WEBVTT 00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:07.200 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:07.519 --> 00:00:11.599 We exist to awaken this generation to a new life in Christ. 00:00:11.839 --> 00:00:16.399 Thanks for tuning in to find us more at awakeningchurch.com. 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:20.239 Good morning, awakening. 00:00:20.399 --> 00:00:21.600 My name is Saye. 00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:26.000 It's an honor to share God's word with you today. 00:00:26.239 --> 00:00:31.839 We're going to have a special service where we're going to have Holy Communion. 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:44.240 Um, so if you haven't done so yet, please go ahead and grab the bread or cracker or what you use for Holy Communion and the juice, grape juice, uh, orange juice. 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:45.920 I've got grape juice here. 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:52.719 And uh uh I'm going to preach on the Holy Communion on that subject. 00:00:52.799 --> 00:00:57.359 And then after I'm done with the message, we'll take communion together. 00:00:57.600 --> 00:01:06.879 So please do ask your kids, if you have kids at home, to join you during communion so we could all take communion together as a family. 00:01:07.280 --> 00:01:13.840 So I'd like us to bow our heads right now and pray for a short prayer. 00:01:14.560 --> 00:01:21.920 Dear Lord, we thank you for this opportunity to share and to talk about your word. 00:01:22.719 --> 00:01:29.200 Open our minds, Lord, to the amazing, powerful truth of your word. 00:01:29.519 --> 00:01:30.719 In your name I pray. 00:01:30.959 --> 00:01:31.599 Amen. 00:01:32.319 --> 00:01:47.120 So if you have your Bibles, I'd like you to turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 11, and uh, and we're gonna read verses 23 to 26, and it's gonna be shown on the screen here in a minute. 00:01:48.079 --> 00:01:53.599 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you. 00:01:54.000 --> 00:02:07.519 The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body, which is for you. 00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:10.639 Do this in remembrance of me. 00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:20.000 In the same way, after supper, he took the cup, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood. 00:02:20.319 --> 00:02:24.080 Do this whenever you drink it in remembrance of me. 00:02:24.319 --> 00:02:32.960 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 00:02:35.039 --> 00:02:47.360 Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper, also known as the Holy Communion, the night of Passover meal, the night he was betrayed. 00:02:47.680 --> 00:03:03.439 Now, if you turn time back to maybe like 1600 years prior to his time, the Old Testament, the second book of Old Testament, the book of Exodus, describes what the first Passover was like. 00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:10.000 And I'm sure you've heard this story on how Moses led the Israelites out of Israel. 00:03:10.240 --> 00:03:14.319 So Israelites were very familiar with this Passover celebration. 00:03:14.479 --> 00:03:17.520 They were celebrating it for centuries. 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:20.639 And every year, this was very dear to them. 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:25.759 They celebrated their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. 00:03:26.400 --> 00:03:37.439 And Jesus used the bread and the wine to explain the significance of what he was going to do on the cross. 00:03:39.840 --> 00:03:51.759 Jesus used the bread and the wine to explain that this was pointing to his body and to his blood that was going to be shed for humanity. 00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:57.520 He asked everyone to do this in remembrance of him. 00:03:57.759 --> 00:04:00.319 And I like how it says, whenever. 00:04:01.039 --> 00:04:05.520 So we can take communion whenever, just like Jesus says. 00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:08.479 We can take that whenever we want to. 00:04:08.719 --> 00:04:12.400 But he says, when you do it, don't do it just as a ritual. 00:04:12.719 --> 00:04:20.560 Do it like in remembrance of what he's done, what he's done to earn salvation for humanity. 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:35.040 So just as Passover celebrated the deliverance of Israelites from slavery in Egypt, the Lord's communion celebrates our freedom from slavery to sin. 00:04:35.600 --> 00:04:43.920 So my first point in the message is that the Holy Communion, first and foremost, is the celebration. 00:04:44.240 --> 00:04:46.160 We get to celebrate. 00:04:56.720 --> 00:05:04.720 You know, with people somewhere, there's laughter, and you could hang out, you could maybe hug a good friend. 00:05:04.959 --> 00:05:09.600 And nowadays celebrations are done drive-by style. 