Are You Worthy to Take the Passover? Part 1

Well, brethren, as Mr. Ray has already alluded to, we are now approaching a very, very important part of the year spiritually. Not that they aren't all very important, but I think we will all agree that there is something very special about this Passover observance. The Passover is when we commemorate the death of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Although it is two months away, it certainly is not too early to ask ourselves, am I worthy to take the Passover this year? Am I worthy?

We in God's Church put a great deal of emphasis on God's Holy Days and upon His commands and His instructions, and so we should. What does God say in His word about the Passover? How is it to be observed? How is it to be kept? It is important that we focus on God's instructions regarding our preparation for taking the Passover and for keeping the upcoming days of Unleavened Bread. Before church today, I mentioned with someone about the sermon I was giving, or they asked me about the sermon, or they made a comment about it. I think seeing it in the announcement bulletin. They commented that just as the Sabbath needs preparation, so does the Passover. We have a preparation day for the Sabbath every week. Now is our preparation time for Passover. Some members seem fearful about taking the Passover because they know they have sinned. They know they've sinned and they are concerned that they may be taking the Passover unworthily. This is actually a valid concern. It is something we should consider. It is one that we'll talk about today. If you've sinned recently, or if you have a sin that you have been struggling with for years, should you forego observing the Passover this year? Are you worthy to take the Passover wine and the Unleavened Bread this year? What does it mean to take the Passover unworthily or in an unworthy manner? It is important again that we understand what Paul said and what he meant in 1 Corinthians 11, verse 27, where he said, Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.

What does it mean to be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord? Now is the time to examine ourselves and prepare ourselves spiritually to take the Passover this year. Again, are you worthy to take the Passover? What does this word worthy mean? What can we learn by considering this important word and the spiritual concepts behind it? Let's go to 1 Corinthians 11.

And let's read in context the verse that I already read. In 1 Corinthians 11, let's consider what's written here. Let's think about it. 1 Corinthians 11, beginning in verse 17. 1 Corinthians 11, beginning in verse 17. Paul says, Now I am giving these instructions. I do not praise you, since you come together, not for the better, but for the worse. So here's a group of people in Corinth that were getting together, the church there. They were getting together, but it was actually worse in the way they were conducting themselves, how they were interacting. It was worse than had they just stayed separately. He says, for first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions or schisms among you. And in part, I believe it. So evidently, he's talking about within the congregation there in Corinth, there were schisms, there were divisions. I don't think it's necessarily talking so much about people who had left them already, but people that were right there in the congregation. He says, For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. In other words, we all observe one another's conduct, and in a way, we can tell whether someone's with the program or not, depending on their conduct. And what I mean by the program is, I just mean God's way. Are they living God's way, or are they not? So continuing on, these factions do help us. These schisms or divisions do separate people. They show a person's attitude. They show what they're thinking. Verse 20, Therefore, when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's supper. For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others, and one is hungry, and another is drunk. Now we know that drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God. So this was going on within the congregation. It was a travesty, and Paul was drawing attention to this. He says, What? Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Not that you should get drunk in your own house, either, though.

Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? There were those who were poor, who had very little, and those who had more were not sharing, and it was a real problem. What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you. No, of course, he's not praising them. In fact, he's drawing attention to their bad conduct and their bad behavior. Now notice verse 23. For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which he was betrayed took bread. He took unleavened bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, Take, eat, this is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me. And of course, that's what we do. Passover evening, we take the bread, the unleavened bread, and everyone takes a little piece of that bread, and we eat it, realizing that it symbolizes the broken body of our Savior Jesus Christ, who was crucified for us. And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, Take, eat, this is my body, broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me. And in the same manner, he also took the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood. This, too, is as often as you drink it, each year as a memorial, as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. The blood, of course, the blood of Christ, the wine is symbolic of the blood of Jesus Christ, the blood that was shed for us, the life that was given for us, life is in the blood. Christ gave up his life for us. He died for us. This cup is the new covenant in my blood. This, too, is as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. So when we get together on Passover, it will be to remember the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That's why we get together, is to remember the significance of what Christ has done for us. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till he comes. Now, I want to just say that I'm also speaking to teenagers today. This is not a sermon just for baptized members. I'm speaking to young adults who are not baptized. I'm speaking to teenagers and even those who are younger, because they can understand what I'm saying as well. I was a teenager when I came into God's church. I was a teenager when I was baptized into God's church. So you're not too young to listen to this sermon. It's an important sermon for you to listen to and to try to grasp, and hopefully it will help guide you in the years ahead.

