The Importance of Regular Remembering (Mark 14:22-26)

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The Importance of Regular Remembering

The roots of Communion/the Lord’s Supper–from the gospel of Mark 14:22 to 26

Do you have a blood brother? If so, it means you’re 1) related by birth, a blood brother, or 2) you’re not related by birth, but you have sworn loyalty to another, a blood brother. It’s usually done in a ceremony, known as a blood oath, where each person makes a small cut on a finger, hand or the forearm, then the two cuts are pressed together and bound, the idea being that each person’s blood now flows in the other participant’s veins. The process provides a participant with a heightened sense of attachment with another person or cause. A blood oath meant, “I will die before I break this promise.”

In a sense, every Christian has a blood bond–we have a blood brother. But in our case, it’s all one-sided. It was the blood of another that secured our bond. It was the blood of just one which bound us forever together. It is the blood resulting in the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our blood bond is so important it’s to be remembered through an ordinance of the Church. You know the two ordinances.

1) baptism by immersion, because the word “baptism” means immersion, done once as the first step of obedience to Christ

2) Communion, so I never forget the Lord’s death for sin, burial and resurrection on my behalf

Christian, young and old, you need to remember your blood bond. Why? Because you and I are prone to forget, to drift to other relationships, to get distracted by other affections, and be delayed by life. It’s easy for each one of you to go through everyday life without remembering or relying on what Christ has done and is doing for us.

Living in California compels us to trust in ourselves and to drift into routines so we don’t depend on Christ and walk intimately with Him. That’s why you desperately need to regularly remember who Christ is and what Christ has done for you. Do you recall His commitment to you? Have you ever experienced someone sold out to you? Has someone ever been totally committed to you?

Maybe your mom was–which is the reason those enormous, 350-pound linemen look at the camera and say what? “HI, MOM!” They know who is genuinely sold out to them. Apart from my super cute, godly wife and cool children, I’ve had some people sold out to me–one I will mention. Just after seminary I had a friend, Doug, an officer in the Air Force, so committed to my future as a pastor/teacher, he sent me monthly book money. He literally built my library. I was, and still am, encouraged by his commitment to me.

A person committed to you is a powerful thing—and every Christian in this room has someone sold out to you, bound to you by death. He suffered for you, took your punishment, took your place, rescued you, delivered you from the power of sin, and empowered you to live by His indwelling Holy Spirit through His death. Now that’s commitment! A blood bond–Christ did it for His Father, then you. Christ made a commitment and sealed it with blood, this strongest commitment.

And because our Lord knows our frame and how weak we are, Christ knows we desperately need to remember what He did for us–why? The Christian life is based on what Christ did. Salvation is not a truth you merely look back upon, but a truth you live by every day. We were saved by His grace, and we live by grace every day. God gave us faith and repentance, so we live by faith and repentance.

When we daily remember just how sinful, defiant and lost we were, the more we become gracious with others who sin against us. When we remember just how sinfully messed up we were (and are), then we are more loving toward those who are still lost. When we recall His great sacrifice for us, then it encourages and motives us to serve others.

You and I must remember the cross of Christ–how He shed blood, suffered and died for your sins. And because we need help to remember, the Lord instituted Communion, the Lord’s Supper in Mark 14. Turn in your Bibles to verses 22 to 26, and let’s stand and read.

While they were eating, He took some bread, and after a blessing He broke it, and gave it to them, and said, ‘Take it; this is My body.’ 23 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 And He said to them, ‘This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly I say to you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.’ 26 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”

What’s going on here? It’s Thursday, the Passover, the most important feast of the year, and Jerusalem is flooded with millions. There are so many in town, people from the North will celebrate Passover on Thursday night and people in the South will celebrate on Friday night. Here in Mark, Jesus and the twelve are celebrating the Passover Thursday night, then Christ will be crucified as the Lamb at the Friday Passover.

They are now in the Upper Room, there’s a lot going on, much more than the gospel of Mark describes in chapter 14. Think about it–entire chapters of crucial instruction, found in John 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 all took place in the Upper Room. The timing of events from this evening are much debated. But in reality, what happens in this room is crucial, the order is not. But after a lot of study, I believe I have a close to accurate view of the order of events in the Upper Room.

First  Peter and John prepare the room in secret, so Judas will not betray Christ during this crucial time for Christ and His men.

Second  Jesus and the rest of the twelve arrive in such a way as to not allow Judas an opportunity to betray Christ during this time.

