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Greg Laurie — A New Beginning for a World Changer


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TOPICS: Easter

Well, we're back in our World Changer Series and the title of the message today is, A New Beginning for a World Changer. How many people here would like to have a new beginning? And I think we all feel that from time to time, yes. Well this is a message that talks about that. You're going to turn to two passages, Hebrews 11 and Exodus 12. Hebrews 11 and Exedence 12. Exedence, what was Exedence, I don't know what Exedence is. Exodus 12. You know, for me it's always a great thing to start something fresh. You know, the first day of Spring, I love that. I love it when with our watches and our clocks we spring forward, you know?

I hate it when we fall back, because all of a sudden it's like dark at three o'clock in the afternoon, and you lose all that sunlight. And it's like getting a whole new part of a day when we spring forward. I like the way everything looks after it rains. Even people with dirty cars get a carwash on that day. Or if you're an artist, I like to sit down with a clean sheet of paper. I just met a professional cartoonist who's a Christian and we were visiting for a while, and we had two pieces of paper and he had a bunch of cool pens and we're just drawing back and forth, it was so fun. You know, when you're an artist you love to do that, a blank sheet of paper. And also what's great is a second chance after you have failed. And I would also add the end of a great trial where you can have a fresh start or a new beginning.

That's what we find before us here in Exodus chapter 12. Moses, the world changer, was about to change the world for the captives of Israel, excuse me, the captives of Egypt, the nation Israel. He was going to lead them to a new beginning and a new land. And the way he did this all was by faith. And that is the theme of Hebrews 11. It's great men and women of God who had courage and took risks and changed the world around them. And they all did it by faith. And so we read about Moses in Hebrews 11 verse 25, it was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover, and to sprinkle blood on the doorpost so that the angel of death would not kill their first born sons. But you see before this was going to happen, Moses himself needed a new beginning because he had crashed and burned. But God gave him a second chance at the burning bush.

You know the story, he killed the Egyptian, he went into exile for 40 years, the Lord spoke to him and recommissioned him to service again and gave to Moses and ultimately to the Jews a new beginning. It comes down to this, when you've been changed, you want to see other be changed as well. Let me turn that around. If you don't want to see others changed, how much have you really been changed? Jesus said this in Luke 7:47, to whom much is forgiven that one loves the much more. I mean if we can wrap our mind around what God has done for us, and how much he has forgiven us, he's taken all that sin and removed it from our lives. And because of that, we should have an eagerness and an excitement and a passion to tell others of what God has done for us.

And Jesus also said over in Luke 12:48, from everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded. And from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Do you realize the great privileges that you have right now as you sit there and hear this message? First of all, you live in the United States of America, a free country, that's why so many people want to come to our nation. You know, we don't have to build walls to keep people in, we build walls in theory to keep people out. Better not get into that subject, but you understand what I'm saying, people want to come here, it's a destination. And we have freedoms here that many other nations do not have. And then add to that we're in a church where the Lord is honored, we're led in worship by these gifted people that love the Lord. And we hear the word of God on a regular basis and we see people coming to Christ. And so we look at all this and it's a privilege. And to whom much is forgiven, or excuse me, much is given, much is required.

So God has given this to us and with this knowledge, with these privileges, come responsibilities. Well the Jewish people, they were living as slaves under the Pharaoh. Now though Moses, the answer to their prayers had finally come. The problem was Pharaoh was not cooperating. Instead of releasing the Jews, he dug in his heels and said, no I won't release them. And even more, he effectively chose God off. He said in Exodus 5:2, who is the Lord that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I don't know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go. Oh yeah, you've got your god, well I'm god and I'll take God on. Wow, careful now, what you wish for, because if you get in a fight with God, you're going to lose, just know that. If you're fighting with the Lord, you're going to lose. If you're running from that Lord, you're going to lose. As it has been said, your arms are too short to box with God.

You remember old Jacob that we looked at in this series got into a wrestling match with an angel, who quite possibly was Jesus himself, and he lost. The Lord will maybe humors us from time to time. Like when I used to wrestle with my sons and wrestle with my grandchildren, I let them win, I'm humoring them. They think they're really winning but they aren't. So you think you're prevailing. Listen, God will bring that wrestling match to a close and this is what was going to happen to Pharaoh. Careful what you wish for, you might get it.

