Honor and Respect for our Leaders.

Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.  Hebrews 13:7

We have learned that God has appointed leaders over his church body to help us learn how he wants us to live and behave.  Like all Christians, God expects leaders to live lives that are holy and acceptable to him.  In fact, he holds them to an even higher standard, because those who lead are supposed to understand what exactly it is they are leading others to.  James 3:1 confirms that God judges the leaders of his church more strictly. 

Here in Hebrews God calls us to remember and consider the outcome of the lifestyle of the leaders of our church.  He charges us to imitate their faith; which implies that God does not only desires the leader of a church to have faith and a lifestyle worth imitating, but he expects it!  The Bible clearly states that we are to live a life that is holy and pleasing to him.  And how could anyone expect to teach others how to live a lifestyle that they themselves do not live?  People who know how those leaders live could disregard the Word of God, thinking that if a leader of the church can live in sin, it must be ok for them to live in sin, too.  This is a false, dangerous thing.  This is why God judges those in leadership positions so strictly.

No one is perfect, not even the leaders of the church.  We should pray for those in leadership positions, that God would give them the strength and the power to both live and teach the truth.   

Be the Hands and Feet of Jesus

Romans 12:4-5  For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,   so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

If you have come to God and accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then according to the Bible you are part of the Body of Christ.  Being a Christian is not about rituals, rules, or ordinances.  To be a Christian is to be part of Christ.

Think about your body.  Your hands, feet, mouth...they all do what you want them to do.   Your body is an extension of yourself.  It follows your will and desires.  Your feet don't go around wishing they could walk somewhere you don't want to go, after all!

If we are the body of Christ, then we should go where Jesus would go, do what he would do, speak what he wants us to speak.  A Christian's will should be God's will.

Living Sacrifice

Romans 12:1-2   Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

When we come to God, make him Lord of our lives, he washes away our sins, and we are made new.  We are a new creation in Christ.  And God desires us to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice.  A sacrifice is the surrender of a possession as an offering to God.  God wishes us to surrender our bodies to him.  We are no longer our own; we are bought with a price.  And that price is the blood of Jesus.

How do we present our bodies as a living sacrifice?  We obey his commands.  We do his will.  We listen to his words.  We live the way he tells us to live.  It will not always be easy.  But it is worth it to do the will of God.

What did Jesus tell us about the Holy Spirit?

On one occasion, while he [Jesus] was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 1:4-5

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a gift given to us by God. Jesus said to his disciples that they were not to leave Jerusalem until they had received this baptism. Since Jesus had also told them to go into all the world and preach the Gospel, this baptism of the Holy Spirit was very important if they were to postpone this in order to receive it.

So, what is it about this baptism that was so important? Why was Jesus so determined that the disciples stay put and wait until they received it in order to fulfill Jesus' orders?

Jesus himself described the Holy Spirit this way during his ministry: Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. Mark 13:11

The Holy Spirit gives us courage, wisdom, and power. In the gospels, Peter denied knowing who Jesus was three times— and Peter swore he would die before he betrayed Jesus in such a way! But in Acts, after being baptized with the Holy Spirit, Peter not only claimed Jesus is Lord before the people he had previously denied him before, but he did so with such wisdom and power that 3,000 other people became Jesus' disciples that day.

Jesus also called the Holy Spirit a teacher. “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26 When we come to God through Christ and he fills us with his Holy Spirit, the Spirit teaches us the things we need to know, and reminds us of the things that God wants for us to do, and how he wants us to live. The Spirit infilling us is the key to how to live a godly, righteous life, the way God wishes us to live. If you have not received this baptism, pray that God will fill you with his Holy Spirit now!

We must preach the Gospel

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

One of the last instructions that Jesus gave his disciples before his ascencion into heaven was to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. A disciple is someone who accepts and helps to spread the teachings of someone famous. Christians should be disciples of Christ, we should accept, live, and spread the word of who Christ said he was and what he taught.

Once someone has accepted Christ into their lives, they are baptized in order to publicly show the world that they are disciples of Christ. This is a public confession that they believe and have accepted that Jesus is Lord, that he died on the cross for our sins, that everything Jesus said about himself, the Kingdom of God, and what one must do to inherit this kingdom, is true.

What does 'Born Again' Mean?

