This week I came across the story of a group of friends who—when they were 30 years old—had a reunion and were discussing where they should go for dinner. Somebody suggested that they meet at the Glowing Embers Restaurant because the waiters and waitresses there are young and energetic. They all agreed and they had a great time. Fifteen years later—at 45 years of age—they got together again and discussed again where they should have dinner. Somebody suggested the Glowing Embers because the food and wine selection there were very good. They all agreed and they had a wonderful evening. Another 15 years later at 60 years of age, they decided to gather once again discussed where to meet. Somebody suggested the Glowing Embers because you can eat there in peace and quiet and the restaurant is smoke free. They all agreed and made some great memories. Another fifteen years later, at the age of 75, the group discussed again where they should meet. Somebody suggested that they should meet at the Glowing Embers because the restaurant is physically accessible and they even have an elevator. They all agreed and enjoyed a delicious meal. Finally, 15 years later at the age of 90, the same group of friends discussed one more time where they should meet for dinner. Somebody suggested that they should meet at the Glowing Embers because they had never been there before. And they all agreed.
All kidding aside, one of the consequences of being a sinful, and therefore flawed, human being is FORGETFULNESS. No matter what our age, all of us have what are known as “senior moments” when our memories fail us. Think of it. How many times have you met someone you haven’t seen for a long time—someone you know very well—but your mind freezes up and suddenly you can’t remember their name? Husbands, have you ever ended up in the doghouse because you forgot your wedding anniversary or your wife’s birthday? Wives, how many times have you caused your husband frustration because you forgot your purse at a restaurant 90 miles back down the road? Young people, have you ever forgotten a homework assignment or forgotten the answer to a test question in spite of the fact that you knew the material? The truth is we ALL struggle with forgetfulness.
And—unfortunately one of the places that our flawed memories can cause the most damage is in our Christian walk. Perhaps this is why God spends so much time in the Bible encouraging His people to REMEMBER. I’ve noticed this in my reading of the Chronological Bible this year. Over and over again, in the Old Testament God says to the people of Israel: “Remember! Remember that you were a slave in Egypt. Remember all the way that I, the Lord your God, have led you! Remember your Creator in the days of your youth! Remember and obey My commandments! Remember to keep the Sabbath day holy!”
One thing that helps us with our forgetfulness are what many call memory tools. My garments this morning—this robe and stole that I wear whenever we share communion—my garments are a great example. This stole is a gift from the women of Amani Ya Ju—the women Cathie Burke works with in Kenya. These women come to Kenya from war torn nations all over Africa—seeking a place of peace and safety. Amani Ya Ju means, “higher peace” in Swahili—and it is an organization that provides employment for these women—and this gives them opportunity to hear the Gospel and experience the peace that Jesus gives—a peace that passes understanding—a HIGHER peace. Now—Kenya has become plagued with terrorism. It too is “war-torn” and whenever I wear this stole I remember these dear, faith-filled women who serve God in a very difficult place—women who proclaim the peace that Jesus offers.
Of course this stole also reminds me of the time Jesus wore a “stole” of sorts. Remember? The night that He instituted the Ordinance of Communion Jesus took a towel and wrapped it around His waist and He used it to wash the feet of His disciples—so this stole that I wrap around myself reminds me that I am called to serve God’s people.
And then my robe—it covers my suit to remind me that no matter how nice my clothing—I am still just a simple vessel for Jesus to use. This robe symbolizes the fact that anything good that happens in my life is not because of me but in spite of me. It’s all from Jesus.
Well, in the 15th chapter of Numbers, God gave the people of Israel a memory tool. God made a covenant with them. On His side of the covenant, God promised continued protection. On their side, they were to obey God’s loving commands, His tender commandments. God knew their weakness when it came to memory. So He ordered Moses to have the people make themselves a memory-jogging tool. Take your Bibles and let’s read about it together. Numbers 15 verses 37- 41
37 – The Lord said to Moses,
38 – “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel.
39 – You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the Lord, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes.
40 – Then you will remember to obey all My commands and will be consecrated to your God.
41 – I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord your God.’”
In this text God told them to put tassels on their robes and to tie a chord around each one to help them remember their part of the covenant, in much the same way that you and I would tie a string around our finger to help us remember something important. Well, when God in the flesh—Jesus the Christ—was about to leave His first disciples, He knew that they too would soon forget His offer of grace and His call to discipleship and service so He gave them a memory tool as well.
I’m referring to communion—for like MY robe and stole—and like the tassels on the robes of the Hebrews, the bread and the cup are to remind us of vital truth. So, let’s review a bit. What is this memory tool—what is communion—supposed to remind us of?
(1) First of all the bread and the cup of communion reminds us of Jesus’ SACRIFICE.
You see, that night as they shared their last supper, they did so in the shadow of the cross. The disciples didn’t realize this, but Jesus did. Our Lord was keenly aware of what was ahead for Him that night. Remember? He said of Himself, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”(Matthew 20:28) And so one thing these elements are supposed to REMIND us of is this fact that by dying on Calvary’s cross, Jesus paid for OUR sins. He sacrificed His own life for each of us. He SUBSTITUTED His life for ours.
John Stott writes, “The concept of substitution lies at the heart of both sin and salvation. For the essence of sin is man substituting himself for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting Himself for man.” And that is so true isn’t it! The bread and the cup are to remind us that when He hung on Calvary’s cross, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, was dying in our place.
