Are You Worthy to Take the Passover? Part 3

Thank you again, Mr. Baker. Well, that's a good hymn to lead into the sermon today. We do need to be searching our hearts at this time of year, certainly all times of year, but especially at this time, as Passover is now just a little over a month away, and we know how quickly a month goes by, don't we? It goes by very quickly. Soon, baptized members around the globe will be observing the Passover. We've been talking about the need to keep the Passover here in the Dallas area and to keep it in a worthy manner.

We discussed the fact that some in Corinth were not keeping Passover worthily. They weren't keeping it properly. They weren't keeping it reverently. And as a result, many were sick among them, and even some had died. It is very important for many reasons to keep the Passover in a worthy manner. It's not just important for each of us individually, but clearly we do affect one another. So we all need to keep the Passover in a worthy manner that the body of Christ, the Church of God, is strengthened.

We talked about what the word worthy means and how it is used in the Bible. We talked about point number one, that we are to walk worthy of our calling as God's children, as the disciples, the followers of Jesus Christ. This means we are to be producing the fruit of God's Holy Spirit, and we talked about that quite a bit. We are to become more loving in how we treat one another.

We are to become more joyful, more appreciative, more thankful. We are to become peacemakers and stop making war, because we've seen too much war in God's Church in the past.

We talked about becoming more patient, willing to suffer long, because God sometimes allows that to happen, and we have to suffer long. So we have to be faithful during all of that. There's another one of God's, another part of the fruit of God's Spirit.

We should be filled with goodness and kindness. We should be meek and also learn self-control. And that's not always easy, is it? We are to be walking in such a way that it shows that we are repentant people of God, who love each other and are willing to serve each other, who go out of the way for each other, who sacrifice for each other. And of course, we keep God's laws. We keep His commandments. We do those things that are pleasing to Him, and we are learning to live by every word of God.

That's what it means to walk worthily, to walk in a worthy manner, to be doing these things. Not that any of us are perfect. None of us are perfect. I'm far, far from perfect. But we do need to be striving for these things, and we need to be overcomers. We need to be moving in the right direction. We saw that in Corinth there were schisms and divisions, and that God's people were respecters of persons.

Treating some shabbily, some differently than others, this is something God hates. He is not a respecter of persons, nor should we be. So we also talked about point number two last time, that we are to show proper respect and consideration for one another, in fact, for all people. We are not to treat others as though we consider ourselves better than they are, or we consider other people better than others. That's not how we're supposed to treat one another. Remember that Christ is the head of the Church of God, as directed by His Father. And it is important that we, as God's people, are respecting the body of Christ, the Church of God, and each of its members properly.

We should not rebel against God or the Church of God, against God's people. We talked about that some in the last two sermons. And no doubt Christ is concerned about how we treat one another within the Church. Of course, He's concerned about how we treat every person in or out of the Church. Paul made no small issue of the fact that there were schisms and divisions in Corinth, and we shouldn't ignore that fact. We've seen schisms and divisions among us, so things aren't all that much different to a certain degree.

How important is your attitude and approach to one another when it comes to observing the Passover in a worthy manner? Do you harbor any hatred or resentment toward anyone in God's Church, or anyone for that matter?

Whether in or out of the Church, we are to be forgiving people. That doesn't mean we condone a person's sins, but yet we are to be forgiving, because we know that we will be forgiven in the same manner, that we forgive others, and we know that none of us are perfect.

We all sin. We're all sinners, so we need to remember that and be willing to forgive others. Remember what Christ said and what Stephen said right before he was martyred. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

