Day 296, or October the 23rd. Don't forget, will
you? Our thoughts today come from Luke chapter
22, verse 19. And he took bread, gave thanks,
and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, This
is my body given for you. Do this in remembrance
of me. And now the big picture surrounding this verse.
The final events leading up to the crucifixion
are recorded by Luke. These events must have
been imprinted into their minds so that they
would never be forgotten. In those days, when
fewer people were readers, remembering details
accurately was essential, and whenever an account
was retold, the hearers would quickly point out
any discrepancies, so accuracy was paramount.
This makes such recollections very trustworthy
indeed. It was not, as some people believe, like
Chinese whispers. It was so much more important
than that. This was the only way many people
had of remembering. In the providence of God
they were finally written down for you and me
to further guarantee their accuracy. The upper
room happenings, the betrayal by Judas, and then
Peter's denial are all graphically recorded.
Jesus is tried, but his death sentence needs
to be confirmed by the Roman governor, Pilate,
so the scene must now change to trial before
Pilate, who turns out to be a very unwilling
condemner of Jesus. And now today's action step.
As we approach the end of Luke's Gospel, we are
told of this special event in the life of Jesus
which takes place at Passover and creates a reminder
of Jesus' sacrifice that is about to take place
on the cross. This new event has several names
including Communion, Last Supper, Eucharist,
Lord's Supper and Mass. I believe Jesus meant
it as a reminder for all believers in him, just
as the Passover was a reminder to Jews for their
deliverance from Egypt. We tend to remember things
that are important to us, but despite that, even
important things can get squeezed out of our
busy lives. Why not take a minute now to remember
what Jesus did for you, and sincerely thank him.