Do This Often In remembrance - - -

Do This Often In remembrance - - -   

Today We are reminded in 1 Corinthians 11:23-32 the declaration of Jesus to eat this bread which is my flesh and drink this cup of the new covenant which is my blood shed for you.  Do this often in remembrance of my death until I come to receive you onto myself.

When I was a child, I would listen to a Saturday morning radio story time called, "Let's Pretend."  To pretend means to imagine something is real.  Your imagination takes you to places no one else can see.  Little girls pretend to have a tea party with their dolls.  The dolls speak, and the water becomes real tea as they share together.

Imagination is a powerful tool as you come to pray because you are able to "See it done" as you ask God to bring an answer.  Today we are going to "pretend," we are going to imagine that Jesus is here, setting before you bread and wine as we prepare for communion. 

We look and see Jesus in the garden praying; "Let this cup pass, but if not, your will be done."  Then an angel came and ministered to him.  Can you see Jesus there? Can you see the angel? Jesus continued praying and sweating - - and his sweat was as great drops of blood.  His body was covered with salty sweat and tears.

The soldiers came and took him away and he was questioned; "Are  you the messiah?"   Jesus knew it was His hour.  Then they began to mock him, spitting on him and buffeting his face, especially on his mouth.  They yelled, "Prophesy to us," you see, Satan was there too, and he wanted to stop prophesy, to stop intercession, to stop praying in a heavenly language. 

You see - - Jesus already knew the heavenly language that reaches God's throne, and he would give tongues of fire to all who receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit when he completed drinking of his cup.  They bashed Jesus in the mouth trying to stop his vocal voice.  They whipped Him unmercifully and forced him to carry a heavy cross through the streets of Jerusalem.  Do you see him there stumbling as he walks with the cross?

Blood, sweat and tears flowed as they nailed him to that cross.  As the hours passed, and he was dying; a darkness covered the earth as all your sins, all your infirmities, all your diseases all your weaknesses were placed upon his body.  Jesus carried all your sins and illness away as His spirit left his earthly body.  The next three days were spent in Paradise preaching to the Old Testament saints telling them, "I am He who you looked for, I am the Messiah, and if you believe on me, you shall receive eternal life.

As we partake of this bread and drink the fruit from the vine; Let us use our imagination to see his broken body, broken for you.  Let us visualize his tears, sweat, water and blood being poured out for you.

Break the bread before you. Understand as you eat - - it is the Lord's body that was broken, drenched in blood, sweat and tears that now becomes part of your flesh.   Take the cup and drink from the vine as you consider; The life is in the blood, and it is the blood that heals and cleanses you from all sin and iniquity.  Take and drink as it becomes part of your blood and you become one with him.

Do this as often as you eat and drink, in remembrance of his life, his death, and His resurrection and His promise to return soon to take us onto himself.