“…Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me…This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”—1 Corinthians 11:24-25
We remember people through various practices: conduct funerals and memorial services, set empty plates or seats at the table, leave flowers and crosses at the place of their passing, erect buildings and monuments in their honor, even pour out libations on the grave of “those who are not here.” Before going to the cross, Jesus gave specific instructions for His disciples, to remember Him by partaking in a final sacrament. He told them to do so “in remembrance of Me.”
Today, we call this sacrament the Lord’s Supper, the Eucharist or Holy Communion. Some partake in the sacrament weekly, others on a monthly basis. Some with bread and wine, others with wafers and juice. Whenever it is done, regardless of the elements used, it is a time of spiritual fellowship with Jesus held in remembrance of Him. We remember Jesus’ sacrifice; His life, His body, His blood given and shed on our behalf. The sacrament gives honor and reverence to His sacrifice and serves as a reminder that His death is the means by which our sins are forgiven and we are saved.
We remember Jesus’ excruciating suffering, physically and spiritually, on our behalf. Just as we reflect on a person’s life as well as their death, we remember Jesus’ life also. We remember His life as an example of how to live a godly life. We remember His ministry of intentionally seeking out the lost and outcasts of society to announce God’s love is available to all. We remember His teachings and words of encouragement, truth, love, promise and even conviction. We remember God’s grace, mercy, love and faithfulness that accompanies us through every ordeal of our lives. We remember His death was not the end, as we remember His resurrection and ascension. We remember the presence of the promised Comforter. We remember His promised return for us with hopeful expectation.
We remember Jesus during the sacrament, but those memories of Jesus should be a constant companion throughout our lives. Remembering Jesus is our light in dark moments, healing in moments of sickness, comfort in moments of bereavement, peace in moments of turmoil, joy in moments of sadness, friendship in moments of loneliness, and so much more. We remember Jesus’ suffering and death as the righteous payment that redeemed us from our sins.
Remembering Jesus is the power to live free, victorious lives. We remember that Jesus remembered and still remembers us!
Question to Ponder: How does remembering Jesus impact my living?
“He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ And they remembered His words.”—Luke 24:6-8