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” John 3:3

Who wouldn't want to see the kingdom of God? A place where God reigns and all bow their knees and cheerfully follow and obey his will? A place where God is acknowledged as the Mighty One, worthy to be praised, and no one tells you otherwise? It sounds wonderful, it is wonderful, and only those who are born again will ever see it.

But what exactly does that mean? “Born again” certainly sounds confusing. We've all been born; do we need to be born twice? And how exactly are we to be reborn, anyway?

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. Ephesians 2:1-2

According to the Bible, we are all born dead—not our physical self, which is very much alive—but our spirit is dead. Sin kills, it kills our spirit and our souls, and unless those are alive, we will not see the Kingdom of God. So when the Bible says that we need to be born again to see the Kingdom of God, it literally means just that—having been born once, physically, we must have a second birth. A spiritual birth. But how exactly does our spirit come alive?

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:4-5

We are born spiritually when God saves us, through his grace, when we come to Christ. Through the blood of Jesus we are renewed, redeemed, and reborn—and we are capable of coming into the Kingdom of God. Praise God for his grace and mercy!

There is Hope

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned... Romans 5:12

In the beginning, one man sinned, and so sin entered the world. Because of that, all men who were born after him sinned also. And with sin came death. Death is the punishment for sin; before sin came into the world, there was no death. But now, death is everywhere, because sin is everywhere.

But there is hope!

For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. Romans 5:19

The Bible says that just through the sin of one man, many were made sinners, so then by the obedience of one man, many can be made righteous. Jesus came to earth and lived his life in perfection; not one time did he sin. There was no reason for him to die—death is the punishment of sin, and Jesus had no sin. But he took on our punishment, so that by believing in him we could take on his righteousness and be made right with God.

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13-14

What did Jesus Say About Himself

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. 1 Peter 2:21-22

Is it possible for a man to commit no sin? Think hard: is anyone on this planet capable of being perfect? According to the Bible, Christ was perfect, and committed no sin. The Bible says that Jesus Christ never, not once sinned, not even a little. What kind of man is capable of doing that?

 

The Bible also says that there was no deceit found in Christ's mouth. Everything he said was truth, no matter how painful or hard to hear it was. Christ said to please God we must pray for those who persecute us. Christ told us to love our enemies. Christ said he was the way, the truth, and the life. Christ said that no one could come to God the Father unless they came through him.

“You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham?” “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “Before Abraham was born, I am!”

Jesus said he had seen Abraham. But what's more, in the book of Exodus, when Moses asked God who he should say sent him, God replied by saying his name was I AM. So who is Jesus? The Bible is clear in who Jesus said he was. And according to the Bible, he was telling the truth. All that is left to learn is this: Is the Bible true? Was Jesus telling the truth?

Who is Jesus? Well, who do you think he is?

God is God Alone

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Deuteronomy 6:4

There is only one God. As Christians, we are supposed to worship only one God. Not one God plus something else. We are not permitted to pray to anything or anyone save the one true God. In fact, God explicitly forbids worship of anything or anyone but him.

You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God...

If you are a Christian and have accepted Jesus as your Savior, God is jealous of your worship. He does not accept prayer to something or someone other than himself. He does not want us to turn to idols or other places for our deliverance; he does not want us to think of anything or anyone as more important to us than he is. We are to have no other gods; only the one. 

So it might seem confusing at first that God is described as being three in one—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. But it is important to remember that this is not three separate gods, but rather three parts of the same God. As I have said before, humans also have three parts—body, soul, spirit. But we are one person. God also has three parts—father, son, and Holy Spirit. But he is one God. And we worship him and him alone.

The Word

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and the life was the light of all mankind. John 1:1-5

The Word of God is powerful. It is through his words that God created the heavens and the earth. Through God's Word is the keys to life everlasting, peace, hope, and joy. Through God's Word we learn how he wishes for us to live. Through God's Word is life, and the life was the light of all mankind.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

The Word of God is Jesus Christ. Through salvation in Jesus Christ we are given life, and without Him there is no life. Jesus is our Savior, and in him all things are made new.

The New Earth and New Heaven

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Revelation 21:1-5

This world and all of its problems are going to pass away. No matter how horrible things seem now, God will not let it continue forever. There is coming a day when this world, with its sin and wickedness and lawlessness, will pass away. And then God will create a new heaven and a new earth.

