LUKE 22:14-30
14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table.15 And He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
17 After taking the cup, He gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you.18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19 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.”
20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table.22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!”23 They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.
24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors.26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.28 You are those who have stood by me in my trials.29 And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me,30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Luke 22:14-30 REMEMBERING MATTERS
Springford Baptist Church: Nov. 6, 2022.
It is important that we have a day set aside each year as Remembrance Day because we need to remember those who have given themselves for peace.
It has been a costly gift both for those who did not return home and for those who have.
It has been costly and continues to be costly for those who remain at home while loved ones go to serve.
REMEMBERING MATTERS because remembering can change our now.
In the current climate of our world with political and social unrest and disputes and injustice and the atrocities of war, we can find ourselves wondering if people really are remembering what history has tried to teach us. REMEMBERING MATTERS and will affect our prayers because we will be drawn close to God and feel a deep need for prayer for ourselves and for our world.
It is also important that we have a time set aside for Communion/ The Lord’s Supper. We observe this time of remembering once a month. Each time we participate around The Lord’s Table, we are doing what Jesus told us to do. We are remembering.
It was a costly gift for Jesus to give His life to set us free. We can be free from sin, the same sin that brings about the horrors of war.
This morning, I want us to consider together what happens when we remember and how remembering affects our prayers and how we will choose to live each day. REMEMBERING MATTERS!
When we remember, we are changed!
God uses times of remembering to change our outlooks and our understanding.
Story of Ruth Graham, Billy Graham’s wife.
She was a deeply committed Christian believer and a strong woman of prayer.
She knew that God’s Spirit continued to work in her life to shape her into the person God wanted her to be. Ruth Graham also understood the ongoing struggle with sin.
Apparently, once when she and Billy Graham were out driving, they came to a long section of road work. After some considerable delay and having to drive exceptionally slowly, they came to a sign that read: “END OF CONSTRUCTION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.”
Ruth said, “Now that is what I want inscribed on my tombstone…”
Remembering plays a key role in God’s construction work in each of our lives. When we remember, we are changed. We are focusing on lessons learned and things of which God needs to remind us.
God can renew our relationship with Him when we remember and that is what we are led to pray: “God as I remember, bring me nearer to You”!
In the case of Remembrance Day, there are specific people who are remembered and their contribution is recognized and appreciated.
As long as we remember the high cost of war, we are motivated to strive for peace and a world where people choose to extend love, not hate.
In the case of Communion, this shared experience, we are deliberately focusing our attention on God’s Son Jesus!
If we eat the bread and drink the cup, but don’t do it remembering Jesus, we have missed the whole reason for this activity.
Remembering Jesus as He intends matters and is guaranteed to change us!
This is why Jesus was careful to explain how this should be done.
Jesus was eager to eat the Passover meal with his disciples (vs. 15) because he knew that it would now take on new significance with the meaning He would give it.
Each time His followers shared bread and wine, they would be reminded of Jesus and what He had taught them.
We hear the words that Jesus spoke before they received the bread, “This is my body given for you; do this remembering me.” (Luke 22:19) When Jesus’ followers remembered, they would be recalling the depth of Jesus’ love for them. And when they took the cup, they were to remember Jesus and that He had established, “The new covenant (a new agreement) in my blood.” (Luke 22:20)
Of course they would celebrate The Lord’s Supper on the other side of the cross, after Jesus’ death and resurrection.
At that time, they would recall time spent with Jesus and would be convinced of His powerful love!
If they had become disillusioned with life or discouraged with trying to follow the example of their Master Jesus, they could be reconnected with Jesus and renew their faith and trust in Him when they remembered.
When we remember someone, we are inspired by that person and the way his/her life was lived.
This is true of our veterans. This is true of our Saviour Jesus.
We should expect to be changed when we remember!
REMEMBERING MATTERS! Remembering does have a purpose!
It interests me that Jesus took everyday ordinary things: food and drink, bread and wine and attached to them a profound meaning.
The bread recalls for us his body and the wine, His blood.
When we focus on the giving of body and blood, the giving of life, we cannot deny the love involved.
“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life…” (John 15:13)
Such love, such sacrifice demands a response from us!
From the hymn “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”: “Love so amazing so divine. Demands my soul, my life my all.”
However, we can see in Luke 22:21-30 that the affect of remembering did not last with Jesus’ disciples.
vs. 24 A dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be the greatest.”
So soon after the tender moments of the Lord’s Supper they are not remembering Jesus.
We will need to pray that God will bring us back to a place of remembering Jesus over and over. This can result in us having our whole outlook transformed by Him.
What does this transformation look like?
Jesus challenges them and us with these words:
vs. 26 “The greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.”
REMEMBERING MATTERS! What happens when we remember?
Expect to be changed.
Expect to be drawn back to your firsttime commitment to Jesus.
Expect to become more like Jesus!
I encourage us to use Communion today, this time of remembering to renew our commitment to Jesus and our prayer-filled dependence on him. “DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.”