So again, we see, for as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till he comes. Therefore, whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord is, in an unworthy manner, will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. And that's why we don't have children eat the bread and drink the wine, because clearly we would not want them to be taking it unworthily if they don't really understand and comprehend fully what this is about. That's why it's for baptized members. That's been the long-standing custom in the Church of God, that it's baptized members, people who have the Spirit of God dwelling in them, those who have made that commitment. That doesn't mean that others shouldn't listen carefully and start thinking about the time when they will be baptized. I mean, it's not that far off. 18, 19 years old. That's not too young to be baptized. That works. I mean, I'm living proof that it works if you get it. So, and I'm not the only one, of course, I know others who have been baptized at an early age. 17, 18, 19, they're still in the body of Christ. 40 and 50 years later. So, let a man examine himself, it says in verse 28, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. Notice it does not say, examine yourself and then decide not to keep the Passover. It says, examine yourself and keep the Passover. That's why we start early talking about these things, so that you will be fully prepared to keep the Passover and to do it in a worthy manner.

So, he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body, not realizing the significance, the fullness of the sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It's very, very important that we come here humbly and that we come here so appreciative of what God has done for us, of what Jesus Christ has done for us, what the Father has done for us. It's very, very important that we get it, that we grasp it. For this reason, many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep or have died. It's so important that some people are sick because the body of Christ is not taking this seriously enough, and it's affecting people, and people are suffering because of it. It's that important. He says, for this reason, many are weak and sick among you. I would say that many of us are weak and sick to some degree. Why is that? For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. Perhaps we're not doing a good enough job judging ourselves. I don't know. I mean, God is the judge, but we also are told to judge ourselves and to consider ourselves, to consider our spiritual condition.

Verse 32, But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. We don't want to be a part of this world in the sense of not understanding the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Savior. God has called us. He's opened our minds to His truth and His way of life, and we're being held accountable for the knowledge and the truth that we have. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord. Remember, God loves and chastens those He loves so that we will understand more fully, so we will grow and overcome and be more pleasing to God and to Jesus Christ. Therefore, my brethren, wait when you come together to eat, wait for one another. When you come to keep the Passover, do it decently and in order. When you come to eat the bread and drink the wine, then it needs to be done decently and in order. A meal, if you're hungry, it says you take care of that at home. But when you come here in the evenings to keep the Passover, then you wait for one another. Everyone is here on time, and it's done decently and in order. That's why we tell you to come early, so that we can do this properly. Verse 34, but if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home lest you come together for judgment. So evidently, something was going on in Corinth. They were not keeping the Passover properly. They were doing things that they shouldn't do. Maybe Paul was showing them that they really needed to keep things differently than they were doing. So if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come. So evidently, there were other things that Paul needed to talk to them about and to help straighten them out on. So I find that quite intriguing. That passage of Scripture, we certainly need to understand it. Let me just quickly mention four things that were happening here. First of all, Paul is describing a specific problem, an issue with the Corinthian church. Now, we don't know if this was going on in other church areas and what was happening in other cities, but we do know what was happening in Corinth. Secondly, Paul is showing that the people of God are to conduct themselves in a worthy manner. In other words, a manner, a way of life, worthy of being called a child of God.

We are to conduct ourselves in a worthy manner. And I don't believe it's just about Passover evening. It's about the entire year. It's how we live our lives 24-7, 365 days a year. How are you living your life? Number three, Paul is stressing the sanctity of the Passover service and the need to examine oneself prior to taking the Passover. And number four, Paul is saying that we need to be prepared spiritually in heart and mind. As Mr. Reyes mentioned, we need to have a clean heart, and we need to be steadfast in our faith, realizing that Christ died for us and that He is the Messiah.

