As my husband led us in Holy Communion at home today, he read from 1 Corinthians 11:23-30. I could not stop thinking about the words of Jesus:
Do this in remembrance of Me.
For people who have been followers of Jesus for a while, because it has been done over and over again, we sometimes tend to just go through the motions while having Communion. It does not help that in most instances Communion is the last thing we do after singing songs of praise and worship, sharing testimonies and listening to the Word of God being preached. I try to be mindful and intentionally approach the Lord’s table as though it was the first time ever, with reverence and gratitude for the priceless gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, who took upon Himself the sin of the world, was nailed to the cross, died, was buried and on the third day rose again victorious over sin and death, so that who so ever will believe in Him will be saved from eternal death and receive eternal life. I try to be mindful of all this but sometimes I’m quietly hoping it will be done quickly and not turn into a second sermon. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit captured my attention today and got me pondering on Jesus’ words and what they mean to me.
Do this in remembrance of Me.
1 Corinthians 11:25
What comes to mind when you remember Jesus? For me, I think of how much He loves me. The Bible says that there is no greater love than this, that a man should lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13). And Jesus Himself calls us His friends (John 15:15).
I think of how Jesus always looked at those around Him with compassion. He looked at the sick with compassion and healed them (Matthew 14:14). He looked at the woman who had lost her only son with compassion and brought him back to life for her (Luke 7:11-17). He looked at those who did not yet have a relationship with God with compassion because they were lost and helpless. Then He preached to them the Gospel, the Good News and showed them the Way that they should go (Matthew 9:36-37).
I think of how Jesus always has a plan for those He loves (which includes you and me) that even as He was going back to His throne in glory, He was going there to ask His Father in heaven to send us the Holy Spirit to help us (John 14:16). Jesus was thinking of you and me even then, today and always.
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I think of how now, even after Jesus declared it is finished on the cross and the work that He was set to do on earth was complete, He still has you and me on His heart as He ever lives to intercede for us before the Father in heaven (Hebrews 7:24-25, Romans 8:34). While the devil lives to always accuse us, (the devil is aptly referred to as the accuser of the brethren, Revelation 12:10), Jesus ever lives to defend us and plead our case. And who will God the Father listen to and pay mind to; the devil who speaks lies as his language or the blameless Lamb of God, the only begotten Son of God in Whom He is well pleased? I think of how Jesus is on my side, and I would rather have no one else on my side.
“Do this in remembrance of Me”. Jesus understands the human nature. As He is a High Priest that is able to empathize with our weaknesses, because Jesus has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin (Hebrews 4:15). He knows how short our memories are. That is why I believe He instructed us to have communion often, and the reason being that we remember Him as often as we have this communion as followers of Christ.
Jesus concludes that He will not have communion again till He has it with us in heaven. So lastly, when I remember Jesus, I think of how He promised to come back for me, for His bride. He has gone to heaven to prepare a place for you and me, and when the time is right, He will come back for us, to take us to that beautiful place He Himself is preparing. John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
Those are some of the wonderful things that come to my mind when I remember Jesus.
So, my question to you is, what comes to mind when you remember Jesus?
1 Corinthians 11:23-30
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; 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.” 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.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
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. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.
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