Power Under Restraint
First B Jackson
2015-10-11

Automatically transcribed. Where this and the recording disagree, the recording is the record.

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This mercy never comes to an end. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness. I let's pray on that, and then I wanna sing. God, we are grateful that you are, our faithful faithful God, and and you never cease to be faithful.

You that is who you are. You are faithful. And thank you that your mercies are made new every day. We can come to you fresh. We can, confess our sin before you.

We can you're faithful and just to forgive. We get a new start. And so we're grateful for that and we wanna approach you just with adoration and love. In Jesus name, amen. Why don't we sing, together?

You could stand up too.

Alright. Great is thy faithfulness.

Y'all can have a seat. I've got a few announcements. Renzi, you'll need to click through em. I don't have the clicker up here. So, let's see what's happening.

Connect hour. That always happens between services. So, about ten, whenever the sermon's over, there'll be coffee and who knows what? Donuts, fruit, that sort of thing down the fellowship hall. That's that way to the West.

If you don't, if you're not from around here. Connect hour. So, we also have Monday nights at first b that are happening tomorrow night at 06:00. We change the time slightly to be 06:00 and Carl is just starting a series on Philippians. So, Philippians one tomorrow.

He did a little background in Acts last week which was great but Monday nights at first B, you can always count on meal, music, and a message every Monday night and that's a fun time to get together. It happens at the same time as Awana. So, if you have kids that are between ages three and sixth grade, you can bring them, drop them off here in this room, and then head down the hall to the West. Again, if you're not from around here. On Wednesday, this Wednesday, October 14, around noon, this is part of the worldwide forty days of life.

There is a flyer in your bulletin about it. It's actually forty minutes of prayer from 12:10 to 12:50 at River Crossing this week on Wednesday. That is it is a peaceful prayer and time of prayer and fasting about abortion. So, Solid Rock Student Ministry. Last night, the student ministry took off and went to Idaho Falls to go to a Newsboys concert.

Renzi, you have a report on that? That sounds like a few of you went. You did? Was it good? Awesome.

Very good. I got back.

Wonderful time. We got back super late last night. We had Cold Stone ice cream and Chick fil A. So, you know, it was wonderful. Very good.

We had a lot of families that came as well, so it was a great time.

Awesome. Awesome. Very good. Anything else?

I might sleep during your sermon.

Okay. Alright. Okay. Thank you

for that. That's normal.

Yeah. Yeah. So Anything else?

That's that's not true. You're handsome and a gentleman.

Please check your bulletins for any other announcements. I think there's one more from Eric Wachob and it's on the yellow microphone, Ramsey. Or get really close to right here.

Good morning. Small groups. A lot of

you have asked about small groups and much. Are they starting? There's a few that are still going on. We'd like to start quite a few more. This fall.

There we go. Small groups. So I'll just say it all again. Many of you have asked about small groups, and there are a few that have been going on, but we're gonna start quite a few more. If you are interested in attending a small group, being part of a weekly small group by maybe hosting it in your house or even leading it, we we want to talk about that at in the connect hour at 10:00 right after the service, right down the hall in the fellowship hall.

It's to the west.

That's right.

And so come grab me. I'll be down there with some other folks that are interested in starting small groups. Come. Let's talk about what that's gonna look like and how you can be a part. So 10:00 after the service.

Thanks.

Thank you and men's fraternity, I think also is starting October 21. So, that's not this Wednesday but next and if you didn't know it, the women are retreating this morning. So, we have several open spaces in here because there's a women's retreat that's still going on. So, pray for Tanya. She's preaching up there this morning and that's it.

Would you stand up? Those are the announcements and greet one another and the band will bring you back together with the song.

Can I go home

now? Thank you.

Alright. From the top, what can wash?

And this is our open piece. The about Jesus. One more. Nothing but the bad about Jesus. Lord, we boast in you, your Amen.

Amen. So that we could be made right with God and at peace with God. Amen. Amen. So here's a short verse, and it's from John.

And Jesus said, it's short. Because I live, you also will live. Is that a wonderful truth right there that because Christ lived, because of his death and resurrection, because he has life now, we have life because we have Jesus and we have life in him. Let's commit that one to memory. Because I live, you also will live.

Let's say it together. Because I live, you also will live. Alright. God sent his son. God sent I too, Lord.