This new earth will not be like the one we have now. Evil men will no longer rule the world, because this earth will be ruled by God Himself. There will be no more wickedness, or pain, or sickness, or death.

God goes on to say in Revelation 21:7: “Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.”

This new and perfect world, ruled by God, is for those who are victorious. How do we know if we are victorious? 1 John 5:4-5 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

If you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and you have accepted him as your Lord and Savior, then rejoice! In God's eyes you are victorious; you are an overcomer. Don't give up, and persevere in your faith to the end. God will not abandon us if we do not abandon him.

The Final Judgment

Then I saw a great white throne who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded to the books. Revelation 20:11-12

We are all going to be called into account for our actions. God is a God of love, mercy, peace, kindness, and goodness. And God is a God of justice.

God gives mankind every chance to repent of our sins, to change our ways and live a life of holiness pleasing to him. But the day is coming when mankind will have wasted all chances, when the chance to change will have passed. Individually, for each of us, this time is when we die. After we take our last breath, the chance for forgiveness has ended. You can no longer change your choice.

As a race, mankind's day of judgment comes at the end of the Tribulation period. The Bible says that during the tribulation, mankind refuses to repent of their sins again and again. Soon, the chance for forgiveness is passed. The time of judgment comes.

And what standard does God give for his judgment? What measure is mankind judged by? We are judged to God's standard of perfection. But no one can measure up to God's standard of perfection! We are steeped in sin from the moment we are born. We cannot meet God's perfection. And so God sent us a Savior. Jesus is our Messiah; through his blood, we obtain perfection. Not because we are perfect, but because he is perfect.

The Second Coming

Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all peoples on earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen. Revelation 1:7

After the Tribulation period comes to a close, then shall the greatest moment in human history take place. We will see Jesus himself returning in the clouds. No matter where you are on the planet, you will see his glorious appearance. He's not coming as a lowly babe in a manger, this time. He is coming as King of Kinds and Lord of Lords, he's coming back to rule the nations.

So if anyone tells you, 'There he [Jesus] is, out in the wilderness,' do not go out; or 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. For as lightning that comes out of the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:26-27

The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is not a matter of belief. It is a matter of justice. Once Jesus returns to earth, the time for repentance or believing is over. By then, you will have made your choice and all that is left is to receive the reward, or the punishment, for those choices.

The Lord is postponing judgment so that everyone has a chance to be saved. He doesn't want anyone to perish. But his judgment will come eventually. If you are putting of a decision for Christ, I implore you not to wait. You do not have the promise of tomorrow.

Please pray this prayer with me: Father God, I am sorry for my sins. I pray that you would come into my life and cleanse my heart. Sanctify me and fill me with your Holy Spirit so that I may live a life that is pleasing to you. In Jesus name, amen.

The Rapture

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

We believe that one day, when the end of the age is near, the Lord will call up those who are his own into heaven to be with him. Christians who have died will rise from their graves and fly to heaven, and then Christians who are still alive and remain will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.

This world is getting worse and worse. One day it will be so bad that there will be no hope for it any more. The Bible says that one day, the sin of humanity will be so great, that it will be like the days of Noah, when God destroyed the world because of sin and violence. When that day happens, God will judge the world for its sins, in a time called the Tribulation. But those of us who have accepted God's Salvation and are living for him will not be subjected to God's wrath. Instead, he will take us up to heaven to be with him.

There is actually some argument as to just when this rapture will take place in the Tribulation period. It will happen, because the Bible says it will. But some say it will happen before the Tribulation starts, and others say it will happen after it starts. We do believe the rapture of the church will take place before the tribulation. But, the thing to remember is not to found our hope on escaping tribulation, but rather to found our hope in Jesus Christ. No matter what happens in this life, we can overcome the world because Jesus Christ is with us, and he has already overcome this world.

Healing

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

God is love. By the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we all have a chance to come to God, to be saved. He gives us the power to live a holy life. He sanctifies us and fills us with his Holy Spirit. If that was all he ever did, we could never thank him enough.

But he went above and and beyond even that. God is under no obligation to heal us, but he chooses to heal us. I have seen many Super natural physical healings in my lifetime, and have heard of many more. Some people believe God has stopped healing people, but I know for a fact this is untrue.