I've told you the story before of a couple that were celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary, and it also happened to be their 65th birthday. So a genie appeared, true story, and offered to each a wish. The genie said, hey a big day for both of you, 65 years together as man and wife and now, excuse me, 35 years together, it seemed like 65 years, 35 years together as man and wife, and 65 years because it's your birthday. You each get one wish. The wife said, oh genie, I love my husband so much but I've always wanted to go to a beautiful island in the South Sea. My wish genie is that I would be with my husband on a white sand beach looking at the aqua waters. Poof there they were. Husband's going, wow, this thing works. So he thinks about it for a moment, he looks over at his 65 year old wife. Says, genie my wish is I had a wife that was 30 years younger than me. Poof, he was 90 years old, so careful. These things can backfire.

How many of you have heard that joke before, raise your hand. How many of you liked hearing it again, raise your hand. How many of you have never heard it before, it's new to you, this is new. How many of you want me to use that joke again in the future. How many of you want me to use it in the same message, this message, use it again. Really? I'll try, but that's kind of weird. So God gave to Pharaoh chance after chance to release the Jews. No plagues, no judgments. He said, Moses just go in there and say, let my people go. Well Pharaoh rejected that, so the Lord brought judgments, 10 plagues in total upon Egypt. They included lice and flies and bugs and spiders and frogs and hail and it just got worse and worse. Then the Bible says Pharaoh's heart got harder, Pharaoh's heart got harder. Finally it says, and the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, which if you recall means the Lord strengthened Pharaoh in the decision he had already made.

Now the pharaoh knows he's out gunned or out plagued, so he tries to get Moses to compromise, he tries to deceive Moses. And he says, alright Moses, go ahead and go worship the Lord just don't go very far. Moses says, no, we got to go three days journey. Alright, alright, go worship the Lord your God but just leave your children. Moses says, we're not leaving out kids, they're coming with us. Alright, alright, go worship the Lord your God just leave your animals. And Moses says, listen, not a hoof shall be left behind. You get nothing and he made a clean break with the pharaoh just like we need to make a clean break with the devil if we're going to follow Jesus Christ. But the Pharaoh still was resisting, so the Lord's going to bring one severe judgment on him, the death of the first born.

Now this might seem harsh, cruel, and even extreme on the part of God. But for all practical purposes, the Pharaoh decided his own fate. How so, you might ask. Well Moses warned Pharaoh that he would be treated the same way he treated the Jews. If not, he would reap what he sowed. God said in Exodus 4:22, say this to the Pharaoh, thus says the Lord, Israel is my son, so I say to you let my son go that he may serve me. But if you refuse to let him go indeed I will kill your son, your first born. God was very direct, look this is my son. You let my son go, we're good. You don't let my son go then I'm coming after your son. So he was deciding his own fate, he was going to get a taste of his own medicine. Jesus said, with what measure or judgment you judge, you will be judged, and the measure you used will be measured back to you. So Pharaoh drowned the Jewish baby boys and now God was going to drown Pharaoh's army.

See a lot of times these things that we try to inflict on others come right back on us. The Bible tells the story of a wicked man named Haman. He hatched a plot to have the Jewish race exterminated. An unwitting Artaxerxes went along with this plan and Artaxerxes was married of course to Queen Esther who was a Jew. She ended up pleading for the Jewish people and they were spared. But Haman had gallows built to hang Mordecai his enemy, the uncle of Queen Esther. And as it turns out, Haman hung on his own gallows. Careful, the trap you set for another may be the trap that brings you down. The thing that Pharaoh was doing to the Jews now would come right back on him. Now God gives instruction for the celebration of the first Passover. The Lord said, go three days journey into the land and you're going to have Passover, and here's what it's all about.

Exodus 12, starting at verse one, while the Israelites were still in the land of Egypt the Lord gave the following instructions to Moses and Aaron. From now on, the Lord says, this month will be the first month of the year for you. Announce to the whole community of Israel that on the 10th day of this month, each family must choose a lamb. A young goat for a sacrifice, one animal for each household. If a family is too small to eat a whole animal, let them share with another family in the neighborhood. Divide the animal according to the size of each family and how much they can eat. The animal you select must be a one year old male, either a sheep or a goat, and no defects. We'll stop there. So they were to offer to the Lord a healthy young lamb or goat and then they were to sacrifice that animal and they were to take the blood of the animal and put it on their doorposts.