We can live life and a victorious one at that, because you live and you reign and you live in us. And so, Lord, we hold on to that truth, and, we we claim it. And, Lord, most of all, help us to live it. In Christ's name, amen. Y'all can be seated.

Dan, would you mind just remain standing and give thanks here as we enter in the the worship through giving?

This is the body that was torn for us this is the blood that was built points to the pain you endured for us points to the shame the guilt and Holy Spirit come to remember this is the lamb who was slain for us so we the church may enter in so bitter sweet when we think of you the one who bore our curse our sin and Holy Spirit and Holy Spirit come and Holy Spirit come to remember

Amen. Thank you, Crystal. It's time now for the children to head down to children's church, Peak Children's Church. I think there may be two classes today instead of three but when you get down there, I'm sure they will direct. It's nice to see that, isn't it?

This Sunday, normally, y'all know that we're up to second Corinthians six. That's the norm and normally, I just keep on preaching right on through it. Second Corinthians six starting in three going to thirteen but that's going to be next week's message. With the ladies all gone up to the Heart 6 Guest Ranch, I've been contemplating this for a while. Should I hit pause and just pause that sermon series and go back and pick something else up and I and I decided, yes, that's what that's what I should probably do and this week, my own personal kind of Bible study just really floored me.

So, I thought, I'm going to share that with you. It maybe not quite as well baked as some other sermons but it's it's because God moved in my heart. This week, about meekness particularly. So, this is a full reading of Psalm 37 and that's what we're gonna kinda close out with. Psalm 37, I think illustrates meekness very very well.

It mentions at a time or two in there. But it's a topical sermon which I don't do very often on biblical meekness. What do you think of when you think of meekness by the way? Blessed are the meek. That's what I think of.

When I think of, I think of Jesus saying this in the beatitudes and he's given what sounds like an impossible list. You know, blessed are the poor in spirit. That goes completely in the face of everything that we know about our modern world, the way that we think. Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are those who mourn.

Those are the first two and this is the third one. Blessed are the meek. Meek. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. That sounds like that doesn't go with modern life at all.

That that's not the way we think. James says about meekness. In James one twenty one, therefore, rid yourselves of all sordidness, sordid is unheard of, the unheard ofness, and the rank growth of wickedness. Rid yourselves of all sordidness and the rank growth of wickedness and welcome with meekness. The implanted word that has the power to save your souls.

That's strong. That's a really, really strong verse. It's a really strong concept that meekness is this important. Second Corinthians 10, we're not up to it yet but Paul, we're in second Corinthians six right now normally but Paul says in 10, I've told you several times. He goes through the first nine chapters and he's so loving, loving, loving and I've been telling you since the beginning.

Take this as Paul being loving. This week, I want to change that a bit. It's Paul's meekness. That's what's outstanding. It's the way that he is so meek in his presentation.

In ten one though, he says, it's

kind

of a warning really and it changes the tone of the letter after that. 10 through 13 sound a lot different than one through nine. He says, I, myself, Paul, the guy you know, the one who's pleading with you for nine chapters by this point. I, myself, Paul, appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I'm away. His opponents, the super apostles, false apostles, had said that Paul is a wimp when he's here.

But when he gets away, he writes these really bold letters. You know, he'd written them probably four letters at this point. This is the fourth one at least. I, myself, Paul, appeal you to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ. I, who am humble when face to face but bold towards you when I'm away and we see that Moses.

So, there are two main people in scripture that that meekness points to and almost anytime that it comes up and it's mentioned very often, it comes back to these two. One of em in Old Testament is Moses. Numbers twelve three, when Miriam and Aram were fussing about, God choosing Moses to be his guy. He stutters and they're mumbling against him and it says this, now the man Moses was very meek above all the men which were on the face of the earth. He's the meekest man that there was at that time at least.

So, it's important But if you look at modern synonyms synonyms for meekness, this is what you get. Now this is from the Reader's Digest Oxford Complete Word Finder for you Scrabble fans. Modern synonyms of meekness, the way that we use it today is tame, timid, mild, bland, unambitious, retiring, weak, docile, acquiescent, repressed, suppressed, spiritless, broken, and wimpish. Who wants to be that? Nobody wants to be that but that is the way that meekness is used today.

In the Bible, it's used in the Old Testament. It is a Hebrew word in the New Testament. It's a Greek word kind of obviously, I guess. All known, all known, sounds like a southern Hebrew word. All known.