So Paul is saying we need to be prepared spiritually in heart and mind when we take the Passover. It is very, very important that we are prepared when we come to take the Passover. Now, this word, unworthily, in the King James Version, is the Strong's Concordance word G371. It's a Greek word, anaxios, A-N-A-X-I-O-S. It means irreverently, indicating that a person may take the Passover without the proper attitude of humility and reverence for what these symbols picture, what they symbolize.

So what about this word, worthy? The word is used unworthily here in the King James. It says, an unworthy manner in verse 29 of the New King James. So that's the word, anaxios, an unworthy manner. Irreverently, improperly, irreverently. But what about the word, worthy? Just the opposite of this word, unworthily. How are we going to take it in a worthy manner? Well, I decided a few years ago, actually five or six years ago, that I would do a word study on this very word, worthy.

So I'd like to share some of what I deduced, what I came up with. How is this word used in the Bible? Number one, you will see that we are to live in a worthy manner. There are many scriptures that say you and I are supposed to be living every day in a worthy manner.

So what is that worthy manner? Let's go to Matthew chapter three, where Christ basically tells us, actually this is John the Baptist in preparation for Christ coming the first time in Matthew chapter three, verse eight. And in the context, it's John the Baptist is beginning to preach and to baptize people. And he saw that the Pharisees and Sadducees were coming. He knew they were hypocrites. He knew they were vipers, as it says in verse seven. He says, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Obviously, they were not walking in a worthy manner. He says in verse eight, therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance.

Those are the kind of fruits that we have to bear, fruits that are worthy of repentance. Well, what does that mean? It just means to show that we have repented. We're to live in a way that shows that we are repentant people, that we've repented of our sins, and that we've accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior. That is a worthy manner, showing fruit worthy of repentance. This word worthy is the Strong's word G514, which means it's the word axios, another Greek word axios. It's the opposite, basically, of the word I gave you earlier.

It means deserving. It means comparable or suitable, deserving, comparable, or suitable. So, fruit that is deserving, fruit that is comparable, fruit that is suitable of a child of God. That's how you're supposed to be living your lives. There's no excuses for walking in unrighteousness. We need to stop making excuses for our weakness and realize that God wants us to be overcomers. He wants us to put this sin out. That's what the days of Unleavened Bread are all about. We're supposed to put this sin out, stop making excuses for bad conduct, and start living by every word of God.

Conduct that is suitable of a child of God. So, what type of fruit is deserving of repentance? Well, the fruit of righteousness is suitable. The fruit of righteousness. In other words, repentance is reflected in a changed life. It is reflected in doing what is right, doing what is good, living righteously.

Remember what Christ said. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and everything is going to be added to you. That should be our number one goal, is to seek first the kingdom and His righteousness. Of course, the fruit of God's Spirit are fruits that show repentance.

The fruit of love, the fruit of joy and of peace, the fruit of long suffering, being willing and able to suffer long, and to be patient and to not turn your back on God, but to be faithful through all the trials that God allows and that comes our way. It's about patience. It's about kindness, treating each other with kindness, with love and with kindness, with gentleness, with faithfulness, being faithful toward one another, being loyal toward each other, being gentle and meek toward our mates, toward our children, being gentle, being meek, and being self-controlled.

That's how you're supposed to be conducting your life. And if you haven't been, you need to repent and stop making excuses for bad behavior and for sin. One who exhibits these fruits abundantly is one who has shown himself worthy of repentance.

