Good morning, church. My name is Jake and this is my wife Mariela. We're the Whites and we're gonna be in Mark chapter 11 this morning, starting at verse 20. Please stand for the reading of God's word. Thank you.
As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to him, Rabbi, look, the fig tree that you cursed has withered. And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." And whenever you stand praying, forgive if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
And they came again to Jerusalem, and he said— and as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him. And they said to him, "By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?" Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was the baptism from John from heaven or from man? Answer me." And they discussed it with one another, saying, "If we say from heaven, he will say, 'Then why did you not believe him?'" But shall we say from man?
They were afraid of the people, for they all held that John was really a prophet. So they answered Jesus, we do not know. And Jesus said to them, neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
Thank you, guys. Oh, thank you, sir.
Good morning, church. My name is Vince, one of the pastors here. And this morning I have the pleasure and privilege of preaching God's Word. Let's pray before we get started. Father, thank You for Your Word.
Thank You for Your Word, Lord. It is truly remarkable that you would give us your word to tell us who you are, what you are like, and what you are doing and accomplishing in the world. Father, I pray now that the eyes would be open, hearts would be softened, and we would behold the Jesus of the scriptures, and our worship would be on him. We ask this in his mighty name. Amen.
All right, so authority, right? Authority. You're like, oh man, he's coming with that one first. Yes, authority forms the basis for all of our lives, right? We all have some kind of authority over us, whether it be a job like our boss, whether it be a spouse— yes, even your spouse has actually, maybe earthly, that's the only true form of someone having authority over you that we see in the Bible.
The government has authority over us. There are many differing degrees of authority. Some of us are young enough that our parents are the authority in our lives. We all have some sort of authority that we are under. Some of us have authority that we've given to others.
Again, our spouse. Some of us have friends that we've said, hey, I want you to talk to me about my life. I want you to examine my life and hold me accountable to certain things. I want that. Our pastors are another example.
Of authority that we've given to others.
No matter what degrees of authority we find ourselves under, we all have a final authority. And what is that authority? I mean, we see it worked out in the world today, right? Well, science is the authority, or truth is the authority. Well, your truth is different from my truth, but Like truth is the authority, and there are all of these different things that are vying for that position of authority in the world.
And our passage today tells us what the final authority is. Actually tells us who the final authority is.
The religious leaders They come to Jesus and they ask a question about authority. "By what authority are you doing these things?" And Jesus' answer tells us the source of that authority, tells us the final authority, but it's a little bit obscured. It's a little bit obscured. We got to kind of examine it to find it, and it shows us though that Jesus is the the ultimate authority, and he demands allegiance.
And we'll see it unfold by Jesus demonstrating his authority, then by Jesus stating his authority, and finally Jesus revealing his authority. And it's all going to show that he is the ultimate authority in our lives and demands allegiance.
So authority demonstrated. Verse 20, "As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to him, 'Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered!'"
So often I identify with Peter. The older— you know, whenever I was a younger Christian, I was like, man, Peter, just stop.
The older I get, I'm like, man, I want to be like that guy. Captain Obvious, and he's not afraid to be Captain Obvious. He's like, look, man, the tree withered. And Jesus is like, yeah, yeah, that's how it works.
6 · Vince provides contextual background from the previous sermon, explaining that the fig tree represents Israel's fruitlessness in bringing nations to God and that Jesus' curse signifies judgment and the shift of redemptive mission from Israel to Jesus himself
Now look, it's been a month since we were in Mark, right?
We preached on Jesus cleansing the temple. And if you remember, the fig tree was an illustration of Israel, right? And it was the fig tree not having fruit was kind of speaking about Israel not having fruit, not bearing fruit in bringing the nations to the Lord, okay? That was their role. That was their function.
That was their purpose. And their fruitlessness was illustrated by the fruitlessness of the fig tree.
And then Jesus curses the fig tree, and that curse was to signify not only would that tree never produce fruit again, but Israel would not be the means by which God would bring the nations to himself.
Jesus would be the means by which that happened.
And this curse was a judgment on them.
