"Do this in remembrance of me." Luke 22:19
Ya'll, my memory isn't what it used to be. I've come to terms with the reality that it will never be as sharp as it was in my younger days. And, for that reason, I've become grateful for the invention of post-it notes, and the calendar and notes app on my phone. Some days you wake up and have to think really hard about what day it is. I know I'm not the only one. And, if you're reading this and you're in the earlier part of your life on this earth, and can't relate, you will one day. It's coming for you as well. That's what my mom always told me when I was younger. She was right. It's just part of life on this earth. Our bodies get older, and things don't work as well as they used to. The good news is we have lots of things to help us remember whether we're coming or going, when that "event" is you have to go to that your wife has reminded you of 124 times (according to her), and everything in between. Eventually, helping ourselves remember stuff becomes a daily habit when it's needed.
In the gospel accounts of the New Testament, we read of Jesus meeting with his disciples for what we call "the Last Supper." It was a very special moment. Jesus was moments away from being betrayed by Judas and arrested. This would set in motion his crucifixion and resurrection from the dead. I don't need to remind us how big of a deal this was. After all, this is the center point of our faith as Christians. It redefined our identity. It has given us a living hope, unafraid of death, and victory over our sin. On the night that Jesus met with his disciples for this special occasion, He took bread and symbolically broke it by tearing it apart. He told them that the bread represented His body. And as he took a cup of wine he told his disciples to divide it among themselves, and that it represented His blood being poured out. As Jesus did this, He said these words: "Do this in remembrance of me."
These words are for us just as much today as they were for the twelve disciples then. Some days, we need all the help we can get to remind us of the center point of our faith. Christian, we should always strive to remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for our souls. That's why the Lords Supper is such a special time in the body of Christ. By partaking, it somberly reminds us of the gospel message that we need to constantly be reminded of. This is why Jesus commands us to do so: to remember. It truly is a special time when we have the Lord's Supper on Sunday morning. It's such an important time, that we are told in scripture to examine ourselves before we participate. And, while perfection is not required in our lives to take Communion, we are told to do a really good heart check beforehand. We need to make sure we aren't just going through the motions of taking the Lord's Supper. It may mean that if you have something against one of your brothers or sisters in the church, you go make that right, if within your power, before you participate. It may mean that you take an inventory of your life, and ask God to reveal to you any sin that you need to confess and turn away from before you participate. While these truths aren't meant to discourage and cause worry, they are a reminder that there is never a bad time in our life to examine ourselves in our walk with Jesus and ask Him to reveal anything that is contrary to God's will for our life.
You may ask, 'How often should we take Communion?" While we have traditionally taken the Lord's Supper at South Fork once a quarter, or every 3 months, there is no biblical instruction on this. Some churches take Communion together once a month, some every other month, and other churches take it every Sunday. What is important is that no matter how many times we take the Lord's Supper, we do as Jesus commanded, and do it in remembrance of Him. It's a very special part of the gathering of the saints on Sunday morning, and we have the wonderful privilege of participating. It's a loving reminder of the whole reason we get to gather together in Christ. He paid the price for our sins. By being broken and bleeding, he ransomed us from death and Hell. And, if you're anything like me, you need all the help you can get remembering things. Especially the most important truth there is.
Brandon Walker