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| Volume 18 Number 6 June 2016 | Page 6 |
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| Volume 18 Number 6 June 2016 | Page 6 |
Mark McWhorter
“And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped saying, This is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24-25). Paul was writing the Corinthians about some problems they were having in the church. The last half of Chapter 11 deals with the Lord’s Supper and the abuse of it. The Corinthians were eating it like a regular meal rather than doing it as a memorial of Jesus. Some of the Corinthians were quickly eating the Supper before others could even be present.
Paul said that the Lord’s Supper is eaten to remember Christ. We partake of the bread to remember His body. We partake of the juice to remember His blood shed on the cross. It is interesting that the Greek word translated “remembrance” can have a particular inference. While it can be used as a synonym for other words meaning to remember something, this word can carry the idea that the remembering comes from the individual rather than an external force or action bringing a remembrance to mind. In other words, we remember Christ’s body and blood given on the cross, and this gives us the motive to eat the Lord’s Supper.
If this inference is present in our text, it means that because of our love and appreciation for Jesus’ sacrifice, we gladly partake of the Lord’s Supper to demonstrate that appreciation. This would agree with the fact that such a memorial, then, is perceived by the world as showing (proclaiming) the Lord’s death (verse 26).
This remembrance is in opposition to what God’s disciples had in the Old Testament sacrifices. Hebrews 10:3 says that when they gave their sacrifices, they remembered their sins. What a blessing we have that in our eating the Lord’s Supper we have a thankful remembrance of Jesus taking away our sins instead of a remembrance of the guilt of our sins.
Study your Bible. Learn all you can about our wonderful Savior, Jesus. If any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.
Jesus’ Temptations
Mark McWhorter
Almost everyone that knows about Jesus has some knowledge about Satan tempting Him after He had not eaten for 40 days. Satan tried three different ways to tempt Jesus (Luke 4). Of course, Jesus was able to resist the temptations and quoted Scripture to Satan.
However, many people do not think about how Jesus may have been tempted during the rest of His ministry. He was followed and troubled by the Jewish leaders. He was constantly asked for help and healing by the multitudes that followed Him. He rarely got enough sleep. Those are just some of the ways He was tried and tempted. We read in Luke 22:28, “Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.” This was stated to the apostles. They were not with Him in the desert when Satan tempted Him. They were not with Him for the 30 years before His ministry began. So, Jesus was talking about the years of His ministry.
This helps us understand Hebrews 4:15, which reads, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Even on the cross, Jesus was tempted by the Jewish rulers. They mocked Him as the Son of God and stated that if He really was the Son of God that He would save Himself. Yet, Jesus knew His mission and remained focused on it. He needed to die so that He could be raised and go back to heaven. That was the only way to give man hope of eternal salvation.
I am glad that Jesus was willing to undergo so much temptation. I am glad that He was willing to do this for me. I know you are glad that He was willing to do it for you, too. Study your Bible. Obey Jesus. If any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.