Signs of Life #2 - Memory

Luke 22:14-20

When it comes to signs of life there are so many subjects we could have covered to extend this series, we could have talked about heartbeat, appetite, desires, or breathing, we could have talked about blood flow, consciousness, and hope. When someone goes to the doctor, oftentimes we talking about taking someone’s vitals and what we are referring to is the signs of life. How strong or weak they are, how healthy or unhealthy. But since we are just spending two weeks on signs of life for now, and we are focusing on communion today, my mind was drawn to the word remember. You see when I think about communion the first word that comes to mind is remember. I suppose that’s Jesus’ fault because that’s exactly what He told us to do when we take communion. He said when you do this… REMEMBER ME.

Memory is a sign of life. When someone struggles to remember things, especially at a later stage of life we become concerned with with their mental health, and perhaps are even concerned that a debilitating disease has taken root in their life. Memory loss is difficult on an individual, but often even more difficult on those around her. I’ve witnessed this first hand as I’m sure many of you have and some of the frustrating factors that take place is that the person doesn’t remember something they’ve been told over and over. But I think what is perhaps even more frustrating is that when someone starts to struggle with memory, that those around them might feel forgotten, they might feel less appreciated, they are no longer remembered as they once were.

But no matter what age or condition we are in, we all forget things. We say things like I forgot. I can’t believe I forgot. How could I forget something so important? Some of us recognize we aren’t going to remember everything, and we use calendars, and phone apps, and pictures to be our memory assistant if you will.

We forget events like Weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries

We forget ideas – we leave things behind – keys, wallets, hopefully not children too often

Whether we would like to admit it or not, when we forget something we are actually saying that the forgotten thing was not as important as something or someone else at least in that moment. One could argue this fact, but I’ll give you some examples. I’ve never forgot that I have to preach, but I have forgot that I need to pray. I’ve never forgot that I had to go to work, but I have forgot I have to go to the dentist. I’ve never forgot that I had a tee time to play golf, but I have forgot to take out the trash.

Though memory can become a more difficult thing for many of us as we grow older, the bottom line is that much of what we remember has to do with what we have intentionally focused on, or what we desired to remember.

Saying I forgot to… is one of the most hurtful things we could say to another person. I forgot your birthday. I forgot our anniversary. I forgot to pick you up from school. I forgot I was supposed to spend time with you today. None of us likes to be forgotten. If a boss asks an employee to do something and they say they forgot, one of two things happened. Either the employee didn’t prioritize their boss’s instructions as being important to carry out, or the boss didn’t make it clear how important the task was. When God sent His Son Jesus to die for us, He made sure that we knew How important the mission was that He had for us.

As best as I can tell there are three key factors that cause us remember or forget something today.

· (Intentionality – what we mean to)We remember things we intend to… We use calendars, make notes, set reminders, and send confirmations. Some things are so important that we take extra measures to make sure that we do not forget. Transition: secondly we might remember… out of necessity

· (Neccessity – we remember what we need to) We remember things that we really need to… Adverse results if we don’t. Going to work, paying the electric bill, or the wife’s anniversary… The third factor is desire

· (Desire – what we want to) We remember things that we really want to… Whether you realize it or not, you spend all of your free time doing exactly what you want to do the most. You may not be proud of that, but it’s a reality. If you spend your free time watching tv, that’s what you wanted to do. If you spend your free time trolling social media, that’s what you wanted to do. Being creatures of freewill, we do not particularly have permission to say I wanted to be there more than anything but I wasn’t. That’s a contradictory statement in and of itself. At the end of the day, at the end of this life, we will not be able to stand before a holy God and say God I really wanted to spend more time with you… but I just didn’t.

Let’s look at the text – Luke 22:14-20

14 When the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him.

15 And He said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." 17 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, "Take this and share it among yourselves; 18for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes." 19 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 given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 20And 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.

PRAYER

In the introduction today I mentioned that we might be frustrated with someone struggling with memory because we have to tell them things over and over again. I’m sure God never feels that way with us right? God knows that a sign of our spiritual life is a healthy memory, and unfortunately we have too many Christians today operating in a state of spiritual amnesia.

It’s easy to fill ourselves up with other things and then give God whatever is left. In Hosea 13:6 God says, “When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied they became proud; then they forgot me.

A consistent theme throughout the Old Testament was that of Israel crying out to God, God meeting their need, the people entering a satisfied state, and then they forgot God. Sad to say, this was not a trend that ceased after the book of Malachi, but rather it is a trend that has stayed true throughout the ages.