We started a third point last time, and that is that none of us is truly worthy in the fullest sense, and we need to see our unworthiness, and we need to acknowledge it. We need to be humble enough to admit that in many ways we are unworthy. We certainly fall short of God's glory, so we should be of repentant minds and hearts, as we want to become more like God and more like our Savior, Jesus Christ. So again, brethren, 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? Again, it is important that we understand what Paul said and what he meant in 1 Corinthians 11, verse 27, when he said, Wherefore whoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily or irreverently, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. So now is the time to examine ourselves and prepare ourselves spiritually to take the Passover again this year. We talked about what this word worthy means. We'll talk a little bit more about that today. Again, what can we learn by considering this important word worthy and the spiritual concepts behind it? So let's go right into the third point where we left off last time. The third principle again in regard to taking the Passover in a worthy manner is that we do need to see our unworthiness in the sense of our falling short of God's goodness and of God's glory. Last time we went to Hebrews chapter 3, we talked about how Christ is worthy of more glory than Moses. And Moses delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt. Christ, of course, or Moses was a type of Jesus Christ who delivers us from Egypt, from our spirit, from our sin that we commit. So Moses was held in high, high regard from the children of Israel. Jesus Christ is far more worthy than Moses. Moses was a sinner. Christ never sinned. He set the perfect example for us. So do you really believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior? Do you have full faith and confidence that Jesus Christ died for you? That Christ paid the penalty for your sins? And that your sins are washed away in the blood of Jesus Christ? Do you accept Jesus Christ as the head of this church, his church? And, of course, again, we're talking about anyone who has the Holy Spirit dwelling in them, whether it's a home church, whether it's another division or faction or schism of the true church of God. Anyone who has the Spirit of God dwelling in them is a child of God and is a member of God's church and family. So we, as the United Church of God, should not look down on other groups. We should not be a respecter of groups, I suppose you would say. So we have to be careful about our attitude toward other people, toward other groups. And we need to make sure that our attitudes are in line with Christ's attitude and approach, for Christ is indeed the head of his church. He knows who are his.

Let's go to Revelation 4.

As we do this, I might ask you, are you living like Jesus Christ, or are you allowing Christ to live in you? Is Christ making his home in you? Are you a good representative, a good ambassador of Jesus Christ? Are you truly a disciple, a follower of Jesus Christ? In Revelation 4, it shows just how special and how worthy Jesus Christ is. In verse 9 of chapter 4, and we're taken in vision to the throne room in heaven, and it says in verse 9, whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the 24 elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, you are worthy, O Lord, you are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they exist and were created. So here it uses the word worthy, and that is the Greek word axio, which means deserving, comparable, or suitable. And then if we drop down to verse, well, let's just go to verse 1 of chapter 5. And I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy? Again, that word worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals. And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look at it. Absolutely no one. So I wept much, John says, I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, Do not weep, behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals. And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb, as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. Then he came and he took the scroll out of the right hand of him, who sat on the throne. Verse 8, Now when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the lamb. So here we have a picture of God the Father and of Jesus Christ. And Jesus Christ is the only one worthy. The Lamb of God is the only one worthy, excepting the Father, of course. I and my Father are one, Jesus Christ said. So when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures, the twenty-four elders, they all fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp of golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. You are the saints of God. Your prayers are precious to God. Hopefully you have a good habit of praying, and you're doing your part in regard to your prayers. Verse 9, and they sang a new song, saying, You are worthy! Again, we sing it again. Again, we see the word worthy. You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain and have redeemed us to God by your blood, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God. So this is actually prophetic. It's looking into the future. Revelation is a prophetic book. It's looking into the future, when we will rule and reign with Christ for a thousand years here on this earth.

So you've made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the earth.

