By Gray A. Sands
Associate Minister
Patrick Springs Christian Church
Memorials scatter the landscape of America. We build these memorials so that we might remember an important event or person and the meaning of their significance. They are made out of the finest materials to ensure longevity but regardless of that they will eventually fade and decay in beauty and importance. In order for a memorial to stand the test of time in importance the meaning of it must resonate in the hearts of people. For the Christian the Lord’s Supper is just that memorial.
The day before Jesus was crucified he ate his last meal with His Apostles. After the meal he took break and broke it into and said, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19) Then he took a cup of juice and said, “This cup is the New Covenant in my blood which is poured for you.” (Luke 22:20) A memorial to remember Jesus, not just the man but also what he accomplished. God in the flesh paid our sin debt so that we might have a relationship with him and secure a home in heaven. I think that is pretty important for us to remember. Jesus thought it was so important that he gave us The Lord’s Supper. How often should we remember Jesus and what he did for us? Of course everyday would be a good practice and the very first Christians may have actually done that. After the day of Pentecost in which about three thousand people became Christians, the scripture says in Acts 2:46, Everyday they continued to meet together in the temple courts, they broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts. The phrase breaking of bread is used in the scriptures to describe the Lord’s Supper. All Christians should set aside some quite time each day to strengthen their relationship with God but in our fast paced world I doubt all do so. After the initial beginning of the Christian Church the church set the first day of the week (Sunday) aside as its primary meeting day under the direction of the Apostles teachings. In Acts 20:7 Luke records the primary purpose for meeting together on Sunday. He says “on the first day of the week we came together to break bread.” The primary purpose for the early Church in Sunday go-to-meeting was to partake of the Lord’s Supper. There is something sacred about holding the bread and juice in your hands and realizing that they represent the body and blood of the Son of God who gave his life in order that we might have life, even life eternal. Jesus did not want us to forget that so He instituted as a memorial to himself and His sacrificial act, The Lord’s Supper. What other effect does the Lord’s Supper have on the Church? We know that it causes us to remember but it also unites us. Jesus knew that Christians would come from all different cultures and backgrounds. This one simple act brings Christians together regardless of differences. Christians come together on the first day of the week and the scripture says in I Corinthians 11:26, “for whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” All Christians gathering together on the same day and proclaiming to the world Jesus’s death for their sin’s and his imminent return to separate the believers from the unbelievers for eternity. What a powerful message sent each and every week from the united Church. The Lord’s Supper was instituted for us to remember and unite. Let us not forget the Lord’s Supper.