And Praute is the Greek word for it. It's used 20 times in the Old Testament. It's this is kind of a word study this morning. It's used 12 times in the New Testament. Now, there are other words for humility.

There are other words for gentleness but a lot of times in our modern translations, these words are replaced with either humility or gentleness and there's good reason for that because you just saw what we think of when we think of meekness. When we think of meekness, we think of those timid and weak and acquiescent and suppressed and come on. Get a load. Just wanna spew that guy out. We don't wanna have anything to do with him.

Meekness though is different from humility and it's different from gentleness and it's definitely different from our modern usage. In fact, look at this. This is usage of the word meekness. You can find all kinds of stuff on internet. This is usage of the word meekness.

This is 1800 and this is 2010 and you can see that the word back there when we used to have residual biblical memory and knowledge and actually when we use King James version of the Bible primarily, it was pretty high usage. I'm nervous this morning. Goodness gracious. You can see it in the laser pointer but see how it's been declining? It's been in decline because of for one thing, I think the way that we use it but also because we're not we're not willing to translate it for what it is as being different from humility.

Humility in a way is how you think about yourself and humility consider others as better than yourself. But meekness actually has to do with how you deal with other people. It's how you treat other people. You treat them with meekness. And you may well have the power to blast them.

He might have the power rhetorically speaking or you might have the power physically to just overwhelm whoever your opponent is but meekness is what holds that back and in check and allows God to do his work. Sinclair Ferguson was our pastor in South Carolina and I something that he said stuck in my mind. I would look for it and found it and this is what it is. Meekness is that spirit or disposition which submits to the word of God and scripture and to the hand of God and providence. That's good.

That's really good. That's a lot better than timid or weak. Right? It submits because submissive is one of those definitions of meekness. It is submissive but it's submissive to God and it's submissive to others out of reverence for God.

Remember, Ephesians five twenty one says, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. So, that's what meekness is. That spirit of disposition which submits to the word of God and scripture into the hand of God and providence. Now, next week, we're getting back to second Corinthians six and that three through 13 is another one of the list that Paul has been through the hard times that Paul has been through. Now, he mentions it in four, eight, and nine.

I asked y'all to memorize that and most of y'all did. A lot of y'all did. And he gets to it again in chapter 11. This meekness is what allows Paul to keep on rolling and tumbling through the difficult times of life because he knows he's got the message of the cross and he knows he's got the word of God directly to him that you're going to be my witness. You're going to be my sent one, my apostle.

And the hand of God in providence, no matter what men throw at him, he knows and he's confident in what God has given him to do and so he can go forward. He has a spirit or disposition which submits to the word of God in scripture. Woe be unto me if I don't preach the gospel. I gotta do this. In the hand of God in providence, he'll take everything else in stride because he know that his suffering is actually bringing them towards their own comfort and salvation.

And we're going to go through Psalm 37. We're going to walk through this. The whole thing, it's 40 verses long. Try to stick with me, but take it like a shower over you. Okay?

You don't have to memorize this. I'm not asking you to memorize it. I want you to hear this, though. I've had several people lately that have come to me that have been feeling like, it's just irritating to be right. And I agreed with them, all of them, that they were actually right.

But to have other people think that they're wrong. Is that terrible? Is that just a horrible feeling when you when you have confidence in yourself and in God that you're in the right position, the right theological position, the right, I don't know, position. But everybody else treats you as if you're wrong. Have you ever gotten the Email that blast your last sermon?

No, I'm sorry. Have you ever gotten an Email? No, I'm kidding. That does, that doesn't happen often. So, do not, not fret because of the wicked.

Do not be envious of wrongdoers. For they will soon fade like grass and wither like the green herb. Do we believe the Bible? Yes. Is there eventual justice?

Yes. Have we seen, in some cases, immediate justice? Yes. I think of Ananias and Sapphira in scripture every time. Ananias and Sapphira held back from God and bam.

They were called onto the carpet and then lied about it again and he struck him down. That's immediate. I don't want immediate. I want eventual. I want eventual justice.

But this is pointing to, you should trust in God. He is the one. Remember a few weeks ago, I said, God will repay. God will repay. He's going to do that.