Verse 12, saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb who is slain. Worthy is the Lamb, Jesus Christ, who is slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying, blessing and honor and glory and power be to him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever. So here we see a an amazing glimpse into God's throne and the praise and the worship that's going on toward God and toward Jesus Christ. And only Christ is worthy to open these seals and to explain them. Fascinating prophecies of what's going to happen in the future. And thankfully, someone was worthy. Jesus Christ is worthy. In fact, we sing a song in our hymnal entitled, Worthy of Worship. You know the song, Worthy of Worship and Worthy of Praise. It's a beautiful song. It uses this verse as its basis or as its theme. Christ is indeed worthy. We are to take the Passover in a worthy manner. We are to follow the example of Jesus Christ as best we can. He is our example. He is the light of our lives. In Matthew chapter 3, let's go there for a moment as we continue to look at this word, worthy and how it's used in the Bible. Matthew chapter 3, Matthew chapter 3 verse 11. This is speaking of John the Baptist. John says, I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. John the Baptist, who is a great man, humanly speaking, from a human standpoint, he was a great man and Jesus Christ said he was. But he says, I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He says here, I'm not worthy to carry them. So if John is not worthy to carry his sandals, how about you and me? Jesus Christ is indeed worthy and we fall short of the worthiness of Jesus Christ. That goes without saying. This word, worthy, translated in Matthew chapter 3 verse 11, is the word hakanos. This is a different word. It's a little different than the words we've been talking about. H-I-K-A-N-A. This is a different word. It's a little different than the words we've been talking about. H-I-K-A-N-O-S. He says he's not worthy to carry Christ's sandals. This is the Greek word 2425 in the Strongs. It means competent. Ample in amount, fit in character. It means great, good, large. It means enough. So what John is saying is, I'm not competent enough. I'm not ample in amount. I'm not great enough. I'm not fit in character. I am not good enough. I'm not great enough. I'm not large enough. I am not enough. That's what John the Baptist is saying. I'm not enough. I'm not even close to even carry Jesus Christ's sandals. In Acts 13, Paul quotes John the Baptist here. Acts 13, verse 25. Acts 13, verse 25.

And as John was finishing his chorus, he said, Who do you think I am? I am not he. I am not the Christ. I am not the Messiah. I am the one coming before Christ to prepare the way, to announce that Christ is coming. Here it says, I am not he, but behold, there comes one after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose. Now this is a little different. Before it said carry. Now it says, I'm not even worthy to loose the sandals, let alone carry them. I don't know if that's exactly what it means, but that's how I take it. I'm not worthy to loose the sandals. Paul is quoting John the Baptist. He says, John is not worthy to unloose Jesus' sandals. He's not deserving. Now this is actually the different. This is axio, again meaning deserving. I don't deserve to unloose Jesus' sandals. I'm not suitable to do that. In Isaiah chapter 64, it shows why we aren't suitable. Isaiah chapter 64. Let's go there for a moment and read a few verses here. In Isaiah chapter 64, Isaiah 64 beginning in verse 4, Isaiah writes, For since the beginning of the world, men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides you, who acts for the one who waits for him. God is one who does hear our prayers. He answers our prayers, not immediately always.

He acts for the one who waits for him. If we're patient, if we have faith, if we wait on God, then he does answer. You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, who remembers you in your ways. You are indeed angry, for we have sinned in these days we continue, and we need to be saved. Talking about the human condition, we need to be saved. We're sinners. Verse 6, Isaiah says, We're all like an unclean thing, and all of our righteousness are like filthy rags, like a filthy garment. We all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. They've taken us away from God. They've cut us off from God. Our sins cut us off from a holy and a perfect and a righteous God. So there has to be a way back to the Father, and that is through Jesus Christ. That's how we get back to the Father. That's how we get to the Father in the first place. Adam and Eve rejected God in the Garden of Eden, and we have followed their example. And there is no one who calls on your name, who stirs himself up to take hold of you, for you have hidden your face from us and have consumed us because of our iniquities.

It says, caused us to melt. It says, consumed us or caused us to melt because of our iniquities. Again, our iniquities separate us from God. Our sins separate us. And that's why the Passover is so marvelous because it allows an atonement for our sins. Okay, let's read a couple more verses. But now, O Eternal, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. You are our potter. And all we are works of your hands. Do not be furious, O Eternal, nor remember iniquity forever. Indeed, please look, we all are your people. And of course, we have to come to God, and we have to cry out to Him. And we have to do what is talking about here in Isaiah, because we do fall short, and we are not worthy. Our righteousness is filthy rags. They fall far short of the righteousness of Jesus Christ and of the Father. So we have to be humbled by who we are, our condition, our state of being. We should be humbled. We should all be humbled.

