1 Corinthians 11:23-25
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.
Not to ‘name drop’ or anything, but I’ve had the privilege of meeting some of the most influential speakers, teachers and preachers of our age. I’m talking, Bishop(s) TD Jakes, Noel Jones, Iona Locke, Paul Morton, & Jackie McCullough just to name a few. And I will admit it, I’m so spiritually jealous of their giftedness. Each of them has a unique way of presenting the Gospel in such compelling ways. And while I know I don’t have the talent and skill to match theirs, I do have something none of them have. In matter of fact, I have something no one else has. My personal testimony. As the old folks use to say, “you can’t tell, like I can tell, what the Lord has done for me.”
The Apostle Paul recites the account he received from Christ’s of the last Passover before his crucifixion. The details are very much the same as any other Passover, with the major exception being the instruction to make this celebration an occasion to keep Jesus in remembrance. This same instruction can be found in the Gospels as well. So the question is why!?! Why was Jesus seemingly fixated on his followers having moments of reflection and celebration about him? We don’t think he wasn’t insecure, right? And we have found that whatever he does (whether we understand it or not) is for our benefit, not his. So why the continued focus on making his sacrifice at Calvary such a big issue? I’m glad you asked.
Think of your natural body for a moment. To fight through difficult circumstances and handle heavy items, requires adequate nutrition. No matter how strong you may have started out, you aren’t yourself on an empty stomach. Without some nourishment you will become weak and ineffective. Well, your walk with Christ takes incredible strength, endurance, stamina and fortitude also. And those type of spiritual attributes only come from the Lord. He is our Bread of Life. He is the Fountain that never runs dry. Communion is our opportunity to ingest and digest his essence. During this simple act of obedience we reenergize our spirits, souls, bodies and minds. It is truly a time of refreshing. But that’s only if we approach it correctly.
The instruction from Jesus was not to remember Communion, or Passover, but to remember HIM. All too often we get sidetracked with all the ‘pomp and circumstance’ of the table we’ve set, instead of the guest of honor, Jesus, seated directly I. Front of us. We often stop thinking of his contributions past his sacrifice on the cross, and limit our celebration to his death alone. But this morning shouldn’t just be a remembrance of his suffering, death and burial, but also on his glorious resurrection and power.
People of God, to aptly remember Jesus certainly includes the many miracle, signs and wonders he performed while he was here. But it also includes the millions of untold stories that he does for us each and everyday. We shortchange this celebration when we fail to mention the great things he’s done, and keeps doing for us. And this morning, I want to testify. Because you can’t tell, like I can tell, what the Lord has done for me.
God Bless
