 Hey, good morning once again Okay, thank you Hey, thanks for joining good to see you. I hope you're doing well Had a good time and church they are Mr. Seeing us some of y'all Good good Okay, so we've been going through this subject of the local church. We've come Covered quite a bit We've completed the actual meat of this Topic the second section the God's blueprint section one and section two. It's it's like 90% of it you skate Sri Radha Okay, we just started the class and things are about falling down So I don't know what's up with this class and things falling down so I don't know if it's the anointing or if it's just sleep But anyways, so You've covered section one section two section three We'll just cover a couple of chapters But the remainder of the sections will be covered in your other subjects. So what I today will most likely be the last class Of this subject. Yeah, because other subjects Yeah, so the other chapters of this book you're talking like you're gonna miss me dude, but The other subjects sorry chapters will be covered in subjects such as in your final year on church and ministry administration And a church urban church planting, etc Okay, so it will be covered in all the other subjects in next year. So Right all good Yeah Okay Awesome. All right, let's start off with section three and Chapter 19 page 181 in your hard copy and 123 in your soft copy section three is a titled divine order and Chapter 19 is titled sacraments of the church So what's the sacrament? So sacrament, okay basic. I think it's too early to ask our last some questions The sacraments or ordinances simply means practices That's it. Okay sac Or in other words a divine practices or holy practices as we would call it It's and again, we get those words from the Greeks and the Latins and all of that So sacraments or ordinance of the church we refer to the practices ordained by Christ Permanently observed by the church So practices Chapter 19 sacraments of the church. Oh Good Lord anything more Last class case last day it is plain bear with me. Okay, Ramali is also here. Okay, so Okay So there are two practices that Jesus, you know may show that It's been followed For a long time permanently at least as a practices. So one of the practices That is actually survived for all these years is what a baptism right Now baptism and it's a so what does baptism mean? Immersed all right. It's again comes from a Latin word called baptizeo means immersed into or being brought into That's what it is being brought into. So in when we read in Matthew 28 verse 19 or I think that So go You know priest the gospel baptizing them Yes, it is talking about that but in other words in larger perspective. It's talking about bring them in Okay, bring all the other people into the kingdom of God into our family. So that's what it really means. So Um, so what about to zoom? Let's look at that a little bit Is it important is it not important? So these ordinances or practices Sacraments are practiced by every believer or also means by which the power of Christ finished cross finished walk on the cross Becomes real and effective. So let's learn a little bit about what about to zoom as there's a lot of points in your textbook Let's go one by one How many of you remember the day you were baptized I wait everybody is everybody water baptize Um, do you remember the day when we're Okay, so which place Okay Which year 2015 Wow Okay, okay You're 10 years old. Yeah, that's what I mean is okay Monday 18th December 2015 come on talk about the details did awesome 2018 all right, see Awesome 2019, okay Okay Yeah 2020 oh In Kerala Wow beach All exotic locations only is Destination baptism is like destination wedding Yeah, it's awesome, I think something beautiful about it, you know So let's look at what some of the points mentioned in the notes and what the scriptures have to say about it parallely And keep your Bible handy or if you have any software that you can flip Go to the books faster There's also fine So introduced by John Baptist When announcing the kingdom of heaven on earth as a sign of repentance, right? So we It's one of the reasons why we call them John the Baptist is because you kind of introduced this whole thing of So Matthew chapter 3 verse 1 to 8 we will read about that So what was John the Baptist it's a famous message Right repent for the kingdom of God is at hand That was his message and it was followed by the action of baptism and so one of the expressions of repenting Which was introduced by John back then was baptizing that means you're confessing or you're expressing Saying okay, I'm dying to myself So I repent of and I died to my old self and I want to be born again. I want to be a new creation, right? and so So that was a very important expression of faith So we see that we read about that in Matthew chapter 3 verse 1 to 8 and and a lot of significant things happen And we know that Jesus goes to him to get baptized right and He he gets to introduce Jesus to the world like After the after the you know after he was born and all the advent things he says behold he actually Introduces or not into introduces, but he talks about him twice. So first first time when he looks at him I'm sure they've had conversations before that they're cousins. Okay? But when he comes he says behold The Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world right? That's very important to notice Because until then everything that was practiced on the tabernacle, you know priests pouring the blood over the mercy seat It's a covering It's a covering of you know on the mercy seat like so the sins are covered But it's not taken That's why they had to keep doing that Right they had to follow the practice But when we read about it in Hebrews Hebrews 9 and Hebrews 10 we see that Jesus he with this You know by his own blood once and for all paid for