Now let's go back to Matthew 8, go back to the New Testament, where we see an example of a centurion, a Roman centurion, Matthew 8. And let's look at his attitude, his approach, and let's see what Christ does for him. Because of his attitude and because of his approach, this shows how we are to present ourselves before Christ, the kind of attitude and approach we should have. Matthew 8, verse 5.

Oh, I'm in the book of Acts. That'll never work. Matthew 8, Matthew 8, verse 5. Now when Jesus had entered Kapharnahum, that's how they say it in Israel. I say it Capernaum here in the United States, but I was surprised to hear it pronounced Kapharnahum over there. Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, pleading with him, saying, Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented. So this centurion comes to Christ. He's pleading with him about a servant. My servant is lying at home, he's paralyzed, he's dreadfully tormented. You can see that this man loves his servant. He's concerned for his servant. And Jesus said to him, I will come and I will heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof. I'm not worthy that you should come under my roof. This is the word hakanos that we mentioned earlier. I am not worthy that you should come under my roof, but only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. Okay, that is a lot of faith.

My servant will be healed. Just say a word. I know that's all you need to do. You're so wonderful and great and marvelous. You don't have to come under my roof. Just say the word, and I know it will be done. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, Go, and he goes. And I say to this one, Come, and he comes. And to my servant, do this. And he does it. And when Jesus heard it, he marveled and said to those who followed, Assuredly I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel. And of course, I say to you that many will come from east and west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. Those who do not repent of their sins, who are steeped in hypocrisy, and in pride, and in vanity, and who refuse to repent, they will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping, and there will be gnashing of teeth as they are cast into the lake of fire. Then Jesus said to the centurion, Go your way. And as you have believed, so let it be done for you. And his servant was healed that same hour. So Christ spoke a word, and just as the centurion said it would be done, it was done. We have to have faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior. When we baptize someone, we ask two questions. Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? As your high priest, your Lord, your master, your soon-coming King? Have you truly accepted him? And have you repented of your sins? The centurion realized that he was not worthy. He was humbled to be in the presence of the Savior, Jesus the Christ. In 1 Corinthians 5, verse 19, here the Apostle Paul says he's not worthy. 1 Corinthians 5.

1 Corinthians 5, verse 19. 1 Corinthians 5, verse 19.

Well, that can't be, can it?

Maybe we should try 2 Corinthians. See if that's it.

That's not it either. Is it 9? Verse 9? 1 Corinthians 5. No, that doesn't look like it. Oh, that's right. 1 Corinthians 15. I was supposed to change that in my notes and failed to do so. I made the same mistake one other time when I gave this sermon. 1 Corinthians 15, verse 19. Paul says he is not worthy here. Let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 15.

Verse 19. 1 Corinthians 15, verse 19. Wait, that's not right either. Oh, verse 9. Here it is! Verse 9. I knew it was here all the time. Verse 9. Paul says, For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy. This is the word, hickanos, again. He's not competent. He doesn't feel like he's ample. He doesn't feel like he's fit in character. He doesn't feel like he's good enough. He doesn't feel like he's large enough. He doesn't feel like he's enough. He says, I am not enough. I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. That really weighed heavily on Paul, as it would any of us. He persecuted people of God. He had some of them hauled off into prison. Others were killed because of Paul, in his stance, his approach. He was indeed a respecter of persons who repented of that.

He says, I'm not worthy to be called an apostle. But by the grace of God, I am what I am. And his grace toward me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach, and so you believed. So Paul was an instrument in God's hands. He was a powerful instrument in God's hands. But he said, I'm not worthy to be called an apostle. However, what do we often call Paul? An apostle. And that leads me into the last point in the sermon, the last principle. And that is, we must realize that it is God who deems us worthy. Because we're all unworthy. So how in the world are we ever going to be able to take the Passover in a worthy manner if we're all unworthy? This is how. Realize that it is God who deems us worthy in the fullest sense. He's the one that decides whether or not we're worthy. It's not something that we do. He decides whether or not we're worthy. So let's look at some verses that point this out. Let's first of all go to 2 Thessalonians chapter 1.

