Let's turn to Mark's gospel, the chapter 14, Mark 14. The word of God open will briefly unite in prayer, just to prepare our hearts as we come to remember our Lord and Savior. Mark chapter 14, but let's just commence in prayer. Loving Father, we thank Thee that there is one upon whom we can carry our burdens to and leave them there. Leave them there, leave them there. Take Thy burden to the Lord and leave them there. He will never cast you out. We thank thee, Father, for the one who has borne the greatest burden, the burden of the sins of his people, and we bless thee that he did not sink under that burden, but from the grave he arose triumphant, and he's seated now in heavenly places. We rejoice that he's taken his rightful place, the highest place, as Kelly puts it, the highest place that heaven affords, is his by sovereign right. Blessed are waiting at the table, we pray in Jesus' name, amen. Mark chapter 14, let's read from verse 22. And as they did eat, Jesus took bread and blessed and break it and gave to them and said, take eat, this is my body. And he took the cup and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until the day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. When they had sung a hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives. Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night, for it is written, I will smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered. But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee. Peter said unto him, although all shall be offended, yet will not I. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. But he spake the more vehemently, if I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all. Then verse 50, and they all forsook him and fled. I've taken time, brethren and sisters, to read these verses in Mark's gospel for the purpose they might serve as a warning to all gathered for the communion supper. The events within these verses highlight the extreme caution that we must exhibit after we leave this place of meeting. You'll recall that the Savior had just instituted the Lord's Supper and was now making his way to Calvary and doing so via the Garden of Gethsemane. Among those who partook off the communion and memorial feast that particular evening was first of all a doubter in the form of Thomas, who would soon doubt the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. He would demand that for him to believe such had taken place, he would need to put his finger into the print of the nails and thrust his hand into the Savior's side within days. Of this communion feast, Mark 14, Thomas would be overwhelmed with incredible doubts concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. Secondly, there would be a denier in the form of Peter who would refute any association with Jesus Christ in the most strongest of terms, not within days, but within hours. of celebrating the communion supper. And then, not only was there a doubter, not only was there a denier, but then there were deserters in the form of every disciple. Because Mark tells us that when Jesus Christ was taken into custody, in verse 50 we read, they all forsook him and fled. Even John, the beloved disciple, for a moment, forsook the Savior and fled. Is it possible to leave this table of remembrance and doubt the one who purchased us with his blood? It is. Is it possible to leave this table of remembrance and deny the one who bled and died for us? It is. Is it possible for us to leave this table of remembrance and desert the one who suffered for our sins on the tree? It is. Therefore, brethren and sisters, as much as preparation is required before the communion supper, caution is required after it. After the most spiritual of exercises, we need to beware that such times are fraught with tremendous danger. And so we ought to leave the table prayerfully, knowing from the examples before us here in Scripture, knowing how quickly all of us, even the best of us, collapse into sin. We need to pray that God would sustain us, that he would uphold us, that he would shield us from the tempter's snare. Thank God he is able to keep us from falling. Let's look to him for that. Extreme caution must be exhibited by every believer, including this preacher, whenever we leave this table of remembrance. For we may doubt him. We may deny him. Tragically of all, we could desert him. Jesus, keep me near the cross. For that will deal with our doubts, that will deal with our denials, and that will curb our desertions if we stay near the cross. And so we come to celebrate and to honor and to remember our Savior's death on Calvary's cross. May God speak to my heart and to your heart even today for Christ's sake. Amen. In 1 Corinthians 11, verse 23 and 24, we read, For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, Take it. This is my body, which is broken for you. This do in remembrance of me. We ask some brother to pray for the bread and for the wine. And then, as it is handed out, we partake of the bread as individuals, as you consider your Savior, then partake of the bread as an individual. And then whenever the cup is received, hold the cup until all have received. I will give some other words here from 1 Corinthians, and then we all drink together the bread as individuals. the cup as the family of God. And this is how we do it in this assembly. And so just to remind you, if this is your first time here, and some brother now lead us, please, in prayer, thanking God for the broken bread, a symbol, an emblem of the broken body of our Savior. Lord, we just speak that you're the one who bore Lord we thank you indeed for the bearing of such a burden upon the cross. What grace, Lord, thou showed everyone, Lord. Even, Lord, we are so undeserving of thy mercy, and yet, Lord, in love thou, Lord, lifted the burden of sin, Lord, from each and every one amongst us. Lord, we thank you indeed that that burden was lifted forever. We thank you indeed that we those sins were cast at the foot of the cross yes we praise thee lord for that we praise thee lord that they are able to continue to sustain us amen and to continue to guide us lord yes and continue to keep us in the way of righteousness lord without thee There is no hope of us ever staying in the way. No hope of us ever, Lord, as it were, taking the right pathways. That, Lord, it is thy strength and thy guidance, Lord, and thy sustaining that we'll see us through. Lord, we thank you, Lord, that it is upon thee, Lord, It's not upon an earthly priest that we hang, Lord, as it were, our confidence, or our faith, or even the greatest of all Lord men. We do not hang our confidence upon man, but upon Jehovah knoweth no burden. Nothing is impossible to thee, Lord. No burden is impossible for thee to bear and to carry. Lord, common guide even at this time. Lord, be with those who, Lord, sadly mourn this day. Lord, thou knowest the great burden that they carry. Lord that thou would sustain that family Lord even by thy gracious hand today and those in that family circle who have not yet trust in thee Lord who are outside of the camp of God that they would realize Lord that they will meet They will