00:05:10.240 --> 00:05:16.240 We celebrated Shadi's birthday a couple of weeks ago, and her friends surprised her. 00:05:16.399 --> 00:05:18.079 It was a surprise drive-by. 00:05:18.800 --> 00:05:19.920 Surprised her. 00:05:20.079 --> 00:05:31.759 And it was so nice, everyone who showed up, but it was like at the same time, everyone's wearing masks and they're passing on the gift, and we're not sure, you know, should we take it or should we sanitize it? 00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:42.639 And it's a little awkward uh season, but isn't it awesome that even despite everything that's going on around us, we get to celebrate. 00:05:44.079 --> 00:05:48.879 And it's interesting that we celebrate Jesus' death. 00:05:50.160 --> 00:05:56.480 And that seems a little odd because we're so used to celebrating birthdays. 00:05:56.720 --> 00:06:00.160 We celebrate Jesus' birthday in a big way, right? 00:06:00.800 --> 00:06:02.639 I can't believe I just said that. 00:06:02.800 --> 00:06:04.879 Christmas is around the corner. 00:06:05.199 --> 00:06:10.160 It means 2020 is going to be over and we could put this year behind us. 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:16.560 But it's the purpose of Jesus that we're celebrating. 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:19.839 It's why he came to earth. 00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:24.720 He came to earth to show us God's love. 00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:30.480 As they were singing earlier, his reckless love for us. 00:06:32.160 --> 00:06:40.480 And you know, he came to teach us about God and his ways, but he wasn't about just talk. 00:06:40.720 --> 00:06:59.920 He actually demonstrated that for us with the most quoted verse in the Bible, that God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, so that whoever believes in him will have eternal life, will not perish, but have eternal life. 00:07:00.079 --> 00:07:01.920 So we celebrate that. 00:07:02.319 --> 00:07:04.639 We celebrate his work on the cross. 00:07:04.879 --> 00:07:17.920 But we not only celebrate Jesus, but we celebrate our identity in him because we are eternal, we're not perishing, and that's worth celebrating. 00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:21.279 And we celebrate our identity in him. 00:07:21.600 --> 00:07:29.519 The scripture says, whoever is in Christ, the new creation has come, the old is gone. 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:35.040 So we are a new creation, and we get to celebrate that. 00:07:50.480 --> 00:07:51.439 But I do. 00:07:51.920 --> 00:07:59.519 You see, I came to know Jesus not until I was 40 years old. 00:08:00.240 --> 00:08:10.160 I uh was born in Iran and I grew up there, and I immigrated to the US in the late 70s as a student. 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:28.959 Growing up in Iran, we were taught that there were many prophets that God has sent, but five of the great prophets were Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed. 00:08:29.439 --> 00:08:35.840 So our notion of Jesus growing up was that he was another great prophet. 00:08:36.639 --> 00:09:02.720 Back in the 60s and 70s, when I was a teenager, with the hippie movement that had started here in the US and was spread throughout the world, we were as young the younger generation fascinated with that movement, with the music, with Beatles, with men having long hair and beard and those cool glasses, you know, the John Lennon look. 00:09:02.960 --> 00:09:05.200 Everybody was like after that. 00:09:05.440 --> 00:09:09.759 And Jesus, I remember that was my image of Jesus too. 00:09:09.919 --> 00:09:19.039 Maybe from some of the paintings or pictures I'd seen, you know, tall, blonde, long hair, blue eyes with a smile. 00:09:19.200 --> 00:09:21.600 And he was cool in my book. 00:09:21.919 --> 00:09:25.840 But growing up, nevertheless, my family wasn't religious. 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:30.000 So I grew up as an agnostic and atheist. 00:09:30.639 --> 00:09:45.840 So fast forward, so about like 20 some years, I'd already done school here in the US and was married and had two beautiful children and lived a good American dream, a good life. 00:09:46.159 --> 00:09:54.480 Shadi and I were pretty happy for the most part, but it was like something was missing. 00:09:55.360 --> 00:09:58.720 Purpose, meaning was missing in life. 00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:00.639 We were like, is this it? 00:10:00.799 --> 00:10:13.279 So we just come to this world, and I remember my parents were visiting us, and my dad had aged, and and I realized, you know, and then one day we pass away, and and is that it? 00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:19.440 So at the invitation of a friend, we attended a church service for the first time. 00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:25.360 Generally, we like that very first impression that we had at church. 