2 Thessalonians chapter 1. I may go a few minutes overtime today. I think I probably should try to finish this sermon. I'm not that far from being done. 2 Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 3. 2 Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 3. Paul says to the church at Thessalonika, We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other. Now, it really seems that Paul was very, very concerned about how they treated each other. I mean, I've read many scriptures from the Apostle Paul about being peacemakers and how we treat one another, how we are to love each other. Paul goes on to say in verse 4, So that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and your faith. So there is a difference between churches. Unfortunately, I suppose they should all be the same in a way. Everyone in tune, everyone setting the best example possible. But in Corinth, there were schisms, and there were divisions, and there were problems. And you don't read about that so much in Thessalonika. In Thessalonika, it says, We ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith and all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God. All right, here we go. Now we're talking about some people, human beings, who are going to be counted worthy of the kingdom of God. I believe that means they will live forever in God's kingdom, worthy of the kingdom of God. This word, counted worthy, is the word kataxiu. It's Greek, the Greek 2661 in the Strong's Concordance. Kataxiu, k-a-t-a-x-i-o-o, it means to deem entirely deserving. So this is something that God does. He deems a person. He counts a person entirely worthy of the kingdom of God.

Verse 6, since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. Christ is coming back with mighty angels. Those who are to be kings and priests will be changed into spirit. They will become born into God's family at that time. They will rise to meet Christ in the air, and they will also put down the rebellion that is taking place on the earth against Christ. In flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. So there is a day of reckoning coming at Christ's return upon this earth. A people who have turned from God, who have strayed from God, who are sinning against God following Adam and Eve in their sin. And God has only called out a precious few at this time. A precious, precious few that he will deem worthy of that first resurrection, the better resurrection, worthy of the kingdom of God. In 2 Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 11, let's just skip a few verses, go to verse 11. It says, therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy. So Paul is praying for God's people in Thessalonica and the others who traveled with Paul and that were apostles along with him and servants of God. It says, therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling. Counted worthy, deemed worthy. This is actually a different word, though. It's the Greek 515. It means to deem entitled or fit. They're all variations of the same root word, to deem entitled or fit, to deem. See, we can't count ourselves worthy. We can't deem ourselves worthy. I can't deem you worthy. You can't deem me worthy. Only God can truly deem us worthy because God is the one who forgives our sins. So verse 12.

Let's go back to verse 11. Okay, that God would count you worthy of this calling, worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you and you and him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. So we are to bring glory to God and Jesus Christ as we will one day be glorified and changed in the spirit, changed into the very family of God, a child of God, in the fullest sense, God's children, because we will be deemed worthy. In Luke chapter 21, it uses this word, cataxiu. Luke chapter 21. Let's go there. And this is written for those living in the last days. In the end times, we don't know when Christ is returning. We could certainly be living in the last days. Right now, some of us could live until the return of Christ in Luke 21 verse 34. But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing. So a warning is given here in the book of Luke. Take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life. And that day, notice that the word capitalized, that that day come upon you unexpectedly. Speaking of the return of Christ, the day of His return, for some it will come as a thief in the night, but for us it will not be as such. We will be expecting Christ's return. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. So watch therefore and pray always that you may be counted worthy. That you may be counted worthy the word cataaxiu, to be counted worthy, to deem entirely deserving. This is something that we need to be praying about. We should all be praying that we will be counted worthy to escape the things that are coming. We know that some will escape. There will be a place of safety for some. Others will be martyred. Others will have to lay their life down because they do have faith, they do believe in Christ, but for whatever reason they're not taken to that place of safety. And they will lay their lives down and set the right example and certainly show their worthiness because they stand up and be counted in the last day. But we should all be praying that we will be counted worthy to escape these things that will come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man, before Jesus Christ. Now let's go to Hebrews 10 and let's consider some very important verses here. This talks about the unpardonable sin in chapter 10. Hebrews 10.

