Let us turn again to God's Word in Deuteronomy chapter 8. And I want to direct you for a while this evening to the words that we find here in verses 2 and 3. Deuteronomy 8, 2 and 3.

and thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness to humble thee and to prove thee to know what was in thine heart whether thou wouldest keep his commandments or no. And he humbled thee and suffered thee to hunger and fed thee with manna which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread alone that by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.

To take up this theme of remembrance, we also read Psalm 70 and of course it bears that title, Psalm of David to bring to remembrance. It's not the only psalm that has such a title, we have the same earlier in Psalm 38, two psalms. are specifically written to bring to remembrance, and there are many things that we are meant to remember.

Primarily, of course, we have that holy institution of the Lord's Supper. And how the Lord Jesus Christ, as He instituted that supper, He tells his disciples that they are to do these things for a purpose. This do he says in remembrance of me.

We are so apt to forget and yet there's much that we should be remembering. There's a hymn in the book, isn't there? I don't know that I've ever sung the hymn in public worship but one of Joseph Hart's hymns 880 and that speaks of the importance of remembering

Remember man thy birth, set not on gold thy heart. Naked thou camest upon the earth, the naked must depart. This world's vain wealth despise, happiness is not here. To Jesus lift thy longing eyes and seek thy treasure there.

All we need to remember what we are, where we are. In our solemn state, as those who are the descendants of Adam and Eve, we sinned. In our first parents, we were conceived in sin. We've sinned every day of our lives. We sin in thought, in word, in deed. We're to remember what we are. We're to remember that there is only one way of salvation. That way is in Him. who we will presently be remembering when again we observe that blessed institution, the Lord's Supper, in remembrance of his dying for his people.

Well here, as Moses addresses the people, they're on the borders now of the promised land after 40 years of wilderness wanderings And he says, they shall remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness to humble thee and to prove thee.

Well as we take up this theme of remembrance I want to divide what I say into some four parts, four things that we ought to be remembering. We ought to remember surely God's providences We are to remember God's proving that he's spoken of quite specifically here. He would prove them. Thirdly, we see that in all God's dealings there's a purpose. So we're to remember that God has a purpose in view. He will accomplish all his goodwill and pleasure. And then finally, I want to try to say something with regards to the need to remember the passion of the Lord Jesus Christ, that death that he came to die, that we are presently going to be remembering as a church around the table of the Lord.

But first of all, to say something with regards to God's providence. The psalmist says, remember his marvelous works that he hath done, his wonders. And even as we think back over the past year, I'm sure There are things that we ought to remember. His marvellous works that he had done. Hasn't God at times appeared for us in remarkable ways? And answered our prayers. We can't always understand the mystery. His ways are surely past finding out. His way's in the sea. His path is in the deep waters. His footsteps are not known. We're told in another star. He's a mystery to all that God does and yet surely we have cause to remember some of the wonders that he has performed for us in the course of our lives.

We're not worthy of the least of his favors and all the truth that he is pleased to show unto us. He is a God of providence as well as the God of creation. made us and he has finished that work of creation. It reached its climax on the sixth day when he made man in his image and created man after his likeness. And God sees from all the works that he has made, we're told, and rested on the seventh day and consecrated the day and established the principle of a Sabbath. It's a creation ordinance, we know that. God is not inactive. He's the God of providence. He watches over us. It's in Him that we live and move and have our being.

And here we're reminded, aren't we, of that provision that He makes in order to sustain our poor lives. there in the third verse he humbled thee and suffered thee to hunger and fed thee with manna which thou knewest not neither did thy fathers know that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live the reference to bread And it reminds us, doesn't it, of that fourth petition in what we call the Lord's Prayer. How we are to come before God and we're to pray and we're to say, give us this day our daily bread.

Now, I doubt not that principally that daily bread that we all stand in need of is to be found. It's spiritual bread. It's found only in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the bread of life. We think of the language that the Lord uses there in John 6. Remember how throughout that gospel we see him as the image of the invisible God, the great I am that I am, revealing himself, and we have those statements. And amongst them there in chapter 6, the Lord says, I am the bread of life. How necessary is that we recognize that Christ is the bread of life, true life, spiritual life.