all it's right So John notices that and he take he says behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world So he's having this revelation this incredible revelation and then it's like He's and he starts walking towards him Okay, and then that's also fine, and then he says okay now baptize me I Can only imagine John the Baptist's mind voice, you know What are you talking about, you know, and then he says that you know, I have to be baptized by you Why are you you know why are you ask coming to me to be baptized? But it's so let's look at that second point. So Jesus was baptized Although he had nothing to repent from to demonstrate obedience to fulfill all righteousness Okay, so let's quickly read that scripture. Shall we Matthew chapter 3 13 to 16 so it says then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan To John to be baptized by him. Okay, John would have Prevented John what I prevented him saying I need to be baptized by you And do you come to me? I'm reading from the ESV version. That's so you know, but Jesus answered him Let it be so now for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness So it's a it's a very classic question. And if you have had this question, but why did Jesus have to be baptized? Right. I'm sure at some point some stage in life. You would have asked that question Why did Jesus have to be baptized? You know, I'm a sinner. So I get baptized. I want to repent of my sins I want to die to my old self and whatnot, but It says so in verse 15. He's saying let's do this. So all righteousness is fulfilled now This is one of the steps in fulfilling all righteousness, which was finished on the cross But this was very important just like he identified with mankind with his birth You know and and so this was another way of Jesus Identifying himself with mankind with the sinful nature of the mankind Are you with me? Right? So Jesus was baptized though. He had nothing to repent To demonstrate obedience and fulfill to fulfill all righteousness Again, so when we say that he was identifying with the mankind, what was he doing? Jesus was sinless Isn't it? He was he's a spotless blameless lamb without blemish, isn't it? But in identifying He was repenting on our behalf He's the lamb who takes away the sins of the world, isn't it? He was asking for forgiveness for the sins that he did not commit Are you with me? And so in that he's recognizing he's identifying himself with us Why because he's the lamb of God? If you read through the book of Leviticus Leviticus in other words in the modern way, it's Title simply means it's a manual. It's a manual for the priests basically It was a like we have a manual no like for how to use this gadget how to fix this thing etc etc drivers manual Users manual etc. So live it the book of Leviticus is a Manual for the priests So it's very important for us to go through that book Please don't ignore that book whenever you can read it One of the ways in how the sins were transferred from a perpetrator or a person who committed a sin Was that he would again we all know the story would be He would bring an innocent lamb isn't it a spotless lamb He would keep his hand on the head of the lamb and in doing so that the sins are transferred Okay, there are many ways so either the lamb was slain or that lamb was sent into the wilderness alone Like just yes, like a scapegoat. Yeah Okay, so there's a lot of significance to baptism or let's go on. I don't want to dwell on this for too long Third point says baptism is a command in the New Testament Matthew 28 19 which we just saw that okay. It's a commandment. So baptizing them Actually, let's read that Matthew 28 28 19 and 20 When the herald died an angel of the Lord appeared Matthew 28 Even to the end of the age. Yeah, thank you. So it's a commandment, right? It's called a great commission and It's one of It's not a suggestion Right. It's a commandment. He's not suggesting What do you think? So it says go therefore make disciples of all nations Baptizing them that means bring them in right in the name of the father So this is Jesus's commandment. Look, it says in the name of the father So do all this in the name of the father and the son and of the Holy Spirit, right? Now one of the things when you go through the book of Acts Every time, you know, it talks about baptism Be that being baptized in the Holy Spirit or water baptism and whatnot. It says they were baptized in the name of Jesus It was they were all baptized in the name of Jesus So and they followed these commandments that means if for them to follow thousands of people and you know a few years later That means it was taught you with me. So it was taught and it was followed. Okay Uh baptism expresses your decision to follow Jesus Christ alone and Point five says baptism is a symbol of the inner experience of death burial and resurrection With Jesus. Now we go to read a bunch of scriptures Yeah So if is there a difference in baptizing someone in the name of the father son and the Holy Spirit versus just in the name of Jesus Okay, so I don't think so Your witness will point this out because they don't believe in Jesus as a God they only believe they only Witness yes, the only thing that Jesus is a son of God, but he is not God But we understand Trinity in a way that okay God the father got the son and got the Holy Spirit. They're all co-equals Yeah three in one and so I mean How many scriptures do we need to read in the book of Gospel of John to say that you know if you've seen me You've seen the father and why why did it offend a lot of Jews? Is because he made statements that was very Provocative in a way that they wanted to kill him right. They wanted to stone him to death They wanted to push him off the cliff. Why because he he made statements Saying he doesn't necessarily didn't say you know Some of say our Muslim friends