Luke 22:14-20 And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.… I. We are to inquire, first, WHAT IS IMPLIED IN REMEMBERING CHRIST. 1. There is evidently implied in this remembrance a knowledge of Him, a previous acquaintance with Him. He must have occupied much of our thoughts, have entered into our hearts, and been lodged in the deepest recesses of our minds. 2. Hence to remember Christ implies a heart-felt love for Him. 3. Hence to remember Christ implies also a frequent and affectionate recalling of Him to our minds. II. Let us proceed to inquire why CHRIST HAS LEFT US THIS COMMAND TO REMEMBER HIM. 1. He has done this for a reason which ought greatly to humble us. tie has said, "Remember Me," because He knows that we are prone to forget Him. 2. But our proneness to forget Christ is not the only reason why He has commanded us to remember Him. He has given us this command, because He desires to be remembered by us. 3. The great reason, however, why Christ has commanded us to remember Him, is this — He knows that we cannot think of Him without deriving much benefit to ourselves. III. WHAT, THEN, ARE THE ADVANTAGES RESULTING FROM AN HABITUAL REMEMBRANCE OF JESUS? This is our third subject of inquiry; let us proceed to consider it. 1. The first of these benefits is comfort to the soul, when wounded by a sense of sin. 2. An habitual remembrance of Christ has a tendency also to elevate our affections. 3. This heavenly-mindedness would lead us to a third benefit resulting from this remembrance of Christ — patience and comfort in our afflictions. 4. The remembrance of Christ tends also to keep alive within us a holy hatred of sin. Nothing makes sin appear half so hateful, as the cross of Christ; nothing so effectually checks it when rising in the soul, as the thought of a dying Saviour. O let me never crucify the Son of God afresh! IV. BUT IF WE WOULD HABITUALLY REMEMBER CHRIST, LET US NOT FORGET THE COMMAND GIVEN US IN THE TEXT. "This do in remembrance of Me." We soon forget objects which are removed from our sight; and our Lord, who knows and pities this weakness of our nature, has given us an abiding memorial of Himself. He has appointed an ordinance for this very purpose, to remind us of His love. (C. Bradley, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.WEB: When the hour had come, he sat down with the twelve apostles. |
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