Do You Remember?

Do you remember why you do what you do? Do you remember, you know, why you're even here at church tonight? We're going to do the Lord's Supper. And I thought it'd be good for us to go back and remember why do we even do the Lord's Supper? Uh what's what's the purpose of it? Um and ultimately we celebrated Easter today, the resurrection of Jesus Christ today. It's because of Jesus and we c we we take partake in the Lord's supper, the communion because it was what Jesus Christ said to the church, to the disciples, to the followers. And so, uh, what I want to do tonight is just take you back to some of the moments leading up to the cross, uh, just as Jesus is instituting this, uh, into, uh, into the scriptures and and telling the followers, here's what you do to remember me, um, I want to go back to that night.

And so, the first thing I want us to do is to remember the upper room. Remember the upper room. So if you would turn your Bibles to Luke chapter number 22. Luke chapter 22. It was night. The room was lit with all with the oil lamps. It was usually what they used back then. Uh Jesus sat surrounded by his disciples. The disciples that had walked with him for almost three years. The disciples that he taught, the disciples that he walked with, and the disciples that he loved. He took the bread. He gave thanks and broke it. Then he handed the bread to them. And this is what he said in Luke chapter 22.

He said, "And he took the bread and gave thanks and broke 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." And then Jesus added words that must have brought the room to silence that night. He said in in uh verse number 21, but behold the hand of him that betrayed me is with me on the table. And you know what? Jesus knew who was going to betray him. That very person was sitting at that table. Uh the disciples were there. But what's very interesting is that nobody knew who was going to betray him.

But Judas did obviously because in hindsight we know what scripture says. Judas is the betrayer. And Jesus knew and he knew that pain was coming and still he offered his body and his blood for them. The disciples didn't know uh how to respond. So they looked around the table in disbelief. And in verse number 23 it says, "And they began to re inquire among themselves which of them it was that should do this thing. They were confused, but Jesus wasn't. He knew and he still loved them to the end." So we remember the upper room and the events that took place there, the Lord's supper, but then we also remember the garden.

After the meal, Jesus led his disciples to Gethsemane, a quiet olive uh grove that was just outside of Jerusalem. And there in the shadows of the trees, he fell on his knees in prayer. And uh the Bible describes the agony that Jesus was in as as he was praying here. But in in verse number 42, Luke chapter 22, the Bible says this, saying, "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done." Could you imagine the son of God praying this prayer because he knew what he was about to do? In verse number 44, Bible says this, "And being in agony, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground."

He was there was so much pressure on Jesus Christ as he was praying that night and as he was anticipating what was going to happen that he started to sweat profusely until there was actually blood that he was sweating blood and in that moment of surrender the silence was broken and Judas arrived with soldiers and Jesus was betrayed with a kiss. In uh Matthew chapter number 26, if you would turn there, Matthew 26, you can catch up as you get there. But verse number 47, the Bible says this. And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twel came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves.

Matthew 26:47. From the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, "Whomsoever I shall kiss, the same as he, hold him fast." And fort with he came to Jesus and said, "Hail, master." And kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, "Friend," isn't that crazy that the son of God called Judas the betrayer, "Friend," he said, "friend, wherefore art thou come?" Then came day and laid hands on Jesus and took him. So we remember the garden and then the next uh the next place that Jesus goes to we remember the trial. Jesus was dragged before the high priest and the Sanhedrin in the middle of the night.

The the crowd was there now. They hurled false accusations. They spat in his face. They slapped him and they mocked him. And here's what the Bible says in Matthew 26:67-68. It says, "Then did they spit in his face and buffeted him, and others smokeote him with the palms of their hands, saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, who is he that smokeote thee?" Yet he said nothing. He did not fight back just as Isaiah foretold. Isaiah said this in Isaiah chapter number 53 verse number 7. Isaiah said he was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shears is dumb.

So he openeth not his mouth. So we remember the trial and then we remember the judgment. At dawn they brought Jesus before Pilate the Roman governor and Pilate questioned him and found no fault in him but the religious leaders stirred up the crowd and Pilate asked this question uh in Matthew chapter number 27 22 Pilate said what shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, "Let him be crucified." Though innocent, Jesus was sentenced to die. And remember who was who they freed instead? Barabus, a known criminal was set free instead. So we remember the judgment and then we we remember the scorging.

Jesus was taken away and scorged. And in John chapter number 19 verse one, it describes that uh the Bible says or John said, "Then Pilate therefore took Jesus and scored him." That's such a such a fast word. It just says took Jesus and scored him. But if you would understand what scorging is, it was not easy. I mean maybe the electric chair is is much easier than that but scorging was not an easy thing. Roman soldiers tied him to a post and whipped him with a flagrum which is a leather cord laced with bone and metal. They called this the cat of nine nine tails. The flesh on his back was torn open and blood ran ran down his body.