7 · Vince establishes the theological principle that Jesus' word is efficacious because he is God incarnate—his speaking is his doing—and the withered fig tree demonstrates his complete authority over creation, Israel, sickness, demons, and nature
But there's something else going on with Jesus' cursing of the tree, and we see that in this text today. So what else is happening right here? Well, it's a demonstration of Jesus' authority. And we didn't see that until the next day when Peter's like, "Oh, look!
This tree withered!" It's a demonstration of his authority.
You see, God in his speaking, it is his doing. When God says something, it is effective in creation. It works. God's speaking is his doing, and when he cursed He, Jesus, God, the second person of the Godhead, the incarnate Son of God, when He cursed the fig tree, it was effective and it worked.
And it shows He has complete and total authority over all things. Over Israel, He is their covenant Lord after all, Yahweh Himself come to visit His people. His authority has been demonstrated over sickness and over demon possessions, and now He's Jesus is showing once again his authority even over nature.
8 · Vince applies the doctrine of Jesus' authority by turning the congregation's attention to areas where Jesus may be exercising his withering authority in their lives—relationships, opportunities, or pride—and calls them to recognize and submit to his work
And it brings up the question, where are we missing Jesus' authority in our life?
You know, if he has authority over all things, then He has authority over us as well. If Jesus is truly the second person of the Godhead come as a man to reveal God the Father to us, then that means He's created us and therefore has authority over us.
Where has He maybe caused something in our lives to wither? In order to remove it from us. Maybe it's a relationship. Maybe it's a job possibility.
Maybe it's something a little deeper. Maybe it's our pride.
Please, Lord, wither my pride.
9 · Vince shifts from withering to positive command, calling the congregation to recognize where Jesus is demanding faithfulness and holiness through seemingly insignificant means like Bible reading, asserting that God's Word is active speech rather than passive text
What areas of life has he called us to be faithful? Maybe it's not a withering. Maybe he's making a demand and he's saying, "You be faithful here. You do this." Maybe he's calling you, demanding you to holiness. "Be holy as I am holy." Where is Jesus at work in seemingly insignificant ways that we might miss, calling us, commanding us to do something?
And what are those ways that he might be doing that? Through us reading our Bible. We think often, it's just words on a page. No. No, God in his speaking, he's doing something.
And when we read his word, he is speaking to us.
10 · Vince illustrates the point that Scripture is God's speaking voice through John Piper's provocative blog title, which resolves by identifying Bible reading as hearing God's voice—making the abstract claim vivid and memorable
You know, a few years ago, John Piper wrote this blog post, right? The day I heard God's voice. And I was like, oh, what? Piper went charismatic on us?
Oh man, what? As a charismatic, that made me happy. I was like, man, come on. Come on, Johnny P. And you start reading this blog and you're like, oh, and he's just laying it on. He's building it up.
And you're like, oh dude, this is amazing. And then he says, yeah, this morning I heard God's voice when I opened my Bible to Romans.
And I was like, come on, Johnny. That's good stuff right there.
11 · Vince makes the theological claim that Bible reading is God's authoritative speech, demonstrated by the withering fig tree, and warns that we, like Peter, can miss the significance of God's word in action
And it's like that for us. We think reading our Bible is an insignificant thing. God is speaking.
He's speaking to us and he's calling us to do something and his word has authority. We see that demonstrated in the fig tree withering.
And Peter missed it.
12 · Vince issues a direct exhortation to the congregation not to miss the authority of God's Word, calling them to active recognition and response
Let's not miss it. Let's not miss the authority in his word.
13 · Vince signals the structural shift from the first movement (authority demonstrated) to the second movement (authority stated), preparing the congregation for the exposition of Jesus' teaching on prayer
Fortunately for us, this story goes on. Jesus doesn't stop with just demonstrating His authority. He goes on to state it.
Starting in verse 22, we see the authority of Jesus stated.
14 · Vince expounds on Jesus' teaching about faith and prayer, noting the surprising shift from the withered tree to instruction about God-directed faith and seemingly audacious claims about prayer, setting up the interpretive tension that will require biblical correction
"And Jesus answered them, 'Have faith in God! Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, be taken up and thrown into the sea, who sees and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you of your for trespasses.
