Do This in Remembrance of Me

Luke 22:14-20

 

1. Today we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, because Jesus asked for us to “Do this in remembrance of me.”(19) Eucharist is the holy sacrament to remember Jesus, especially his sacrifice for us. He loves us, and therefore he does not want for us to forget him. When a mother dies with leaving her children, she asks them: “Forget me not!” There is a flower which name is forget-me-not, because in the middle age legend a German knight died in the stream, shouting “Forget me not!”, while he tried to pick the flower for his beloved lady but fell into the river. We want our beloved people to remember us forever. Now, before his death on the cross, Jesus prepared the memorial meal and asked not to forget him by keeping it until they meet again.

2. The act of remembering makes human, especially remembering grace given to us. If we forget people who have helped us and gave grace for our life, we are not worthy human being. Even though our memory easily fails, we have to make note or symbolize it not to forget it. An old man had visited an old broken pier in eastern Florida coast with a large bucket of shrimp every Friday evening until his death. Somebody asked why? His name was Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, who flied B-17 to deliver an important message to General MacArthur but fell to South Pacific because of strong hurl of wind. He was hard to survive in the middle of the sea. When he was almost dying, a sea gull sat on his head. He caught the gull but it did not resist. He ate it and used its intestines for fishing and survived. After returning to the states, he could not forget the gull. So on every Friday when he killed and ate it he had given food to sea gulls, remembering the gull. Even though sea gulls do not understand this, it is human to remember such a grace. We are human when we remember our parents whether they are alive or dead, even after many years after their departure.

3. Jesus wants for us to remember him, and we should never forget him, his sacrifice for our sins, his amazing grace. For his salvation and grace is eternal, we should not forget Jesus our Lord. And this Eucharist, bread and wine, is the symbolic medium to remember him. Then, what does he want for us to remember? First, he wants for you to remember him personally, Jesus Christ: “Do this in remembrance of me!”(19) Even though he wants for us to remember “my body given for you”(19) by bread and “my blood poured out for you”(20) by wine, the true object to remember is Jesus Christ himself. Sometime we remember national liberation but not those persons who made it. We remember Christmas but not Christ. We remember Thanksgiving Day but not God. We remember birthday but not our parents. Of course, Eucharist is to remember the cross for our sin but His cross and His love for us. Therefore, he wants for you to remember him more vividly and love him more by keeping Eucharist.

4. Second, he wants for you to remember the love of God behind the Cross. John 3:16 says that “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God really loved us even to sacrifice His Son and He gladly became our heavenly Father. This is my Father’s world and he rules the world. And He loves us. We should not forget this, whatever happens to us.

5. Third, he wants for you to remember the value of yourself. You are so worthy enough to sacrifice the Son of God. You are so precious! You are VIP, very important person! You have so important mission to accomplish. God gave you important calling that you may not neglect. His body was given “for you” and his blood was poured out “for you.” When you have doubt and disappointment for you, remember those who love you! You parents love you enough to give everything they can give and offer every sacrifice they can make. Jesus Christ loved you and died for you. Remember it and encourage yourself. Don’t be silly, cynical or even pessimistic on yourself and your remaining life. You can do great things to love God and people around your. You can do great things for the church and the Kingdom of God. You can save people and give new life. You are worthy enough to receive the body and blood of the Son of God.

6. Finally, he wants for you to remember his coming back to you. He promised that he will come back and meet us. So, he mentioned here that he will have this Eucharist meal together when the Kingdom of God is fulfilled (16) and when the Kingdom of God comes (19). Eucharist is the sacrament of the New Covenant. Jewish people repeated this Passover meal every year for 1500 years, but Jesus said to his disciples: “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.”(15) It was very special Passover meal because it was the last one. Because it was a prophetic shadow, when the real Passover lamb is slain, it did not need to continue any longer. Now Old Covenant is over, and New Covenant came. Our Eucharist with earthly bread and wine will end when Jesus comes back or we die. Eucharist is to proclaim the sacrificial death until his coming: “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.”(1Cor 11:26) Therefore, by eating and drinking Eucharist, we have to remember his Great Commission of evangelism and mission for His Kingdom and prepare us to meet our Lord. Eucharist is what Jesus says to you: “Forget me not!” and remember my love for you and my commandment to you. May God bless your Eucharist! Amen.