Remember, Remember, Remember

 

Laurie Moulton shares from her notes:  Although I did not attend Linda’s class on Sunday (I had to be in Sacramento), I was able to listen in via phone.

Remember, Remember, Remember

The Sunday School class this Sunday, continued its focus on the meaning and purpose of communion with a study and discussion on the importance of remembering why we take communion, what communion is, our purpose as God’s children and servants, and Jesus’ command to “do this in remembrance of me”.

We looked at various scriptures in both the Old and New Testament that refer to the answers to these topics.
In Exodus 12:14, God commanded, “This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord—a lasting ordinance." 

This was a directive that was given during the very first Passover. We remember, that on the night before Jesus was crucified, that he was in Jerusalem, celebrating the Passover (which we also know as The Last Supper) with his disciples. Jesus, being a Jew, was keeping his Father’s command.

We also know from previous study, that the first Pascal lamb that was slaughtered and whose blood was the salvation for the Jews enslaved in Egypt, was actually a representation of Jesus, who was also killed and whose blood was shed for our own sins and salvation.

In Numbers 15:38, we learned that God directed His children once again: “Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel.”

The purpose of the tassel was to serve as a reminder to follow God’s commands and to not give into sinful ways. They were also a reminder of how God saved his people from slavery in Egypt.

 

Again, one of the commands being, to always remember and celebrate the Passover; salvation through the blood.

In Malachi 1:10-13, we learn exactly how God feels when we take Him for granted and choose not to remember His commands:  “Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD Almighty, “and I will accept no offering from your hands. My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD Almighty. “But you profane it by saying, ‘The Lord’s table is defiled,’ and, ‘Its food is contemptible.’ And you say, ‘What a burden!’ and you sniff at it contemptuously,” says the LORD Almighty. “When you bring injured, lame or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?” says the LORD.

 
What this verse is referring to, is that when church becomes a burden or a bore, and you start finding all sorts of excuses not to attend, that God is and always will be the Almighty and that as creator of all, will always have dominion over all. So no matter how far you stray from God, your failings will be a direct result of that. We must remember to stay connected at all times to God.

Even when we are sick or injured and cannot physically sit in a service, we can still be in communion with God—even while lying in bed.

In Luke 22:15-20, Jesus speaks to his disciples at the Passover dinner:
“I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 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.” 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.”

 Here, we see very clearly, what communion is —a sharing with each other and with God, the remembrance of the salvation of Jesus and who we are through Jesus, as children of God. We are saved by his broken body and through his blood, and we are to continue his work in the world as disciples of Christ.

Lastly, in John 12:23-36, we hear Jesus say: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?” Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.

In this verse, Jesus attempts one more time to prove to the world that he truly is the Son of God, and that all who come to believe in him will become children of the light, as Jesus is the light of the world. Therefore, through Jesus, we are children of God’s everlasting Kingdom. Jesus also shares that what he is doing and what is about to happen to him (the crucifixion) is for our benefit, not his.

Our benefit in eternal salvation and freedom through him and in him.

Throughout the Old and New Testament, we are continuously reminded to keep our faith in God, obey His commandments, and to ALWAYS remember that our true salvation lies in the broken body and outpoured blood of our precious Passover lamb—Jesus.

Let us never forget to REMEMBER.