Luke 22:19 - "And [Jesus] took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.'"
Memory is a powerful tool in life that God has given us.
The thought of where I grew up in Tennessee brings back a flood of memories. Mostly good. But some that I wish were different. Like I have this memory of throwing an ice ball at an unsuspecting friend who really got hurt from my antics. At the time, as teenagers, all of us, except Brad, who got pelted, thought it was hilarious. Now I'm not laughing so much.
When we remember things that we regret, memory has the power to invoke that wonderful feeling called "guilt".
When you remember your past, do you ever have guilt stirred up? Or what about that self-destructive memory that's called a "grudge"?
Jesus knew the power of memory. That's why in today's verse he calls us to use the best memory. He calls us to remember that He, as the Son of God, has poured His life out for us in order that the most powerful memory might rule in our lives, namely, that God's love and forgiveness have no limit in our lives. Well, actually, our unbelief can keep God's love and forgiveness at arms length in our lives. But when we remember daily, and multiple times through a day, that God sent Jesus to pour out love and forgiveness, then the memory of Jesus trumps all others.
God's love and forgiveness trumps guilt. God's love and forgiveness trumps grudges. God's love and forgiveness trumps regret. God's love and forgiveness is a memory of the past action of Christ that is powerfully present in this very moment because the Christ who died to give that love and forgiveness is with us now, risen from the dead, and dwelling in the hearts and minds of all who will believe that the memory of Jesus's love and forgiveness is greater in lifting us up than any past memory that would pull us down.
Remember Christ today, the Christ who died for you in days gone by and who lives for you today and the days ahead, so that your past, present, and future may be filled with positive, life-giving memories that transform our past to share in the present and enduring victory of God's amazing Son, Jesus Christ!
Praise God!
Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson
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