Lest We Forget

what they were supposed to remember! Others use sticky notes all over their computer or mirror. There are phone apps that beep to remind you, calendars with alarms, and even smart watches that buzz your wrist. But here's the funny thing - sometimes we even forget to check our reminders!

Being forgetful isn't anything new. People have struggled with this since the very beginning of time. Even Jesus knew that his disciples - his closest friends - might forget important things about him after he returned to heaven. So on the night before he died, Jesus did something really smart. He created a special way for people to remember him that would last forever.

Picture this: Jesus was eating dinner with his twelve disciples. He knew this would be their last meal together before he died on the cross. As they were eating, Jesus picked up a piece of bread - the kind of flat bread they ate back then. He broke it into pieces and said something amazing: "This is my body, which is broken for you. Every time you eat this bread, remember me." Then he took a cup of wine and said, "This is my blood, which is poured out for you. When you drink this, remember me."

Think about how brilliant this was! Jesus chose something that people do every single day - eating and drinking - to help them remember the most important event in history. He didn't pick something complicated or hard to find. He picked bread and wine (or grape juice like we often use today) because these are things people have access to everywhere in the world.

For almost 2,000 years now, Christians all around the world have been doing exactly what Jesus asked. When we take communion - also called the Lord's Supper - we're not just eating a snack. We're participating in something Jesus himself started. The bread reminds us that Jesus' body was broken when he was crucified. The cup reminds us that Jesus' blood was shed - that he died - to pay the price for our sins.

But here's what makes this even more amazing: when Jesus said "remember me," he didn't just mean "think about me sometimes." In the original language Jesus spoke, the word "remember" meant something much deeper. It meant to make the past event real and present again - to experience it in a fresh way. So when we take communion, we're not just remembering something that happened long ago. We're connecting with Jesus right now, today.

Every time Christians around the world take communion, we're all connected to that same night when Jesus first broke the bread and shared the cup. A kid in Africa taking communion, a grandmother in China, your family here today - we're all part of the same incredible story that started in that upper room 2,000 years ago.

As we prepare to take communion today, let's think about what we're really doing. We're saying "yes" to Jesus' invitation to remember him. We're saying we believe that his death on the cross was for us personally. And we're promising to keep following him until he comes back or until we go to be with him in heaven.

So when you take the bread today, remember that Jesus' body was broken so that your relationship with God could be healed. When you take the cup, remember that Jesus' blood was poured out so that your sins could be completely forgiven. This isn't just a nice ceremony - it's a powerful reminder of the greatest love story ever told.

Dear Jesus, as we take communion today, help us to truly remember what you did for us. Thank you that your body was broken and your blood was shed so we could have eternal life with you. Help us never to forget your amazing love for us. Amen.