Oh how I do tend to go on.... and.... on :0)
This year I believe I have a suggestion for an alternative to the world's easter (Easter was originally a pagan festival celebrated in the spring time.)and our remembering the day that our Saviour died for us.
I was mulling over the thought a while back about "communion" and how it has become a regular ritual in so many churches today...ours it is the 2nd Sunday of the month...we all gather at the front of the building each with tiny wee glass of grape juice and a carefully cut piece of bread in our hands. Someone reads the scripture relating to the service, and then we all together "partake of the elements"......
I wonder why we don't remember to do what (I believe) Christ told us to do????
When we gather for the Resurrection Celebration (better then the word easter )
I (personally) think that we should (could) be remembering the sacrifice our "PASSOVER LAMB" made for us at the time of the Passover Feast.
Why not during our family dinner have a time of breaking bread and taking of wine (or grape juice)....why not remember Him, as He asked His disciples to do....
I believe (my thoughts) that when Luke writes, 'and He took bread, gave thanks and broke [it], and gave [it] to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
He was referring to when they gather for Passover in the future (Christ knew they were Jewish and would continue participating in the feasts)..... remember that He went on to be our Passover Lamb....remember the significance of it all, He fulfilled the Passover Feast.
If we are going to take communion ritually once a month, at least remember to do it on the day in which it was first done..... Passover in the Upper Room.
And when our children and grandchildren ask us why are we doing this? We can answer, "we are remembering that Christ became our Passover Lamb, that He made the ultimate sacrifice so that we could be in relationship with Him....that is how much He loves each one of us"
Exd 12:26-27
And it shall be, when your children say to you, 'What do you mean by this service?'
that you shall say,
'It [is] the Passover sacrifice of the LORD, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our households.' " So the people bowed their heads and worshiped
and He says that when the children ask, why they are doing this thing they can answer with what God had done for them.
Mark 14:12-24
Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover [lamb], His disciples said to Him, "Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?" And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him.
Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?" '
Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished [and] prepared; there make ready for us."
So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover. In the evening He came with the twelve.
Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me." And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, "[Is] it I?" And another [said], "[Is] it I?" He answered and said to them, "[It is] one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish. The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born."
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it and gave it to them and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."
And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.
Luke 22:19-20
And He took bread, gave thanks and broke [it], and gave [it] to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me
Likewise He also [took] the cup after supper, saying, "This cup [is] the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.