what they do is they ask you tell me show me where in the Bible Jesus says he is God They want those three literal words. I am God worship me right, but you You can call someone Wonderful without using the word wonderful, right? Oh, you can call someone amazing by using other words, isn't it? You can also call someone stupid by not using the word stupid You get what I'm saying, right? But it was the language of the era back then No, another thing is called the biblical Aleutritions is Now when Jesus quoted a verse he was He was actually referring to the verses before that and after that and So he was functioning and because he knew so the Jewish audience, right? The kids were put in school from the age of two and By the time that they are aged 10 They would know the entire Tanakh that is the Old Testament by heart by heart Okay, and so what was it's not so it's not Surprising that Jesus knew the Bible By heart by the age of 12, you know as a kid But it was in the wisdom that he was functioning or reciting those things and putting it in context that amazed everybody else So my point here is Jesus when he was referring to a certain verse He expected his audience to be at a certain level to know the worst before and after Right and surprisingly they knew and that's why they were offended. I know you're saying that verse But I know what is before and after that verse Isn't it and so they were just functioning at a different level of a level of intellectual, you know Wisdom I should say so it's the same in other words. So there's no much difference Okay Baptism is an expression point six of your desire to maintain clear conscience before God. Let's read first Peter chapter 3 verse 21 First Peter chapter 3 verse 21 It says was okay first Peter chapter 3 verse 21 read and The water is a picture of baptism Which now saves you not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean Consense it is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ Awesome. Thank you. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ now the very luck. Okay, let's read one more scripture the very last verse of Romans chapter 4 And somebody read I think it's verse 24 Oh Romans 24 25, okay. Yeah Where is that who was delivered? Who was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised because of our justification and raised for our justification so that means We were not justified until he was raised and Because of his resurrection we are now Justified because of his resurrection Baptism has a meaning Right, okay, so now let's go back to first Peter chapter 3 verse 21. So let's read through it. Okay Baptism which correspond again reading from ESP baptism which corresponds to this now saves you not as a removal of dirt from the body Now it's depending the water is not just to cleanse yourself from external, you know Dirt of being clean externally now. This was this was kind of practiced in in a way Like he's also referring to the priests that follow these practice in the Old Testament Right in the tabernacle and in the temple that before they entered the The holy place that is the inner courts the priests after offering Sacrifices in the altar of sacrifice, they will go to the bronze laver which was filled with water on the inside Yes, and they will wash their hands and their feet before going entering the the inner courts the holy place And so It's kind of saying okay. It's not just about cleansing yourself on the outside. It's not just that It's just when you die to yourself You know your conscience is also cleansed Okay, so there's so many scriptures that I want us to go through as like a cross reference or so to speak Let's be a little quick with this Colossians chapter 2 verse 12 Colossians chapter 2 verse 12 well Buried with him in baptism in which you also were raised with him through faith in the working of God who raised him from the dead Awesome. Thank you. So having buried been buried with him in Baptism in which you were also raised with him Through faith in the powerful working of God who raised him from the dead. Okay, some more acts 238 maybe Thank you If you want to make a note of some of the scriptures that I want to give you can make a note of it this and because for time's sake I'll just So you can read acts 22 verse 16 acts 22 verse 16 Romans chapter 6 verse 3 to 6 It's a classic chapter that Romans chapter 6 It's talking about how we were dead and how yeah chapter 6 verse 3 to 6 First Corinthians chapter 12 verse 13 first Corinthians chapter 12 verse 13 Galatians chapter 3 verse 27 Galatians chapter 3 verse 27 Ephesians chapter 5 verse 26 Finally Titus chapter 3 verse 5 to 7 Titus chapter 3 was 5 to 7 now there are a lot more cross references that talks about baptism but I I think it's I'm giving all of this so that you can also save and have like a You know a list of scriptures which is related to baptism it will come in handy I'm this is again talking to the regards to as leaders and as pastors very anything regarding this subject you can Always go back to this scriptures. Okay All right baptism is an expression of your desire to maintain a clear conscience Before God and the only requirement to be baptized is repent and Believe repent and believe So you remember the scripture Romans chapter 10 verse 9 and 10 Romans 10 was 9 and 10 Maybe a mouth and then he yeah Okay, so that's what it says Romans chapter 10 was 9 and 10 That's what it calls out for if you believe in your heart and if you can fish with your mouth Okay So baptism is an immersion is by immersion in water only Now again this this topic of this that particular point right is up for discussion because The original idea of baptism is immersion in water What can be the exceptions? So you're a pastor Right, you're a pastor of a church, but a person is disabled Can't really be immersed into the water but wants to be