What God Says... |
Introduction I The Library
| REMEMBER A Reflection on The Lord's Supper |
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There is nothing new here. You've probably all heard it before, but, as I have said before....
"We all need to be continually reminded of the things we already know" Have you ever forgotten something? It's often been said; "Out of sight, out of Mind". In other words what we do not do or think about regularly will be automatically put on the "back burner" by our unique and complex brain and eventually "archived", forgotten or at least "out of our conscious mind". I think God made us that way, so that the things we do not dwell on we will eventually forget. Some things are good to forget, others are critical to remember. In other words, the areas that we need to be up on, we need to keep in front of us all the time. Some one once said; "What you focus on expands". The flip side of that is what you don't pay attention to will diminish. The focus on this article is on one word and you will find it throughout the scriptures we will be referring to, and for convenience I have written out each scripture. The word is REMEMBER. It is a word and it is an action. It is something you need to do. To remember something, you usually have to write it down on your calendar or if it is something that you need to do all the time, you remind yourself in various ways until it becomes a habit by constantly doing it. Taking a certain supplement needs remembering. Eating probably does not. We are reminded naturally because our bodies require it and we feel it. However, some things we need to put attention to continually to remember. God spoke to Moses about the importance of passing on the word that He gave to him and to the people of Israel that they pass it on to their children so they would also know and not forget. Deuteronomy 6:7-9: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children,
and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou
walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be
as frontlets between thine eye. And thou shalt write them upon the
posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
Why? Because God wanted the generations to come to know what had happened and how God delivered Israel out of bondage and how they should live to stay that way. On the day that Jesus was about to die, he said the same thing to the disciples - Remember! Luke
22:19: And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave
unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
DISOBEDIENCE Let's go back and remember where it all started. The setting is the Garden of Eden. God had just finished creation and man (as in mankind - Adam and Eve) was walking in the perfect garden having a perfect life without sin or even the knowledge of good and evil. Evil was present, but it could not touch them and they were not even aware of it. Everything would stay that way as long as they were obedient to God. But Alas, things were about to change. Genesis
2:16-17: And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, You may freely eat
of every tree in the garden, but you shall not eat of the tree of
knowledge of good and evil. For in the day that you eat of it you shall
surely die.
God had given them the entire garden to enjoy, with one exeption - the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. So what happened? The devil asked a simple question which was focusing on what they could not do, rather that all the things they were allowed to; Genesis 3:1:...... And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
God says that the devil was very cunning and he knew a thing or two about marketing. First of all, you do not talk to the man, you talk to the woman. Why? Because the chance of the woman being able to convince the man is far greater than the man convincing the woman. Another thing the devil knew is that the one who asks the questions is always in charge of the conversation and the woman willingly explained everything; Genesis
3:2-3: And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of
the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the
midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither
shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
Knowing that he had her attention, the devil continued: Genesis
3:4-5: And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall
be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
He cleverly dangeled the "carrot" in front of her eyes pointing out all the benefits and emphasizing what was important to her, with;
However, the devil had pointed out a few things that sounded very good to Eve and she Saw that it was good, It was Pleasing to her eyes, she Desired it, Believed it would make her Wise and she DISOBEYED, And - immediatey shared it with her husband which took and ate it without a question. Genesis
3:6: And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food. and that
it was pleasing to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make wise, she
took of its fruit, and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and
he ate.
The devil has never stopped asking the same questions and giving the same answers throughout the ages; First of all he creates doubt that God means what he says. "Is the Bible correct", "Can you trust the accuracy", "Does God mean it that way", etc. etc. Then he gets people to feel discontent and unhappy and gives them ideas (contrary to God's Word) how they can be more fulfilled and have a happier life. Here is where it started and it continues the same way to this day. It's all about fulfilling man's desire; I
John 2:16: For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the
lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is
of the world.
COVER UP Here was the first ever futile attempt at self-righteousness. The big cover-up. Trying to hide the shame. The first attempt at "I can do it myself". Genesis
3:7: And the eyes of both of them were opened. And they knew that they
were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made girdles for
themselves.
And we've been trying to do that ever since.... We participated in what was called Evangelism Ex[plosion some years a go and we went two by two and knocked on doors doing a survey. One of the questions was: "When you stand before God and He askes you "why should I let you into Heaven?", what would you say? We goy a myriad of answers of people's own righteous acts, or the lack of bad ones. Basically people gave the reason why God should let them in to Heaven was becasuse they had been a good person or because they had not been a bad person. In other words, their own righteousness which God compares with filthy rags; Isaiah
64:6: But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses
are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities,
like the wind, have taken us away.
That obviously did not work with God, so next, they tried the all too familiar "Blame Game"; "It was not my fault!"..... BLAME GAME God asked Adam if he had eaten of the Tree and so here we have the first incident of blaming it on someone else and that is also something people have never quit doing. Notice also, he did not first approach the woman. God held the man responsible for the disobedience. However, Adam, true to his fallen nature tries to pass the blame... When God caught up with Adam He asked him if he's been disobedient and Adam pointed to the woman and said; "The woman you gave me.....my wife...". Then God turned to the woman and she said; "The serpent deceived me....". Then God turned to the serpent, and the serpent did not have a leg to stand on :) Genesis
3:11: And He said, Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of
the tree which I commanded you that you should not eat?