So imagine a doorway right here. They were to take the blood from the lamb or the goat and put the blood on the left side, put the blood on the right side, and put the blood on the top of the door. Now what does that remind you of? Jesus hanging there on the cross, the crown of thorns pressed on his brow, nails driven through his right hand and his left. And this is what Passover was pointing to. It was pointing to Jesus Christ. And really the Old Testament is pointing to the New Testament. It's one revelation from Genesis to Revelation. There's not an Old Testament God and a New Testament God, it's one God and all of those Old Testament types and sacrifices all pointed to Jesus who would be the fulfillment of them as the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

You know people often misunderstand the ministry of Christ. They think he was like the original hippie or something. He came to give flowers out and get everybody to sing kumbaya and give beautiful teachings. But then something went horribly wrong. No, he came to give yes the greatest teachings ever given, he came to perform miracles, sure, but really the real reason he came was to die for the sin of the world and be the lamb of God who would bear our sin. And that is why scripture tells us that he is the lamb slain from the foundations of the world. Which means before there was a solar system, before there was a planet called Earth and a garden called Eden and a couple known as Adam and Eve, a decision was made in the councils of eternity that God himself would come to planet earth and be born as a helpless little baby in a manger in Bethlehem. Then he would live a perfect life, and then he would die as our substitute on the cross, and his precious blood would be shed.

So what does Passover mean to us? Number one, the Passover is a new beginning, if you're taking notes. The Passover was for them and for us a new beginning. God starts by making this a new beginning for the nation of Israel, verse two. This month will be the first month of the year for you. That'd be like us saying today, we're starting the year over again because it hasn't gone so well. Maybe some of you already look back on 2017 and say, can I do a do over of this year? Now that's what God was saying, we're starting the year over right now, this is a new beginning, this is when it begins for you. Have you ever wished you could start all over again? Maybe in your marriage, maybe in your relationship with your children, or with friends, someone you've fallen out with. Well in a way you can, because 2 Corinthians 5:17 says if any men be in Christ he is a new creation. Old things have passed away, all things become new. Or as the Wuest translation puts it, which is a translation from the original Greek, it goes as follows, anyone who is in Christ is a creation new in quality, the antiquated out of date things which do not belong to the new life in Christ have passed away. Behold all things have become fresh and new. You don't have to be crippled by your past anymore, you can put it behind you.

You ever watch that show on TV called Fixer Upper. I like that show. Chip and Joanna Gaines, and they're Christians by the way, you probably knew that. And they'll go to these old homes, it seems like most of them are in Waco, Texas. And sometimes it's a young couple getting their first house, or it might be a retired couple and they'll go and look at this old house and give them choices, which one do you want and they'll pick one of the homes. And then, you know, Joanna, who's an incredible designer comes up with these amazing plans and then Chip's the builder and so they work together. And then they do the reveal and they'll take that old home and in front of it they'll have a giant photograph of the way their home used to look and then they'll get on each side and pull it apart for the great reveal. And there's the new home and you can't believe it's the same place. And then they'll show you what they did and they'll flash back to the way it looked before. And it seems like Joanna Gaines is very fond of Shiplap, she uses that a lot, you know, which is sort of a white paneling, which does look great, I have to say. But so it's a whole new thing. God can do that for your life, see what's messed up and it's broken down and it's falling apart. It can become new and fresh in Jesus Christ. You too can have a new beginning. I love how the Lord just said, it starts now. Doesn't matter what time of the year it is, it can all change because of the blood of the lamb.

Number two, the lamb that they were to kill was to be the very best. It was a lamb that was to be chosen and carefully examined according to verse three with no defects. In other words, don't bring a sickly animal, bring the finest, the strongest. Why, because we should give our very best to God right? Heard about an old farmer, he was very stingy. He was a churchgoer, and he said to the preacher, you know what preacher, I've decided I've just had two calves born, I'm going to give one of them to the Lord. The pastor said which one, he said, I haven't decided yet. So a week passed and one of the calves got very sick and it died. And the old farmer showed up a day later with the dead calf draped over his arms and he said preacher I have bad news, the Lord's calf just died. Get it? Oh, it's dead, might as well give this one to God. And that's what we often do, we give our leftovers to God.

