The Ordained Memorial

“LIKEWISE ALSO THE CUP AFTER SUPPER, SAYING, THIS CUP is

THE NEW TESTAMENT IN MY BLOOD, WHICH 18 SHED FOB YOU.*

—Luke xxii. 19, 20.

HERE we have full directions for observing the Lord’s Supper.

You see what it was, and how it was done.

The directions are plain, clear, definite.

It will not be right to do something else; we must “this do.”

Nor this for another purpose; but “this do in remembrance of me.”

This command raises a previous question: — Do you know him? He who does not know him can not remember him.

This being premised, let us observe that —

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.

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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 Jdm.

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 in fer 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.

Let us at the sacred table quit all other themes.

Let us not burden ourselves with regrets, resolves, &c.

Let us muse wholly and alone on him whose flesh is meat indeed, whose blood is drink indeed: John vi. 55.

TESTIMONIES.

Our Lord Jesus has his own memorials of us, even as he has given us a memorial of himself. The prints of the nails constitute forget-me-nots of a peculiarly personal and abiding kind: “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands: “Isaiah xlix. 16. By these marks he sees what he has already suffered, and he pledges himself to do nothing apart from those sufferings, for his hands, with which he works, are pierced. Since he thus bears in his hands the marks of his passion, let us bear them on our hearts. Frequently to me the Supper has been much better than a sermon. It has the same teaching-power, but it is more vivid. The Lord is known of us in the breaking of bread, though our eyes have been holden during his discourse. I can see a good meaning in the saying of Henry III., of France, when he preferred the Sacraments to a sermon: “I had rather see my Friend than hear him talked about.” I love to hear my Lord talked about, for so I often see him, and I see him in no other way in the Supper than in a sermon; but sometimes, when my eye is weak with weeping, or dim with dust, that double glass of the bread and wine suits me best. — C. H. S.

“This do in remembrance of “me.” — 1. This command implies a knowledge of himself. To remember, we must first know. It is no use saying to a man born blind, “Remember the sunshine.” 2. It reveals the love of Christ. Why should he care about our remembering him? Dying voices have said to some of us, “Think of me sometimes; don’t forget me.” It is the very nature of love to want to be remembered. 3. It implies a tendency to forget. God never founds a needless institution. It is a sin that we do not remember Christ more. We should thankfully use every help to memory. — Outline of an Address by Dr. Stanford.

At school we used certain books called “Aids to Memory.” I am sure they rather perplexed than assisted me. Their utility was equivalent to that of a bundle of staves under a traveller’s arm: true, he might use them one by one to walk with, but in the mean time he carried a host of others which he would never need. But our Saviour was wiser than all our teachers, and his remembrances are true and real aids to memory. His love-tokens have an unmistakable language, and they sweetly win our attention.

a IL s.

If a friend gives us a ring at his death, we wear it to keep up the memory of our friend; much more, then, ought we to keep up the memorial of Christ’s death in the sacraments. — T hernias Watson.

In mom’ry of Thy cross and shame, (1 Cor. xi. 23-26,) I take tliia Supper in Thy name; This juice of grape, and Hour of wheat, My outward man doth drink and eat. Oh, may my inward man be fed With better wine and better bread; Hay Thy rich flesh and precious blood Supply my spirit’s daily food! (John vi. 54.) I thank Thee, Lord, Thou diedst for me: Oh, may I live and die to Thee! (Koin. xiv. 7-10.)

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