Growing up, what was something that you did every year to always remember or reflect upon an event or memory that happened in the past?
Sometimes when a person dies, those friends or family who were close to the deceased will, every year on the anniversary of the death, visit the place where their friend’s body was laid to rest. A rather solemn, serious moment in most cases, those attending that anniversary will often quietly reflect on the past memories that they had.
This is something that is very common on the American holiday of Memorial Day, when the fallen soldiers and servicemen who have died during a war are remembered. This holiday was created in recognition of the sacrifice that those soldiers gave in the service of their country.
As a Christian, each of us should remember a very special, important event, and we do this in the observance and partaking in the body and blood of the Lord during Holy Communion.
1 Corinthians 11:23-29 “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.
Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.”
When we partake of Holy Communion, we need to remember why we do it. We need to remember what it means, and what is on the altar; that they truly are the body and blood of the Lord Jesus.
When Jesus was nailed on the cross He was crucified next to two criminals, even though He had done nothing to deserve it. Crucifixion was a punishment meant for the worst of offenders, resulting in a slow, painful death. But Jesus died that death so that we could have forgiveness for our sins.
Remember that leading up to that time, it was required that when someone sinned they bought some kind of a sacrifice to God for their sins. But instead of having to continuously bring a sacrifice each time one sinned, Jesus died that one time for the sins of the entire world. With that single, greatest act that the world has ever seen, Jesus made forgiveness available to everyone.
That is what we remember when we partake in Holy Communion. We remember the love of Christ, and His sacrifice that He made, all so we could have forgiveness and be set free from our sins.
This is a part of our faith that we need to take in a very serious, solemn manner. What we partake of at the altar is not bread and wine; it is the body and blood of Christ. This is a crucial part that one needs to understand. It is the body and blood of our Lord that He gave us for the remission of our sins, and we need to partake of them worthily. We need to examine ourselves, confessing and repenting of our sins, and ask the Lord to forgive us.
The next time you have Holy Communion, remember what it is. Remember the love of Christ.
In Christ,
Andrew
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 