If Jesus Christ showed up at your house today for lunch would you give him leftovers? Oh Lord welcome, hey we got some food here, devil's food cake, probably not appropriate. Here just eat this old burrito from three days ago. No, you would make a feast fit for a king just like Martha did when Jesus would show up in her home. But often in life we'll give the Lord the leftovers. Oh yeah right, right, we're supposed to pray, well let's pray, or, oh I read the Bible, I'm doing so many things, I'll get to that eventually. Oh, give my finances to the Lord, well I don't know I don't have any money left, no. That's why the Bible says bring the first fruits of your increase. You do that first, put God first, and he'll bless you. Jesus said, seek first the kingdom of God in his righteousness and all these things shall be added to you. What you'll eat, what you'll drink, what you'll wear. Put God first in your marriage and you watch how it changes. Put God first in your finances and you watch how they'll change. Put God first in your relationships. Put God first in your career, put him first. Give the best, he gave his best to you. That's what the Lord said, bring your best.

And they're bringing an animal that they have developed an affection for. He says, bring your lamb, your lamb, so maybe it was even like a pet to them. You know people are very attached to their pets. Everybody's walking around with animals everywhere now. You know they're take them on planes and take them into restaurants and I know there are service animals that have been approved and people that need them. But I question some of the people carrying animals now. Really is this a service animal? And you know, they're at the table eating, they give the food to the dog, and it's just really, is that sanitary? And then there is like people will spend so much money on animals, dogs and cats.

I heard about something that is just opened up, it's a cat hotel. I'm not making this up, it's an article, it got my attention, because you know how much I love cats. I saw this headline, the world's first five star cat hotel. I had to click the link. I didn't even know there were three star hotels for cats, this is a five star hotel, it's called Catzonia. Google it later, it's real. It has a spa and grooming services, and temperature controlled rooms. It even has a dating service for female cats. Really, that's weird. You can book the VVIC, the Very Very Important Cat room that includes a king size bed and a separate toilet. I thought cats used boxes, they use toilets now? A rep for the hotel said, we thinks cats need holidays too. Hey can I book this place, because that sounds like a pretty nice place. Then there's another luxury cat hotel had a state of the art sound system, fine dining, the menu it says developed by feline nutritionists. Has white fish, ethically fished yellow fin tuna, I like that it's ethically fished. And chicken liver balls, that's gross, but they're cats, right? They like fur balls, so chicken liver balls. And it also has wifi, why would a cat need wifi? And TV screens, I love this, featuring birds in flight and fish swimming. So basically it's like food TV for cats, what a crazy thing.

But imagine taking your beloved pet, your dog, your cat and offering it as a sacrifice, that's what God was asking Israel to do, that's so cruel. But wait, why did God want them to do that? He wanted them to see the enormity of their sin and the blackness of it. And by offering something they love, that they had affection for, it showed sin has a cost. Sin is painful, sin is deadly, so he said, you bring this and offer it to me now. And so is that not what Christ was? He was the perfect sacrifice for each of us, he knew no sin. He never sinned in any way, shape, or form. In fact we know that 2 Corinthians 5:21 says that he never sinned but he was the offering for our sin so we could be made right with God through Christ. It was a sinless for the sinful, the perfect for the imperfect, the flawless for the flawed so we could all have a new beginning, absolutely amazing.

Number three, if you're taking notes, the lamb had to be slain. Don't miss this, the lamb had to be slain. It wasn't the life of the lamb that saved the people from judgment, it was the death of it. Hebrews 9:22 says without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin. So you have to have the cross. It's not the life of Jesus, it's the life of Jesus, it's the death of Jesus, it's the resurrection of Jesus that gives us access to the Father. That's why Christ said in Matthew 26, this is my blood, given in the new covenant for the forgiveness of sin. We talk a lot about the blood. We sing about the blood, and so we should. We sing would you be free from the burden of sin, there's power in the blood, power in the blood. Would you o'er evil a victory win there's wonder working power in the blood. There's power, power, power in the blood. And I also love that song, nothing but the blood of Jesus what can wash away our sin. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. In another song, the blood will never lose its power.

You know, if you're new to the church and thinking man, this is like one real bloody religion, talking about blood all the time. Yeah, we're talking about the blood of Christ that was shed for us and gives us access to the Father. The next point, the blood had to be applied. This is a big one, don't miss it, the blood had to be applied. So yes, the lamb had to be slain but you had to apply the blood. If that lamb was killed and you did not take that blood and put it on your doorway, the judgment of God, the angel of death, that judgment would come upon you. Even if you slew the lamb, even if you spilled the blood, you still had to apply the blood otherwise you would not have your home passed over. And in the same way we too need to apply the blood.