You haven't repented if you're steeped in your sins. If you haven't made progress, if you're not moving in the right direction, then you haven't fully repented. And you need to seek repentance and ask God to forgive you and give you that forgiveness and that repentance. So one who exhibits these fruits abundantly has shown himself worthy of repentance. He has repented of his evil works, and he's producing good fruit in his life. This is an overall way of life that a person is supposed to be living. Now, in Matthew 10, and for sake of time, I think I just need to summarize this. This is talking about how Christ sent out the twelve apostles in Matthew 10. He sends out the twelve. He tells them not to worry about what they need to bring because he says God's people are going to take care of you. You're out preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God. You don't need to be worrying about clothing and other things because there are people that are there to support you, and God is going to take care of you. Let me just read a little bit. I think it's important that we see a few verses here anyway. Matthew 10. Let's drop down to verse 10. Matthew 10 verse 10. It says at the end part of that, a worker is worthy of his food. This word worthy is the same word we just discussed. Axios. It is deserving, comparable, and suitable. A person who is working is worthy of his food. When you work, you expect to get a paycheck, don't you? Those of you who work, you expect to get paid because you're earning that. You're giving something of value, and then they give you a paycheck, and then you can buy food, and you can do everything that you need with that paycheck that you get. A worker is worthy of his food. Notice he says, now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy. Find out who's worthy. People know who the worthy people are, in a small community especially. They know who's loving, who will be supportive, who's giving, who's charitable. They have a feel for that. So whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there until you go out. Now some people would say, well, you're free loading. And that's not what Christ said. Christ sent them for a specific purpose. And he says we need to be charitable and worthy of being hospitable. That's part of God's way of life, is to be hospitable. If the household is worthy, verse 13, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.

And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in that day of judgment than for that city where people are not worthy, where people are not willing to sacrifice and to give of themselves for one another, especially for the people God has chosen to send to that city to preach the gospel of the kingdom of God.

So I found that kind of interesting. In 3 John chapter 1, here it shows that church brethren are to be worthy in properly taking care of the needs of those who spread the gospel message. I make no excuses for drawing a paycheck for what I do. And I would hope no one would begrudge the fact that I get paid for what I do. I mean, that makes sense to me. It seems like it's a good way. I mean, it works. I don't think I'm overpaid, not compared to what I would probably get if I was working. I had my own business and I was making more money then, 30 years ago, than I am today. So I don't really think it's a matter of money. That's not why I'm in this. That's not why I've chosen to do this. So in 3 John, let's go there, 3 John chapter 1. 3 John chapter 1 verse 5.

Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers. How many of us are willing to help strangers? Now, it's a different world today. I know that. But still, the principles should apply. And we have to be careful to help strangers these days, because we don't know what they might do to us. So we have to test the spirits, test things. But this is what the Scripture says, Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well. Because they went forth for His name's sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles, we therefore ought to receive such that we may become fellow workers for the truth. He's saying that it's a manner of being worthy, in a manner worthy of God. Being hospitable is something that God expects His people to be. We're to take out, we're to look out for each other, not just the ministers, but each other, the brethren. We are to look out for the brethren, to love the brethren, to care for them, to help them out. And frankly, I've seen some very fine examples here, by the way. I'm not mad at you.

Don't take this sermon as, I'm mad at you. I'm not mad at you. I love you. I really do. I just get worked up sometimes when I read the Scriptures, and I'm just trying to convey the sense, the truth, and this message about preparing for the Passover. We need to examine ourselves thoroughly to make sure we're in the faith, and that we're not hiding behind something and making excuses for not being the people that we ought to be.

In Romans 16, it says, receive Phoebe in a manner worthy of the saints. He was telling them to receive Phoebe. She was a sister in Christ. She was traveling. Receive her in a manner that's worthy of the saints. Help her out. Take care of her. She's a good, faithful servant.

It's actually an adverb. It's G5 16 in the Strongs. It means appropriately, or after a godly sort. Appropriately, in a manner worthy. A manner appropriate after a godly sort. Interesting.

Okay, let's go to Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians chapter 4.

Here it talks about how we need to walk worthy of our calling. Ephesians chapter 4. Verse 1, therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord. This is Paul. He says, I am a prisoner of the Lord. I've surrendered myself to the Lord. I am his bondservant. I am his dulos. I am his slave. I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you, brethren, here at Ephesus. I beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called. A high and a holy calling, and you should be walking worthy of that calling, with all lowliness and gentleness, with humility, lowly, gentle, with long suffering, being patient, bearing with one another in love, bearing with one another, each other's burdens, helping each other, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There should be a bond of peace within the body of Christ. We should all be peacemakers. Every single one of us should be a peacemaker. We should learn to make peace, not war. But what example have we seen in the Church of God in the past? We've seen people making war within the body of Christ, and that is shameful.

