Preparing Myself for Jesus' Return Through Communion

So the question that we need to ask ourselves is do I know Jesus and have I recognized him as my savior? Based on what he did on the cross dying for me, have I accepted that redemptive work in my life? And then we go into this preparation aspect. And Jesus is preparing for us. We are his bride. He's preparing for us right now. John chapter 14 records Jesus's words when he's talking with the disciples and he says, I'm going to prepare a place for you. Give a little bit more context perhaps when we understand the Jewish tradition and custom around a wedding because Jesus is the bridegroom. And he has gone to prepare a place so that he can spend forever with his bride. [01:14:58] (50 seconds)  #KnowJesus

And this moment in chapter 19 is the apex. It's the culmination. This is the moment where god unites the bride and the bridegroom for all of eternity, where Christ and the church are united for all of eternity and the day is coming when we will be with Jesus for all of eternity. But we don't live in that moment yet. We're caught between these moments of preparation and celebration, but he will return and we will be with him and Paul tells us in Thessalonians that the Lord himself will descend from the heavens with a shout with the voice like an archangel and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ will rise first and we who are alive in Christ will be joined together with him in the clouds. We will meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord is what Paul says. Therefore encourage one another with these words. [01:20:48] (52 seconds)  #AwaitHisReturn

So the question that we need to ask ourselves is do I know Jesus and have I recognized him as my savior? Based on what he did on the cross dying for me, have I accepted that redemptive work in my life? And then we go into this preparation aspect. And Jesus is preparing for us. We are his bride. He's preparing for us right now. John chapter 14 records Jesus's words when he's talking with the disciples and he says, I'm going to prepare a place for you. [01:14:58] (33 seconds)  #HePreparesAPlace

We hold in our hands the elements of communion. And we remember certainly to look around and to consider our commitment to the body of Christ. We remember to look back and understand what it means that it means covenant and coming and that it means consummation. We also remember to look inside and to evaluate as Paul said and to let God show us where our souls are sick. But ultimately today, as we hold these elements and partake in during worship here in a moment, we look forward. [01:21:44] (33 seconds)  #CommunionReflection