You say, well what does that mean to apply the blood. 'Kay, let's get specific now. Let's say that you've committed a sin. Quick poll, how many of you have ever committed a sin? Okay, good, because I'm talking to you. You've committed a sin, let's say it was years ago. And it's possible that that sin is haunting you today. It may have been a decade ago, two decades ago, even longer. In fact the enormity of that sin has come on you like a ton of bricks and you've realized how bad it was, even more than you realized right after you had committed it, and it haunts you now. It wakes you up at night, it troubles you. You walk around with a guilty conscience and you don't know how to get rid of that sin, okay. You need to apply the blood. You say, well Greg, I'm trying to forgive myself. What are you talking about? The Bible never tells you to forgive yourself, you can't forgive yourself. No, you don't need to forgive yourself, you need to understand the power of the blood and what God has done when he through Christ forgave you. You need to apply the blood. You say, but what does that mean?

First John 1:7 says that we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanses us from all sin. Did you hear that, it cleanses you from all sin. Not just some sin, not just the big, giant, gnarly sins, all sins he'll forgive you, but what do you need to do. If you will confess your sin. What does that mean? The word confess literally means to agree with God. So let's say we went out of the church and there was a red car parked there, I said, look there's a red car. And you said, yes, that is a red car. We agree, you're confessing with me, we see it the same way. But if I say, look at that red car, and you say no, that's a blue truck. No, you're in disagreement with me. You see, to confess means you agree with me. So when God says that we will confess our sin, he's saying I want you to see sin the way I see sin. And I don't want you to marginalize it or minimize it or rationalize it. I want you to call it what it is, because we have new words for sins so we don't feel as bad.

Instead of even saying we sinned, we'll say, well I'm not perfect so I made a mistake, are you perfect? Well wait, there's a difference between a mistake and a sin. A dictionary definition of mistake is an error or fault resulting from defective judgment, deficient knowledge or carelessness, a misconception or a misunderstanding. I was supposed to turn right on that street and I turned left, it was a mistake. I wasn't paying attention, it wasn't deliberate but it happened, it was a mistake. A sin is deliberate, it's something I do at will. And so I need to call it what it is. If I've been guilty of sexual sin call it that. Where did this phrase moral failure come from? Well there's been a moral failure, what is that like, what is that? You know, if you committed adultery, say I committed the sin of adultery, or it was a sin of fornication. Or nowadays when we lie we don't say I lie, we say well I misspoke. Really, that's it? I misspoke, well actually I offered you alternative facts. Alternative facts?

Now maybe you didn't understand something and you said something but then you found out that what you said was not accurate so you say excuse me, I said something yesterday but I researched it and found out I wasn't accurate in all my facts, let me restate it, okay that's one thing. But a lie is another thing, I know what's true but I'm going to tell you this lie instead. Call a lie a lie, call a sin a sin, and then listen, apply the blood. So you come and say, Lord I've committed this sin. I'm sorry for this sin, I confess this sin. I repent of this sin and I accept your forgiveness because of the blood of Jesus that was shed and then you drop it. You drop it, stop dredging it up, stop bringing it up. We should not choose to remember what God has chosen to forget.

Now, that doesn't mean there still may not be some ramifications. I mean if you go out and rob a bank, and you're arrested, you could say to the officer, well man it's under the blood. And they'll say, well you're under arrest. And you're going to jail, but can pray on the way over. So God will forgive you, there may be some ramifications depending on the sin, but it's under the blood and it is forgiven. And it's interesting because in Revelation we read about these tribulation saints that were martyred for their faith. And they're in heaven rejoicing. And they're rejoicing because the accuser of the brothers is cast down, and that's the devil. They're rejoicing because he's cast down and it says they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives until the death. You want to overcome the devil, you do it through the blood of the lamb. Applying that blood in your life, because here's how the devil works, he whispers in your ear and he says why don't you go ahead and commit this sin. It's going to be fun, you're going to have a great time. You can trust me.