00:10:25.519 --> 00:10:36.320 I really relate to music, so I was really like really relating to the worship and the song and the joy, but it was the preaching that blew my mind. 00:10:37.440 --> 00:10:53.679 The preacher explained what Trinity was what was that God has revealed Himself in the persons of Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, and he kept referring to Jesus as the Lord. 00:10:54.000 --> 00:10:58.879 And I kept wondering, why hadn't anyone ever told me about this? 00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:04.000 And and we started attending church for like a month. 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:13.759 We liked it, we liked the community, we liked the love that was in the air, we liked the compassion that people had. 00:11:14.559 --> 00:11:30.720 And I remember thinking, if I attend maybe a year or so, and if I get my act together, and if I clean up my act, that maybe I could earn my way in. 00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:36.879 That maybe God one day will look and say, Say, you're okay, you can come in. 00:11:38.080 --> 00:11:44.480 And then a few weeks later, I heard the message of the cross, and it blew my mind. 00:11:45.039 --> 00:12:11.440 I heard that we as human beings can not earn our salvation, that Jesus, the Messiah, was crucified, was buried in a tomb, and was risen, and that his work paves the way for my salvation, and that all I had to do was to believe. 00:12:12.399 --> 00:12:25.440 It sounded too good to be true, but the preacher at the end of the message says, if you want to accept Jesus in your heart, I want to invite you to stand up. 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:36.639 So I stood up, and to my surprise, everyone else was still sitting, so I felt a little awkward standing up. 00:12:36.879 --> 00:12:41.759 But he looked at me and he smiled and he said, Pray with me. 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:59.919 And I remember I closed my eyes and I lifted my hand, and as he prayed, I prayed along, and I tell you, this wave of peace and tranquility just like took over me. 00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:02.720 I felt weightless. 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:20.960 All the weight of life on my shoulders, my worries, my fears, my question for meaning, for purpose in life disappeared in the state of bliss. 00:13:22.320 --> 00:13:27.360 I later found out that I was born again of spirit. 00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:32.480 You know, that was a turning point in my life. 00:13:33.600 --> 00:13:40.799 The Holy Communion points to a turning point in the history of mankind. 00:13:41.600 --> 00:13:58.639 The end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament, an era where God was going to pour his spirit on his people like in a way never experienced before. 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:09.840 Which takes me to the second point of today's message: that holy communion is a time to experience God's presence. 00:14:11.120 --> 00:14:23.840 You know, as we take the bread and take the cup, we can't help but be reminded that we are forgiven. 00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:44.960 We can't help but we be reminded, as the scripture says, that we can approach God's throne of grace with confidence to receive mercy and to find grace to help us in our time of need. 00:14:45.279 --> 00:14:51.600 So at the table of communion, his grace and his mercy is available to us. 00:14:53.120 --> 00:15:09.279 And for a season like this, where we're so exhausted and weary, this becomes our opportunity to come to Jesus and cry out to him and say, Lord, I need help. 00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:11.200 Take this from me. 00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:17.600 You know, the last six months have been so hard on all of us. 00:15:18.639 --> 00:15:45.120 The pandemic, the racial issues we're facing in the country, the protests, the division, and then the fires here in California and the hurricanes, bad news, sad news, just keep piling on. 00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:53.279 You know, Ryan referred to this as being a marathon, unlike what we originally thought that it was just a sprint. 00:15:53.600 --> 00:16:04.480 And I was thinking today, it's actually worse than a marathon, because at least in a marathon, the runners know how much time, how much more running they got left. 00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:07.440 And here we don't even know where the end is. 00:16:07.759 --> 00:16:18.399 And I think that aspect of life, that uncertainty and not knowing when it will all end is what is what's wearing us out. 00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:23.679 I don't know about you, but some days I feel just so tired. 