As our Lord earnestly desired to observe the Passover with the twelve who had been with Him during His earthly ministry, so He desires to meet with His disciples today.
The final world statm is gathering, and God's people are facing great tests. Are we earnestly longing to meet with our Lord in the communion service? It is a high privilege to participate in it.
The following are three thoughts regarding this service:
1. It has remembrance value. Jesus said: "This do in remembrance of me." It is both divine and human to desire to be remembered. His words remind us keenly of His death, resurrection, and of His wonderful declaration, "I am alive for evermore." How much those words mean to us! We love to remember them for they assure us of eternal life. And so we keep alive the remembrance of our Lord's death for us by observing this important service. We gather strength and assurance as we remember His words, "This do."
2. It has fellowship value. There may be differences tomorrow when one man goes to his conspicuous place of leadership, and another to his place of humble toil, but in this service those differences have no place. We are all sinners redeemed by grace, and we are "one body" in Christ. True humility banishes all differences and gives us unity and fellowship together with our Lord. Let us regard Christian fellowship as a precious thing.
3. It has prophetic value. The words "I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God" and "I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come" teach us to look forward to the grand consummation of all things. Thus our Lord took occasion to say twice in these verses that victory and triumph are ahead for His people. Indeed, His best things are all before us. We are members of a conquering cause, and if we serve and suffer with Him here we shall also reign with Him hereafter.
And so we have the remembrance of the past, fellowship in the present, and prophetic fulfillment in the future. What a wonderful heritage to us is this service! Let us therefore observe it with great "desire" as did our Lord when on earth with His disciples. Let us perpetuate this service faithfully in the church, and His character in our daily living. Soon we shall share with Him in the glories of the hereafter.