Either he is going to repay it with eternity separated from him in hell or he's going to have paid for it already on the cross. Now, even your worst enemy, would you wish for them eternal torment? I hope not. Meekness allows you to allow God to deal with them and you just have to deal with yourself. I had a I put a video in there, Renzi but I don't think I'm going call for it.

He's already scrambling. Thank you, bud. It's the little kid in the car seat. Have y'all seen it? It says, you worry about yourself.

You haven't seen it? You might have to you might have to play it, Renzi. No. Anyway, there's a little kid and she's in the back and she's obviously, she's got a sister in the car with her and she's obviously been told, listen, you don't worry about her, you worry about yourself And so the dad says, can I help you with the car seat? Can I help buckle you in?

He's taking a video of you. You got it? Seriously, let's do it, why not? I'll tap dance until it comes up.

No. Not really. Sound. Why is that your sound?

Can I help?

No. I'll help. I don't. You can help when more out to you. Okay?

You can help when we're

out You can

help when Do we're out to

you have biscuits?

Probably. You want me to help, Rose?

No. Thank you. No. Thank you.

What do you want me to do?

What about yourself? What about yourself? I'll do this one. So

Alright. That's enough. Stop. Yep. Worry about yourself.

That's that's what that's what Psalm 37 is actually saying. It's saying, you worry about yourself. Don't worry about them. Don't worry about what how they treat you when they evil men mistreat and malign you. Don't worry about that.

God will repay. So, thank you, Renzy. So, Psalm thirty seven one and two, do not fret because of the wicked. Do not be envious of wrongdoers for they will soon fade like the grass, wither like the herb. Trust in the Lord and do good.

You worry about yourself. And so in this way, that sow is and in this way, you will live in the land and you will enjoy security. Take your delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Amen. Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.

I guarantee you though, if you're taking delight in the Lord, your desires might change. Commit your way to the Lord. Trust in him and he will act. Commit your way to the Lord. Everything that you do, all about the way that you go and act and do.

Commit your way to the Lord. Trust in him and he will act. He will make your vindication. What's vindication? Showing you you to be right.

Your vindication is when you are shown to be right. He will make your vindication shine like the light or rise like the sun. Every single day, God's the one who brings that sun up and he will make your vindication. If you've committed your way to the Lord and trusted in him, he will act and what he will do is he will make your vindication shine like the light and the justice of your cause like the noonday as plain as noon. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.

Do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices. Refrain from anger and forsake wrath and do not fret. It leads only to evil. Refrain from anger and forsake wrath. The things that we remember about Moses are not his meekness.

Did any of y'all if y'all would have had to list the characteristics of Moses, how many of y'all would have said fiery and impetuous before you got to meekness? Yeah, I would have because it stands out when he broke something or when he struck that rock. It stands out because he was a meek guy normally. Refrain from anger. What was the thing that kept Moses out of the promised land?

Striking that rock. Breaking out of the meekness. Now, we can think of it as righteous indignation if we want to but God says, I will repay. Trust me. Refrain from anger and forsake wrath.

Does that mean that there's never a time to get angry? Oh no. Jesus flipped over the tables. No sin involved there. He was restraining all the time.

God himself is meek. It mentions it a couple of times in the Old Testament and once in the new at least. God himself is meek and he refrains his anger and holds back on his wrath for a time. Do not fret. It leads only to evil.

Don't worry. For the wicked shall be cut off but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. And it keeps on going back to that land. The wicked shall be cut off but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. I don't know if everybody sees this in this but I do.

The eventual and slow progress of the gospel is not at the hand of the sword. The eventual progress of the gospel, all of the gains that missions has made Since Jesus has been by a meek and gentle spirit. The Holy Spirit. He speaks with what? A still, small voice.

He speaks meekly. He doesn't scream at you. Do not fret. It leads only to evil. For the wicked shall be cut off but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

Jesus has said to inherit the earth also. When it, that's a big deal to be with the Lord, to have a share in in his inheritance, joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this side. Ten and eleven says this, yet a little while and the wicked will be no more. Though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there. Now, you just have to turn on the TV.

They're everywhere, right? Wicked and evil just surrounds us all the time. Self is promoted above all else. Yet a little while, the wicked will be no more. Though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there but the meek shall inherit the land.

That's the all no, all known. But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant prosperity. The wicked plot against the righteous and they gnashed their teeth at them. Have you seen that? I can't stand that guy.