Third  They enjoy the formal Passover celebration we talked about two weeks ago, remembering the protection from God’s judgment God designed for His people in Egypt using a Passover lamb.

Fourth  Right before the end of the Passover ceremony, there is a lengthy time where they just eat, without any focus on ceremony nor symbolism. They just enjoy time together, eating freely. This is the longest part of the Passover, and I believe this is when a great deal happened.

Fifth  It’s during this time their King, in the greatest act of humility to ever occur, Jesus washes all their feet.

Sixth  After this time they’re still eating, and Jesus breaks the shocking news–one of the twelve, one of you men will betray Me.

Seventh  Judas soon departs–only then does Jesus instruct them with all the great truths found in John 13 to 17.

Eighth  After this instruction, as the Passover meal is close to its finish, Jesus initiates the Lord’s Supper, Communion.

Ninth  Wrapping up Communion, they discuss which one of them will betray Jesus, and again argue about who is greatest.

Christ either, #1 used the final steps of the Passover to inaugurate Communion, or #2 completely separated Communion from the Passover at the end of their time in the Upper Room; but Jesus is ending the old Passover, and beginning the new Communion. It’s almost as if the Old Testament stops and the New Testament begins–why? So that they’ll never forget what Christ is about to do for them.

And Christian brothers and sisters, we must regularly remember what Christ did for us–you and I desperately need Communion. Your heart will grow cold and indifferent when you don’t regularly recall what Christ did, and who you truly belong to.

I love newly engaged gals and how they show off their ring, don’t you? I love it. They all have different styles of showing it off. There’s the rose queen, the in your face, the subtle flash, the hand roll, the blind you. There are many great techniques. They share their joy in reminding everyone they will soon belong to another. I love Communion for the same reason. It is when we remember who we belong to—“I belong to Christ.” Let’s look at the importance of remembering, with point one and verses 22 to 23.

#1  The AFFIRMATION of Remembering  Verses 22 to 23

While they were eating, He took some bread, and after a blessing He broke it, and gave it to them, and said, ‘Take it; this is My body.’ 23 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.”

It’s Thursday evening sometime after 6:00 pm. Gethsemane is an hour away, His arrest soon after, six trials through the night lead to the crucifixion at 9 am, three hours of suffering, then three more hours of agony as Christ bears God’s wrath for our sin, leading to Christ willingly, by His choice giving up His life in death at 3 pm Friday. From John’s writing, Judas has departed and Jesus is alone with the eleven disciples. The Passover meal is in the final stages.

Mark tells us they’re in the informal part of the Passover–see it in verse 22, “While they were eating.” Pick this verse apart with me. Jesus now breaks from instruction and introduces the ordinance. He affirms the importance of remembering what’s about to happen. Verse 22, “He took some bread, and after a blessing He broke it.” Jesus took the flat unleavened bread, like a cracker–He blessed it. He gave thanks.

All the giving of thanks is why Communion is called in some circles the Eucharist–the Greek verb for giving thanks is eucharisteo. So the Roman Catholic Church calls it the Eucharist, because of the blessing on the bread and the blessing on the cup. Verse 22, “He broke it,” that’s so they could all share it–it was baked as a big unit of some kind.

We know the breaking of the bread is not symbolic of Christ’s bones being broken, because the Passover lamb’s bones were not be broken, and the Word of God prophesied Christ’s bones would not be broken. John 19:36, “…to fulfill the Scripture, ‘Not a bone of Him shall be broken.” The breaking of the bread could be symbolic of the fact that the disciples were, and now we are, a part of the body of Christ–that every authentic believer functions as a part of Christ’s body.

This seems to be affirmed later by Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:17, “Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread.” We’re one in His body. Jesus broke the one bread, verse 22, and gave it to them. They each received a piece of the one bread. It is crucial we remain a unity–a oneness.

Then Jesus changed everything with these earth-shattering words, verse 22, “And said, ‘Take it; this is My body.’” That’s totally new. Jesus interprets the significance of the bread in terms of His own person. With divine authority, Jesus makes the symbolism of the bread represent His own body being sacrificed for the salvation of men. This is now a remembrance for His sacrificial death.

This unleavened bread which they baked for the Passover meal had never been anything but a memorial, remembering what God did for them in Egypt. But now this action is brand new. In fact Luke adds this, Luke 22:19b, “This is My body which is given for you.” It is so important we remember what Christ gave to us. Then Luke adds, “Do this,” and here are the key words, “in remembrance of Me”–“do this in remembrance of Me.” That explains what this action means. It is a remembrance.