baptized. So the normal person comes in comes I was like, I don't like water. So what will you do? with talk slam So that's why we have a teaching lesson right before anyone who signs up even at APC wants to get baptized We have a six a half an hour class that someone takes say this is what baptism is And so I'm most of them who come come with a certain understanding, but we need to be ready with accept scenarios or situations or circumstances and and Consider exceptions Accordingly be wise in those decisions understood. So you can't say okay the Bible this is what it says It only means immersion. So I don't care if you're on an oxygen cylinder. I'm going to immerse you Right so that's just being unwise to say politely so Okay, so you do not have to become very holy To be placed people were baptized as soon as they repented and believe in Jesus Christ So baptism was not for holy people or at least who thought they were holy Right, okay, what a baptism will not make you a spiritual giant You still must grow spiritually through the word and prayer, okay The In the beginning of the class the reason I asked question if you remember The day when you were baptized is because I remember that it was baptized and how I would feel I thought okay. I was Something else super hero like okay titanium It's like the song You know Instruction has been removed Yeah, so It doesn't mean you just because you get baptized and come you you are now supernatural being you Still have to walk this walk of life Run this race keep the faith That means you have to grow in maturity grow in spiritual maturity grow in strength The in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, etc. etc. Okay, so Please remember that and I know all it's like I'm preaching to the choir or teaching to the choir You guys know all of this But it is important for us to communicate be able to communicate all of this to any individuals who might have certain questions Right the all these points are so very fundamental That's why they are fundamental Okay What a baptism will not make your spiritual giant because baptism is an act of obedience you can expect increased measure of blessing Because baptism now baptism is an act of obedience now when we get baptized we are doing what? Like Romans chapter 6 what it says we are We're experiencing the the death burial and the resurrection of Jesus. So that means it has some meaning to it, obviously Right and you are saying Lord, I want to be obedient and I want to you know I Come before you and say I'm dying to my old self And I believe that I'm a new creation in you with that comes every benefit of the kingdom Isn't it okay Because baptism is a symbol last point because baptism is a symbolic proclamation of the cross You can expect the power of the cross to affect your life in Breaking bondages addictions bringing deliverance and more during baptism It it's again just coming back to the previous point. It's about what it signifies It's it doesn't matter if you get baptized in the in the river or in the water tank or and in the ocean or even River Jordan like you know, I Want to go to the Holy Land Is it it's not about the walk Okay, it's about what it signifies right and and That sets us free It makes us a new creation because we come in agreement with with the kingdom of God with with the king himself Everything that he did for us. Okay, so it's not really about just to say that okay now. I'm baptized again my new creation or Whatever, no, it's just everything that is part of the kingdom Is for us now And that is the importance of you know, we are talking about the sacraments and and practices, isn't it? Of the church and so this is not just baptism for the sake of Following the practice, but everything else that's part of it And just to reiterate the point before we move on to the next thing It says in the book of Acts if you go through the early church every it says They were all baptized in the name of In the name of Jesus Right. Okay. The classic example. I always like to take is Acts chapter 9 verse 15 Ananias he goes to meet Paul, but before he goes to meet Paul He's very hesitant saying this Lord God says ananias go and meet Paul anoint him But what does ananias is initial responses Yeah, you don't know what he has done. He's killed people. Why should I go? I'm scared I'm afraid etc. You remember that story right Acts chapter 9 verse 15, but what Jesus says, you know is that He is a chosen vessel. I've chosen him to carry my name I have chosen him to carry my name Right and I've mentioned this before every brand on this planet earth Wants you to carry their name, right? I can't see I can't see any name. I found HP to Dell and to Apple and Samsung Whatever the brand right Nike Adidas Reebok. Why do they have? Endorsements is because they want a certain individual to carry their name And so if a certain individual if Roger federal ways a Nike bandana Every kid is want to going to you know wanting to buy a Nike bandana if Sachin Tendulkar bat had MRF I want only MRF bat. Isn't it? right, so that brand wanted a certain individual to carry their name and And all of us have been given this immense honor of carrying the name of Jesus Are we carrying it proudly right? Are we using it for all the right reasons? Right, okay all with me alive Cool, let's move on the second sacrament that is Practiced The Lord's table the Lord's table was instituted by Jesus himself. Let's go to Matthew 26 18 to 30 Matthew 26 18 to 30 18 to 30 18 to 30. Yes So so when you go Into the city he told them you will see a certain man tell him the teacher says my time has come and I will Eat the Passover meal with my disciples at your house. So the disciples Said did as Jesus or told them and prepared the Passover meal there When it was evening Jesus sat down at the table with the 12 while they were eating He said I will tell