That's the gnashing the teeth. The wicked gnashed their teeth against the righteous. But the Lord laughs at the wicked and he sees that their day is coming. He's always willing to save. If they will turn and repent, he will do it.

He said it many times over. He has to laugh at the wickedness. He sees that their day is coming. The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and the needy, to kill those who walk uprightly. Anybody got a Bible story?

Right now, I won't ask you to say it but anybody thinking of one when you read this verse, the wicked draw the sword, bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to kill those who walk uprightly, but their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. I think of the story of Esther. You got Mordecai and he's going, hey, Haman's doing this plan. He's trying to kill us all. It's for such a time as this, Esther goes a story.

Haman has worked it through so that law will favor him. He's got everything going in his favor and he's having the gallows built. And then he's the one hanging from him. I think about it. The wicked draw their sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, kill those who walk uprightly.

Their sword shall enter their own heart and their bows shall be broken. Meekness understands that God is the one who is in charge. We can refrain from our anger. Better is a little that the righteous person has than the abundance of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken but the Lord upholds the righteous.

That's the whole thing from second Corinthians four, you know, pressed but not crushed, persecuted, not abandoned, right? The Lord knows the days of the blameless and their heritage will abide forever. They're not put to shame in evil times. In the days of famine, they have abundance But the wicked perish and the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures. What's the glory of the pastures?

In an agricultural society, it's grass. It's it is the cows of Bashan, whatever but one quick little brush fire and that's all gone. Like smoke, they vanish away. They're like the glory of the pastures. There's some glory there.

There's some riches there. There's something there but man, just like that, it's all gone. The wicked perish, the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures. They vanish like smoke. They vanish away.

The wicked borrow and they do not pay back but the righteous are generous and they keep giving. For those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land. See all these future tenses though, that's hard to deal with. It's not saying that it's right now that it's something that we know right now by sight but it's something that we trust by faith. Those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land for those cursed by him shall be cut off.

Our steps are made firm by the Lord. When he delights in our way, though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, not utterly destroyed, Paul says. For we shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds us by the hand. He's the one who holds us up. Trusting in that is a part of meekness.

I have been young and I'm now old. This is a Psalm of David. Yet, I've not seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They're ever giving liberally and lending and their children become a blessing. Become a blessing.

Depart from evil and do good. You worry about yourself. So, you shall abide forever. For the Lord loves justice. He will not forsake his faithful ones.

The righteous shall be kept safe forever but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land and live in it forever. The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom and their tongues speak justice. The law of their God is in their hearts and their steps don't slip. Keep on trusting that God is good.

Keep on trusting that he is the one that will repay. Don't try to take this into your own hands. The wicked watch for the righteous and seek to kill them, persecuted. The Lord will not abandon them to their power or let them be condemned when they're brought to trial. Wait for the Lord and keep to his way and he will exalt you to inherit the land.

He will look on the destruction of the wicked. I've seen the wicked oppressing like the towering, like the cedar of Lebanon. It's interesting that this one, it says, a tall tree, Hebrew is indistinct. We don't know exactly which tree it is but it's some major towering thing. The the highest one they could think of was the Cedar Of Lebanon but I've seen the wicked oppressing towering like a Redwood of California.

Again, I passed by and they were no more. Can you imagine? You ever seen one of those redwoods? It's towering over and then I passed by again and they were no more. Though I sought them, they could not be found.

There is a winnowing. There is a time where the unrighteous, the evil will fade away like smoke. They will be separated forever and though you were to seek for them, they could not be found. Not in heaven, they won't be. Mark the blameless and behold upright for there is posterity for the peaceable.

But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed. The posterity of the wicked shall be cut off. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord. He is their refuge in time of trouble. The Lord helps them and rescues them.

He rescues them from the wicked and saves them because they take refuge in him. Does anything about that sound weak? It could sound like it's cowardly. That whole thing. That's I think we're up to 40.

It could sound cowardly if all you wanted to do is just say, you know, no, I'm not going to. It sounds a little sheepish but it's like, lord, I know I've got the truth on my side. Lord, I know I've got the power in your word. I know that I've got the authority. I know that I've got this but lord, forgive em for they know not what they do.

That's what Jesus was saying when they nailed the guys and when the guys were nailing him to the Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. Forgiveness is a huge component to meekness. It's an understanding that both heaven and hell are forever. Y'all get this? That's why missions still exist.