In the name of Jesus and through the power of HIS name, I have seen backs healed, legs healed. I have seen cancer healed, seen chronic heart failures healed, heart attacks healed. I have seen headaches healed, earaches healed, aching feet healed, and I have even had a rather painful wart healed, nothing is impossible for God.

Nothing is too big and hard for God to heal. Nothing is too small and insignificant for God to heal. He loves us. He loves us enough to die for us. And he loves enough to allow himself to be wounded to heal us.

Leadership

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up...” Ephesians 4:11-12

God appoints people to different leadership positions in his church in order to teach and help discipline those who have come to know him as their Lord and Savior. The leadership positions are each a little bit different from each other, but all ultimately are there to help teach others the truth about who God is, how he wants us to act, and how to best live our lives for him.

Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. James 3:1

People in leadership positions in the church, whose job it is to teach others about God and his will for our lives, are held to a higher standard than for others. Why would those in a leadership position in the Church be judged more strictly? Because it is their job to teach others what God wants. If they teach falsely, not only they will be led astray, but all who hear them is in danger of being led astray.

They are also judged more harshly because the leaders of the church are being watched by both Christians and non-Christians alike in order to see what a servant of God should be like. If a person in leadership position falls into sin, it can cause a stumbling block to the people he is leading, and make the Gospel look worthless to the non-Christians who see the sin.

Being in a leadership position is a great responsibility, but if God calls you to the position, he will give you the ability to see it through, and you will never be happier than when you are fulfilling God's purpose for your life.

Tell the World

He [Jesus] said unto them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15

Jesus told us to go into all the world and preach the gospel. So why is this necessary? Where you are born is often the reason for your religion. Jesus knew that this was a faulty system that would leave people alienated from learning more about God. He gave the command to go into all the world and preach because all the world needs Jesus. No matter what your religion, we all need Jesus. For Jesus said, no man can come to Father but by me. 

Christians have a responsibility to let everyone know the good news about how Jesus has come to forgive us of our sins. We need to go into the world and tell them that they do not have to live in sin, despair, and hopelessness. 

All of us can spread the good news about Jesus. It does not matter if you did not go to seminary, or haven't memorized the Romans Road. We can start by sharing our own personal testimony. What has God done for us? He has saved us, redeemed us, healed us, given us hope.

So, faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:7

No one can be saved unless they have faith. Our faith is increased by hearing the word of Christ, and to hear the word, someone must speak it. Who else will speak it if not the ones who have already believed it? There is no one else. God has given us so much, it should be only natural to us to share that gift with the people around us.

Sanctification

May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:23

Sanctify: To set apart or declare holy; consecrate.

When we repent of our sins and turn to God in humbleness and confess him as our Lord and Savior, he then sets us apart from the world around us, cleanses away all of our sins, declares us as his holy people, and consecrates us unto himself. Through his Grace, we are now declared pure and righteous, not because of anything we have done, but because God cloaks us with his purity, his righteousness.

So now what? Do we just go on about our lives, living as we please, and when we sin—we are only human, after all—we cry and say sorry God, give me a little more grace, so I can go on with my life. No! Some people may think that all you have to do is say a little prayer and go on, but after we have agreed to let God consecrate us and set us apart for Himself, which is what we are doing when we pray the prayer of Salvation, we are expected to live a life that is holy and pleasing to God.

God knows we are not perfect. He knows that we will fall short of holiness. But that doesn't mean he does not expect us to try. God's grace is not a band-aid to cover up our sin. God's grace gives us the power to live a life of sanctification. When we try our hardest to live a life of holiness, and we fall short, God's grace will make up the difference. He will forgive us and help us to try again. But he is not pleased when we live selfishly, indulging in sin and refusing to even try to live for God. 

We as Christians are sanctified by God, set apart from the world in order to be his holy people. It's time we started to act like it.

What is the Gift of Tongues

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:4

One of the earliest and most easily apparent signs that God has filled you with his Holy Spirit is the evidence of speaking in tongues. Quite literally, you begin to speak in a language that you have not learned, praying to God with words you do not understand. 

Of all the signs God could have used to show the infilling of his Spirit into a person, this might seem like a strange choice. Why on earth would you want to pray in a language you don't know and say things to God that you yourself do not understand? It sounds strange, foreign, even frightening, to have the words of your own mouth be something beyond your own understanding. But personally I believe that is exactly the point.