Francis Chan says It may sound “un-Christian” to say that on some mornings I don’t feel like loving God, or I just forget to. But I do. In our world, where hundreds of things distract us from God, we have to intentionally and consistently remind ourselves of Him.”

When Jesus said remember me, it was not simply something to take note of, it was a paradigm shift. Instead of/or in addition to remembering the Passover, now remember me… In the same way you remembered the deliverance from your captivity, now think of the freedom that you have in me.

Think of the impact that statement had, when over the next 72 hours, this group would see Jesus be dragged away, wrongfully persecuted, beaten beyond recognition, brutally and shamefully crucified, and then just as He promised He would raise from the dead.

I can imagine that many of the disciples immediately tried to suppress and forget about much of what took place that weekend. But Jesus knew that for each of them, there would be great power in remembering. The hope that they would find in watching Jesus comeback from that horrific death would give them the courage to take the Gospel to the uttermost, in the face of dreadfully painful persecution and humiliation.

And so this morning we remember Jesus… not only His death, but His life. Jesus said remember me. Not just what they would see in the next few days, but all of Who He was and is. So I issue this challenge to you today in regards to remembering Jesus.

Here’s 3 quick questions about your spiritual vital signs...

· Do you intentionally seek Him? Is remembering Jesus every day something that you do with great intention? Do you set time aside just for Him? Is He the #1 priority in your life? Not a priority, but the #1 priority. My 7 year old Ben told me and Allison the other day. Mom and Dad I love you both 100%. While it was beyond a really awesome thing to here your little guy say, we all know that we can’t love everything 100%. You can’t love God and something else 100%. For God to be #1 nothing else can be. Question #2

· Do you recognize your need for Him? Pride is the greatest enemy of us remembering Jesus. The more we think of ourselves, the less that we say that we need Him. The truth of the matter is that most people see Jesus as someone that they need only when they have come to the end of themselves. We should wake everyday and ask God to bring us to the end of ourself, just as Paul said I die daily, may we too die daily to the desires of the flesh and walk alive in His Holy Spirit. God always begins where we end. Recognize that every hour of the day that you need Him. Question #3

· Do you desire God? Our desire for God is too often reduced and minimized by all the comforts and amenities that we experience in the United States. All of these comforts and pleasures are fleeting and insatiable. They cannot satisfy. But Jesus said that those who drink of the water that He gives, would never thirst again.

Make time for Him today, recognize your need for Him, and grow in your desire for Him.

AFFIRM EVERYONE HAS CUP AND BREAD,

Before we take communion today the team is going to come and play a song to give us some time to reflect and examine ourselves. Paul wrote in his letter to the Church at Corinth that the Lord’s Supper is not something that should be done lightly, unadvisedly, or unworthily, but instead a person should examine themselves and take part soberly, thoughtfully and respectfully.

Take a few minutes this morning to examine yourself, to be sure that you take part in communion today with a Spirit that is focused on the work that Christ has done for us. You can come to the altar, pray where you are, or just worship with them as we sing this song...

why don’t you go ahead and get it opened up so we are ready to go...

Sacraments

In John 6 Jesus discussed with his followers that while God gave manna in the wilderness, that all those that had eaten of the manna were all dead and gone. Then He stated that He was the bread of life, and that we must eat of Him if we wanted to be part of who He was. What did He mean by this? He made this comment in a society where they did not know where their next meal would come from. He was telling them, that more than they needed the very thing that kept them from dying of starvation they needed Him. He was and is the bread of life. And a spiritual sign of life is that they would have a desire for him more than the desire they had for physical sustenance. If they accepted Him, He would accept them, and He would be their everything.

Luke 22:19 says 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 given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

Let us take the bread.

I believe there is power in the blood, the wonder-working power in the precious blood of the lamb. If Corinthians tells us that those who eat and drink unworthily are susceptible to death and sickness, would it not only seem right to believe that taking it in a worthy manner could bring life and healing. The scriptures tell us that in my sin, yet even then, He shed His blood for me, for you, for us.

Luke 22:20 From our tex today… Luke 22:20 says 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.

Let us take the cup.

Prayer: Lord may we never forget the sacrifice that you made for us, let us daily remember the price that you paid to cover our sin. May our lives reflect your image in all that we say and do. Thank you for the cross, thank you for the blood, thank you for empowering us to live in resurrection power with you. In Jesus name.

The team has another song for us, let’s join together in worship as those who are being baptized today get prepared.

Close/Transition to Baptism

Then back for goodbye to online, offering