Be Obedient—Be a Useful Instrument of God’s Power
“For I received from the Lord
(1 Corinthians 11: 23-25 NASB)
that which I also delivered to you,
that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread;
and when He had given thanks,
He broke it and said,
“This is My body, which is for you;
do this in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in My blood;
do this,
as often as you drink it,
in remembrance of Me.”
When I was a child living at home, we attended a country church, one that sat just a short distance from my home. This is the same church where I pledged my heart, my life to the Lord Jesus Christ.
A few years afterward, this same church building is where my husband & I spoke our wedding vows.
This same church is where we chose to attend during the early years of our marriage.
Outside the building, just behind the parking lot is a small, gated cemetery. In this cemetery is where the pallbearers carried my dad’s casket and placed it in the dirt many years ago.
Next to his headstone is a small patch of green grass where the pallbearers will place my casket after my death.
To say this small country church impacted my life truly remains an understatement.
Many Sundays, I sat in the church pews as the pastor preached God’s Word. Wherever I sat did not really matter, for the object of my attention remained the same—The Communion Table.
Positioned directly in front of the podium, this table continually captured my attention, but it was not really ‘the table’ but the words ingrained on the front that drew my eyes.
“In Remembrance of Me”
As I child, prior to the age of fifteen, I did not fully understand the significance of the Lord’s Supper, and truthfully, maybe I have not fully understood Jesus’ words until today.
Early this morning, I began to walk through the four Gospels, reading the details surrounding what the apostle John records as “the Feast of the Passover.” (John 13: 1)
I read the words of the Savior Jesus—
“Truly I say to you,
(The Gospel According to Mark 14: 25 NASB)
I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine
until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
Then, I found myself reading the words of Jesus Christ—
“And He said to them,
(The Gospel According to Luke 22: 15-16 NASB)
“I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;
for I say to you,
I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
In the first of the four Gospels, I was reminded of our Lord’s words—
“While they were eating,
(The Gospel According to Matthew 26: 26-29 NASB)
Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing,
He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said,
“Take, eat; this is My body.”
And when He had taken a cup and given thanks,
He gave it to them, saying,
“Drink from it, all of you;
for this is My blood of the covenant,
which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.
But I say to you,
I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on
until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
Jesus continually reminds us—the church of God—
“to you”
“all of you”
“But I say to you,”
“with you”
“do this in remembrance of Me.”
The church buildings have changed, but the words have remained.
The pastors have changed, but the impact of Jesus’ words stayed the same.
- Those who were first called “The Way” in the early church of Jerusalem during the time after Jesus’ resurrection back to heaven are the ones who are to REMEMBER.
- Those who were the first Christians during the persecution of the church when Saul of Tarsus was going on a rampage are also the ones who are to REMEMBER.
- Those who have believed in Jesus’ work on the cross and in the tomb, who have been saved, are also the ones who are to REMEMBER. &
- Those who live today, who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, are also the ones who are to REMEMBER.
“Good Lord” sung by David Leonard is a great melody that reminds us of God’s authority over our lives.
Pause to listen & Raise your hands in praise & REMEMBER—
“I’ve got the Good Lord” in my heart.
Engraved on the front of the Communion table display the words most significant, words that continually drew my eyes when I was a child & words that draw me even still today.
“In Remembrance of Me”
So today, we ask—
- What are we to REMEMBER about our salvation? &
- What are we to do with this REMEMBRANCE Jesus speaks?
Be Obedient—Be a Useful Instrument of God’s Power!
We may make plans, we continually place notes on our calendars, & we organize what we desire for our days, weeks, months, and years of our lives. However our motives are not always pure, but God’s ways & God’s plans are pure!
Day-by-Day, the Father is making us more like Jesus Christ!
My mom has always said:
“If the Lord wills, we will do this or that.”
As a child, before I knew Jesus as my Lord, mom’s words would frustrate me, but not now because now I see the biblical truth within mom’s statement.
Let us REMEMBER what it is that Jesus has done for us!
- May we never lose sight of God’s plan.
- Allow us to give our Father full authority to cause change to come to us.
- Be amendable.
- Be available to the hand of God as He directs our path.
- Yield wholeheartedly to Him.
Above all else—Be Obedient—Be a Useful Instrument of God’s Power!
“The plans of the heart belong to man,
(The Proverbs 16: 1 NASB)
But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.”