The Ordained Memorial
Luke 22:14-20
And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.…


I. THE MAIN OBJECT OF THE SUPPER IS A PERSONAL MEMORIAL. "In remembrance of Me." We are to remember not so much His doctrines, or precepts, as His person. Remember the Lord Jesus at this Supper —

1. As the trust of your hearts.

2. As the object of your gratitude.

3. As the Lord of your conduct.

4. As the joy of your lives.

5. As the Representative of your persons.

6. As the Rewarder of your hopes. Remember what He was, what He is, what He will be. Remember Him with heartiness, concentration of thought, realizing vividness, and deep emotion.

II. THE MEMORIAL ITSELF IS STRIKING.

1. Simple, and therefore like Himself, who is transparent and unpretentious truth. Only bread broken, and wine poured out.

2. Frequent — "as oft as ye drink it," and so pointing to our constant need. He intended the Supper to be often enjoyed.

3. Universal, and so showing the need of all. "Drink ye all of it." In every land, all His people are to eat and drink at this table.

4. His death is the best memory of Himself, and it is by showing forth His death that we remember Him.

5. His covenant relation is a great aid to memory; hence He speaks of — "The new covenant in My Blood." We do not forget Adam, our first covenant-head; nor can we forget our second Adam.

6. Our receiving Him is the best method of keeping Him in memory; therefore we eat and drink in this ordinance. No better memorial could have been ordained.

III. THE OBJECT AIMED AT IS ITSELF INVITING. Since we are invited to come to the holy Supper that we may remember our Lord, we may safely infer that —

1. We may come to it, though we have forgotten Him often and sadly. In fact, this will be a reason for coming.

2. We may come, though others may be forgetful of Him. We come not to judge them, but to remember Him ourselves.

3. We may come, though weak for aught else but the memory of His goodness.

4. It will be sweet, cheering, sanctifying, quickening, to remember Him; therefore let us not fail to come.

(C. H. Spurgeon.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.

WEB: When the hour had come, he sat down with the twelve apostles.




The Memorial of Jesus
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