00:16:24.080 --> 00:16:30.159 By like my midday by noon, I'm exhausted and I'm wondering what's going on. 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:33.279 I had a good night's sleep and I'm so tired. 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:46.159 And I think the table for many of us offers that opportunity to bring that weariness, that exhaustion to Jesus and to offer it to him. 00:16:47.519 --> 00:16:58.320 For some of you, it may be a habit that you've been struggling with and you're just tired of trying it out on your own. 00:16:59.440 --> 00:17:07.519 The communion offers that opportunity to bring it to Jesus and admit that you need help. 00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:19.599 For some, it may be forgiveness that you've been mad at someone for so long, maybe a spouse, maybe a parent, maybe a child. 00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:32.960 And the communion offers us the reality that just as how undeservingly we were forgiven, we are to extend that forgiveness. 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:41.920 So at his table, we could bring it all to him and offer it to Jesus. 00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:47.119 Nothing is too big for him to handle. 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:49.039 And you know what? 00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:54.799 There is no shame and there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. 00:17:55.119 --> 00:17:59.519 So you are not to feel any shame when you approach him. 00:18:00.160 --> 00:18:05.200 What it does take though is humility and courage. 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:12.799 It takes humility to admit that our brokenness. 00:18:13.359 --> 00:18:16.880 It takes humility to admit that we need help. 00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:20.880 But humility is the way of God. 00:18:21.759 --> 00:18:24.720 Humility is the way of Jesus. 00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:34.960 Humility is the way of cross, where Jesus so perfectly modeled humility for us. 00:18:36.079 --> 00:18:40.559 God favors, shows favor to the humble. 00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:51.200 And when we reach moments like this in life, is when God and his presence appear. 00:18:51.519 --> 00:19:01.839 God often meets us at those low moments of life when we admit our brokenness and our need for his help. 00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:14.240 You know, the scripture says that the love of God has been thrown into our hearts, has been filled into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. 00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:16.960 Thank God for the Holy Spirit. 00:19:17.200 --> 00:19:24.000 Thank God that Jesus didn't leave us alone to handle life's challenges on our own. 00:19:24.240 --> 00:19:32.240 The scripture says, when you and I believed, when you and I believed, we were sealed. 00:19:32.400 --> 00:19:37.519 We were marked with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit that's in us. 00:19:37.920 --> 00:19:42.319 The Holy Spirit is like a well of living water. 00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:52.079 It's like a well of water of life that we could draw from endlessly to quench our thirsty, weary souls. 00:19:52.319 --> 00:19:58.880 And all of a sudden, in God's presence at his table, our perspectives shift. 00:19:59.920 --> 00:20:07.839 And that long-awaited deep breath reminds us of his awesome promises. 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:11.359 And I have so many of my favorites. 00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:16.559 Like I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me. 00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:25.759 That nothing in all creation can separate us from God's love in Christ. 00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:33.039 That cast that you can cast your anxiety on him because he cares. 00:20:34.079 --> 00:20:38.160 And I'm reminded of him saying, Be still. 00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:42.640 And this is a season where I really need to be still. 00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:45.519 Be still and know that I'm God. 00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:48.720 I will be exalted among the nations. 00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:51.440 I will be exalted in the earth. 00:20:52.240 --> 00:21:03.119 I'm reminded of my grace is sufficient for you, Siah, for my power is made perfect in weakness. 00:21:04.240 --> 00:21:09.599 Isn't it awesome how the Holy Spirit changes our perspective? 00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:15.200 So during Holy Communion, we are reminded that this is a celebration. 00:21:15.359 --> 00:21:19.839 We're reminded that it's an opportunity to feel his presence. 