In Remembrance of Me

Throughout Scripture, we see that God’s purpose is often accomplished through suffering. His chosen ones stand against the current of social, cultural, and political forces so that His glory may be revealed. This is evident in the story of Cain and Abel, in Ishmael mocking Isaac, in Joseph rejected by his brothers, and in the prophets, often isolated in their call to repentance. The righteous suffer, but through their perseverance, God’s justice and glory are revealed. It is the Lord who restores all things according to His perfect plan.

The long-awaited Messiah fulfilled the promises of God, as shown in the testimony of Simeon, a righteous and devout man filled with the Holy Spirit. When he saw the child Jesus at His presentation in the temple, the Spirit revealed to him that this was the promised Messiah. Simeon then declared that his eyes had seen God’s salvation, and he departed in peace (Luke 2:25–35).

During His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ instituted ordinances as lasting memorials, meaningful symbols and divine patterns that strengthen the Church in faith, remind us of our identity in Him, establish our hope, and call us to walk in holiness, following Him as both our model and our goal until His return.

« And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. »

Before ascending in heaven, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, was given power and authority by the Father in heaven and on earth. And Jesus commanded His disciples, and those who would follow them, to be His witnesses with some missions to fulfill. 

Those who wanted to be saved and become His disciples were to believe the Gospel of salvation, follow Him by being baptized. And of course when a person has experience the grace of God, he wants to be more Christ, nearer of Him, been instructed, and walking in the commandments received from Jesus and His disciples throughout history.

« Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit »

When the Gospel of Christ is understood and, above all, believed, the believer lays aside their old nature and former life by observing the ordinances intended for those who wish to be part of His Church. These divine commandments are necessary so that we may be living and authentic witnesses, well assembled as the Church, with Christ in its midst. 

« …teaching them to follow all that I commanded you »

When Jesus-Christ said all He didn’t say only one thing. Through all Scripture we need to find what He has commanded and entrusted His Church with. When we look into it carefully we find two commandments for His Church: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These two ordinances are not merely human rites but commands established by the Lord Himself, carrying profound spiritual and prophetic significance.

These sacraments are part of the continuity of God’s plan, revealed from creation, to set His people apart, sanctify them by His grace, and use them as instruments for His glory. They announce and recall the supreme accomplishment of redemption in Jesus Christ, the Messiah promised since the fall of humanity.

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are a living commemoration of this communion with the Lord. Thus, the visible symbols instituted by Jesus Christ strengthen us in faith, root us in our identity in Him, and remind us that Christ is our Lord and Savior, our model, our goal, and the One through whom we carry out God’s work in the world. The Church is therefore called to walk in holiness, in hope, while patiently awaiting the glorious return of Jesus Christ.

Baptism

«baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit»

The first ordinance is baptism. The word baptism comes from the Greek baptizō, which means to plunge, immerse, or submerge. It also refers to the act of purifying or washing with water.

It is the moment when the believer enters the water by immersion, immediately following faith. Through it, the believer is publicly identified with the death and resurrection of Christ, repenting of sins before God, receiving forgiveness, and entering into communion with Christ. It is the abandonment of the former life, the surrender of oneself into the arms of the Father, and the beginning of newness of life.

But what about people that have been baptized as an infant or a child? Or without genuine repentance? Or by pure tradition? Are they obeying Jesus ?

According to Jesus, the disciples, or the biblical christianity it is never a question of age, or waiting the good moment, or thinking about it, or not being sure of doing it. Faith and obedience in Christ come together. The genuine and authentic biblical pattern is that everyone that believed and repented was right away baptized, only few examples waited two or three days due to the fact of situations or conditions.

As Peter mentioned and followed on what the Master commanded them to do here: «Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. » Acts 2:38

To be baptize by immersion in water is mandatory for a believer, this is not salvation by works, but by conviction of our deprived condition and that we need a Savior and a Lord in our lives, and spend eternity with Him. 

Nothing more and nothing less. When we have understood God’s love through Jesus-Christ we just want to be closer to Him and by extension obeying His commandments.

“He who believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he who does not believe shall be condemned.” Mark 16:16

This verse shows the importance of baptism for the believer, for it expresses our union with Christ in His death and resurrection. Yet it also makes clear that salvation comes through faith alone, not by the act of baptism itself.