And I pray I never see it again in this congregation. We have to stand up and be counted.

We can't tolerate that type of behavior any longer.

Keeping the peace in unity in the bond of peace.

Who says that this congregation couldn't stay together for the next 20 years?

Are you going to do something to divide this body?

I hope not. I hope I won't, surely. As the pastor, as the shepherd, I ask that you pray that I will never, ever do anything remotely like that.

We are to walk worthy of our calling.

Let's go back to Ephesians.

He says there is one body and there is one spirit. One body, one spirit, the Holy Spirit of God Almighty. Christ has that same spirit. You and I have that same spirit. There is one spirit. There is one body. There is one true church.

And it's made up of those who have the Spirit of God dwelling in them. Whatever group or organization they happen to be in today, if the Spirit of God is dwelling in them, if they're in a home church, if the Spirit of God is dwelling in them, they're still a member of the body of Christ.

I make no judgments on that. God is their judge.

There is one body. There is one spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling. There is one Lord. There is one faith. There is one baptism. We're talking about unity here.

One God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all.

God the Father lives in you. Jesus Christ lives in you through the power of the Spirit of God.

You are to walk worthy of your calling. Let's go to Colossians chapter 1.

Colossians chapter 1 verse 10. Let's read verse 9 with it. For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. This is Paul and it's Timothy addressing the people in Colossae. He says, we pray for you and we ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. I hope and pray that all of you have wisdom and you follow God's will and have his heart and his mind and his understanding that you may walk worthy of the Lord. You call yourself a Christian. You are a follower of Christ the Messiah. Christ who is perfect, Christ who never sinned, Christ who set that perfect example for us, that you may walk worthy of him, fully pleasing him, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might. Do we have all might in this congregation? Are we that powerful? Are we that mighty? Are we that we might have all might?

According to his glorious power for all patience and long suffering with joy.

Yes, we are to be a joyful people. And believe it or not, I am a very joyful person. I'm just worked up right now. But, you know, ask my wife, she'll tell you, I'm a pretty joyful guy. I'm very happy. I love life. I'm very grateful to God for the life he's given me. So there is a lot of joy in me, but there are times when I feel things need to be addressed in the body of Christ. Today is one of those times. And I'm very happy that we have all might in this congregation. Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power for all patience and long suffering with joy. Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. That's what this is all about, isn't it? That our sins will be forgiven. That's what the Passover is all about. That God will forgive our sins because no matter how much I holler or scream at you, you're still not going to be perfect. And I'm not either. We're still sinners.

You know, we still will fall short of God's glory. So we have to be forgiven.

In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. We drink a little bit of wine. Every Passover night, because we accept Christ's blood shed for us. And so our sins are forgiven.

But we have to do this worthily. We have to do it worthily.

Verse 15, He is the image of the invisible God. He's the firstborn over all creation. Jesus Christ is the firstborn among many brethren. We are to be among that number. We are to be firstborn as well after Christ, the firstborn among many brethren. Now is our calling. Now is our day of salvation. So if I get worked up, it's because now is our day of salvation. If you're someone who's been baptized, and you've received the Spirit of God, now is your day of salvation. And that's a beautiful thing. I don't want to scare anyone off from not wanting to be baptized. Because otherwise, you're not going to be in that first resurrection. You're not going to be there. You're not going to be among the firstfruits. You're going to miss out. I don't want you to miss out. Some of you have been waiting 20 years, and you're still not baptized. Why is that? Are you playing church? What is it? Maybe you should go to God and ask Him. Get an answer from Him. I can't give you the answer.

I want you to be in the first resurrection. I don't want you to miss out on that. I think it's going to be glorious. I know it's going to be glorious. I want all of us to be there in the first resurrection. Let's go back to Philippians for a moment. Philippians 1. I really didn't expect this sermon to go this way, by the way. I hadn't planned on it. I did to some degree, but not quite as much as what we heard here. Philippians 1.

Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ. Paul talks a lot about this, doesn't he? Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ. The good news of the coming kingdom of God. We're talking about living forever. We're talking about becoming born into God's family, becoming as God is. Born of the Spirit, no longer capable of sin, no longer weighed down by this flesh. That's why our conduct has to be worthy. That's a high thing, isn't it? To grasp for eternity, to grasp for living forever. I mean, this world doesn't get that. I mean, a lot of people don't even believe you're going to live past the second you die. They think that's it. You're done. It's all over. Sayonara! I don't accept that. I do not accept that for one second. There's more to this life than this life. There is an eternity to follow. So let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ so that whether I come and see you or am absent, it doesn't matter if I'm here or not. Your conduct should be the same. That's what Paul's saying. Your conduct needs to be the same. It doesn't matter if the Apostle's there or if he isn't. So whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs that you stand fast in one Spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, the gospel of the kingdom of God, an eternity in God's kingdom, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries. Why should we be terrified by our adversaries?

If God is for us, who can be against us? We have no adversaries in one sense. Now, we do have a very powerful adversary in another very real sense. And I believe in Satan the Devil. And I believe he's out to destroy each and every one of us. That's what he wants to do. And he has his demonic spirits as well that are on his side and not yours. So again, it's important that we see what we've gotten ourselves into, what you've gotten yourself into by answering the call, which is a good thing. It's very good that you answer the call. But don't be terrified by your adversaries.

They will not harm you in a spiritual way, not in an eternal way. They might kill this body, Scripture tells us, but they will not kill the Spirit of God. They will not kill that which will live forever. And not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition. In other words, yes, Satan is a son of perdition. And those who follow him are sons of perdition, evil, wickedness. But to you of salvation, they're going into perdition, they're going into hell, into the lake of fire. On the other hand, we are going to be saved. We're going to be saved out of all of it. God is going to save us.

But to you of salvation, and that's from God. It's not from anyone else. It's from God Himself. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake. Sometimes we have to suffer for Christ's sake, for the Father's sake. Having the same conflict, which you saw in me, and now here is in me. You know, Paul was certainly persecuted in so many ways. If we read on a little bit further in chapter 2, therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, if there's any comfort of love, if there's any fellowship of the Spirit, if there's any affection and mercy, then fulfill my joy by being like-minded. God wants us to be unified. He wants us to be like-minded. He does not want there to be schisms among us. He wants us to be of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit. When you come here for Passover evening, you need to leave all that behind you. In fact, you need to bury it deep.

Conceit. But in the loneliness of mind, let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. No, I want to be born into God's family. I want to be a child of God. I want to live forever. I believe I'm going to.

I don't think there's anything wrong with believing that and saying it. That's what I want. That's what I desire. And that's what I expect. And I don't say that haughtily, because I know that the only way I'll get there is if God forgives me and grants me salvation through the grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and God Almighty, the Father. But I want to be like God. I want to be like his son, Jesus Christ, and I want to live forever. Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men. That's what Christ did for us. He humbled himself. He divested himself of his divine nature. And he was born of a woman, fleshly, conceived of the Holy Spirit of God, but born of a woman. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross or the stake or the tree. It means the same thing. He laid his life down for us. He was crucified for us. Therefore God also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name. There is no name above the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. That's how we pronounce it here in English. I don't think there's a problem with that. It's what Christ is. It's who he stands for. It's not so much how his name is pronounced in Spanish or German or French or whatever. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. That's what he wants to see. He wants us to confess that. When a person is baptized, they're asked two questions. Have you repented of your sins and have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, your Lord, your master, your high priest? Your soon-coming King. Have you repented of your sins and have you accepted Jesus Christ? Now, there's a lot in those two statements, of course, in those two questions. And when a person says yes, they made a commitment to walk worthy, to walk worthy of our Savior Jesus Christ. That is not a small thing. So, brethren, we've just gotten started. I look forward to continuing this sermon. I thought I could do it in one, but I'm afraid I didn't quite make it. So, we will continue this sermon. Are you worthy to take the Passover? It's a good question. Thankfully, I started early. We've got a couple of months to cover what we all need to hear. So, I would ask that you pray for this series of sermons that I'll be giving. I ask that you'll pray for all the men who will be coming up here, each Sabbath, that we might all be well fed. So, I really do appreciate all of you very much. I do love you all. And I take my job seriously. So, have a good week.