Do you have powerful memories? When Jean looked into my eyes as she sat on my lap and said, “Yes,” 34 years ago. I still can’t believe how blessed I am. The day I knew I was surely saved, I had a lunch tray carrying a sandwich. Anytime someone eats that sandwich, or I see it on the menu, I immediately am brought to that moment.

Communion is to be a powerful memory for you–the most powerful memory! Paul understood this as he instructs the Church in 1 Corinthians 11:24, “… when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’” What is the point of the Lord’s table? It is remembrance. It’s a reminder of the gift of deliverance from sin through the body and blood of Christ—remembering Jesus was killed for us. This declaration transforms the Passover of the Old Covenant into the Lord’s Supper of the New Covenant.

Now the Roman Catholic Church prostituted the phrase, “This is My body,” into something bizarre called “transubstantiation”. They teach that by some priestly blessing, what is bread coming out of the kitchen becomes the actual body of Jesus in the hands of the priest. There’s nothing in Scripture about that.

The Lutherans didn’t like that, so they came up with “consubstantiation”, which says it’s not the physical body of Jesus, but it’s the spiritual body of Jesus. You’re not eating Christ physically, you’re eating Him spiritually. Not true either–no biblical support for that.

Now, are you aware of how important the phrase, “This is My body,” is to history? That phrase alone caused one of the major rifts in doctrine between Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli during the Reformation. October 1st through 4th, 1529 at Marburg Castle in Hesse, Germany, the two great reformers met to resolve their differences on this very phrase, “This is My body”—Luther the German, and Zwingli the Swiss.

While the Catholics were teaching transubstantiation, that the bread and cup changes into the literal body and blood of Christ, Luther wanted to reform the Catholic Church and not break away. So he believed in consubstantiation–that the elements do not change into the presence of Christ physically but spiritually. They teach Christ is actually present in, with and under the elements.

But Zwingli held to the memorial view–a remembrance view. Christ is not present in the elements, either literally or spiritually. To partake of, “This is My body”, means we’re reminded of the benefits of redemption and salvation brought about by Christ’s death. Luther said since Christ’s body is omnipresent, He can be spiritually present in the communion elements. Zwingli viewed Christ’s statement, “This is My body”, in the same way Christ said, “I am the door”, and strongly viewed Christ’s literal body in Heaven, and therefore not physically present in Communion.

Because of the inability for Luther and Zwingli to agree on the meaning of that single phrase, “This is My body”, we have today Lutheran and Free churches sourced in Luther, and Presbyterian and Baptist churches sourced in Zwingli. And this phrase, “This is My body”, has even caused great misunderstanding outside the Church too. When Jews heard about Communion, they freaked out because it sounded to them like Christians were drinking blood, which is grossly offensive to all Jews. The Roman government suspected Christians of cannibalism because of the Lord’s Supper.

But just as the Passover meal was chock full of symbolism, so the Lord’s Supper is based on symbolism as a reminder. Jesus’ statement about the bread and the cup are no more literal than Him saying He is the Vine, the Door, the Morning Star, the Rock, and the Lamb of God. So Communion is a great remembrance.

When we partake, we remember Christ was bruised for our iniquities, He was wounded for our transgressions, He was made a curse for us, He who knew no sin was made sin for us, He bore in His own body our sins on the cross. In Communion we remember the most important truths. Again look at verse 22. I love Luther, but in this case he was wrong. I love Zwingli, and in this case he was right.

But much more important than Luther or Zwingli is what the Bible, God’s Word actually says. When Jesus says, “This is My body”, body is the Greek word soma, not sarx, which means flesh. Soma can denote a physical body, but it can also denote “person” or “self”. When Jesus offered the bread as “My body”, He was in effect offering the disciples Himself, His person–“take My entire being, this is Myself, this is My person.”

Again, 1 Corinthians 11:24, Paul says Communion is in remembrance of Him. Paul tells us, Christ commands us to do this in remembrance of Me. And the Greek word remembrance is more than in memory of–the word carries the idea of a present participation in a past event. We are not only deeply calling to mind what Christ did, but intimately remembering that Christ is alive right now. We remember His sacrifice in the past, but also remember that He abides with us right now–currently and relationally. We’re blood brothers–bound together by His sacrificial death.