Eight years ago, on October 2, 2006, a sad day dawned for the Amish community of Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania. Do you remember what happened that day—eight years ago? That morning, a local milkman named Charles Carl Roberts barricaded himself inside this building—the West Nickel Mine Amish School. He was armed with three guns, knives, and over 600 rounds of ammunition. When police attempted to intervene less than half an hour later, Roberts opened fire on eleven girls—all less than 14-years-old—killing five. After these brutal acts, he turned his weapon on himself and committed suicide. It was a horrible, violence—filled hour in the life of that peaceful Christian community, but as more news became available in the days that followed, a new story began to emerge—one full of courage, faith, and love. According to two of the survivors, when 13-year-old Marie Fisher began to understand what Charles Carl Roberts intended to do, she made a request. “Shoot me first,” she said, “and leave the other ones loose.”
As the oldest child in the group, she hoped that her death might somehow spare the other children or at the very least provide more time for their rescue. Immediately after this request, Marie’s younger sister Barbie said, “Shoot me second.” Now, I don’t know this for a fact, but I believe—and many people who knew the girls believe this as well—I believe these young Christian girls offered to die FIRST, inspired by the example Jesus set on the cross. They knew—they REMEMBERED—that He died for us. He died so we could live, and this memory motivated them to give their lives for their friends.
As I said, one of communion’s purposes is to help us never forget this astounding fact. Let me put it this way. This bread and this cup are not meant to FEED us, but to REMIND us of Christ and His sacrifice on our behalf, for in a way that we can never fully understand on this side of eternity, on Calvary’s cross, Jesus died in our place. His sacrifice paid for our sin. He died so we could live.
(2) And then, the Lord’s Supper is also a reminder of the LOVE that Jesus’ sacrifice expressed.
In the 15th chapter of John’s gospel, Jesus said, “Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” Well, that is what Jesus did for us on the cross. As someone put it, “It was not the nails that held Him to the cross. It was His love for you and me.”
Several years ago I read about a man named Benjamin Harrison Brewster. Brewster was a brilliant Philadelphia lawyer who served as the attorney General of the United States under Presidents Garfield and Arthur. Now, Brewster’s FACE was horribly scarred. However, it is said that he had so much grace and dignity, and such a warm winsome smile, that most people soon forgot about his facial scars. Well, while serving as counselor at one trial, the opposing lawyer, in a moment of anger, referred to Brewster’s horribly-scarred face. For a moment everyone in the courtroom just sat there in stunned silence. Then Brewster—speaking in a very low, but distinct voice said this, “My colleague here has referred to my scarred face. As to these RAVAGES which appear on my countenance, I will only say that when I was a boy, I was playing with my little brother in the library of our home, when by some chance he fell over into the fireplace. I hurried forward to save him and I did. But by doing so, I myself fell face forward on the glowing coals and a skin that was as fair as that of any child, was in that instance SEARED by the hot coals, so that I have born on my face ever since the terrible story of that misfortune. But I have always been GLAD that, though I myself suffered, I was able to save my little brother from destruction.”
Having said that, Brewster took his seat—and for several minutes, the courtroom was AGAIN engulfed in silence. Then the trial continued. My point is this. Just as Brewster’s scars were visible reminders of his LOVE for his brother, and the SACRIFICE Brewster made to save him so the Lord’s Supper is a visible memorial of Jesus’ great LOVE for you and me. Much like Brewster’s scars—the scars on Jesus’ hands and feet and side are visible reminders of His love. The fact is communion points us to the cross. And we only need look to the cross to see how much Jesus—our ELDER BROTHER—loves us!
(3) And then the third thing the Lord’s Supper helps us never forget is Jesus’ future RETURN.
In 1st Corinthians 11, the apostle Paul wrote about the Lord’s Supper and said, “As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you show the Lord’s death until He come.” You see, we observe the Lord’s Supper in the MIDST of history, but we do so with an eye to the END of history and our Lord’s triumphant return. This is our great hope as Christians: that the Christ Who was born in Bethlehem, Crucified on Calvary, and raised on that first Easter morning is coming again. The risen Christ with Whom we have fellowship here at this table is going to return to earth someday, visibly and in victory. And this is something we must never forget, for it is a promise that gives us bright hope even in the saddest hours of life. We know a day will dawn when persecution like the Amani Women and so many believers suffer these days—will be over.
On that great day we won’t just taste the joy we experience when we see old friends at reunions at restaurants like the Golden Embers. No! When Jesus comes back, He’ll take us home and we’ll all be together again—along with parents and grandparents and spouses and children and dear friends, never to be parted again!
A few years ago I read about a church building in Poland that had been reduced to rubble by repeated bombing in WWII. After the war, the congregation was too poor to buy new materials to rebuild the church, so they broke the rubble into smaller pieces, mixed in concrete and rebuilt the church with those recycled materials from the first building. When it was complete they wrote the following words over the door, “Lift up your hearts!” Well, the Lord’s Supper is also a heart-lifting experience. It’s a time to lift up our hearts to the glad and sure promise of Christ’s return.
Do you remember when Jesus’ first disciples stood looking upward—after having watched His ascension? Angels came to them and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, Who has been taken from you into Heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into Heaven.” This is God’s promise!
So, the Lord’s Supper reminds us as forgetful human beings of Jesus’ sacrifice, of His great Love, and of His promised return. As we come now to partake in this memorial meal, let me invite all Christians present to join us because even if you are not a member of this church—if you are a Christian—if you are His—this is yours.
THE ORDINANCE OF COMMUNION
This morning’s service of reminders may have prompted you to respond in some way. Perhaps as a Christian you feel the need to simply say, “Help me remember God. Help me never forget all You have done for me. Keep me near the cross. So I can live for You in light of it.” God may be leading you to join this church. Or it may be that this morning as you heard of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice you have realized your need to follow Him as Savior and Lord. However God leads, won’t you come now and share your decision with me as we stand now and sing?