Then they mocked him. In Matthew chapter number 27 29, Matthew wrote this. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head and a read in his right hand, and they bowed the knee before him and mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews." H how messed up. The crown pierced his scalp and the pain was unbearable. But Jesus said nothing. So we remember the scorging but then we also have to remember the road to Calvary. Jesus was weakened and bloodied. He was forced to carry his own cross. And John chapter number 19:1 17 says this. And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull which is called in the Hebrew Goltha.

Step by step, he made his way through the city streets, stumbling under the weight. The crowd jered, and the Roman guard shouted when he could go not no further. In Luke chapter number 23, Luke recorded this. And as they led him away, verse number 26, they laid hold upon one Simon, Simon a Sirenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus. God bless Simon for helping Jesus. So, we remember the road to Calvary, but we also have to remember the crucifixion. And at Calvary they laid Jesus on the cross and drove nails through his heart uh his hands and his feet.

And Psalm 22 verse number 16 David recorded this for dogs have compassed me and an assembly of the wicked have enclosed me. They pierced my hands and my feet. And if you can imagine with a jolt the cross was lifted and dropped into place. There he hung, beaten, pierced, and exposed. Luke 23:33 says this, "And there were when they were come to the place which is called Calvary. There they crucified him, and the malifactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left hand." Verse number 34. Then said Jesus, Jesus finally spoke and he said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."

We remember the crucifixion, but then we also have to remember the hours of darkness because for 6 hours Jesus hung on the cross and every breath was a struggle. The sky grew dark at midday. The people mocked him still. In Matthew chapter number 27 verse number 42 the Bible says this. He saved others himself he cannot save. If he be if he be the king of Israel let him now come down from the cross and we will believe him. What mockery. But Jesus stayed and he stayed to bear our sin, our shame, our punishment until the work was done. Then we remember the last words. We know that there are seven recorded last words of Jesus.

But John chapter number 19:30 says this. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished." And he bowed his head and gave up the ghost. It wasn't the Romans that killed Jesus. It wasn't the Jewish leaders that killed Jesus. Jesus gave up his own life. We remember the last words. And the debt was paid. Redemption was complete. The veil in the temple was torn in two. The earth shook. And the centurion declared that was at the cross, the foot of the cross. In Matthew chapter number 27:54, Bible says this. Now when the centurion and they that were with him watching Jesus saw the earthquake and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, truly this was the son of God.

Why do we remember? Because Jesus did it all for us. The Bible says in Isaiah chapter number 53, would you turn here? Isaiah 53. Would you read verse five with me? I'll start us off. Isaiah chapter number 53, verse number five. The Bible says this, "But he was wounded for our transgressions." Would you join me? He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him. And with his stripes, we are healed. We remember what Jesus did because he did it for us. And as we take the bread tonight and as we uh take the juice tonight, we remember first of all his body that it was beaten and broken for us.

We remember the cup. uh we remember his blood because he was poured out for the forgiveness of our sins. And as we hold these elements, we remember the weight of the cross, the depth of his love, and the power of his sacrifice. Which is why he said in Luke chapter number 22:1 19, "This do in remembrance of me." If I could call up our deacons at this moment, we're going to uh transition and and take the Lord's supper tonight. uh if I call them them call them up they're going to pass out the bread and as they pass out the bread uh you can uh go ahead and pray and just meet with God before uh I read scripture and I we'll we'll eat the bread together and we'll pray after that as well.

So we'll start passing them out. Now if I would just ask you um if you are not saved uh the Lord's supper is something that is done with amongst Christians and amongst the family of God. So if you have not accepted Christ as your savior uh we would ask that you would just uh kindly pass it along. You can observe um but tonight uh is more so for the church family and it is for uh those that are saved, baptized and then also if you are from uh like faith and practice. So, uh, we're going to they're going to pass those out and Hannah is going to play the music for now. If you want to see the power of the resurrection, I would encourage you to look at Paul.

Paul was crucifying or was was um antagonizing the church. And the verse that we're going to read tonight is from Paul who was changed by Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians chapter number 11 23- 24 says this. For I have received of the Lord that which also I had delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks he broke it and said take eat this is my body which is broken for you. This do in remembrance of me after the same manner also he took the cup. So let's let's take the bread. Pastor Peter, would you come and pray for the bread?

Father, thank you again for your broken body. as we think of what you went through the cross, your son. Lord, it's always awesome to to just think about the sacrifice that he has given and we thank you so much again for the body of our Lord and Savior. In Christ's name we pray. Amen. At this time, our deacons are going to pass out um the cup and we'll be praying in that as well. In verse number 24, Paul said this. After the same manner also he took the cup when he had sucked, saying, "This cup is the new testament in my blood. This do this do ye as oft ye drink it in remembrance of me." Brother Fay, would you come in pray for the cup?

Our heavenly father, we thank you so much for the price that was paid on Calvary for our sins. Lord, we thank you that you loved us so much to send Jesus to be that propitiation, that suitable sacrifice for our sins. And Lord, through the shedding of blood, Lord, there is peace. Lord, there's a covering and Lord, there's rightness in your eyes. We thank you so much for the plan of salvation. We thank you, Lord, that it's through simple faith in Jesus Christ that we can have that relationship. We again thank you for the blood. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.