This isn't something that is faked, nor something that you can learn to do by yourself. Sure, someone might be able to spout random gibberish—except speaking in tongues isn't gibberish, and people who speak multiple languages can confirm this. I have heard of a man who prayed in tongues during a church service, and after the service a visitor told him that he was not only speaking Mandarin Chinese, but he had called out to God for a Chinese Christian man, by name, praying that God would give him the strength he needed to make it through the tribulations he was going to face soon.

The man who was praying did not know how to speak Chinese. He didn't know anybody in China. He certainly didn't know anyone in China who was about to go through a particularly hard time and would need prayer. But because he was filled with the baptism of the Holy Spirit, he didn't need to know. The Spirit let him know that he needed to pray, and then the Spirit Himself gave him the very words that he needed in order to do so! 

Speaking in tongues is not some mystical mumbo jumbo that some man made up to make certain people seem better or more spiritual than others. It is not some Satanic rite, nor is it something that is outdated and unneeded in this day and age. It is completely submitting your voice and your will to God, so that He can use them for His glory, and in doing so, bless both you and the people around you!

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” Acts 19:1-2

We have learned about the baptism of repentance. We have learned about water baptism. There is one more: the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is a baptism that is above and beyond the baptism of repentance. You can be saved, but not filled with the Holy Spirit. But you cannot be filled with the Holy Spirit if you are not saved.

John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Luke 3:16

When you have been baptized with the Holy Spirit, God fills you with the power to be his witnesses. You have the power to overcome the temptation to sin, power to live a life that is holy and pleasing to God. 

The Bible tells us the story of Peter. He was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, who followed him, learning from him, and even preaching and healing in His name, since the beginning of his ministry here on earth. Peter swore he would follow Jesus to the death, yet, when the time came, he denied even knowing Jesus three times out of fear that they would kill him too. But after Jesus' resurrection, after Peter was baptized with the Holy Spirit, he not only had the courage to proclaim that Jesus is Lord to multitudes of people, he was willing and able to face imprisonment, torture, and even death to do so.

God will never ask us to do something that he is not willing or able to give us the ability to do. If you feel inadequate to do the work God has called you to do, ask Him to give you a greater infilling of his Spirit, the power to do the work.

Remembrance

“And when he had given thanks, he broke it [bread] and said, 'This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 1 Corinthians 11:24-25

Remembering is important. We remember nearly everything that happens to us, if only vaguely. But though sometimes our memories can be blurred, we always take care to remember things that are important to us. Things that mean something to us are not easily forgotten. Things that we consider mundane or unimportant—like what we had for supper three weeks ago last Tuesday—are much more likely to be forgotten than memories of weddings, for example. 

A lot of times, things can help us remember. A song that comes on the radio can remind you of the first date you had with your spouse. Someone commenting on something they learned about history can remind you of how you studied that same thing for an upcoming test months ago. They can even help us remember things that we normally wouldn't think of. For example, that supper that you have trouble remembering...seeing a spatula might remind you of what you cooked and how you cooked it. 

When Jesus was partaking of the Last Supper that he ever had before his Crucifixion, he took some ordinary items that he had on hand, bread and wine, and charged his disciples to remember him. There was nothing magical or mystical about the bread or the wine. It was just there. But Jesus also used it in order to help us remember why he had come, and why he would allow others to take away his life.

He broke the bread to show that his body would be broken. He poured the wine to show how his blood would be poured out. Just as he broke the bread and poured the wine for others to partake of, so too he allowed his body to be broken and his blood be spilled for others. For us, and our redemption! For our salvation! For forgiveness of our sins! Let me tell you this: Jesus did not have to die. He knew he did not necessarily have to die. But he also chose to die, not because he enjoyed the thought of death, but because it was the only way to save us. We have all sinned, and the punishment of sin is death. Jesus had not sinned, so he did not have to die. But he decided that he would take our punishment, so that we could be redeemed, not because of our own righteousness, but because of his righteousness.

Something like that, needs to be remembered. If you are a Christian, the next time you take Holy Communion, remember it is not some trite ritual that has no meaning other than to prove how spiritual you are. It is remembering the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ himself, and how he gave himself completely and entirely, just to save you!