It's kind of interesting that on the heels of Peter saying, "Look, the tree withered," that Jesus kind of goes into this, like, left turn of teaching the disciples, one, about who he is, and two, about how they should pray.
You would think after Peter saying, "Look at this fig tree, it's withered," Jesus would say, "Yeah, that's right. You think that's amazing? Maybe you should have faith in me and you'll see more amazing things." No, he says, "Have faith in God." You know, God is the only one who has the power and authority to do this. Have faith in him.
And then Jesus uses this this almost absurd illustration, right, about saying to a mountain, "Be taken up and thrown into the sea." And we're like, "Man, wait, wow. How does that work?" And then he starts saying things that sound a little bizarre, right? Hey, whatever you ask for in prayer, if you believe that you've had it, you will get it. Oh, uh-huh. Wait a second.
How does that work? But believe it will come to pass and it will be done.
15 · Vince identifies and refutes the Word of Faith and prosperity gospel interpretations of the passage, establishing them as false teachings that wrench the text from its biblical context
Now you see, there are There are movements out there that have started a debate, and then they take passages like this out of context, okay? The Word of Faith movement, the prosperity gospel, those things are false teachings. And they will take this and they say, "See, whatever we ask for in faith, we will have it. We'll even be able to throw mountains into the sea." That's a false gospel. It's a false gospel, and the claims it makes take passages out of the context of the Bible.
16 · Vince employs the hermeneutical principle that Scripture interprets Scripture, marshaling cross-references from John, 1 John, and James to establish that biblically-authorized prayer asks according to God's revealed will, character, and mission—not selfish desires
So what is Jesus really saying? Well, anytime that Scripture says something that makes us go like, "Hold up, I don't really know what he's saying," what do we got to do? We've got to remember rule number 1 of interpretation, right? Scripture interprets Scripture. When you get to something that you go, "Ah, I don't know exactly what he's saying," let the Bible be our guide.
So is there anything in the Bible that helps us to understand this? Well, yes, there is. In John 16, Jesus tells his disciples, "In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you." will give it to you. Until now you've asked nothing in my name.
Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
And then in John— in 1 John 5, he says, and this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he He hears us, and if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him. And then James 4 tells us, "You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions." So James tells me that I shouldn't pray for that Xbox One X, right? If any of you like playing games. I don't have an Xbox One X, I just have a One S. Anyway.
James 4:3 tells me I shouldn't pray for the Lamborghini, right?
Or the Corvette that looks like a Lamborghini. Pretty slick. Why? Because that would be spending prayer on my own passions.
But John and 1 John, they kind of help us, right? They help us to understand what we should be asking for. We ask for things that align with God's revealed will. We ask according to God's revealed character. We ask according to God's revealed nature.
Mission, and we find these things in His Word, which is what? The revelation, which means the revealing, the uncovering of God.
17 · Vince establishes that the ultimate object of faith-filled prayer is the salvation of God's people, decoding the mountain-moving metaphor as a first-century idiom for an impossible task, particularly the impossibility of human-accomplished salvation
And what are those things that align with God's revealed will and character and mission? It's the salvation of His people. It's the salvation of his people. And why do I say that? Well, it's clued in here.
It's clued in in the text.
We ask for that. Why? Because the talking about the mountain was something that was seen as an impossibility. In first century Judaism, if you were talking about moving a mountain into the sea, That was to say, "This is an impossible task, and it is impossible for me to save anybody." It is impossible for you to save anybody. Only God can do that.
Can you give new life? Can you give them a new heart? I can't.
I can't. Only God can.
18 · Vince synthesizes the theological point that faith-filled prayer accomplishes impossible things not through human power but through God's authority—the withered tree was nothing compared to salvation—and reiterates the main thesis that Jesus as ultimate authority demands allegiance
And Jesus is saying, "Hey, the most impossible task for you I can do that. You couldn't make the fig tree wither. That's why Peter was shocked and amazed. Look, the tree you cursed, it withered! Yeah, that's nothing.
That's nothing. If you have faith in God, you could say to that mountain, be taken up and thrown into the sea. You can do the impossible things if you have faith in God. That's what Jesus is saying. You can do the impossible Because you won't be doing it, God will be.