But there's also here surely in this passage some reference to our natural foods. Look at what he goes on to say later in verse 16. Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee to do thee good at thy latter end." What was the manner? Well, that was sustenance for their bodies, really. That was the Lord's provision for them when they were wandering in the wilderness, the nomadic people. They didn't have the opportunity to plough the fields, and to sow the seed, and to grow the grain. and then harvest, and then to do the thrashing, and all that was necessary that they might have the flour to make the bread. God fed them Himself. He fed them with manna. And it was such a remarkable thing. They couldn't understand what He was. We read all about it there in the 16th chapter of Exodus. They called it manna. Literally, Meaning, what is it? It appeared. It was the bread that God himself gave them. The Psalmist speaks of it as angel's food. Remember the language that we have in Psalm 78, man did eat angel's food, he gave them meat from heaven, says the Psalmist. What is this? It's a portion, and it was a portion that was said to be sufficient for the day. And it's interesting, isn't it? Because when we have that pattern prayer, it's not only mentioned in Matthew 6 in the Sermon on the Mount, but we have it also in Luke 11, and there are certain differences in the accounts.

There are different occasions, of course, and in In Luke's account, the petition is, give us day by day our daily bread. Whereas in Matthew 6, it's give us this day. It's a portion for a day. It's a portion then day by day. And that's how the Lord fed them with the manna. They were to take as much as they needed for the day. They're not to store it. If they do, it will simply rot. It will stink. It's going to be useless.

On the 6th day God will give them a double portion because they are not to go out on the 7th day, that's the Sabbath day. But there were some of them who foolishly went out on that day. What a strange disobedient people they were. Disobeying the ways of the Lord. But the Lord is teaching them a lesson, you see. They are to look beyond the means. The natural means, the normal way in which the Lord, in His good providence, makes provision for us, that to see Him who is the Great First Course, that One who is the author of every gift, every good and every perfect gift, cometh from above and cometh from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness nor any shadow of turning.

God is the one that we're to look to. We look beyond the means that God appoints. And it's interesting what we see concerning the experience of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Remember how he is led of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of Satan, the account that we have in the Gospel. And there in the fourth chapter of Matthew, immediately after his baptizing, and at the baptism the heavens open and the Spirit descends upon him in the form of a dove, and the Father speaks those remarkable words from heaven, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. That's the language that we find right at the end of chapter 3 in Matthew. A lower voice from heaven saying, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.

Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward unhungered. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Quoting to Satan the very words of Deuteronomy 8.

It's interesting, isn't it? The Father declares plainly, this is my beloved Son. And what is the temptation? If thou be the Son of God. Again and again, if thou be the Son of God. Oh, what an if was there, says the hymn writer. He's challenging the very Word of God. He's challenging the eternal Sonship of the Lord Jesus Christ. But the point I want to make is this. Look at what is actually said with regards to the experience of Christ. He is led into the wilderness to be tempted, and then he's fasting for 40 days and 40 nights. is without food for 40 days and 40 nights, and it says he was afterward and hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he says, if thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. Obviously the Father has supported him in a strange and miraculous way through the 40 days and nights of his fasting. It felt no hunger pains, he'd been sustained without food. So the circumstances is one in which clearly there's some reference here to natural bread. There's a lesson you see, God's providence. God the great first cause of all things. That's what we're to recognize.

With regards to the experience of the children of Israel. They're wandering there in the wilderness for 40 years. and God is continually providing them with their bread from day to day. But when they come into the land, in due time the manna will cease to be provided.

When we come to the end of the books of Moses, and then we have of course the account of Joshua, the one who is to take them into the land, what do we read there in Joshua chapter 5? Now coming to the land, verse 10, the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at Even in the plains of Jericho. And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the Passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the south same day. And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land. Neither had the children of Israel manna any more but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year and subsequently, of course, they're going to be continually supplied by the fruit of the land.

