"Do This in Rememberance of Me": The Purpose of the Lord's Supper

There is a power in remembrance. The Jews were instructed in Old Testament to remember what the LORD God had done for them, particularly in the Passover Meal which helped them recount their deliverance from bondage at hands of the Almighty. The same LORD, who came in flesh, instituted another remembrance, and on the Passover no less. Jesus Christ our LORD said, "And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me. And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood." (Luke 22:19-20). We call this act of the Alpha and Omega, the Lord's Supper, and it was the Passover Meal, but Christ was revealing to his disciples what the different pieces meant that Jews had done for ages. The third cup of Cedar or Passover Meal is called, "The Cup of Suffering," and it is believed Jesus was raising this cup as He said, "this is my blood, of the New Covenant," and the bread that He held up is called Alpha Coman, it is a third Matzo during the Passover that is hidden and then found by children later. This third Matzo cracker represents Jesus would rise on third day (1 Corinthians 15:4, Luke 24), and the children finding it represents what Jesus said, "Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children." (Like 18:16, Matthew 19:14). 

In earnest, there are many events in the New Testament to remember. There is Pentecost, when Holy Spirit descended on the disciples and church grew by the thousands (Acts 2). The Ascension of Christ is consider a feast, as if Christmas which celebrates Christ's Birth, the Word coming in the flesh (John 1:14). All of these are worthwhile to remember, and even Christ's Passion and ultimate sacrifice for all our sins is celebrated once a year on Good Friday and His Resurrection on Holy Sunday or Resurrection Sunday. However, we were not meant ot remember Christ's death only once a year, but actually Jesus said to do the Lord's Supper or Communion in remembrance of Him, and Paul adds until He returns, "23For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: that the Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me. 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. For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing (proclaiming) the Lord's death until he comes again." (1 Corinthians 1:23-26). So often this act of remembering Christ and His death for us has been muddled by the different views of what is transpiring when we partake of bread and cup. For Catholics is become mystical practices of Transubstantiation established by the Council of Trent, for the Zwingilians it is simply a symbolic experience, and finally for Brucer group it is symbolic and has spiritual effect on partakers. All of this has people focused on the elements, and fighting over what is happening, when the purpose as Paul said is to "Remember, to remember Christ's Death until He comes Again."

Remembering has a power, it can remind us of what God did for us two thousand and seventeen years ago. It can rekindle the spark, and make us grateful, and want to approach of ever loving God! Remembrance is not something we should shirk, but rather embrace. Every day we gather with other believers, as often as we remember Christ's sacrifice, we should set aside some bread and wine, and partake until He comes on clouds of heaven to rescue us from this present age. The goal is to remember, to be thankful that while we were sinners and enemies of God, Jesus Christ who is God died for our sins, "While we were yet sinners, God demonstrated his love for us in that Christ Jesus died for us, and Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation." (Romans 5:8-11). We remember and celebrate our reconciliation! That Jesus Christ is a God of love (1 John 4:18) who has cleansed us with His blood and saved us from our sins and promises us eternal life and the resurrection to come (John 6:40)! He is not impersonal God who stands aloft, but came in a body to live among us (John 1:14) and to save us from separation from Him. He is tender, merciful, and just God who poured out wrath upon himself so that we may be exempt from wrath, " But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him," (Romans 5:8-9), and "For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever." (1 Thessalonians 6:9). How glorious a thing to remember that we are not destined for wrath, but are reconciled to God! What a joy to call into remembrance this glorious truth that Jesus Christ has saved us and is coming to bring salvation to us (Hebrews 9:28). 

We Remember not to uphold a command, or some law, but to remember what Christ Jesus has done for us, because it is to remember His love, and that He has given us eternal life by His sacrifice on the cross! We Remember not to earn some kind of spiritual merit, but to know Christ (John 17:3), and rejoice in reconciliation, "But now He has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence." (Colossians 1:22). He has given to us in His Grace to us and that He is Risen from dead! For this reconciliation is cause for great joy! As we remember we await His Return and to be with Him in the sky (Matthew 24:29-31, 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17) and then to live with Him in the New Jerusalem forever Amen. (Revelation 21:1-53).