[The following is a manuscript of my sermon delivered on Sunday morning, the 15th of January, 2017. Today’s service included the observance of Holy Communion. Look for the video on our Vimeo channel: http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]
In a few minutes we will observe the last meal our Lord shared with His closest friends here on this earth. And we will receive the very same instruction He gave His followers that night: “remember Me”. The Apostle Paul tells us of a church family that did indeed remember Jesus and what He commands us, and how they benefitted by doing so. Listen and follow along as I read the 1st chapter from Paul’s 1st letter to the Thessalonian church, from the Contemporary English Version of our Bible…
1 From Paul, Silas, and Timothy.
To the church in Thessalonica, the people of God the Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I pray that God will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!
2 We thank God for you and always mention you in our prayers. Each time we pray, 3 we tell God our Father about your faith and loving work and about your firm hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
4 My dear friends, God loves you, and we know he has chosen you to be his people. 5 When we told you the good news, it was with the power and assurance that come from the Holy Spirit, and not simply with words. You knew what kind of people we were and how we helped you. 6 So, when you accepted the message, you followed our example and the example of the Lord. You suffered, but the Holy Spirit made you glad.
7 You became an example for all the Lord’s followers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 And because of you, the Lord’s message has spread everywhere in those regions. Now the news of your faith in God is known all over the world, and we don’t have to say a thing about it. 9 Everyone is talking about how you welcomed us and how you turned away from idols to serve the true and living God. 10 They also tell how you are waiting for his Son Jesus to come from heaven. God raised him from death, and on the day of judgment Jesus will save us from God’s anger.
--1 Thessalonians 1 (CEV)
Let us pray… Father God, speak to us this morning in words we can understand. Tell us of Your Son’s sacrifice on our behalf. Imprint on our hearts His instruction so that we might never forget Him, His act, His love. In the glorious name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Forget each kindness that you do as soon as you have done it.
Forget the praise that falls to you the moment you have won it.
Forget the slander that you hear before you can repeat it.
Forget each slight, each spite, each sneer, whenever you may meet it.
Remember every promise made and keep it to the letter.
Remember those who lend you aid and be a grateful debtor.
Remember all the happiness that comes your way in living.
Forget each worry and distress; be hopeful and forgiving.
Remember good, remember truth, remember heaven is above you.
And you will find, through age and youth, that many will love you.
As near as I could determine, a lady by the name of Priscilla Leonard penned that little poem. I believe it encapsulates so much of the intent of Jesus’ instructions to us. We shouldn’t make a big deal out of our kindnesses and charity, nor of when we feel slighted or wronged. But we should always remember those kindnesses done to us, and those promises we have made.
When Jesus said “remember Me”, He wants us to remember all He taught us. Otherwise His great sacrifice on our behalf was made for nothing. Jesus really doesn’t ask much of us. The prophet Micah describes it quite well, in the 6th chapter of his book of prophecy, verse 8…
Forget each kindness that you do as soon as you have done it.
Forget the praise that falls to you the moment you have won it.
Forget the slander that you hear before you can repeat it.
Forget each slight, each spite, each sneer, whenever you may meet it.
Remember every promise made and keep it to the letter.
Remember those who lend you aid and be a grateful debtor.
Remember all the happiness that comes your way in living.
Forget each worry and distress; be hopeful and forgiving.
Remember good, remember truth, remember heaven is above you.
And you will find, through age and youth, that many will love you.
As near as I could determine, a lady by the name of Priscilla Leonard penned that little poem. I believe it encapsulates so much of the intent of Jesus’ instructions to us. We shouldn’t make a big deal out of our kindnesses and charity, nor of when we feel slighted or wronged. But we should always remember those kindnesses done to us, and those promises we have made.
When Jesus said “remember Me”, He wants us to remember all He taught us. Otherwise His great sacrifice on our behalf was made for nothing. Jesus really doesn’t ask much of us. The prophet Micah describes it quite well, in the 6th chapter of his book of prophecy, verse 8…
8 He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?
--Micah 6:8 (NKJV)
Do we remember? Do we remember His words, His love, His sacrifice? Do we get the full significance of His life on this earth and exactly what He did for us? If we do, then why do we have so much trouble following His simple command to truly, unconditionally love one another?!?
In a moment we’ll take the bread that Jesus used as a symbol of His body that He allowed to be broken for us, the punishment that He took on our behalf. And we’ll take the cup of juice that He said was the new covenant between God and us, a covenant written in His blood that He shed just so we might be washed clean of our sin and stand spotless before God.
But sometimes we get confused about this most holy Christian ritual. It’s not about bread, or juice. His own disciples even had trouble understanding what Jesus was trying to tell them sometimes. Listen to what the Apostle Matthew recorded in the 16th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 5 through 12…
5 Later, after they crossed to the other side of the lake, the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 “Watch out!” Jesus warned them. “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
7 At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn’t brought any bread. 8 Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “You have so little faith! Why are you arguing with each other about having no bread? 9 Don’t you understand even yet? Don’t you remember the 5,000 I fed with five loaves, and the baskets of leftovers you picked up? 10 Or the 4,000 I fed with seven loaves, and the large baskets of leftovers you picked up? 11 Why can’t you understand that I’m not talking about bread? So again I say, ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’”
12 Then at last they understood that he wasn’t speaking about the yeast in bread, but about the deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
--Matthew 16:5-12 (NLT)
And oh by the way, we need to remember all this for longer than the ten minutes it takes to observe this Holy Communion with God. We need to remember every minute of every day. We need to remember when someone presses one of our hot buttons and makes us angry. We need to remember when we don’t get exactly what we hope for, or even what we pray for. We need to walk in Communion with Jesus with our every breath so that we never forget His great love for us, His selfless sacrifice. So that we can remember that He asks us to be selfless and sacrificial in our love for others. Because that is how we can best show our love for Him.
Do this in remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray… Father God, You gave us a fairly simple set of commandments to follow, and then, because You love us so much and knew we’d have trouble, You made it even easier for us. All You ask is that we do justly, that we love mercy, and that we walk humbly with You. And the biggest part of that walk is believing in Jesus as Your Son and surrendering ourselves to Him as our Master. Father, may we never forget or take for granted Your great love for us, the undeserved mercy You show us.
Hear us now, Father, as we bow before You in the silence, opening our hearts to You, sharing our wordless prayers with You, listening for Your reply…
Lord Jesus, You gave so much for our sake, yet ask so little in return. It should be easy - loving others; You showed us how. Help us, Lord, to remember what You told us. Help us to remember what You did for us and for others while You walked this earth. Help us to remember to do as You command us, even when Satan is doing his best to urge us to abandon You, to disobey You, to forget Your sacrifice. Help us to always remember.
This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior, the one true Son of God, in whom we place all our hope, all our trust, all our faith. Amen.
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