People are not giving glory to God and they will face a godless eternity. Meekness draws people to God. Having the ability but restraining the ability. I want to read a few more of the verses and then we'll close with communion actually. Now, the man Moses was very meek more so than anyone else on the face of the earth.

For the needy shall not always be forgotten nor the hope of the meek perish forever. Oh Lord, you will hear the desire of the meek and you will strengthen their heart. You will incline your ear. He leads the meek in what is right and teaches the meek in his way. My soul makes its boast in the Lord.

Let the meek hear and be glad. The meek shall inherit the land. It goes on and on. When God rose up to establish judgement to save all of the meek of the earth. Why don't we use this word anymore?

It's not the same thing as humility. It's not the same thing as gentleness. It is power under restraint. It is a trust in God that he is the one that will take care of them. It's a worrying about yourself.

In as much as it depends on you, live at peace with all men, Paul says, and you can do that by a spirit of meekness and gentleness. Would y'all, the elders come forward? We're going to go straight on into a time of communion. Zephaniah, you can say for the benediction there, Lindsey. We're gonna end with a z, Zephaniah.

And Carl oh, you're here. You're gonna play?

Yes. Fantastic.

Go for it. Judy's fresh back from Georgia, not my Georgia, but Russia's Georgia, or used to be Russia's Georgia, from a mission trip. Are you alright? Okay. Alright.

Judy's also jet lagged. God, thank you that you do restrain your power. I thank you that you in the form of your Holy Spirit, lord, are holding back your wrath. You're holding back your very very righteous anger towards us for turning against you and towards the world for remaining in that state. God, would you allow us to live a meek and a humble life that draws others to you.

Let us never be afraid of what you tell us, your word and scripture, lord, but be flexible and obedient to go with that. The call that you put on our life and lord, let us not be downtrodden to the point of despair over what the hand, your hand in providence gives us. So, whatever the situation we find ourselves in, lord, would you allow us to be content and joyful in spite of it all. And God, would you bless this bread as we distribute it, Lord? Because the thing that binds us together, there is but one baptism.

There's one spirit, one church. And so lord, would you bind us together? Your broken body, lord, given for us, though you had the power to call 10,000 angels, though you had the power to physically take yourself down off of that cross. You restrained and it's because of that humble and meek obedience, lord, that your name is exalted above all others. We gather this morning to celebrate your broken body and your shed blood.

Would you bless this bread as we distribute it in Jesus name? Amen. Bible. Sorry. For I received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and after he had given thanks, he broke it and said, take and eat.

This is my body which is broken for you. This do in remembrance of me. Lord Jesus, I thank you that you never never sent. Lord, that you're tempted in every way just like we're tempted yet you are without sin and I thank you that living that life in that body and having it broken there at the end without reason, without cause, completely innocent, lord. Teaches this lesson of Psalm 37.

It teaches both sides. Complete meekness and humility and submissiveness to the will of God. Will I not drink the cup that God has given me? When Peter pulls his sword. So, God, would you, would you instill that in our lives?

Would you draw us into a more and more meek relationship? With you and others, realizing our own sin, lord, and joyful that you've given your precious blood to rid us of that sin. Never let us forget, lord. Never let us forget and let us treat other people with that same kind of love that you did. Lord, would you bless this cup, this grape juice that we use to celebrate your shed blood.

In Jesus name, amen. After the same manner, he took the cup after they had had supper, saying, this cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. Amen. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you show the Lord's death until he comes again.

The meekness and humility which led him to the cross. And his shed blood is what saves us from our sin. This is what draws us together Carl, you want to come forward? Guys, you can go back to the seats. Would you stand and we're going to sing one song?

It's kind of an affirmation of our faith. What is it that we believe?

Let's repeat that, shall we?

Benediction today is from Zephaniah. Can you pull it up there, Lindsey? There it is. And remember, this is written Old Testament. So, last part of it, doesn't make as much sense to Christians nowadays but seek the Lord all you humble of the land who do his commands.

Seek righteousness and seek meekness. Perhaps, you may be hidden on the day of the Lord's wrath but perhaps there was old covenant. New covenant says, if you believe in Jesus Christ, we believe in God the father. We believe in Jesus Christ. We believe in the Holy Spirit.

He's given us new life. There's no perhaps there. You will be hidden from God's wrath but seek after meekness still. In Jesus name, let's do that this week. Amen.