See, Jesus is the ultimate authority and he demands allegiance.
19 · Vince identifies the second textual clue that the passage concerns salvation: the command to forgive is rooted in being forgiven, and the forgiveness of our trespasses demonstrates salvation, confirming that prayers aligned with God's saving mission can be prayed with confidence
Here's the other clue that it's talking about salvation. He tells us to forgive when we are praying if we have anything against someone. Why would he say that?
We forgive because we've been forgiven. You see, and when he says, hey, that your Father in heaven who also— so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. See, the forgiveness of our sins, the forgiveness of our trespasses is what shows we've been saved. And he's saying these are the things that you pray for. And when you pray for those things, you can have utter confidence that God has heard you and that those are the things that align with his will and his character and his mission.
20 · Vince applies the teaching on forgiveness by calling the congregation to pray for others and forgive those they consider undeserving, grounding the imperative in the gospel reality that we ourselves did not deserve forgiveness
Let's be praying for those around us and let's be forgiving those who maybe we think, man, they don't deserve forgiveness. It's hard to forgive them. I don't want to forgive them. It feels good for me to indulge in my anger against them. I am not going to.
Did we deserve to be forgiven?
We didn't.
21 · Vince pauses to share a personal moment of conviction during worship, modeling the posture of gospel-centered self-examination and gratitude for God's saving love
And when we were singing the last song, I was once again reminded of my sinfulness.
And the love of God that caused Him to send His Son for His people.
22 · Vince identifies personal sin and sanctification as another impossible task that illustrates the mountain-moving metaphor—we cannot cause our own sin to wither, but Christ can, demonstrating his authority over our sinful nature
And when you think about that, you think about your sin, you see the impossible task that only God can do. When you think about how much you love your sin and you love to indulge in your sin and how it feeds upon itself and just makes us want to do more of whatever that sin is, we see the impossibility of causing that sin to wither.
And Christ can do that.
23 · Vince applies the mountain-moving metaphor to three concrete impossible situations—wayward children, hostile unbelievers, and inability to forgive—calling the congregation to faith-filled prayer because Jesus as ultimate authority can accomplish what they cannot
And so where's the Lord calling us to an impossible task? Where has He put a mountain in front of us and He's asking us to throw it into the sea, to by prayer see it thrown into the sea? Where's that impossible thing? Where do you feel the inadequacy to complete that task?
Maybe you have a wayward child who's turned away from the Lord and is living a life of sin and rebellion.
And you know you can do nothing to bring them back. Maybe you have a family member or a close friend who every time you get around them, they're hostile to you. Every time you try to bring up the Lord, it's just smacked down. Smacked down, and you know you can't bring them to the Lord.
Maybe you have someone that you need to forgive, and you can't.
You can't. The words of Jesus today to your "have faith in God and have faith in Him also." He can move that mountain. He can do the impossible. He can bring you to a place of forgiveness. He can bring your hard-hearted friend or family member to faith in Him.
Why? Because He is the ultimate authority and He demands allegiance. He can move that mountain.
24 · Vince signals the final structural movement from authority stated to authority revealed, preparing the congregation for the exposition of Jesus' confrontation with the religious leaders
This finally brings us to our last section, "Authority Revealed."
25 · Vince reads the confrontation between Jesus and the religious leaders, setting up the exposition of how Jesus' counter-question about John's baptism reveals his own authority
"And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him and they said to him, 'By what authority are you doing these things?
Or who gave you this authority to do them?' Jesus said to them, 'I will ask you one question." Question: Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me.
And they discussed it with one another, saying, if we say from heaven, he will say, why then did you not believe him? But shall we say from man? They were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet. So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."
26 · Vince highlights Jesus' rhetorical mastery in turning the leaders' question back on them, acknowledging both the tactical brilliance and the theological appropriateness of Jesus as Master employing this method
So his authority is questioned and then his question. And Jesus is just, he's a master.
I mean, of course, he's the master, so whatever. Of course he would be good at this, but he's just a master of like, "Oh, you want to ask a question? Let me ask you one. Hold on. Hold on, man.