It's a land rich, flowing with milk and honey. The Lord is the one who makes the provision for His people. Did He not promise after the universal flood while the earth remain of sea time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall not cease? He's the faithful providential God. And we're to remember God and His providences. We're not to to look immediately to the means that God employs. We're to look to Him. And what a provision He makes for His people.

Oh, remember the language again of the psalmist, that lovely passage often read at the time of maybe a Harvest Service, the words found at the end of the 65th Psalm. You know that passage so well. Verse 9,

Thou visitest the earth and waterest it.
Thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water.
Thou preparest them corn, when they are so provided for it.
Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly.
Thou settlest the furrows thereof.
Thou makest it soft with showers.
Thou blessest the springing thereof.
Thou crownest the year with Thy goodness,
and Thy powers drop fatness.
They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness
and the little hills rejoice on every side.
The pastures are clothed with flocks.
The valleys also are covered over with corn.
They shout for joy.
They also sing.

This is a God of Providence. He never fails His people. He makes every provision for His people. And these people are to remember Verse 18, Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers as it is this day. He's the faithful God.

Remember Psalm 107? That lovely psalm that speaks so much of providence. And now at the end of that psalm we have that lovely verse, Whoso is wise. Whoso is wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord. All remember, they shall remember all the way which the Lord thy God liveth. We'll understand the lovingkindness of the Lord. He's a good God. He's the God of providence. He never fails His people. There are trials, there are troubles, yes, but do we not live to prove the goodness of our God, the faithfulness of our God?

But then, not only remembering God's providence, remembering is proving. Look at verse 2. To humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments or no. To prove thee, the margin gives an alternative, to test thee, or to try thee. God, in a sense, might prove his people by his words. We know his word is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, truly furnished unto every good work. When God comes to us sometimes in his word, does he not prove us by it? Does he not come to search us through it? That word of God that's quick, powerful, sharper than the two-edged sword, piercing to the dividing asunder of soul and split in the joints and marrow. A discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. How God's word can be a piercing word and a pricking word. He comes, you see, and He reproves sometimes by His words.

But there's not only His Word, and we should, when we come under His Word, not always expect that God will speak gracious words to us. Maybe He'll upbraid us sharply by His Word. But sometimes He comes in His ways, in His works, in His chastenings. And these people, they were to recognize that, verse 5, they shall also consider in thine heart that as a man chastens his son, So the Lord thy God chasteneth thee. Why did He deal with them as He did when they were such a rebellious people, a gainsaying people, always murmuring, always complaining? Why did He persevere with them? Because they were His people. They were His covenant people. He loved them. Why He set His love upon them? Are we not told that previously in chapter 7? It's about so plain, isn't it? Verse 7 of chapter 7, The Lord did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because you were more in number than any other people. For you were the fewest of all people, but because the Lord loved you, and because you would keep the oath which He had sworn unto your fathers, that the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.

And whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth, and scourgeth every soul who receiveth. If you endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons. What son is he whom the father chasteneth not? Oh, the Lord's ways. We have to remember He'll prove His people. Life's not going to be easy for the people of God. It's a narrow way that leads to life fraught with many dangers. We're told, aren't we, no, chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous. And nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them who would exercise thereby. Chastening is not pleasant. It's not pleasant. It's not pleasant. The father loves his son. He doesn't really want to chasten his son. He wants to embrace his son. But he loves the son. And he sees the sun's done something wrong, he's got to correct the sun, he's got to lay the rod upon the sun, maybe. But there's a blessed end and aim and object in view, you see, but there's exercise. It's profitable, it says, unto them who are exercised. Are we that people who are an exercised people? Is that true? Are we those who are exercised about these things? When the Lord comes and things go contrary, the way seems hard. We don't know what to do. We tend to want to kick against the Lord's dealings. We have to pray that he'd favour us with that meekness of spirit, that submission to his sovereign will.