Finally and most importantly–when you interpret the Bible, you want to always ask, what did it mean to the original audience who heard these words? For the eleven that night, the bread and the cup would obviously be symbolic or figurative, since the living Jesus was sitting before them. His body was physically there, so the bread was not literally His body, but the bread as Christ’s body and the cup as His blood was clearly symbolic to His disciples.

Jesus didn’t slice open a vein, nor cut a chunk off His arm. When the disciples ate the bread, it was still bread. When they drank the wine, it was still wine. However, the Lord gave new meaning to the bread and wine so that now and forevermore, they’d serve as memorials to His death. And this new ceremony was very important to Christ. The only command in this entire passage is take–take this bread, I command you. Take this bread and understand what I’m saying.

But Christ didn’t stop with bread–look at verse 23. “And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.” This introduces the second part of the Lord’s Supper, as begun by Christ that very night. Mark says a cup—“taken a cup”. But Matthew, Luke and Paul call it “the cup”. The holy grail? No!

This might correspond to the third or fourth cup of the Passover, concluding the meal. Both Luke and Paul say the cup was after supper. This third cup was, in fact, called the cup of blessing. So, as I said, the Lord might be now wrapping up the Passover as the Law requires. Jesus is perfectly obedient, but now our Lord is transforming this event to a remembrance—Communion, for Christ followers to remember what Christ did on the cross. Our Lord uses the cup as the symbol of His shed blood for our sin.

So Christ took the cup, gave thanks, then the one cup was passed around, and they each took a drink from the one cup. This may again be symbolic of their oneness in Christ’s body–together as His Body, remembering His death, His blood oath. Our Lord is affirming the importance of regular remembering. With divine authority, Jesus inaugurates a new ordinance for His disciples, replacing the Passover meal. But to make certain we embrace its importance, Jesus adds . . .

#2  The AMPLIFICATION of Remembering  Verse 24

Mark 14:24, “And He said to them, ‘This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.’” Jesus says, “Guys, I want you to get this. Let me amplify what I am saying here.” Jesus declares to His men, “The Passover has ended, Communion now starts.” The bread doesn’t mean what it used to, nor the cup. We now function by a new covenant. But even more pointed is this phrase in verse 24, “This is My blood of the covenant.”

A covenant is always a binding agreement between two parties and sealed by blood. The shedding of blood was always God’s requirement to establish a covenant. Just like young men who shared a blood oath because they never wanted their bond of friendship to be broken, our God shares a blood covenant–an agreement to enter into a permanent friendship.

But in order to enjoy a friendship with God, we have to be cleansed, washed, dressed in white, made righteous. So our God built a bridge of forgiveness and friendship with us at the cost of His Son’s blood. Again, the shedding of blood in a sacrifice was always God’s requirement in establishing any covenant. Even though a covenant is a binding agreement between two, it could be ratified, completed, sealed by only one of those parties.

The old covenant was established with a requirement for Israel to keep the Law–it was a promise of coming hope (not fulfillment) and required continual shedding of blood through animal sacrifice. If the Law was broken, then the covenant was broken–it was a covenant based on Law, dependence to Law and obedience to Law.

In this old Mosaic covenant in Exodus 24, the blood was thrown against the altar next to twelve pillars, representing the twelve tribes. Then it was thrown upon the people, who shouted they would obey. While throwing the blood on the people, Moses cried out, “Behold the blood of the covenant.” But the new covenant is fully satisfied in the blood of the one final Lamb, the blood of Christ, because it consisted not in a promise, but in a fulfillment–a fulfillment.

The actual purchase of our redemption was paid in full by Christ. Christ Himself fully paid the debt of sin and ratified the binding agreement. His death alone was sufficient. It’s a covenant based not on Law, but based on love. There were a lot of covenants in the Bible. God would no longer drown the world in water–the Noahic covenant. The Mosaic, Davidic, Abrahamic–but the new covenant would change everything. The New Covenant was sealed and set by the blood of Christ.

Every time we enjoy Communion, Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 11:25, “This cup is the “new” covenant in My blood.” It’s in His death and shed blood He provides the forgiveness of our sins. Why such graphic violence? Why must we kill a lamb? Hebrews 9:22, according to the Law, “Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Why so bloody? Why so harsh? Why so graphic? Because we don’t understand just how badly our sin offends God, and just how holy God is.

