Preached: LR A Christian Memorial Introduction A. This weekend, we remember.

Our nation has set aside a day for us, as a people, to look back over the years and think about our country. 1. We have several holidays of a civic nature throughout our calendar year. We are proud of America as a nation, and we try to look back at our history to see the good and learn from the bad. 2. I m thankful to live in a nation that holds Memorial Day. While for many it is just a day away from the office, it is far more than that. 3. Most will take time to enjoy a meal with family or friends, and some will go fishing or watch a ball game together. Those are wonderful activities, and a day away from work gives the chance to enjoy those periods of enjoyment. 4. But, no doubt, there will also be a period of time when we will pray and thank God for our nation. We are thankful for those brave soldiers who continue to fight oversees to help protect freedom. 5. But this holiday is different, because we remember our past. We think back to the hundreds of thousands who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can enjoy freedom. Our hearts are touched with pictures of the flag, the bald eagle, and soldiers. 6. Perhaps nothing touches us more, though, than a picture of many brilliantly-white gravestones spread out over fields; seemingly as far as the eye can see. 7. Memorial Day causes us, hopefully, to reflect and be thankful for the countless men and women who have given their blood for our freedom. B. I wonder if some who have lost loved ones in battle get angry or disheartened by some of us who have not, as we take Memorial Day so flippantly. I wonder if they feel like screaming, Do you know what my son did for you? Do you know what my daughter has given up for you? I lost my husband 60 years ago so that you could enjoy this day 60 years later. C. I think they have a right to be upset if we don t at least spare a few moments to remember. D. As Christians, God has also placed a memorial for us to honor, but it does not come annually. God expects us to hold this memorial each week. As with our holiday, we are told to honor. This memorial honors the One Who made the ultimate sacrifice not just for a nation, but for the entire world. E. As we eat the Lord s Supper, we remember; we reflect. This morning, I want us to think about the importance of that memorial. I. A time to Remember. A. As we have a few moments today or tomorrow, we are often urged to remember. We are told to think of those who have given their lives for our freedom. We are also told to remember the families of those who have lost loved ones, especially recently. It truly is a time to remember.

B.

As Jesus was with His apostles for the final time before His impending death on the cross, He instituted the Lord s Supper. In doing so, He uttered the words we often think about as we center our minds on the supper: Do this in remembrance of Me. C. But what is it we are supposed to remember? 1. We are to remember the Uniqueness of His birth. a. While our overall thoughts are not on the birth of Jesus during the Lord s Supper, b. It is worth our thoughts from time-to-time to think of how that miraculous birth proved so many Old Testament prophecies and how it builds our faith in the Lord. 2. We are to remember the Night of His betrayal. a. We often sing, Night with Ebon Pinion before the Lord s Supper as we think of, that dark betrayal night. b. It showed His agony and how He was so very alone. c. It is good for us to think about how the disciples left Him and fled (Mark ____), because it shows us how low things were before 3. We are to remember the Sacrifice Jesus made. a. One of the greatest lessons we can share with the world is that Christ died, not for Himself, but for us. b. It was the ultimate sacrifice, since He did not deserve to die. Rather, He died in my place. Only a perfect One could be the sacrifice for sin, and Christ was that perfect One. 4. We are to remember the Example He left. a. Peter wrote that Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example that you should follow in His footsteps. I don t think that means that we have to die on a cross. b. What Peter is telling us is that, when we suffer as a Christian (and we will), we have the perfect example to follow. Christ was able to live His life and die a horrible death in such a way that we can know how to live. 5. We are to remember His Love for us. a. We often sing songs with phrases like, O what love, matchless love; O what love for me was shown. b. Christ s love really is matchless. Paul wrote that Christ demonstrated His love in that, while we were sinners, Christ died for us. c. We didn t deserve any of it, but Christ loved us enough to suffer and die anyway. 6. We are to remember the Faithfulness to the Father s plan. a. Luke 19:10 has been called Christ s purpose statement. In that passage, Jesus said, The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. b. That was the plan for His coming, and Christ fulfilled it perfectly.