all these afflictions that come. I love those words of Joseph Hart, afflictions make us see, what else would escape our sight, how very foul and dim are we in God, how pure and bright. God's the wise one, we're the fools. We have to learn that lesson at his hand. We have to see what we are, that other psalm that I spoke of that bears that title a psalm to bring to remembrance is psalm 38 and what a remarkable psalm that is because in that psalm David seemed to be so much aware of his sin

look at the language that we have there a psalm of David to bring to remembrance verse 3 there is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin for mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for mine my wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I go mourning all the day long for my loins are filled with a loathsome disease there is no soundness in my flesh what he brought to the end of the psalm verse 18 for I will declare mine iniquity I will be sullied for my sin

the Lord proves his people to bring them to themselves to bring them to their senses to cause them to see what they are and where they are and their sad plight their poor states as those who were conceived in sin and shapen in iniquity and how the Lord was dealing with his people all the time

look at what goes on what's said in the following chapter chapter 9 and verse 7 remember and forget not how thou provokest the Lord thy God to wrath in the wilderness from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt until ye came unto this place ye have been rebellious against the Lord also in Horeb that's where Mount Sinai is, one of the mountains in that range called Horeb also in Horeb ye provoked the Lord to wrath so that the Lord was angry with you to have destroyed you

And Moses has to mediate, has to stand in the breach, as it were, and plead with God not to disinherit them. Oh, they were such a foolish people. Again there in verse 24, you have been rebellious against the Lord from the day that I knew you. The Lord has to prove these people time upon time. They have to see what a bitter thing sin is. You'll forgive their sins. It's a forgiving God. You'll forgive our sins. But remember how He takes vengeance upon their inventions. He takes vengeance. They learn the lesson. They see what sin is. It's a bitter thing.

That Godly King has He called. Lovely character, isn't he, Hezekiah? Remarkable king. And yet, that godly man had to be proved by the Lord. In the matter of the Babylonian ambassadors, the Lord left him, as it were, so that he would know all that was in his heart, it says. Do you remember when those men came, those ambassadors from the Babylonians? He shows them all his treasures, his pride, his pride. That was the problem there. And yet he's such a gracious man. He'd known so many troubles.

During his reign, when the Assyrians had come, before the Babylonians, the Assyrians had laid siege to Jerusalem. Jerusalem was likely to fall. The generals had been sent and they're taunting the people on the wall of Jerusalem. Letters are sent and he takes these and he spreads them before the Lord in the temple. And the Lord delivers him. Oh, it's wonderful. And he has that remarkable song of thanksgiving in Isaiah 38. And what does he say? Oh Lord, by these things men live. In all these things is the life of my spirit. He was exercised. He was exercised in all his trials, but yet it was the life of his soul. so cast upon the Lord, but then the Lord leaves him, and his pride is so evident. You know, the Lord tries his people. He does put them sometimes in the flames, doesn't he? Doesn't Paul say that that's the lot, the common lot of the people of God? Remember the language that we have when he's writing there to the Church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 3 verse 13 he says every man's work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is or is it just wood, iron stubble or is it the pure metal every man's work tried as to what sort it is the Lord tries his people and so we have to we have to prove ourselves examine yourselves whether you be in the faith prove your own selves know you're not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobate Paul says to those same Corinthians Do we prove ourselves? We are to certainly examine ourselves when he comes to the observance of the Lord's Supper. Let a man examine himself, says the Apostle. So let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. He that eateth and drinketh unworthy eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. Not discerning the Lord's body. It's not just the beauteousy of the elements, the cup and the wine, there's something there, isn't there? There's something there, must be. Not discerning the Lord's body, we're to discern what it's about. So it's before us the wonder of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. We're to remember then not only God's providences, but God's provings. But then Let us not lose sight of the fact that in the midst of all these things there's a purpose, which remember God has a purpose. He's a God of order. There's a covenant and it's ordered in all things and sure. And the Lord has a blessed end in view. He's not only proving, you see, He comes to humble His people, doesn't He? as we have it here at the end of verse 2 to humble thee and to prove thee to know what was in thine hearts to know what was in thine heart whether thou wouldest keep his commandments or no in the matter of Ezekiel as we said it was his pride he shows these ambassadors all his precious possession the evidence you see of his kingship pride what is pride? it's the very root of sin is it not? when Satan through the serpent comes to Eve there in the garden in Genesis 3 the account of the fall of her first parents what does the devil say? intending to partake of that that God had forbidden tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Thou shalt not eat of it in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." Now the devil contradicts God's Word. Thou shalt not surely die. But he says also, ye shall be as gods. Ye shall be as gods, though in goods and evil. Pride. St Paul called it, writing to Timothy, the condemnation of the devil. Pride, the condemnation of the devil. The devil is a fallen angel. God created the angels, but they're a fallen angel. Angels that rebelled against God, that sinned just as man sinned in the garden, in the paradise that was Eden. But God makes no provision for the fallen angels. He passes by the angels. He makes provision for man. That's the wonder of it. The Lord Jesus is made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, comes to save sinful men and women. The wonder of that. No provision for the fallen angels, but Satan himself, you see, he was such a proud creature.

