[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 7th of September, 2018 at Pilgrim Reformed Church. Our service today also included the observance of Holy Communion. Look for the video of this and our other services on our Vimeo channel: http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]
There’s a tradition in our prison system where a condemned person gets whatever lavish dinner they want for their last meal before being put to death. Our Lord’s last supper on this earth was a bit different. He gathered His closest followers, His closest friends, together for a simple meal.
The menu may have been plain, but the ramifications of that supper and the events that followed still have great impact today. For it was that night when Jesus told us of God’s new covenant with us sealed by Jesus’ blood. And it was that night in which our Lord was betrayed by one of those eating at His table.
Though he was not present, the Apostle Paul accurately shares with us what Jesus said at supper. Paul also includes a warning to us, about what must be in our hearts when we join Jesus at His table. Please listen and follow along as I read from Paul’s 1st letter to the Corinthians, chapter 11, verses 23 through 32, from the New King James Version of God’s Bible…
The menu may have been plain, but the ramifications of that supper and the events that followed still have great impact today. For it was that night when Jesus told us of God’s new covenant with us sealed by Jesus’ blood. And it was that night in which our Lord was betrayed by one of those eating at His table.
Though he was not present, the Apostle Paul accurately shares with us what Jesus said at supper. Paul also includes a warning to us, about what must be in our hearts when we join Jesus at His table. Please listen and follow along as I read from Paul’s 1st letter to the Corinthians, chapter 11, verses 23 through 32, from the New King James Version of God’s Bible…
23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many are dead. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
--1 Corinthians 11:23-32 (NKJV)
Let us pray… Father God, Your plan for our salvation came at a great cost, one we could never pay. Only Your Son Jesus was spotless and free from sin. Only His sacrifice could atone for our sin. Only His blood could wash us clean in Your eyes. Help us to always remember not only the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf, but also the example He set for how we should live our own lives. Help us to never forget. In the blessed name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
I wish I could tell you who wrote this, but some now unknown person left us with these poetic instructions:
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.
Doesn’t that sound a lot like how we, as Christians, should live our life? It pretty well describes the humble life Jesus lived. Some of the lessons He taught are included there. Forget the worries, show love and be loved.
Sadly, though, when things get really tough, many of us tend to forget that God is always good and faithful. We see only the hard road ahead, and fail to remember how He got us through all the bad times in the past. God never leaves us, never forsakes us, never forgets us.
I did a quick count and found 262 instances of the words “remember” and “remembrance” in the New King James Version of our Holy Bible. The phrase “remember me” can be found 15 times. Almost every one of those instances is mankind asking God to remember us, primarily in our times of need.
But God Himself used the word “remember” when talking about something we often see: a rainbow. In chapter 9 of Genesis, God says He will place a rainbow in the sky after each rain so that He will remember not to destroy the earth by flood ever again. Do you think maybe God has a memory like mine and has to constantly be reminded of things? Isn’t it more likely that the rainbow appears so that we will remember the covenant He made with mankind and with the earth? This is our little reminder, not His.
But usually when we see “remember” or “remember me” in the Bible, it is man asking God to remember us, to not forget about us, to help us. A good example can be found as Jesus hung on that cruel cross, from the Gospel account of the Apostle Luke, chapter 23, verses 32, 33, and 39 through 43…
“Lord, remember me.” Was this just the plea of a criminal seeking mercy, or a man humbled in the presence of the One he now recognized as the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God?
“Lord, remember me.” Jesus saw the man’s heart, his faith, and promised him a home in heaven.
“Remember me.” We don’t want to be forgotten, do we? We’d like to think that we’ve done something important enough, that someone loved us enough, that we will be remembered after we’ve left this earth. Jesus, while fully God, was also fully man, so maybe He felt this way too, that He wanted to be remembered after He returned to heaven. When He passed around the bread and the wine and said to His friends, “Remember Me”, couldn’t He have been trying to sear His image in their memory? We know, though, that His words were not only for the benefit of those present that night, but for all mankind down through the ages. He said “Remember Me” to anyone who will pick up this book and read it.
I think the whole point is that Jesus didn’t want us so much to remember Him, as to remember what He did, what He told us, what He showed us. By the very example of how He lived, He showed us how we, as Christians, should live. We should love everyone, as He loved everyone. We should carry out God’s will, no matter the personal cost. Just as He sacrificed in service to God, we should be willing to sacrifice, too. Jesus told us how to live, in words and in deeds. We just need to follow His example.
The second part of our scripture passage contains the warning Paul leaves us, that we must be right with God before coming to our Lord’s table. This is how we are worthy to commune with Jesus, by being righteous in God’s eyes. We need to look deep inside and judge ourselves, knowing what is expected of us, and repent of any sin we find.