So we take the bait, and we do the sin. Then the devil comes back and he says, you miserable hypocrite, you call yourself a Christian? Don't even think about reading the Bible or praying or showing your ugly face in church again. God would never hear your prayer. That's where I apply the blood, I say, ah devil you're wrong, I can approach Jesus because of the blood of the lamb. And it drives him crazy, you see. It drives him crazy. Because he would like you to think you approach God because of your worthiness. See you're in church today, you got bonus points with God. Now you can pray and the Lord will hear you, but boy if you miss church one Sunday, forget about it. Oh you didn't read your Bible you can't pray. No, look, obviously we should be regular in church, obviously we should read our Bible, but I don't approach God on the basis of things that I've done. I approach God on the basis of what Christ did. And when he shed his blood and gave me access to his throne. Don't let the accuser of the brethren rip you off. You can overcome him by the blood of the lamb.

Also they were to be ready to move at a moment's notice. Ready to move at a moment's notice, look at verse 11, here's your instructions, you're eating this, be fully dressed, wear your sandals, carry your walking stick in your hand and eat the meal with urgency for this is the Lord's Passover. Hey I eat all of my meals with urgency, this isn't a problem for me. My wife tells me all the time, you eat too fast. And I am a lot like a dog when I eat. You know, when a dog eats, they don't come up for air, they just. And every now and then, they go Then they go back to eating again. It's looking around, making sure no cats are coming. You know, and then get back to their food again. Then you try to take their food, and (growls), you know. They don't like that, that's how I am. But here's the idea, he, eat your food quickly.

My wife, she takes so long to eat, you know. She'll cut it up the bite so perfectly, just the right size. I take big giant bites, wolf, you know, horrible. Cute little bite, and sometimes she'll be talking and hold it on her fork while she's talking. Here's the little cute bite I cut so much better than your big obnoxious bite. And then she'll go, yeah well he, and then she'll eat it, so I know, you got to eat fast. Because this is the Passover, see here's the message God was giving, you guys need to be ready to move. Eat your meal but be ready to go. Have your walking stick, which is what a staff was effectively. If we updated it today, you would say, have comfortable shoes on, have your running shoes on even better. Have your phone charged, have gas in your car, be ready to go. Have your suitcase packed and have it right by the door. So when it's time to go you'll go, because we're moving through this wilderness. They had one big obstacle to face first, the Red Sea, which we'll talk about later, but here's the idea that's being conveyed.

We are just passing through this place called planet Earth. I'm an American, I'm happy to be an American, but my greater citizenship is in heaven. I'm just passing through this place. And I'm going to have my sandals on. Now for all of you Birkenstock wearers this is good news. But really the point of it is, have the proper footwear on. And remember that we're told in Ephesians six to have your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. So I think the idea is, look for opportunities to share your faith. Look for opportunities to tell others about Jesus. Be ready to go, because Jesus is coming and he could come back at any moment. Clearly this Passover is an event so full of meaning for them and for us today.

Now we close with the final Passover celebrated on earth by the Lord Jesus Christ. He gathered his disciples together in the upper room. It was a bittersweet night. He began by washing their feet. As a servant would normally do, and that's exactly what he was. And then he reveals the fact that one of them is going to betray him. And it turns out that it's Judas and Jesus says whatever you do, do it quickly. And the Bible says, and Satan entered the heart of Judas Iscariot and he exits the room. Now Jesus turns to his disciples in Matthew 26, and he says, this is my body, take and eat it. Then he took the cup and he gave thanks and said, drink from this all of you, this is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sin. And I say to you I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now until the day I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. And they sang a hymn and they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Those disciples would be thinking about the first Passover. They would be thinking about the lamb that was to be slain. They would think about applying the blood. And now here is the very lamb of God before them, and the bread now is a symbol of his broken body, and the fruit of the vine is a symbol of his shed blood. And he says to them do this in remembrance of me. Now this is very important because we're now going to have a communion service together. And we're going to distribute the elements, the bread and the cup, and we'll ask that you all wait until you're served and we'll partake together. But why do we do this, because Jesus asked us to. He said, I want you to remember what I did for you. Not just remember him in general. He says, I want you to remember my death. I want you to remember my sacrifice. I want you to remember my blood was shed for you. And I want you to remember no matter how long you've known the Lord or how briefly you've known the Lord, the way you have access to my presence is through the blood and no other way.