We read of him, don't we? Is he not there in what we have in the 14th chapter of Isaiah? I know in some ways it's controversial, I suppose, because clearly it is speaking of the king of Babylon, Isaiah. 14, we read there at verse 4, They shall take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, O hath the oppressor ceased, the golden city ceased. And then later, verse 12. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning? How art thou cut down to the ground which did weaken the nations? For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north. I will ascend. above all the heights of the cloud, I will be like the Most High."

Surely it's more than the King of Babylon. This is the devil himself, Lucifer, son of the morning. He would be as God and he fell, he sinned. And he comes now through the serpent to the woman. Ye shall be as God's. Pride, his pride, accursed pride, that spirit by God abhorred, do what we will, it haunts us still. It keeps us from the Lord, says Joseph Hart. Against its influence, pray, it mingles with the prayer. Against its preach, it prompts the speech, be silent, still it's there. Or you stand in the pulpit, the preacher stands in the, he has to pray. And someone said, oh, that was a wonderful prayer, Mr. Preacher. It was a wonderful prayer. You see, pride.

John Bunyan was a great preacher. The great Puritan divine Dr. John Owen said he would have given over all his learning to preach like John Bunyan preached. And Bunyan could preach. Many times the people would gather around afterwards and speak to him and try to encourage him. He was aware, you see, of the sin of pride. and tell him how wonderful the sermon was, he would say, well, Satan's already whispered that in my ear. Against it, preach, it prompts the speech. Be silent, still it's there. All pride, you see. How awful it is. And it has to be dealt with.

And the Lord has a purpose, the way He deals with His people. They are to grow. They are to grow in grace and in the knowledge of their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And what is growth in grace? Well, it's growth in grace. It's the abundance of grace. The more one grows, the more one feels one needs grace. Why do you need grace? Because there's so much sin. And where sin abounds, grace does so much more abound. The growth in grace is downward. It's humility, isn't it? It must be that. It must be that.

The Lord God says through His servant, the prophet Hosea, I will be as a Jew unto Israel. He shall grow as the lily and cast his roots as Lebanon. He shall grow as the lily, that lovely little lily. But his roots, like the cedars of Lebanon, Those great trees are on the national flag of Lebanon, aren't they, the cedars? How the roots strike so deep into the ground, that's growth in grace. That's growth in grace.

And God has, you see, a blessed end in view with His people. What does He say here in verse 16, that He might humble the and that He might prove thee to do thee good at thy latter end. He will do good to His dear people at their latter end.

The preacher says in Ecclesiastes, better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof. Better is the end, the blessed end, God's purpose. He will execute His own decree. He will fulfill all His good pleasures. Even when he takes Israel into captivity, he says, I know the thoughts that I think towards you, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

The language there in Jeremiah, I think it's chapter 29, isn't it? Verse 11 of chapter 29, I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected ending. Take them away, out of Jerusalem, away from the Promised Land. They're in exile, they're languishing. Then shall you call upon me, and you shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you, and you shall seek me and find me. when you shall search for me with all your heart."

That's what God does, you see. He brings His people to that. They have to pray, they have to call, they have to cry, they have to seek after Him. We have to remember His providences, we remember His provings of us, never lose sight of the gracious purpose that God has to fulfill.

And let me say something briefly with regards to remembering the passion of the Lord Jesus Christ. This do in remembrance of me, the Lord's Supper, or the grace, the grace of our God. in Christ, ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be made rich."