Look closely at what’s in our heart, in how we live. Repent, and be worthy to come to the Lord’s table. Remember Jesus – all that He did, all that He taught and showed, and all that He wants us to do. Do this, in remembrance of Him. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray… Father God, You want all of us to be reunited with You and live with You forever in heaven. So You sent Your own Son to take on our sin, to take our punishment. And all we have to do to be given that great gift of salvation is to believe in Jesus and follow His voice. Forgive us, Father, when we have trouble doing something so simple. Please help us be worthy in Your sight to come to Jesus’ table today.
Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our sin, and asking for Your help so that You might see us as worthy…
Lord Jesus, You gave it all up for us. Thank You, Jesus, for redeeming us with Your blood sacrifice so that we can be with You and our Father God forever! Please help us never forget what You did for us. And help us remember and learn from the example You set.
This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior. Amen.
I wish I could tell you who wrote this, but some now unknown person left us with these poetic instructions:
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.
Doesn’t that sound a lot like how we, as Christians, should live our life? It pretty well describes the humble life Jesus lived. Some of the lessons He taught are included there. Forget the worries, show love and be loved.
Sadly, though, when things get really tough, many of us tend to forget that God is always good and faithful. We see only the hard road ahead, and fail to remember how He got us through all the bad times in the past. God never leaves us, never forsakes us, never forgets us.
I did a quick count and found 262 instances of the words “remember” and “remembrance” in the New King James Version of our Holy Bible. The phrase “remember me” can be found 15 times. Almost every one of those instances is mankind asking God to remember us, primarily in our times of need.
But God Himself used the word “remember” when talking about something we often see: a rainbow. In chapter 9 of Genesis, God says He will place a rainbow in the sky after each rain so that He will remember not to destroy the earth by flood ever again. Do you think maybe God has a memory like mine and has to constantly be reminded of things? Isn’t it more likely that the rainbow appears so that we will remember the covenant He made with mankind and with the earth? This is our little reminder, not His.
But usually when we see “remember” or “remember me” in the Bible, it is man asking God to remember us, to not forget about us, to help us. A good example can be found as Jesus hung on that cruel cross, from the Gospel account of the Apostle Luke, chapter 23, verses 32, 33, and 39 through 43…
32 There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. 33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.
39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”
40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”
43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
--Luke 23:32-33, 39-43 (NKJV)
“Lord, remember me.” Jesus saw the man’s heart, his faith, and promised him a home in heaven.
“Remember me.” We don’t want to be forgotten, do we? We’d like to think that we’ve done something important enough, that someone loved us enough, that we will be remembered after we’ve left this earth. Jesus, while fully God, was also fully man, so maybe He felt this way too, that He wanted to be remembered after He returned to heaven. When He passed around the bread and the wine and said to His friends, “Remember Me”, couldn’t He have been trying to sear His image in their memory? We know, though, that His words were not only for the benefit of those present that night, but for all mankind down through the ages. He said “Remember Me” to anyone who will pick up this book and read it.
I think the whole point is that Jesus didn’t want us so much to remember Him, as to remember what He did, what He told us, what He showed us. By the very example of how He lived, He showed us how we, as Christians, should live. We should love everyone, as He loved everyone. We should carry out God’s will, no matter the personal cost. Just as He sacrificed in service to God, we should be willing to sacrifice, too. Jesus told us how to live, in words and in deeds. We just need to follow His example.
The second part of our scripture passage contains the warning Paul leaves us, that we must be right with God before coming to our Lord’s table. This is how we are worthy to commune with Jesus, by being righteous in God’s eyes. We need to look deep inside and judge ourselves, knowing what is expected of us, and repent of any sin we find.
Look closely at what’s in our heart, in how we live. Repent, and be worthy to come to the Lord’s table. Remember Jesus – all that He did, all that He taught and showed, and all that He wants us to do. Do this, in remembrance of Him. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray… Father God, You want all of us to be reunited with You and live with You forever in heaven. So You sent Your own Son to take on our sin, to take our punishment. And all we have to do to be given that great gift of salvation is to believe in Jesus and follow His voice. Forgive us, Father, when we have trouble doing something so simple. Please help us be worthy in Your sight to come to Jesus’ table today.
Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our sin, and asking for Your help so that You might see us as worthy…
Lord Jesus, You gave it all up for us. Thank You, Jesus, for redeeming us with Your blood sacrifice so that we can be with You and our Father God forever! Please help us never forget what You did for us. And help us remember and learn from the example You set.
This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior. Amen.
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