Back up. Answer mine, I'll answer yours."
27 · Vince unpacks the leaders' motivations and the substance of their question—they want credentials because Jesus threatens their financial interests and challenges their authority without recognizable rabbinical training
Now, their question is primarily speaking of the cleansing of the temple. Why? Because Jesus hit them in the pocketbook. They're losing money with all of the stuff being driven out and the business not being conducted there.
They're suffering. They're like, "Hey, like, come on, man. Why are you doing these things?" But also balled up in that is the healings and the miracles and the cleansings and Him speaking out against them. And they're like, "Hey, man, what are your credentials? There's only rabbinical authority.
Who taught you these things? Who empowered you to do this? Who told you to come say this stuff?" "Because we need to know who's your teacher."
28 · Vince expounds on Jesus' counter-question as both a gracious invitation to truth and a strategic trap that exposes the leaders' fear and hard-heartedness by forcing them into an impossible dilemma
And Jesus is like, "Hey, man, tell you what, I'll make a deal with you. You answer my question, I'll answer yours." And this question that he asks is meant to draw them to the truth of who Jesus is. But they're unable to answer.
See, they're fearful of both outcomes. Fearful of both Jesus and the people. And Jesus, once again, has worked them into a corner and highlighted their hard-heartedness and fear.
29 · Vince establishes the theological logic of Jesus' response: the leaders' inability to discern John's authority disqualifies them from judging Jesus' authority, which Jesus reveals to be unique and superior to even John's prophetic authority
He's essentially telling them, hey, if you can't judge John rightly, you have no place to judge Me. If you can't figure out where John's authority is placed, "You won't believe where mine is placed." And by doing so, he reveals that his authority is at a whole 'nother level. It's a whole different level of authority than even John's authority was. It is in a class all by itself. It is unique.
30 · Vince establishes the ultimate ground of Jesus' authority by citing his own claims to all authority in heaven and earth and his authority over his own death and resurrection, which he exercises in alignment with the Father's will
Why? Because he himself later says all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him. All authority is His.
Jesus is the one who has authority even to lay down His life and authority to take it up again. Jesus sets the terms on His own life in line with God's will. Yes, God the Father's will.
31 · Vince establishes the theological connection between John and Jesus: both were sent by God, and their authority derives from the sender, though John's ministry points forward to Jesus' superior work of baptizing with fire and the Holy Spirit
And the leaders will not accept Him as that authority. See, in pointing them to John, And asking about the baptism of John, Jesus is telling them that His authority is the same as John's, that the authority is in the One who sent them, the One who sent them.
John said he was sent to testify about the One who was coming who would baptize with fire and the Holy Spirit. Jesus was sent by the Father to seek and to save the lost.
Same God sent them both.
32 · Vince reframes Jesus' counter-question from apparent harshness to gracious invitation, identifying it as a final appeal for the leaders to recognize Jesus as God and worship him by abandoning their idolatrous attachment to status
And Jesus, in His grace— you know, we look at this question as maybe a harsh question. Hey, tell me and I'll tell you. No, it is a graceful question. It is a gracious question. He is reaching out to them in grace and saying, Man, it's me.
It's me, your God.
Won't you come to me?
I do these things in my name and under my authority, and I'm giving you one more chance to humble yourself and come worship me. Don't worship your status or your place or your reputation or your standing. Come to me in humility and worship me.
The one who has all authority.
33 · Vince expounds on the paradox of Jesus' authority by citing Philippians 2, establishing that Jesus possessed all authority, laid it aside in incarnation and obedience, and humbled himself to death on the cross
The one who had all authority and laid that authority aside.
Scripture says, "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though He was in the form of God did not count equality with God was God, a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
34 · Vince connects Jesus' authority to his saving work, establishing that the one with all authority voluntarily died as an atoning sacrifice, accomplishing cleansing, justification, and the transfer of sin, and now calls his people to holiness
This is the one who has all authority. And he gave it up to go to the cross and die. Died for his people as a sacrifice of atonement. And, and through that, we are now made clean by his blood. We are made right with God.
Our sin was placed on him. He bore the wrath of God, and now he calls for his people to live a holy life.