How is it that he makes the sinner rich? It is by and through that work that He accomplished here upon the earth, His life, His death, His resurrection from the dead. God hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. It's through all His sufferings as the sin bearer that there's all the riches of salvation. for those who are only deserving of hell.

And isn't the Lord Jesus there in that 38th Psalm? The Lord Jesus is in the 38th Psalm, surely He is. The Psalm of David. But a greater than David. And do we see how the Lord is so identified with His people? He who knows sin made sin. He's the great sin bearer and how it becomes so personal to him. Look at the language that the psalmist is using concerning his sins.

There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger, neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head. As in, have you burdened that too heavy for me? It's the Lord Jesus, as it were. The sins of his people now were all reckoned to him, imputed to him. He's the great sin-bearer. Such is the union between Christ and the Church. It's a wonder, isn't it?

And he says there at the end of the psalm, I will declare my iniquity, I will be sorry for my sin, as if it's his sin. Because he's really suffering as the sin-bearer. Oh, we are to feed upon this, you see. We are to feed upon this bread of life which we see in the Lord Jesus Christ himself. What foods? What food is here? The language that we have in this third verse He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna which thou knewest not. Neither did thy fathers know that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.

What has God done in Christ? What has Christ done, you say? in the gospel has given his promise, he's confirmed his promise by an oath, he's sworn by himself, he's sealed the covenant with blood, the testator has died, the testament stands, it's all in the sufferings of Christ.

Now, how the Lord speaks, I refer to that remarkable sixth chapter. John doesn't record anything of the institution of the Lord's Supper. You have it in Matthew, in Mark, in Luke, in the Synoptic Gospels. We have the record of how at the last Passover Christ instituted that Holy Supper. But nothing in John's account. But we have this Chapter, John 6, verse 32. Look at the language.

Then said Jesus unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven, but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world. And you know the language that follows the union between Christ and His Church. And time and again here, the Lord keeps on using these double verily's, doesn't He? Verily, verily, we have it again. There in verse 53, Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, ye have no life in you.

Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me, and I in him." It's union, spiritual union. It's nothing at all to do with the nonsense of the Romish doctrine of transubstantiation, the blasphemy of the mass. dangerous deceits, blasphemous fables. That's the language of the articles of the Church of England, reformed. Where is it today?

Oh, but you see, we're to remember this one and the importance of that union. And how do we experience that union? By faith. That one coming up out of the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved. That resting in Christ. That's faith, that's trust, isn't it? There's such a union between the believer and Christ. Christ is his meat and his drink and everything to him.

And God, you see, is ever mindful of his covenant. God is mindful of his covenants. I understand that the first mention of the covenant in scripture is that in Genesis 9 after the flood and the rainbow. And that was God's sign, wasn't it, to Noah that God would not send a universal flood to destroy the world again as he had done. When the end comes it will be great fire not flood but God gives that sign to Noah and he says that when he sees the bow he will remember the covenant God remembers the covenant He remembers. He doesn't forget.

I, even I am He that bloodeth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sin, He says. And then He says there in Isaiah 43, put me in remembrance. He tells us to put Him in remembrance. The command here is we are to remember, but He tells us to put Him in remembrance, to remind Him. Oh, we're to pray over His words, are we not? Even this text tonight. To pray over it, that it might have its blessed accomplishment even in our soul's experience.

Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee and to prove thee to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep His commandments or no. And He humbled thee and suffered thee to hunger and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know, that he might make thee to know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live."

Every word that proceedeth out of the Lord's mouth, the word of Scripture, and what does the Scripture bear witness to the incarnate world? Search the Scriptures, says Christ to the Jews. Search the Scriptures. In them ye think that ye have eternal life. These are they that testify of mercy. Lord, that it might be so for each of us tonight that we have that testimony in our hearts. That we know this blessed one and we would remember him and remember all that he endured. in that awful death, the contradiction of sinners against himself, but all that he bore of God's wrath upon his holy person when he made his soul a sacrifice for sins.

May the Lord be pleased to bless to us his own truth. Amen.