you the truth one of you will betray me Greatly distressed each one asked in turn. Am I the one Lord? He replied one of you who has just eaten from the from this bowl with me will betray me For the son of man must die as the scripture declared long ago But how terrible it is? It will be for the one who betrays him It would be far better for the man if he had never been born Judas the one who? Who would betray him also asked? Rabbi, am I the one and Jesus told him you have said it as They were eating Jesus took some bread and blessed it Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples saying take this and eat it for this is my body And he took a cup of wine and grape and gave thanks to God for it He gave it to them and said each of you drink from it for this is my blood Which confirms the covenant between God and his people it is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of Many mark my words I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my father's kingdom Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives Yeah, thank you. Let's read another scripture. Let's Let's go to first Corinthians chapter 11 verse 20 to 34 This Oh Thank you. Okay, so the okay, let's do one more passage of scripture first quarantine's chapter 10 verse 16 to 21 Somebody read that please first quarantine's chapter 10 verse 16 to 21 The cup of blessing which we bless it is not the Communion of the blood of Christ the bread which we break is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? For we though many are one bread and one body for we all Partake partake of that one bread observe Israel After that after the flesh are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar What am I saying then that an idol is anything or what is offered to idols is anything? Rather that the things which the Gentiles Sacrifice the sacrifice to demons and not to God and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of the cup of demons You cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons Thank you Like three very important passages when it comes to when it comes up about talking about the the Lord's table, right? From Matthew 26 to first quarantine's Chapter 10 and chapter 11. Okay, we which is what is commonly used when we you know past the Bread and and and the cup It's used either from Matthew 26 or from first quarantine's right you would have heard Now this is not the first time at least Matthew 26 is not the first time he's actually talking about You know the bread that means he's performing that but Jesus is One of the most unpopular Summons was in John chapter 6 where he says, you know those eat my body and you know happened to my blood and that was like What did you just say? And so a lot of people left You know it became a controversial sermon so to say and Everybody left and then it's a wonderful chapter. You should read that John chapter 6 and Towards the very end he turns to his disciples and say, okay. Are you also going to leave me? Peter has this classic Response he says, where will we go with you are the words of eternal life? My gosh, I mean Peter he surprises you sometimes with the things that he says it's like You know, he is just Yeah And and so you see it kind of begins there. He's been saying that he is the bread of life He's the bread of life. He's the bread of life and then he talks about partaking Right and then it finally happens in Matthew 26 Passing over again, I think we discussed about this in the last class Pass over is we see that in the land of Egypt before they left Egypt Exodus is that the angel of death was passing over, right every house that had The blood of the lamb that was posted, right? Okay So celebrating the Lord the Lord's table is what is an expression of our personal faith in the death Burial and resurrection. Okay, so if baptism was partaking Coming into an act of obedience with with God's death burial and resurrection The Lord's table is an expression of our personal faith Okay, now here's the thing what we need to remember is that We all need an encounter with God for us to start a relationship with God Okay, say that again We all need an encounter with God for us to start a relationship with God now We all believe in Jesus Christ because somewhere somehow, you know, we you encountered it could be And now again encounter does not only mean heavens opened up and you cause something came down and all of that No, it's your encountered his love you encountered his faithfulness you encountered his mercy you are you with me, right? And so because of that your journey with him started and then you decided to get baptized, etc So encounters are like seeds Right now a seed was our seeds meant to be seeds or remain seeds The design of the seeds is that it it would eventually grow and bear fruits Isn't it and so our encounters are fueled by faith like you know as we walk as we read through the word as we have a prayerful life Etc. Etc. It's like water to the seeds and they grow and one of which expression is The Lord's table right so an expression of her personal faith is in the death burial and resurrection of the Lord second a Proclamation of the completed work of Christ on the cross Proclamation of the completed work of the cross on the crash. So when you partake you're saying, okay, it is finished I'm saying amen to what it's what is already done It's off Passion is such a powerful word now in Genesis chapter 4 Genesis chapter 4 at the very end verse 25 And where it is in my Bible Yeah, okay, so Genesis chapter 4 it says What's 25 26 It this these verses might seem like it's not even related. Okay, but it'd be with me Trust me it says an Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name set And for she said God is appointed right for me another offspring instead of able for Cain killed him I mean there's a lot of sermon in there