26 Jan 2013 by Tony Dibble-
Jesus Christ gave us a command that each time when we celebrate the breaking of bread and the wine of the new covenant to do so in remembrance of Him. What are we therefore to remember?
Firstly, we are to recall the love of GOD. GOD’s love does not exist outside of Him. GOD is Love (1 Jn 4:8) The love of GOD is not shallow and neither is it anything like our own unstable emotions. GOD’s relationship with us is complete as shown by His forgiveness of our sin, forgiveness He Himself took upon, bearing the full cost of sin.
GOD’s love is not an isolated nor cold love. It is instead to be found in an active relationship with Him through prayer. Prayer is the basis of our relationship with Christ: knowing GOD, not in theory, but in real life (Matthew 7:23).
Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
Apostle Paul was a missionary, theologian and an organizer in the early church. However, he was also a man of prayer to get him to be where he was in Christ.
Secondly, we remember that GOD is not an inactive bystander in our lives. He is involved actively in a responsible way, providing for our needs. He knows the number of the hairs on our head. In creation, GOD was actively involved at each stage, approving each process: moving to the next stage when He was satisfied that the earlier steps were good. Even when GOD expelled man from Eden, GOD took the trouble to clothe him. GOD’s plan of salvation was designed even before the foundation of the world. GOD’s interactive role was present on Calvary when GOD became man and bore all the consequences that sin required. Today, Christ lives in us and we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. GOD never created everything only to wind it up like a clock and sit back for it to move on its own speed. In GOD, we move and have our being and all things exist in Christ, Paul tells us (Acts 17:28, Col 1:17).So let us remember to move with GOD through Christ in prayer and in the Holy Spirit.
Thirdly, we remember that our sins have been paid for, and that we have been treated or cured, as dead to sin. We have victory over the power of sin. Christ and the Holy Spirit live in us with the full spiritual armour of GOD for our use. We are dead to sin because the accounts, the debit and credit of sin, have been balanced with the death of Christ. We are no longer in ransom to sin–unless we choose to play with sin. That is why Christ and the Holy Spirit must live in our bodies and in our spirits: to keep sin out because otherwise, the old sinful nature in us will be revived to retake our lives. The Holy Spirit is a deposit guarantee that we are united with Christ (2 Cor 5:5, Eph 1:13 &14). This is what being born again with life in Christ means.
Finally, we are the body of Christ, the church that spreads His word. The church is more than a fellowship or social unit. It is the world’s broadcasting system of the good news to all countries. The church does not exist for itself. Neither does it exist for man. The church exists for GOD alone. Its purpose is to implement under the direction of the Holy Spirit the will of GOD for all men to be saved. “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done,” are among the first expressions in the Lord’s Prayer. We are ambassadors of Christ; we are His witnesses. We are the light of the world, the salt of the earth and a city on a hill for the world to observe. Christ and the Holy Spirit are with us all the way in convicting the world of sin and judgment. The world is observing us but not to praise us. We are the vessels with the treasure: we are not the treasure but we have the treasure. That treasure is Christ. We are to pass on that treasure.
These are the main things we remember when taking the Lord’s Supper: His love for us, His life in us, His redemption of us from sin and the role He gave us while on earth.
Note: Tony Dibble worships at Endeavour Christian Gathering in Mullaloo Perth, Australia for about 7 years. Prior to this, he was at Church of Our Holy Saviour, Labuan, East Malaysia. When he is in Kuala Lumpur, he now worships at Faith Oasis Fellowship Subang Jaya, Selangor.
Dear Viewers in Christ, if you find this article edifying to you, please share with your friends or loved ones by using the social media plugs (Share, Email to this article). The Lord will surely bless you as you bless others. May the Lord’s peace and love be with you. Amen.
References for pictures:
http://faithaudiokids.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Fotolia_6312215_XS.jpg
http://www.agodman.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/prayer-end-of-the-age-intercession.jpg
http://philmoser.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/alive-in-the-spirit_std_t_nv.jpg
Leave a Reply