12: And the man said, The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate. 13: And the LORD God said to the woman, What is this you have done? And the woman said, The serpent deceived me, and I ate. Have you noticed that people are quick to blame anything in their life on someone or something else? Connie Podesta has a comedy act that says a lot; "Life would be wonderful if it weren't for other people". Isn't that how many of us treat life? "If it wasn't for him or her, I would....","I can't help it because....". "He makes me so mad", He made me do it", "It's because I'm too tall, too short, too smart, not very smart, I'm Irish, I'm Norwegian, "It's my boss....", "It's the government", "I'm married to.....", "I never went to that ......school", and an abundance of many other excuses. This brings us to God's first act of Grace; He did not instantly kill them! Instead He allowed an animal to pay for the sin of Adam and Eve with it's blood..... Ezekiel 18:20: The soul that sinneth, it shall die.
THE FIRST SACRIFICE The first ever blood sacrifice was provided by God - a covering for man's shame as a result of his disobedience. It was also the first atonement for sin. A life had to be given, blood had to be shed. Punishment had to be executed to pay for the sin of man. Genesis 3:21: And for Adam and his wife the LORD God made coats of skins, and clothed them.
Wickedness had entered the human race and God cleanses the earth from wickedness by a flood. Only Noah and his family are saved, because Noah pleased God. Jesus said that the last days will be like the days just before the flood - life as usual.... Matthew
24:38: For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating
and drinkimarrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe
entered into the ark,
39: And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then we'll fast forward to where Israel spent 430 years in Egypt as slaves and the deliverence by the hand of Moses..... REMEMBER For God to bring the people of Israel out of Egypt, bondage, God was sending Judgement on the Egyptians and the land. To protect the God's people, they were to slay a lamb and use the blood to protect them from the judgement. This they were to keep as a Memorial for ever. Exodus
12:7: And they shall take of the blood and strike on the two side posts
and upon the upper door post of the houses in which they shall eat it.
Exodus 12:13: And the blood shall be a sign to you upon the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you. And the plague shall not be upon you for a destruction when I smite in the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:14: And this day shall be a memorial to you. And you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations..... Exodus 12:25: And it shall be, when you have come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as He has promised, that you shall keep this service. WHY REMEMBER? This is a very current topic in politics today as many people, particulary in North America have forgotten the foundational principles (Constitution) on which their countries were founded on and the devil and his children does not want you to remember. But God always wants you to remember. Because people forgot and strayed from the truth, the flood came and so it will be in the last days also. Why Remember? So it can be passed on from generation to generation. To have a great future you must know the past. Remember...Pass it on! Exodus 12:24: And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.
Exodus 12:26: And it will be, when your sons shall say to you, What is this service to you? Exodus 12:27: Then you shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD's passover, who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt, when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our houses. And the people bowed and worshiped. HEREDITY OF SIN Romans
5:12: Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by
sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Job 14:4: Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. [talking about being born] Psalms 51:5: Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Here is an excerpt from "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers (Oct.5&7): The nature of sin is not immorality or wrongdoing, but the nature of
self-realization which leads us to say, "I am my own god." This nature
may exhibit itself in proper morality or improper morality, but it
always has a common basis - my claim to my right to myself.....
Sin is something I am born with and cannot touch - only God touches sin through redemption. It is through the cross of Christ that God redeemed the entire human race from the possibility of damnation through the heredity of sin. God nowhere holds a person responsible for having the heredity of sin and does not condemn anyone because of it. Condemnation comes when I realize that Jesus Christ came to deliver me from this heredity of sin, and yet I refuse to let Him do so. "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us....." and by so doing He placed salvation for the entire human race solely on the basis of redemption. Jesus Christ reconsiled the human race, putting it back where God designed it to be. In other words, the power of hereditary sin is broken by the Atonement - the shed Blood of Jesus Christ. Faith in Him provides our redemption. Romans
5:18: Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to
condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came
upon all men unto justification of life.
Isaiah 53:6: All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. II Corinthians 5:21: For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Hebrews 9:26: ........ but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Luke 22:19,20: And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. Luke 22:41-44: And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. John 19:1-3: Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands. John 19:17,18: And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. John 19:30: When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. REMEMBER! OBEDIENCE The disobedience that brought the sin to the human race was Atoned for and broken through the obedience and sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ. And through our obedience to His call to repentance, applying the atonement of Christ to our lives we can be clothed in His righteousness and boldly stand before God. I John 2:3: And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4: He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5: But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. REMEMBERING I
Corinthians 11:23-32: 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:
24: 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. 25: 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. 26: For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 27: Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28: But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29: For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30: For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31: For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32: But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. What is communion to you? Is it a ritual that the church is observing once in a while or is it really remembering and passing the faith on to the next generation, or will they forget, because it is all a ritual and not reality to them? It's been said, and it's quite evident, that what one generation allows, the next will embrace. Will we allow to forget or to remember? What do you allow as a Christian? What will you pass on? Let's partake of the bread and the cup of the Lord Jesus Christ together and Remember..... |
Introduction I The Library