Remembering

Remembering

Luke 22:17-20, NLT

Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. Then he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come.” 19He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.” 20After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.”

Setting the Scene

Jesus took the loaf of unleavened bread, gave thanks, and “broke it in pieces.” Just as the Passover celebrated deliverance from slavery in Egypt, so this act celebrated deliverance from sin by Christ’s death. Jesus told the disciples, “This is my body, which is given for you,” using literal terms to describe a figurative truth. The bread symbolized Jesus’ work of salvation on behalf of those who trust in him.

Jesus told the disciples to eat the broken bread, saying, “Do this to remember me.” He wanted them to remember his sacrifice, the basis for forgiveness of sins, and also his friendship that they would continue to enjoy through the work of the Holy Spirit.

A little later, Jesus took the cup of wine and said it represented his blood that would be “poured out as a sacrifice.” In describing this event, Paul later wrote, “On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.’ In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it’” (1 Corinthians 11:23-25, NLT).

Whether it is called the Lord’s Supper, Communion, or the Eucharist, this sacrament has been observed by Christians since Jesus instituted it.

Getting Personal

How often do you partake in the Lord’s Supper?

How do you prepare for this event, before and during the service?

In what ways is Communion a solemn event for you? How is it a celebration?

We can remember Jesus in many ways: reading the Gospels, listening to sermons and teachings about him, and working through studies and devotional books. But Communion is a powerful memorial experience as we join with other believers through the centuries and around the world to “do this to remember” him. It should never be taken casually or as a religious routine.

Talking to God

Spend some time over the biblical description of Christ’s physical suffering, and thank God for the brokenness he suffered to pay for your sins. Thank God that you are part of the great community of believers stretching across two millennia, who have celebrated his sacrifice to “remember” him.