Booth to Table: How Physical Practices Shape Us

We see God's faithfulness in the past, and it wells up re rejoicing in the middle of whatever circumstances we find ourselves in. Anytime I am struggling to get to a place of joy and rejoicing, I need only remind myself how God has done bigger, greater, and more for hundreds, thousands of years for his children. So when I participate in these physical practices, he is not only reminding us of the past. It's not just a history lesson. It's like a joy generator in my life today so that I can shine my light in the middle of the darkness. [00:47:27] (43 seconds)  #FaithGeneratesJoy

And when we engage in the physical practices that God gives us, communion and baptism among other things, there's this realization of what God has done, but a present reminder of his goodness wherever I am today. Because if he's done that, he can do this. There's a point in Nehemiah eight that we haven't covered, and it really matters. It's that they didn't live in the booths forever. At the end of our passage, it says they kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day, there was a solemn assembly according to the rule. [00:51:27] (35 seconds)  #PracticesPointHope

The same is true with us in Hebrews chapter 13. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Every time we take communion, it is a reminder, yes, of God's past faithfulness that ought to give us worship and joy today because he's still the same God today, but it also reminds us of a future hope because our God finishes what he starts. [00:53:06] (29 seconds)  #CommunionPointsHope

And then think about when we take communion. When we take communion, we are he literally told us do this in remembrance of me. Like, take the bread, take the cup, and remember how you still need my grace today. You're still living in my forgiveness today. I'm I'm still identified because of what he has done as a child of God. When I take communion, I remember what he has done in his sacrifice that has forever changed me. [00:42:50] (31 seconds)  #CommunionRemembersGrace

Here's why. That they may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. And then here, I am the Lord your God. See, God doesn't just give us physical things to do to check the box. There is a reason. And here's the first point that I wanna give you today on that reason. It is to remind us of his past faithfulness. [00:34:41] (23 seconds)  #RememberPastFaithfulness

Here's why. I want you to consider the setting. They are living in their booths here, and it is a reminder of the past hardship and how God has been faithful for thousands of years to them. How he brought them through the wilderness and provided for them then. And much like what you all agreed, we've all experienced, you go through something difficult and it's easier the second time. They're seeing God's faithfulness in the past, and they're in the middle of their own challenges. [00:46:34] (28 seconds)  #FaithFromPastToPresent

And then when I take communion, it's important. Scripture tells us don't take it in an improper manner, which would be to rush through it and to not really think about what you're doing. Remember, we take communion, we pause. We try to give some space so that you can kind of properly stop for a moment and think about how this bread, this juice represents this body and this blood that Jesus gave for you. [00:43:36] (27 seconds)  #CommunionWithReverence

I don't know about you, man. When I take communion, it is I get overwhelmed with this just remembrance of why he actually did this. Like, other religious leader just gave a speech, served a term, wrote a book, did something. Like, Jesus gave his life for us. We remember through these physical acts what he has done for us, but it it goes beyond that. The second thing I wanna tell you is we don't just remember. He shows us his present goodness. [00:44:04] (31 seconds)  #RemembranceAndPresence