See God's not going to say, oh you get in today because you're at church and I hear people in church more quickly. No, he's saying you come in through the blood, through the sacrifice of Jesus. But listen, communion is for believers only. Now we're going to distribute these elements and if you're not a believer I urge you to not take the elements. I mean you can take them, we're not going to come and rip them out of your hand or something, you know. This is America, right. But I'm saying for your own good, don't do it. Because if you eat of the bread and you drink of the cup and not believe in the one they represent, that's almost like mocking God. And this is why the apostle Paul said, don't do this in an unworthy manner. And what that means is not knowing the one they represent. See communion is for Christians only. It's only for those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ. You need to know him.

One last thought from Exodus. God said to them in Exodus 12 in verse three, that first they were to bring a lamb, bring a lamb. Then in verse four, he said it's the lamb. Then finally in verse five he said, it's your lamb. That sums it up beautifully. We first hear about God, we knew he was out there somewhere. A lamb, Jesus is one of many choices we think. But then one day we realize he's the lamb, the lamb of God, the son of God, the only way to God. And then he becomes our lamb. See it's not enough to just know God exists. It's not even enough to know Christ is the way to God, he has to be your savior and your Lord, or your lamb, if you will. Where you embrace him, and say forgive me. And we're going to pray in a moment before we start worshiping and I'm going to ask if you don't know him in a personal way, if you're wracked with guilt today, if you need a new beginning, or a fresh start this is an opportunity to receive it and say God forgive me of my sin, I'm sorry for it, I take responsibility for it, I own it, and I ask Jesus to come into my life.

And if you're a Christian who has sinned, maybe you've done something recently that's a horrible thing, but God would forgive you if you'll confess your sin and not rationalize it and ask God to pardon you, to forgive you, to cleanse you, and then turn from or repent of that sin, you can have a fresh start today. And you can mark this day and time, that's the day I had a fresh start, that's the day I had a new beginning. So we're going to pray before we receive communion and here's an opportunity for you to get right with God. Let's all bow our heads, everybody praying please.

Father, thank you for sending Jesus to this planet of ours to die on that cross. Lord Jesus thank you for coming and laying your life down. And we pray now that your Holy Spirit will convict and convince any person here or watching that does not yet know you. Help them to see their need for Jesus and help them to believe in Jesus and be forgiven.


Now while our heads are bowed and our eyes are closed how many of you would say today, Greg pray for me I need a new beginning, I need a fresh start. I need my sin forgiven, I need my guilt taken away. I need Jesus, I'm ready to ask Jesus to come into my life, to be my savior, to be my Lord, to be my friend. Pray for me right now, if that's your desire, if you want Jesus Christ to forgive you, if you want your guilt taken away, if you want to know that you'll go to heaven when you die would you raise your hand up right now wherever you are. Let me pray for you, God bless you. Lift your hand up where I can see it please, God bless.

Wherever you're sitting, raise your hand up, God bless you, God bless you. Some of you are watching on a screen, would you raise your hand too, just raise your hand up saying yeah I want Jesus Christ right now, pray for me. Wherever you are, raise your hand up. God bless each one of you. Maybe there's some of you that are Christians, but you've done things you know are wrong before God. You've sinned and you haven't admitted it. Maybe you're even beginning to face the consequences of it. But you want a new beginning, you want a fresh start, you want to be forgiven, if you need to make that recommitment to Christ would you raise your hand up right now and let me pray for you. God bless, God bless, anybody else, raise your hand up. Alright I'm going to ask every one of you that raised your hand I want you to stand to your feet and I'm going to lead you in a prayer. Want you to stand up and I'm going to lead you in a prayer wherever you are.

If you raise your hand, even if you did not but you want Christ to come into your life or you want to make a recommitment to Christ, stand up and we're going to pray together. Others are standing by the way so you won't be alone, just stand up, God bless you that are standing. You guys watching the screen, you stand up as well. Wherever you are, just stand to your feet and I'm going to lead you in this simple prayer. Wherever you are stand up and we'll pray. I'll wait one more moment, anybody else stand up and we'll pray together. God bless you that are standing, God bless you. Anybody else, stand now. Anybody else, stand now, God bless. Alright you that are standing I want you to pray this prayer out loud after me. Again as I pray, pray this prayer out loud after me right where you stand, pray this now.

Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner. But I know you're the savior who died on the cross. You shed your blood for me. I'm sorry for my sin, I confess my sin. I turn from my sin and I choose to follow you Lord. So forgive me. Make everything fresh and new. I ask this in Jesus name, amen.

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