c. Notice the two-fold plan. First, He came to seek the lost. He didn t just sit up on some ivory throne somewhere and tell lost people to come to Him. Instead, He went to where lost people were. And, then, He came to save. When He found the lost, He desired to save them. d. He never once lost sight of that plan. 7. We are to remember the Information given us in His teachings. a. We won t develop this, because we could get on a tangent of trying to name everything Jesus taught. b. Let it be sufficient to say that, as we eat the Lord s Supper, we are to examine ourselves (more about that in a moment). If we realize there is a teaching of the Lord which we are not following, what better time to really think about it than during the quiet of Communion. 8. We are to remember how He defeated Satan. a. We fight Satan every day. We sing, I want to live above the world, though Satan s darts at me are hurled. We know that the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (First Peter 5:8). b. But Satan has already lost! Genesis 3:15, where it was prophesied that Christ would crush Satan s head, has been fulfilled in the death, burial and resurrection. c. As we fight Satan every day, we can know that we are fighting on the side of the One who has overcome him already. 9. We are to remember the Hollowness of the tomb It is empty! a. The cross has very little meaning if Christ is not raised from the dead. First Corinthians 15, as a chapter, reminds us of the power of the resurrection of Christ. b. When we think of the cross, it is worth our energy to also think of that empty tomb, which gives the cross its power. D. You can add to that list I m sure, but these nine things remind us that Christ lived and died in the most unselfish manner possible. He died for you and He died for me.

The Cross
In evil long I took delight, Unawed by shame or fear, Till a new object struck my sight, And stopped my wild career. I saw One hanging on a tree, In agonies and blood; He fixed His languid eyes on me, As near His cross I stood.

Sure never till my latest breath, Shall I forget that look! It seemed to charge me with His death, Though not a word He spoke. A second look He gave, which said, "I freely all forgive; This blood is for thy ransom paid; I die that thou mayest live." Thus while His death my sin displays In all its blackest hue, Such is the mystery of grace, It seals my pardon too! John Newton

II.

Now that we have established the fact the Lord s Supper is a time to remember Christ, let s notice just a few other facts about Communion briefly. The Lord s Supper is a time to Reflect. A. This may sound the same as remember, but I want to change our focus a bit. As we think of Memorial Day, we don t just think of the soldiers, we reflect on the reason they give their lives. We think of freedom and our ability to do so many things as we please. We also think of other nations that have been liberated by those soldiers. B. As we partake of the Lord s Supper, we do the same. We don t just remember the death of Christ, we reflect on the reason He came to this earth and died. 1. Why did my Savior come to earth and to the humble go? Because He loved me so. 2. But more than that song, it is good for us to remember that it was my sins that hung Christ on that cross. The reason Jesus came and died is because I needed it. He did it just for me, and just for you. 3. We don t like to think about our sins. We don t like to think about the serious nature of the sins we commit. But we should be reminded often that Jesus died because of sin! 4. Think of it this way: if I were the only person who had ever committed a sin, and I only committed one sin, that would be enough to separate me from God, and Jesus would have to make a sacrifice for that one, lone sin, for me to have any hope of heaven. Remember that Isaiah wrote that it is my sin that separates me from God, and it is sin that hides God s face from me (59:2). The Lord s Supper is a time to Respect. A. Respect is shown to those soldiers who have died in many ceremonies and in the care of graves across the land; and in graveyards around the world. Certain actions, such as

III.