Our theology is typically not high enough, and not low enough! We don’t see God as holy enough, and don’t see our sin as bad as it is. If John the Apostle, at the end of His life, couldn’t stand before His glorified Savior, the same one He leaned upon this very night, maybe you can start to get a picture of how holy God is.

The New Covenant in Jeremiah 31 and Ezekiel 36 promised salvation, transformation, forgiveness of sin, a new heart and indwelling Spirit, and the complete forgiveness of sins. It was always in operation, but it was ratified by the death of Christ. The Old Covenant was a promise and hope, symbolized by the shed blood and death of millions of animal sacrifices. But the New Covenant is fully satisfied–ratified by the blood and death of one perfect, final, sufficient sacrifice, Jesus Christ.

Acts 20:28, “Shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” Romans 5:9, “Having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” Ephesians 1:7, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses.” Ephesians 2:13, “Now in Christ Jesus, you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

Jesus then adds in verse 24, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.” This is an allusion to Isaiah 53:12, which speaks of the Messiah, who poured His life out in death. Isaiah 53:12b, “He poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many.” Poured out for many.

The Greek word “many” highlights the vast number who benefit from the work, blood and death of the one. Many is in contrast to the one making the sacrifice. This covenant is ratified by one–only one party did the work, and only one party made the sacrifice. Don’t you love Romans 5:19, “For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.”

Final payment is made–there’s no more need for symbolic lambs. Believers merely need now to remember the cross–embrace it. Remember the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world with the Lord’s Supper. All Jesus says on Thursday will be accomplished on Friday. For us, we remember back to that Friday. We desperately need to remember what was done for us–so Christians need to remember the past work of Christ for them. But Jesus also says we need to focus on the future and . . .

#3  The ANTICIPATION of Remembering  Verse 25

Mark 14:25, “Truly I say to you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” The entire discussion ends with the bright prospect of the future. This is strong, emphatic language. I’ll never, ever again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God. Matthew, Mark and Luke each record this statement that Christ will not drink of the vine until the Kingdom.

One more reason to accept a literal 1,000-year Kingdom. Drinking wine here is not a spiritual act, but a physical act. Jesus is going to physically drink in a new, physical, earthly kingdom. Jesus promises the Kingdom is literally coming, so look forward to it. Look, in this context you can’t take Christ drinking from a cup literally, then suddenly take the Kingdom allegorically. If the literal cup is true, then the literal Kingdom is true. With the gory cross comes the glory Kingdom. This is why in the Lord’s Supper we also look ahead.

First Corinthians 11:26, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” Look forward. The Old Covenant has ended, the New Covenant has come–it has been ratified with the death of Christ. The last Passover is done for now, and the first Communion has begun. Now you celebrate Communion until He returns and sets up His Kingdom. On that day, you’ll enjoy a new kind of worship in which we will gather together, as Christ leads us celebrating a Passover and a Lord’s Table that both remember not merely the cross, but our Lord Jesus, God man, who sacrificed all for you.

Remembering the cross now is crucial, and remembering the cross in the Kingdom will be just as important. The most important act in all of history–the only source of salvation, the greatest act of love must be remembered. The best memory, your best memory! Christ dying for you. The celebration of the Lord’s Supper not only remembers back to Jesus’ sacrificial death, but it also looks forward in anticipation to His return where we, as His disciples, will partake together with Him in the Kingdom of God. It is so good, we’ll enjoy . . .

#4  The ADORATION in Remembering  Verse 26

Mark 14:26, “After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” We don’t know what specific Psalm they sang or repeated aloud, but we know it was one of the psalms between Psalm 115 and 137. I am deeply moved in my heart by the truth of this moment. Here is Christ singing praise to God just hours away from the cross.

Top candidates for singing is Psalm 118, the last Psalm of the traditional Passover hymns, which includes statements like verse 1, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” Or it could have been Psalm 136:1, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” Twenty-six times one phrase is repeated, “for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” And everyone here who embraces the cross is repeating that phrase over and over and over.

Hey friends, any day you’re not in Hell is a pretty good day. You know you deserved wrath, but you received grace–that truth alters your view of a bad day. “For His lovingkindness is everlasting.” No matter what you’re going through—“For His lovingkindness is everlasting.” No matter how hard it is, or who burned you—“For His lovingkindness is everlasting.” No matter how unfair it is—“For His lovingkindness is everlasting.”