in that verse Verse 26 last one it says to sit also a son was born and He called his name e-nosh and at that time people people began to call on the name of the Lord Or another version translation says at that time people began to proclaim the name of the Lord So this one is the one of the very earliest acts of worship Like declarative worship Okay, so again proclamation or declaration cannot be done something silently We've we've learned about the seven Hebrew words for praise right and they're all based on your posture It's like from the lifting hands to shouting and dancing and jumping playing an instrument etc. etc So part taking of the Lord's table is a proclamation of that. It's it's something to be celebrated Okay, and thirdly it's an expression of our faith in his return An expression of our union with Jesus we are declaring our communion With the body and the blood of Jesus with Christ himself Finally an expression of our union with one another now we have one body We are a church isn't it so all of this is happening when we partake of the Lord's table And so how do we prepare our hearts? Examine our lives and renouncing known sin Taking the elements understanding and believing it in what they represent the finished work of the cross on Finish work of Christ on the cross through his death and resurrection I remember You know there are certain things in life when certain people of God lead a certain thing and then you'll never forget it And one of the things is I remember this person from the United States 2005 or something we were having an all-night prayer and and this person was leading communion and This is a very small thing is you know, he said He was not even forcing anyone He said he took a wafer and he he said, you know when I take this I like to break it because it reminds me that his body was broken and And it's never left me It's 20 years later or something, you know, I if I pick a wafer and I break it because I want to be reminded of what was done What you know, and so I like that I'm sure each of us have something that we relate to And so I'm just saying so take the elements and understanding understanding of what it signifies It's it's a very holy thing, isn't it and and that's why Paul kind of rebukes the Corinthian church is Partake of this in a worthy manner Because the Corinthian church what they were doing is Two things that they were that they were not preparing themselves to is one they were Partaking of the lot stable and also partaking of the food that was offered to the idols as well Right as just one thing so Now it it had nothing to do with the food Everything to do with the food But it was what it represented because again the Corinthian church is so deep and rich in the Roman and the Greek culture Very deep and very rich and very paganistic I should say Right in in the culture of Roman Greek Roman era that as we as we would call it, right? and so Idolatry was huge Enacts somewhere we receive that when Paul comes to Athens for the first time it says I'm troubled by the statues that I see About the idols that I see in the city. He says that now idle in itself has no power Just like a lie in itself has no power a lie Gets powerful only when it comes in agreement. So if some a lie has been spoken over me It has no power over me until and I come unless I come in agreement and say yes Are you with me? Right if someone says you're an absolute worthless useless fellow Right, you're a sinner. You're an addict. You're an etc. Etc. But in within me I know that I've given my life to Jesus and I'm a new creation So I have a choice To believe that it's an absolute lie because it's like It is a lie or I can succumb to the pressure and say I Think I am a failure and so you are empowering the lie When you empower the lie you are empowering the liar Who's the liar father of flies exactly? Right, so you get the point, right? So it's it was really not about the food when Paul was saying that It was about what was to what it was being offered and what that meant That means they were coming in agreement with those idols that they were worshiping You know this classic statement we say that you become like the one you worship Right, how can you do this and how can you also partake or something that is so holy? Don't you have an understanding of what this means and what this signifies and The second thing what the Corinthian church were doing was they it they treated the Lord's table as In our modern-day context of what we say what is that everybody brings food what they call it potluck. It's like one feast Like you know buffet It was really like, you know, like every okay come this party and And in an in an irrelevant or irrelevant irreverential attitude That means there was no honor that there was no reverence to the Lord's table and That's why Paul writes everything that he writes Because you partake of the Lord's table in an unworthy manner. There are those among you who are still not well Etc. Etc. Are you with me? And so one of the points it says how we prepare ourselves examine our lives and renouncing known sin one of the most audacious prayer in the Bible is From Psalm 139 it says search me and know me and see if there's any wicked ways in me Leave me in the path everlasting Right. That's the most boldest prayer. I'm there are a lot of prayer but says you're going before God and You are what you want to make yourself vulnerable enough to examine yourself if I examine myself I will choose to ignore some of the good things are bashings You with me, right? You go before him and say search me you search me because you know me And then see if there's any wicked ways in me Right. And so partaking of the Lord's table is it's wonderful. It's beautiful. It's it's holy. It's set apart right there and Yeah Cool, we'll take a break and we'll come back and continue with more lesson