meet their Creator and they need to meet Him under the blood. O God, answer prayer. Thank you, Lord, for all thy goodness. And pray, Lord, that in these days, Lord, even these early days of a new year, that we would walk by faith, not by sight. And Lord, stand fast. Lord, in the liberty with which Christ has made us free, that we be not again entangled in the yoke of bondage. I'm sure, pray Lord, I'll do thee thanks for your glory and for your blessed ownership. Amen. Remembering supper reminds us that blood was required to put away our sin. We do not believe in a bloodless gospel. We make much of the blood of Jesus Christ. And Christ would have us to do so, or else he wouldn't have given us the wine. And so the blood was shed for our redemption. It is the ransom price, and by it we are redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, Peter says. And so, some brother, again, thank God for the wine. It is but a symbol, an emblem of the blood of our Redeemer. Some brother, lead us in prayer. Heavenly Father, as we wait on in thy holy presence, we do thank thee again, Lord, for the communion table. Thank the Lord for thy people gathered in this fashion. The people, Lord, that have a desire, Lord, to show forth, Lord, their appreciation of what the Lord has done for them. Lord, we thank thee again, even for this wine, which as we have heard, Lord, speaks to us of the precious shed blood of our Savior. Lord, what significance there is in the blood of Christ. Lord, even though it was part of your body, Lord, you ordained that this emblem of the wine, Lord, should represent your precious blood. Lord, we think back to that time when you said, when I see the blood, the blood of the of the sacrifice being shed, my wrath will pass over you. Lord, we thank thee again indeed for the fact today that the precious shed blood of Christ is that which is able, Lord, to satisfy the just demands of a holy God. As we read in Romans, whom God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood. Lord, it is the blood of Christ that satisfies the just demands of a holy God. And Lord, we thank you for that today. Where would we go today if the wrath of God could not have been satisfied against our sin? And we thank you again for a loving Savior, Lord, who was prepared to go all the way to the cross. Lord, and allow thy precious blood to be shed there on Calvary's cross. Lord, when that spear was thrust in, out flowed blood and water. Lord, we thank thee that a fountain was opened for all sin and for all uncleanness. Lord, we praise thee again for the great love you have for each one of us. Lord, even that while we were yet in our sin, God commendeth his love towards us. Lord, we praise thee again. Even today, for thy great salvation, we praise thee for all the blessings that flow to us through the blood of Christ. Now have we peace with God through the blood of his cross. Lord, what it is today to have peace with a holy God. So Lord, we pray again that even as we partake of this wine, Lord, that you will bring these great truths before us. Help us to live ever in the shadow of the cross. For it's in Jesus' name we ask it. Amen. When he had stopped saying, this cup is a New Testament in my blood, this do ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me, for as oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. Before we leave the meeting, as I've indicated a number of occasions, we do have new members just to welcome in at this particular time. So we're going to ask our brother Curtis and her sister Natalie to come here to the front of the church and we'll just say a few words here to them going ahead. We're so glad to have Curtis and Natalie with us. Think of the journey that they've taken, saved last February, baptized in November, becoming church members in January. That's the way to do it, brethren and sisters. That's the way to do it. And we're so thankful for them and the blessing that they've been. Remember the first night, I looked out the back door as I normally do, see if some of our visitors are there. Curtis come up the road and parked the van around at Woolsey's place and walked up and ever since that they've come to the house of God, they've joined with us. I'm not only thankful for Curtis and for Natalie but also for Zara as well, a little girl, and in the will of God And we're trying to get this as quickly as we can. I was afraid of the baptismal that Natalie would be going, and I was afraid that this wouldn't happen. But Natalie, whatever you want to do this week, you're far ahead, and we're praying for you. May the Lord bless you. You have been exemplary in your conduct with us at all the prayer meetings, and so faithful. And that's what we want our church members to be, faithful to the Lord. And then we believe that whenever we're faithful to the Lord, we'll be faithful to his church, because that's whom he loves, he loves his church. So may the Lord bless you as a family. I know that this month has been a difficult month in your family circle, but we're God's family and we hold each other up in prayer. You pray for us, we'll pray for you. As much as you're a blessing to us, we trust that you will be a blessing to us. And so, as it is simply done, we extend to Natalie and to Curtis the right hand of fellowship, as a symbol of their welcoming in now to the Church of Jesus Christ and the Fellowship of Christ here in Portland Rowan Free Presbyterian Church. You're very welcome, Brother Curtis, Sister Natalie, you're very welcome. My fellow elders will also come and then we'll have a word of prayer together, please. Let's stand and we'll have a word of prayer together. Our gracious and loving Father, we thank thee for salvation, the reality of it, the great change it makes in people's lives. Lord, some brought from the dirty side, as it were, of the broad road, others from the clean side, and yet all brought to know Jesus Christ as Savior and as Lord. We thank Thee that we have that common bond. We've all been to the cross, and we'll be reminded of Calvary again. Bless Curtis and Natalie and Zara, little one as well, Pray, Lord, that you'll bring all together and bring the safe arrival of the little one into the family and keep thy hand upon our dear sister in these days. Lord, we pray for thy church. Build the church. Lord, we pray for others who have been longtime friends of this congregation. May they take that step of church membership, simply obeying the Lord and joining themselves with the fellowship within the local community. and that which they find themselves, O God, in line with the standards of that assembly. We pray, Lord, that thou wilt help us to take that separated position, not only ecclesiastically, but also personally in all of our lives. And so bless, O God, the fellowship here. Continue to add to the church through salvation. And grant, Lord, thy hand to be upon us now as we leave this place. we offer prayer in and through your savior's precious name amen and amen you may be seated curtis and natalie will be here at the front if you want to speak to them i'll be at the door just to try and speed things up because it is open air sunday thank you folks