Remembering Jesus
This week we take a break from Acts to take part in a youth-led Lord’s Table service. At the last supper, Jesus said to the disciples “Do this in remembrance of me” when He ate the bread and drank the cup. Remembering God is a powerful theme in the Bible. But how exactly do we remember God, and what does that mean for us? What are the implications? In this morning’s sermon, we will attempt to answer these questions, as we strive to live a life of Remembering Jesus.
Scripture
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, (24) and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (25) In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” (26) For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
Bible Study Questions
Remember God
Remembering God is a powerful and strong theme in the Bible. What does remembering God mean to you?
Isaiah 46:9 ESV Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me,
Psalm 119:55 ESV I remember your name in the night, O Lord, and keep your law.
1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Be Strong and Courageous
In Joshua, God tells Joshua to be strong and Courageous as he takes us the mantle handed down from Moses. He would need to be strong and courageous to lead the Israelites into the promised land. How does one become strong and courageous?
Joshua 1:9 ESV Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Deuteronomy 7:18 ESV you shall not be afraid of them but you shall remember what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt,
John 14:26 ESV But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
Never left nor forsaken
When we remember God and what He has done, we realise that we are never left nor forsaken, God is always with us. And that equips us for the lives and circumstances He calls us to, no matter how dire they may seem to us at the time. This is the ultimate source of courage and strength. Why?
Psalm 22:27 ESV All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.
Hebrews 13:5 ESV Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Joshua 1:5 ESV No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.
Rest assured
When we remember God, we can rest assured that He will fulfil His promises. Because when we look back, we see that He always does what He says He will, and we do not need to doubt Him. When we live like this, what changes can we expect in our lives?
Psalm 77:11 ESV I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
Galatians 5:22-23 ESV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
James 3:17 ESV But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
Remembering Jesus across time
As we’ve seen, remembering draws a line between the past and the present and provides a map for the way forward. So we need not fear or be dismayed. Now we can look at what it means to remember Jesus. What does remembering Jesus mean to you? Do you mainly think of the Gospels and New Testament? Can you think of Jesus in the Old Testament, and how does this change your idea of remembering Jesus?
Genesis 1:26 ESV Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Genesis 3:15 ESV I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
Gen 22:11 ESV But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
2 Timothy 4:1 ESV I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:
Revelation 1:7 ESV Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
Remembering Jesus on earth
Just as remembering Jesus’s deity helps us to live life with an eternity mindset of peace, hope, love and joy, so remembering Jesus’s incarnate life helps us to live life in the present, as Jesus did. How does remembering Jesus’s incarnate life impact our lives?
Psalm 46:1 ESV To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
John 8:12 ESV Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 14:27 ESV Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
Start right now
Hopefully, you have learnt what it means to remember Jesus and how to do it. So what can you do, starting right now, to remember Jesus?
1 Corinthians 11:24-25 ESV and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (25) In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
Colossians 3:23 ESV Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
Psalm 90:17 ESV Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!