost. You would dine your sense, Jesus says, does this offend you and and and and then he tells them how it is this Holy Spirit who gives life and then in verse 65. He said therefore I have said to you that no one comes to me unless it has been granted to him by my father and from that time. Listen to this. This is Butte very very harsh and yet it's so true. In verse 66 from that time many of his disciples went back and walked with him no more.

Can you imagine that they left him. It just gives me chills when I read that they left the son of God and didn't want anymore of not here's the question which I believe Jesus is asking us as well. This evening then Jesus said to the 12. Do you also want to go away.

Is this to date.

Is this too much. Do you want to leave as well, but Simon Peter remember Simon Peter is saying always he's his open mouth insert foot right he's always saying things should be saying he always gets in trouble but Simon Peter answered to him say Lord, to whom shall we go. You have the words of eternal life.

Also, we have come to believe and know that you are the Christ, the son of the living God. I don't believe he understood every bit of what he said but he was on the way.

My question to you this evening is which group do you belong to you belong to the group of those who who said this is too much I don't know about all this feeding upon you and drinking your blood. I this is too much or are you the disciples just like Peter, who said, to whom shall be go your red question tonight is to be are about to celebrate and take part of the communion is are you safe, do you know Christ as your Savior has there been a point in your life where you asked them to save you because unless you did your feeding on earthly things you're feeding on philosophies you're feeding on on assumptions that you picked up all your life you building your life on assumptions and you are in for a horrible rude awakening. On the other side when God says, depart from me.

I never knew imagine that folks probably this group is here tonight because there's someone here who needs to hear that you're in for a rude awakening.

On the other side's venues that she save him here. He says I'm saying I was in charge. All my life and are served, and I did this and did that you so you'd say the word was never in you in a raid on my flesh. You never drank my blood. You are not part of me. I have no obligation to raise you up on the last day depart from has impact folks you really know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. If you don't tonight simple prayer I give the prayer the opening asking to come and kill us.

Thank you so much for joining us for this message. Communion isn't just an empty ritual that we perform to family meal is our corporate identification with Christ spiritually connect with who Jesus is and what he's done for us bread and the cup.

We understand this take on a whole new.

We understand this bread and the cup take on a whole new level of significance in our lives, how you view the Lord's supper. For more information visit us online@clearviewbe.org and for the sermons notes checkup exercise block Robin on shop.com