Thus, baptism is an ordinance of Christ: it does not save in itself but serves as the outward sign of genuine faith. It is an act of obedience and commitment, publicly declaring our union with Jesus Christ and our desire to walk in newness of life.

Salvation, however, rests solely on the grace of God received through faith in Jesus Christ and not by works of the flesh.

Lord’s Supper

« When the hour came, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. And He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I shall not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, which is being given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup, which is poured out for you, is the new covenant in My blood. » Luke 22:14-20

The other ordinance, the Lord’s Supper, is for those who belong to the Church and are already in communion with Christ. It reminds us of our former condition: separated from God, under His just wrath, guilty of our offenses. 

But by His grace, we have been delivered, forgiven, and reconciled to Him. At the same time, it is the act that recalls His sacrifice: the bread represents His broken body, the bread of life offered for us, and the cup symbolizes His blood shed for the atonement of the sins of the world

The Lord Jesus Christ instituted His Supper on the night He was betrayed, during the preparation for the celebration of the Passover. He gave this ordinance to His disciples so that it might be observed as a perpetual memorial and a living proclamation of His sacrifice on the cross, the one and final offering for the forgiveness of humanity through His Church. 

It was His earnest desire to eat that Passover with them, in order that they could eat His Body, the bread, and drink His blood (the wine) to be in both sides in one accord, in full communion with each other. Christ was about to fulfill by obedience what was written and ordained by the Father.

When we read at the Table we are immediately think about the table of the Lord.

The table is often associated with fellowship, provision, and covenant, serving as a central element in both daily life and religious practice. the table represents God's provision and the abundance of His grace. 

Psalm 23:5 illustrates this imagery « You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows ».

Here, the table signifies divine blessing and protection, even amidst adversity.

The table is a symbol of the Messianic Banquet, a future event where believers will partake in a heavenly feast with Christ. The Bible says in Revelation 19:9 of this anticipated celebration: "Then the angel told me to write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.' And he said to me, 'These are the true words of God'".

Throughout Scripture, the table serves as a powerful symbol of God's covenant, provision, and the fellowship of believers, reflecting both the temporal and eternal aspects of God's relationship with His people.

Jesus as the Bread of Life in the Bible is also a profound symbol of God's provision, presence, and promise. It serves as a reminder of humanity's dependence on God for both physical sustenance and spiritual life. The imagery of bread culminates in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who offers Himself as the true bread from heaven, providing eternal life to all who believe in Him.

The act of breaking the bread is not accidental, for this word alludes to His own Body, which was to be broken on the Cross, and the Blood represents that of our Lord, which was to be poured out on the Cross as a sign of the sacrificial purification of our sins on the final and eternal altar of God.

Remembrance holds a profound place within the biblical narrative, serving as a vital component of faith and spiritual practice. The concept of remembrance in the Bible is not merely about recalling past events but involves a deep, active engagement with God's acts, commands, and promises. It is a call to live in light of God's faithfulness and to align one's life with His divine purposes.

Poured out means to give or release fully, abundantly, and without holding back.

We can see the entirety, the plentifulness of the Son’s divine act of obedience to the Father in order to save us from this world and give us eternal life hope in His return. 

Cup represents in this case the divine blessing and anointing through His shared blood, but in some passages, as in the Book os Revelation covers a series of God’s wrath for humanity. But here the cup is taking as a blessing due to the context of drinking abundantly from it, by extension carrying a significance of God’s divine favor.

New Covenant in His Blood. represents the fulfillment and culmination of God's redemptive plan through Jesus Christ. It is a divine promise that overrules the Old Covenant made with the people of Israel, offering a new relationship between God and humanity based on by grace, through faith, in Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit for His people.

It is also important to be cautious not to partake of this holy ordinance lightly, without discerning its true meaning. The believer who persists in sin without repentance, or who is not part of the body of Christ, the Church, should not approach it. 

As a believer in Jesus Christ, if one willfully continues in sin, he exposes himself to an unworthy manner, thus bringing judgment upon himself by disregarding the body and blood of the Lord.

The Apostle Paul exhorts us: “Let a person examine himself... for anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.” 1 Corinthians 11:28–29

« and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. »

This is our hope, this is what the Church is waiting for in his trials and difficult situations, the hope of glory in Jesus-Christ’s return, let us be holy, let us be ready as the Bribe-to-be, dressed with a white robe, cleansed and ready to encounter our Bridegroom, Jesus-Christ.