"Fear God, Love God, Serve God": "Destined To Remember"

Sunday, May 5, 2019

"Destined To Remember"

"And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and

said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you:

this do in remembrance of me."

(I Corinthians 11:24)

The flowing blood, the broken and ripped flesh, the spear in the side, the splintered cross, the soldiers, the mocking, the thieves, the robe, the tears, the lightning, the earthquake, the followers, the darkened clouds, and the cry, "It Is Finished." That's what it's all about. We, who are Christians, who love the Lord Jesus Christ with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and strength ... can scarcely think of anything else; our very existence and salvation depends on it; we live with the knowledge of it and thankfulness for it ... His death, burial, and resurrection; the price paid for our redemption, the kind of LOVE that has never been known, the sacrifice of God for our eternity with Him; the Lamb slain for all of mankind ... We are and will always be ever mindful of the eternal sacrifice; we are "Destined To Remember."

In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup

is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever

you drink it, in remembrance of me."

(I Corinthians 11:25)

The wafer and the grape juice, the repentance and the tears, the heart's sorrow and joy ... it's a mixture of ecstasy and pain, as we remember; we are so thankful for His blood shed to erase our sins, yet as we drink the cup; we think of His torn, beaten ripped flesh and we think no one should have to be tortured like that ... and we're suddenly mindful that it should have been us on that cross ... if not for "His" blood and "His" shredded flesh, we would have no place in heaven. If not for our Savior, our Redeemer, our Lord and King, where would we be? Thank You, Lord Jesus; we will never forget ... In sincere and heartfelt repentance, we ask for forgiveness of our sins, before we take communion ... We must not take it "unworthily," meaning 'in an unrepentant and uncaring way.' We are never as saved as when we have just taken Communion ... if we do it right.

The Lord Jesus Christ gave us the Lord's supper, or the Holy communion, on the very night he was betrayed. It would not be until the resurrection that He would again spend time with His beloved apostles. What was Jesus Christ thinking on that night? The crucifixion was imminent; the horror of what He must endure was before Him, yet His mind was on His disciples. He wanted to make sure that they knew that He was the Passover Lamb, that He was the lamb slain from the foundation of the world, that His blood would be shed and His body broken for them, and for all mankind. This was no ordinary supper; this was the night before the world changed forever; this was an "eve" that would be remembered for all eternity; this was the still before the storm, the calm before the war over Sin would end in the blood-stained eraser to wipe out Sin and evil forever. The disciples had no idea of the magnitude of the bread and the cup ... but they would soon be overtaken with the blood, the name, and the Word of destiny ...

Jesus Christ rose from the dead on

the third day; He is ALIVE forevermore!

Lord, Jesus, we will never forget; in fact, our witness is based on it; our love stems from it; our hunger originates in it; our very souls are anchored upon it; we take communion to remember and to rejoice in the salvation and redemption bought for mankind with Your blood shed and Your tortured body "given" on the cross for the souls of the entire world. We will never, never forget!