Hebrews 10.26. For if we sin willfully, after we have received the knowledge of the truth, once we know the truth and we understand God's plan of salvation, we know who God is, we believe in God, we believe in His Son Jesus Christ, but if we sin willfully, in other words, if we sin in defiance, after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. That means if we have determined in our heart and mind that we don't want to go God's way any longer, we are rejecting God. If we sin willfully after we receive the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation, an expectation of judgment and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment do you suppose? Will he be thought worthy? Okay, it's using the word worthy here again. This is the word axiu to deem entitled or fit. So now it's saying that will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God under foot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the spirit of grace. Okay, that's the exact opposite of the attitude and approach that we all must have when we come here or in Richardson, as it is, not right here, but when we keep the Passover this year in the Dallas area, or whether we're out at the Hoosers keeping it in the West, or whether we're down in Durant in Oklahoma, wherever we are keeping this day of this Passover evening, we must have the exact opposite of this kind of an attitude. Someone who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has taken his sacrifice lightly, who has taken his sins lightly, and is not striving to overcome those sins and put them away, and counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified. That's what sets us apart. It's Christ's blood that sets us apart. We accept Christ as our Savior. We believe in Him. We have faith in Him. We trust in His sacrifice and insulted the spirit of grace. We are saved by grace. We're not saved by our law keeping, but we must strive to be lawkeepers. We all fall short. Let's be honest and genuine here. We all fall short. So we're certainly not going to be saved by our law keeping. We are saved by grace, by the sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

For we know Him who said, vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. And again, the Lord will judge His people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

But recall the former days in which after you were illuminated, it's talking about being illuminated by the Spirit of God, God's Spirit dwelling in us. But recall the former days in which after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings, partly while you were made a spectacle, both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated, for you had compassion on me and my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods. Again, it's talking about their conduct, their willingness to serve and to sacrifice, the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. And in the ages or the eons to come is another way of translating that as well. In the days ahead, for eternity, therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. Don't allow yourself to be swayed by Satan the devil and by his cohorts into turning against God. Do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward, for you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. Yes, we do have to submit our will to God's will. Nevertheless, not my will, but your will be done. That is the attitude that we need to bring here on Passover. And every day of our lives, we should strive to have that attitude, not my will, Father, but your will be done. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith. By faithfulness, the just shall live. We live by our faithfulness to God. But if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him. We must not draw back. We must come boldly before God's throne of grace. We are all sinners, and we need to come boldly before the throne of God, and yet humbly at the same time. Humbly and yet boldly claiming that promise, believing in our Savior Jesus Christ, having faith in His sacrifice, admitting our sins, repenting of our sins. If anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him. We must be wholehearted in our approach, brethren. We must not be apathetic. We must no longer be apathetic. We must be zealous for God's way and for God's truth. And if you're not zealous, then perhaps you're not doing your part. Perhaps you're not striving for the kingdom of God in the manner that you need to. The Spirit of God needs to be stirred up within you so that you do zealously seek God's kingdom. It says, but we are not of those who draw back to perdition. We're not those who draw back into destruction or perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. So it does take great faith. Faith in our Savior Jesus Christ, faith that God will count us worthy, that He will deem us worthy because we see our unworthiness, because we see how far we fall short of God's glory, and that we desperately need the blood of Jesus Christ applied in our behalf. That's why I come to the Passover every year, because I need to be there. I know I'm a sinner. I know I fall far short of God's glory. I know that I wrestle with things. After many years in God's church, I still wrestle with who I am. With my nature, Satan influences me as he does you. And so we have to humbly go before God and seek repentance and pray that God will count us worthy.

Let's go to Hebrews 11 and let's consider who we are. Who are we? Who are you? You know, we've talked about how unworthy we are, and yet we are called out and chosen by God. And that's what makes us special. Not that we're special of ourselves, but the fact that God is the one who has separated us to this great calling. Hebrews 11.

Hebrews 11, verse 38.

Now, it talks about, by faith, various people have overcome. People who have come in the past. People like Gideon, people like Samson and Jephthah, David, Samuel, the prophets, Abraham, David, others. It says, some were stoned in verse 37 in Hebrews 11. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted or tested, they were slain with the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, and tormented, of whom the world was not worthy.

Hebrews 11 is talking about people of faith, of whom the world was not worthy.

