Commemorate

"Then Moses said to the people,

'Commemorate this day,

the day you came out of Egypt,

out of the land of slavery,

because the LORD brought you out of it

with a mighty hand.'"

Exodus 13:3

The glow of the candles transformed the darkened room into a magical place.  As friends and family gathered around, voices joined in unison to wish my husband a happy birthday.  He beamed before the cake, looking around at all those he loved as his thoughts went to the many memories he shared with them.  The usually composed man was nearly moved to tears as he pondered the meaning of this day; the day in which God ushered his newly-minted life into this world.

Birthday celebrations are a kind of commemoration where we remember the day of our birth.  In the same way that we can use that time to honor all that God has done in our lives, there is another kind of memorial that is a part of many believer's lives.   This remembrance ritual is what we call, "communion."  

Whether we take part in this sacrament once a week, every month or only on special occasions, it is a time when we can commemorate what the Lord has done for us through Jesus Christ.  For those of us who are saved by faith in Christ, we have as much to celebrate as did the Israelites of old.  Taking the time to intentionally remember all we have been given is encouraged during this usually sober rite.

Deliverance

After more than 40 years in prison, the man who claimed innocence from the time he was arrested for starting an Arizona hotel fire in 1970 walked out of jail a free man.  The first thing he did was go for a walk to enjoy nature and then eat some fast food.  He hardly knew what to do with his new-found freedom but he thanked God for giving him the chance.

While I have never served time behind bars, I have been a prisoner of a different kind.  My jail cell was not a physical one but was made up of the shackles of sin and death that bound me as profoundly as any iron manacles could. (Romans 6:20-21) Before I knew Jesus, I had no choice but to do as my sinful nature dictated, sending me on a road that led to destruction.  As much as a drowning woman cannot save herself, so I was powerless to release myself of this eternally-damning burden. (Ephesians 2:4)

Jesus Christ freed me from the heavy yoke of sin that earned me death.  When He died on the cross, taking the death sentence my sins deserved, He saved me from the wrath of God.  Instead of being His enemy, I am now considered to be His precious child, adopted into His family by the blood of Jesus. (Ephesians 2:1-10, Romans 5:6-11,1 John 3:1)

Since I have been freed from such a burden, I must take the time to regularly remember how significant is this act of salvation.  Not only have I been promised eternal life, but I have been granted a life of fulfillment and deep meaning in the here and now. (John 10:10) This is not to say I will never suffer or go through hard times, but rather that as I live my life I have a connection to the One who made me that will empower me to live victoriously as His child.  If God is for me in such a profound way, how can anything He has created come between me and His great love for me? (Romans 8:38-39)

The deliverance from the shackles of sin and death that I have experienced at the hand of a loving God is reason enough to celebrate.

Promise

For hundreds of years the people of God had heard about the Promise.  One day soon, they would enter into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land every Israelite dreamed about, the land that they could finally call their own after years of living in a place belonging to someone else.  Now they were on the cusp of stepping into the Promise first given to their father Abraham and perpetuated and expanded upon for generations.  Now, this great nation that was promised to their forefathers would one day soon inhabit a land that belonged to them.  (Genesis 12:1-3, Exodus 3:8, Exodus 13:5)

The Israelites had a lot to celebrate!  Not only were they free from the bondage of slavery, but they were about to see a long-standing promised be fulfilled.  In a similar way, I have been promised an abundant life that will last for all of eternity.  Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for me in heaven; a special spot in our Father's house that I can call my own.  (John 14:2-3)

Consequently, I too have a lot to celebrate!  I have the hope of eternity with my Father who loves me in a place that has been created specifically for me.  I also have the promise of an abundant life here where I am free from the guilt of sin, gathered into a family of believers who loves me and given a host of gifts to share and build up my brothers and sisters in deep and meaningful ways.

Therefore, since I am surrounded by such abundance, I must never forget the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for me that makes it all possible, always keeping in mind from where I came.

The promise of a full, rich life here and an eternal one afterward is reason enough to celebrate.

Redemption

The firstborn belonged to the Lord.  The Israelites were instructed to give the first males birthed back to Him as a reminder that they were His in the first place.  In a the same way that I offer back to the Lord the first ten percent of my income that rightfully belongs to Him, the people of Israel gave back the firstfruits of their flocks.  

Moreover, the first of the children born into their families also belonged to the Lord.  Instead of demanding them in sacrifice, however, the Lord allowed a provision where they could buy back the child by replacing him on the altar with a lamb or a young goat.  (Exodus 13:11-16)  In the same way that the blood of the Passover lamb protected their firstborn sons from certain death at the hand of God and were in a sense "bought back" from Him, so they are to remember God's rightful possession of their firstborn sons.  It is only in sacrificing a lamb to the Lord that they can redeem their child.

In a similar way, Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, bought my life back for me.  His sacrifice saved me from the wrath of God in the same way that the blood of the Passover lamb saved the Israelite firstborns from death.  I have been bought at a price so that my life no longer belongs to me but to Christ.  (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Ephesians 1:7)

Therefore, since I have been saved from such a certain fate, I can live as a child of God who is dearly loved and profoundly treasured.  I can spend my time in ways that honor Him.  I can give my life back as a way to show my love for the One who made it all possible.

The redemption I have through the blood of Jesus Christ is reason enough to celebrate.

Every time I take the Lord's Supper, I can remember all He has done for me and celebrate what I've been given.  I have received deliverance from the burden of sin and death, the promise of an abundant life here and eternal life, as well as the redemption I receive through the blood of Jesus.  As a result, I must take the time to commemorate these great gifts every time I partake of this special ritual.  When I do, I realize how much I have to celebrate!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can live my life with the constant reminder that I have much for which to honor the Lord.

When do I take communion without thought to what there is to celebrate?

How do I so easily forget the abundant life I have in Christ?