35 · Vince contrasts the Pharisees' rejection with the congregation's salvation, establishing that Jesus' gracious call extends to all but is rejected by the hard-hearted while those who believe receive imputed righteousness and are made new
And he's calling the Pharisees by asking this question. He's reaching out once again.
And they won't come.
And they won't come.
But each one of us he's reached out to.
And He's taken our sins upon Himself. Scripture says, "He became sin who knew no sin, that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." He's called us. He's cleansed us. He's made us new.
36 · Vince transitions from sermon to sacrament by fencing the table, establishing that the Lord's Supper is for believers only and warning that unworthy participation brings condemnation, while worthy participation is defined by grace through faith
And now He invites us to His table.
Where He invites His people to feast on His goodness. And look, the bread and the cup that we're about to take is only for His people, those who have placed their faith in Jesus and seek forgiveness that is only found in Him. This is a family meal, and if you have not become part of the family of God, we would ask that you just observe this.
You know, Scripture says that if you eat the bread and drink the cup in a manner unworthy, you eat and drink condemnation on yourself. The worthy manner of eating the bread and drinking the cup is the worthiness that comes by grace through faith. By grace through faith in His forgiveness of sin.
37 · Vince synthesizes the sermon's argument by connecting Jesus' authority revealed in Mark 11 to its sealing at the cross and its proclamation in the Last Supper, framing communion as participation in that authority through the new covenant
You see, the authority of Jesus. That's revealed in this passage.
It was sealed at the cross.
And it was spoken about even on the night that he echoes Moses from Mount Sinai. And so, church, let's open the bread. Let's open the bread.
38 · Vince reads the Words of Institution from 1 Corinthians 11, establishing the scriptural warrant for the Lord's Supper and the theological meaning of the bread as Christ's body given for his people
And the Apostle Paul tells us of that night. And the echo of Moses in 1 Corinthians 11. He writes, "For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it. He said, 'This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.'"
39 · Vince prays over the bread, connecting the symbol to Jesus' incarnation, obedience, and atoning death, and leads the congregation in corporate confession and thanksgiving for forgiveness
Let's pray.
Lord Jesus, we thank you for the symbol of your body broken for us. We thank you for laying aside your authority and becoming obedient even to death on a cross for the sins of your people. Lord, we seek forgiveness even now of our sins. We repent of our sins.
Not only those of commission, Lord, but those of omission as well. Father, thank you for the forgiveness that is found in Jesus.
40 · Vince administers the bread element, calling the congregation to remembrance of Christ as they participate
Now, church, let us eat this bread in remembrance of him.
Amen.
41 · Vince reads the second half of the Words of Institution from 1 Corinthians 11, establishing the cup as the new covenant in Christ's blood and the Lord's Supper as proclamation of his death until his return
And now, let's open the juice. I almost said wine.
1 Corinthians 11 goes on to say, "In the same way also he took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood.'" Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
42 · Vince prays over the cup, connecting Christ's blood to the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection as proof of accepted sacrifice, and the eschatological hope of Christ's return and the final resurrection, all grounded in his authority
Let's pray again. Lord Jesus, we thank you for the shedding of your blood which takes away our sin. We thank you the shedding of your blood was not the end.
You rose. We have the promise that you will come again. Lord, the promise is tied to the bread and the cup. This cup, as Paul says, as often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death. What?
Until you come again. So Lord, with this cup, we proclaim your death and the forgiveness of sins it accomplished. We also, with hope, look forward to your coming again. We look forward to you coming because of the resurrection, the proof that your sacrifice was accepted. And we will one day be resurrected as you are.
And one day you will come and release the pangs of death. You'll remove the stranglehold death has on your people, and we will rise as you have risen. The resurrection is proof of your authority, your authority to your authority to lay down your life, your authority to take it up again, your authority to forgive sins, your authority over all things in heaven and on earth.
43 · Vince administers the cup element, calling the congregation to proclamation of Christ's death and anticipation of the resurrection and his coming, then transitions to closing worship
Church, let us proclaim his death and look forward to his resurrec— to the resurrection and his coming with this cup.
Amen.
Would you stand as we sing together to close?