We are called out and chosen by God. We are worthy. We are worthy because we are the chosen, we are the elect. But we are only worthy if we see our unworthiness, if we only see the desperate need that we have of a Savior.

So, I hope we all see that very clearly. So, the saints of God are worthy because they are deemed worthy by the one who died for them, by Jesus Christ and by the Father.

In Revelation chapter 3, it talks about the church in Sardis. We know that there were some in Sardis who were not on fire. They weren't zealous. But there were some who were zealous as well. I found this word is used here in Revelation chapter 3. This word worthy is used again here. I think it's the last time. No, it isn't the last time because we already went to Revelation 5, where it was used. In Revelation chapter 3 verse 1, and to the angel of the church in Sardis, to the messenger to the church in Sardis, write, These things say, He who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars, I know your works, that you have a name, that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember, therefore, how you have received and heard. Hold fast and repent. Hold fast and repent. Therefore, if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

Evidently, there will be people in the last days, just before Christ returns, that will have this type of attitude, this approach, that they had in Sardis. You have a few names, even in Sardis, who have not defiled their garments.

There are some who have not defiled their garments. If we happen to be in the Laodicean era of God's church, there are some who will be lukewarm, some who will not be zealous, there will be some like those in Sardis, who were dead spiritually, but there will also be some who are alive. You have a few names, even in Sardis, who have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. Some in Sardis, who are worthy. See, we can't be the judge. God is the judge of who's worthy. God knows your heart. He knows who you are better than you know yourself. You have a few names, even in Sardis, who have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, in white linen, white garments, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments. He who overcomes. And that's the point, is we have to be overcomers. We have to be moving in the right direction, putting sin out of our life, actively fighting against Satan the devil, fighting against our human nature, fighting against this world. We have to fight back. We have to be zealous. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the book of life. Those who die will be blotted out. If you're dead spiritually, completely dead, if you committed the unpardonable sin, then obviously your name is going to be blotted from the book of life. But I don't believe anyone here has committed the unpardonable sin. I doubt whether you'd be sitting here listening to me. You walked out a long time ago.

He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. Christ is our High Priest. Christ makes intercession for us. He loves us. He gave his life for us.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. We must overcome. To he who overcomes will I grant to sit with me on my throne. Brethren, we do need to examine ourselves as we draw ever closer to keeping the Passover again this year. We must come here humbly, in a proper attitude, in a proper manner, reverently. We must come here in a worthy manner. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat. Let a man or woman examine himself, and let him come and let him eat of the food of life, the wine and the bread, the food of eternal life. So, brethren, number one, are you walking in a worthy manner? Are you overcoming your sins? Are you repentant? Are you changing for the better? Are you producing the fruit of God's Holy Spirit in your life? Are you known by the fruit of God's Spirit in you? Is that how people think of you? How they speak of you? Number two, do you treat your fellow man with proper love and respect? Are you a forgiving person? Or do you harbor resentment toward perhaps another child of God? Is the spirit of rebellion alive in you? Is it working in you? Is it poisoning you so that you are spiritually blind and naked? Number three, do you count yourself unworthy? Do you look at yourself as unworthy? Falling far short of the glory of God and of Christ, do you see yourself as a sinner in need of repentance, in need of cleansing? And the fourth principle, do you believe that God is counting you worthy? Do you believe that? And that you really do need to take the Passover this year, showing your willingness and your desire to live by every word of God and to repent of all your sins and to put all sin out of your life? Is that your goal? Is that your approach? Is that who you are? Brother, no doubt we will be considering more fully what it means to examine ourselves as we draw ever closer to keeping God's Passover, the Passover of the Lamb of God. And also, we will discuss how to examine ourselves as we lead up to the Passover observance. It is not something that we should take lightly, is it? But we do need to fear when we place... I'm sorry, we do not need to fear. None of us need to fear when we place our trust and faith in Jesus Christ, our Savior. We all need to trust Christ, our Savior, that His sacrifice is plenty. His sacrifice is plenty, and He will deem us worthy, as He sees we are striving to be like Him.