The cross changes everything for a Christian. The Gospel refocuses everyone a Christian deals with. Christ’s shed blood for you transforms our attitudes. Jesus dying for you when you had nothing to do with it should actually alter your conversations, stop complaints and critical comments. He died for you–how can you possibly say that, do that, think that? For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Verse 27–next week we walk with Jesus as He travels to the Mount of Olives, and on the way Jesus will shock His men with news of their coming desertion. Ever been abandoned, left, deserted? Be here and walk with Christ as He’s led to the cross. And ask yourself this morning . . .

1.  Are you a SERVANT?

The Upper Room is a crucial moment in the history of the world. Just hours from the cross, the Lord institutes a remembrance. But He also washes His men’s feet. The worst agony awaits Christ, yet He prays, serves, teaches–Jesus even sings praise.

Students and parents, Dietrich Bonheoffer said, “He who would learn to serve must first learn to think little of himself.” Then he quoted Thomas a Kempis as saying, “This is the highest and most profitable lesson, truly to know and despise ourselves.” Maturity is displayed by those who think nothing of themselves and everything of Christ and others. Much of maturity comes down to denying self and serving others.

2.  Have you grasped the ENORMITY of Christ’s command?

What Jesus commands His followers to do in these verses is shocking! It is one thing to have your memory preserved by your loved ones. It is one thing to have others esteem and honor you after you die. But is altogether something else to command that your followers gather regularly in your name in order to be the sole focus. Christ commanded His followers every time they broke bread together to remember who He is and what He has done.

If that were demanded by anyone else, you’d call them delusional. But because it’s our Creator-God and Redeemer, it is not only for His glory, but for our good. Your spiritual health is linked to your regular recalling of the Lord’s love and sacrifice for you. First John 4:19, “We love, because He first loved us.” The starting place for a life of love is to remember you’re loved.

3.  What are you to REMEMBER at the Lord’s Supper?

We’ll come back to this in a moment as we prepare to celebrate Communion together. As you study through Paul’s instruction in 1 Corinthians 11, there are actually three major truths to remember at Communion. There are more, but the three main ones Paul gives are these.

1  Remember Our Unity–never allow any disunity in our church family to remain un-dealt with between believers, ever

2  Remember Your Heart–examine your heart. Make certain you leave no unconfessed or unrepentant sin God reveals un-dealt with

3  Most important, Remember His Sacrifice–never allow your inner person to remain indifferent to what Christ did for you

Communion every week is a crucial time and a healthy time for you as a Christian, and for us as a church.

[COMMUNION]

4.  Have you compared your UNJUST treatment, to Christ’s?

What is going to happen to Christ on the surface–the arrest, the trial, the execution are all a series of heinous, unjust crimes. John MacArthur says, “No victim of injustice was ever more innocent than the sinless Son of God. Jesus was the most innocent because He is perfectly holy, perfectly sinless.”

Christ was unjustly accused and He was unjustly executed. It was undeserved, unfair, and unjust. In fact, Christ was openly murdered by those who acknowledged His flawlessness. Pilate said, “I find no fault in Him,” then had Him killed. From the human side, this is an unparalleled act of injustice. So next time you think you’re being treated unfairly, think of Christ. Then remember how you treated Him, and how He treated you.

5.  Are you in the MANY?

What’s verse 24 say? “This is My blood which is poured out for MANY.” Not everyone is in the many. Are you in the many, pre-teen? Have you trusted in Christ’s work on the cross for your sins? Are you in the many, my business friend? Or has the world rocked you to sleep with its comforts? Are you in the many, student? Or has the fool’s gold of the world drawn your eyes to lust? Are you in the many, young family? Or have good priorities distracted you from the best one? Are you in the many, churchgoer? Or have you substituted the externals of religion for Christ? Today is the day for you to turn to Christ in repentance and faith. Let’s pray—back to “Remember Letter C”

#1  AFFIRMATION of Remembering  Verses 22 to 23

Mark 14:22, “While they were eating, He took some bread, and after a blessing He broke it, and gave it to them, and said, ‘Take it; this is My body.’ 23 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.”

#2  AMPLIFICATION of Remembering  Verse 24

Mark 14:24, “And He said to them, ‘This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.”

#3  ANTICIPATION of Remembering  Verse 25

Mark 14:25, “Truly I say to you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

#4  ADORATION in Remembering  Verse 26

Mark 14:26, “After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”

 

 

 

About Chris Mueller

Chris is the teaching pastor at Faith Bible Church - Murrieta.

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