flying the flag at half-mast, are symbols of our respect, but they are just the outward signs of what we feel on the inside. B. As we take the Lord s Supper, we are told to do so in a worthy manner. We are to be respectful of the action, but it is to be a time for our inner self (our minds) to show respect to Jesus for what He has done. 1. What does it mean to take the Lord s Supper in a worthy manner? 2. Does it mean that we must be perfect in order to take it? 3. We should certainly hope not. If that were the case, none of us could ever partake of it. 4. It is our attitude that is in the mind of Paul here. Let me share with you what two different commentators say about this phrase. a. One says of the phrase an unworthy manner, in other words, ritualistically, indifferently, with an unrepentant heart, a spirit of bitterness, or any other ungodly attitude (MacArthur Study Bible, 1714). b. Another writes, It is possible to partake of either emblem unworthily, and so be guilty as to both. Though we may be unworthy, we may still eat worthily, i.e., in a prayerful, reverent, repentant spirit; but if we eat unworthily, we profane not only the symbols, but the Lord who is symbolized (McGarvey, 118). C. As we take time each week to eat the Lord s Supper, we need to make sure our minds are centered on our personal relationship with the Lord. IV. The Lord s Supper is a time to Renew. A. Memorial Day is one of those holidays that seems to bring out the best in many people. While some take advantage of the day and do things they shouldn t, many are considerate of the holiday and it renews an excitement within them about America. We, in a way, renew our commitment to our nation and the values that make her great. B. The Lord s Supper is a time for us to examine ourselves, and to renew our commitment to serve the Lord. C. In many ways, the Lord s Supper brings out the best in Christians. For many, it is one of the few times we have in quiet to think about our relationship with the Lord. D. Jesus, when He instituted the supper, said that it was the new covenant in my blood (First Corinthians 11:25). 1. If it represents a covenant, that necessarily implies that there is a set of rules to be followed. 2. It also shows that we can be a part of that covenant if we will follow those commands (or rules). 3. As we take the Lord s Supper each week, we should be reminded of the covenant, with its promises as well as its rules. We should be motivated to make sure we are following these commands of the covenant so we may be able to receive the blessings promised in it. The Lord s Supper is a time to Refocus.

V.

A.

Pulling all these things together, Memorial Day is one of those times where we remember the past, so we can have a brighter future. If we don t think about our history, we will make many of the same mistakes we have made before. B. In the same way, we are to partake of the Lord s Supper, until He comes. It is a time to think forward to the day of His return, and how glorious it will be. C. It s amazing that thinking back to the cross can make us think forward to His return, but it should do so. When we remember what Jesus did for us, it should make us want Him to return so we can see Him and be with Him.

Thank You Jesus

Thank you Jesus for your love that you've given to me Thank you Jesus for your mercy that is always so free Thank you Jesus for you dying on Calvary's tree Thank you Jesus for what you've done for me. Thank you Jesus for your grace that you've given to me Thank you Jesus for your love that is always so free Thank you Jesus for your blessings I see every day Thank you Jesus for what you've done for me. Thank you Jesus for your life that you've given to me Thank you Jesus for the cross that has set me so free Thank you Jesus for your caring for all of my sin Thank you Jesus for what you've done for me. Thank you Jesus for the mansion you've built there for me Thank you Jesus for heaven where I'll always be free Thank you Jesus for making my life full of joy Thank you Jesus for what you've done for me. Lee Stuck

Conclusion A. The Lord s Supper may not carry with it all the pomp and ceremony of other memorials, but it is the greatest memorial the world has ever known. B. The beauty of the Lord s Supper lies in its simplicity and its connection to the greatest life ever lived and the greatest sacrifice ever made. C. Over the next couple of days, we will take time out of our day to pray and to remember those members of our armed forces who have paid the price the ultimate price for the freedoms we enjoy. Members of the political world and the media will give speeches and show stories to put our minds on those who have paid that price for us. Those who have died for our freedom are most worthy of our admiration, thanks, and remembrance.

D. But as Christians, we should be reminded daily of the One who died so that all might be free. E. It is a simple memorial as far as activity goes, but nothing could be more profound. F. Each day we are to remember, reflect, respect, renew and refocus in our Christian walk, but God has placed in the worship a special time to do those things. G. The Lord s Supper what a memorial! H. As we ate just a few moments ago, were you able to say that this was MY Lord s Supper? He wants to be Lord of your life. He wants to commune with you in the eating of the Lord s Supper. Can you say that He is truly the Lord of your life?