00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:31.359 And my third and final point is that it offers us an opportunity to respond by recommitting ourselves to Jesus. 00:21:31.680 --> 00:21:36.640 So Holy Communion is a time to recommit ourselves. 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:50.799 And I'm reminded, you know, He's got everything. 00:21:50.960 --> 00:21:55.759 He doesn't need, there isn't any, there's nothing that He doesn't have that I could offer. 00:21:55.920 --> 00:22:01.920 And I'm reminded that what He wants is all of Me is all of you. 00:22:03.599 --> 00:22:15.599 So this season, this commitment, season of commitment for all of us, is like thinking less of my own concerns. 00:22:15.839 --> 00:22:25.039 You know, we live in a consumer society, and I think we're not just consumed with material goods, but we're also consumed with ourselves. 00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:29.359 And I think this is a season to lay that aside. 00:22:29.759 --> 00:22:31.599 You know, it's a mindset. 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:37.839 The scripture says, like in your relationships, have the same mindset as Christ. 00:22:38.640 --> 00:22:42.079 And don't just look at your own interests. 00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:45.519 Look out to the interests of others. 00:22:45.759 --> 00:22:58.880 So this season is our chance, church, to look around us, to look at what is going on, to look at needs of others. 00:22:59.359 --> 00:23:01.200 But it takes commitment. 00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:07.920 I know often I've committed something to God, but I didn't really carry on. 00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:13.839 And this season is the season that we need to recommit ourselves. 00:23:14.079 --> 00:23:25.920 You know, I was thinking about the fires last week and the firefighters, and how like 15,000 firefighters from everywhere were here fighting the fires. 00:23:26.079 --> 00:23:40.559 And I was just thinking how much commitment that takes for them that they actually chose a profession to help others, even though it was this risky. 00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:44.000 I was thinking they're not going to say, wait a minute, this fire is too big. 00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:46.559 You know, I'm having a change of heart. 00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:53.839 The desire to help others, the commitment was far greater than the fear. 00:23:54.240 --> 00:24:00.960 Then I'm reminded of all the doctors and the nurses who in this pandemic risk their lives. 00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:11.680 I was thinking every morning they say farewell to their spouses and kids and go face this crazy pandemic, risking their lives. 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:27.119 Shadi and I were talking to a friend doctor of ours in Arizona who lost her dad to COVID, and we're just asking her how she was doing with work, and she said, you know, this is what we signed up for when we took this profession. 00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:35.039 Then I'm reminded of all the other commitments we make in life, like when we marry, we're committed to our spouse. 00:24:35.279 --> 00:24:39.200 When we have children, we're committed to raising them. 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:41.440 There's commitment everywhere. 00:24:41.680 --> 00:24:53.440 And, you know, I thank God for awakening, for our commitment in this pandemic to reach out to the community when it started to help out with the gift cards. 00:24:53.599 --> 00:24:56.880 It wasn't like even the dollar value, but it was the thought. 00:24:57.119 --> 00:25:00.319 It's like it's what church is supposed to do. 00:25:00.480 --> 00:25:16.160 And thank God for what we're doing in this fire season to help out the Del Mar community, the teachers who have suffered loss of property, the evacuees who have who are going through a tough time. 00:25:16.400 --> 00:25:22.319 I thank God for the homeless ministry that started in this pandemic season. 00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:31.039 And you know, when I think about it, we don't have to really think hard or think of some new ministry to be effective. 00:25:31.279 --> 00:25:36.960 For some of us, it's just picking up the phone and reaching out to someone. 00:25:37.839 --> 00:25:43.119 It's maybe calling a friend that you haven't spoken to in a while. 00:25:43.440 --> 00:25:48.559 It may be someone in your small group that you don't see their face on Zoom anymore. 00:25:48.720 --> 00:26:00.240 And maybe it's just like you should call them and make sure you don't just tell them join the meeting so they don't think like they're trying to fulfill a duty, but just love on them. 00:26:01.039 --> 00:26:13.680 So Holy Communion helps us to recommit and learn from God how He committed Himself to us by loving others.