How Should I Remember Him? – Communion Meditation

The point: Struggle with the question of what precisely to remember about Christ at the Lord's Table, recognizing the importance of consciously ordering your thoughts.

Martin asks if remembering Christ means reliving the specific scenes of His agony in Gethsemane, His trials, and the mock coronation, to illustrate the believer's struggle with how to focus their thoughts.

But precisely how am I to do this? In what category shall I channel my thoughts? Should I seek to relive the events that surround his giving up of his body in death and the violent shedding of his blood? Should I seek to recall the specific scenes recorded in the gospel writers, the horrible, the unspeakable, the mysterious agony and bloody sweat, the perfect of Gethsemane?

3:27 - 4:02 Read in full sermon

The point: Struggle with the question of what precisely to remember about Christ at the Lord's Table, recognizing the importance of consciously ordering your thoughts.

He asks if remembering Christ means envisioning Him as the Lamb in the midst of the throne, the object of heavenly worship, to further illustrate the different ways one might try to remember Him.

As he is now in heaven, pictured for us in the book of the Revelation as the lamb in the midst of the throne, the object of the worship of the spirits in heaven, the object of the adoring wonder of the multitudes that surround the throne and sing, worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive blessing and glory and honor and power. How shall I order my thoughts? Yes, I come to the table in obedience to my Lord. This do.

4:32 - 5:06 Read in full sermon

The point: Engage in thoughts leading to a renewed appreciation of the love which compelled Christ to die for us.

Martin describes his role as a 'shepherd to God's sheep, a pastor teacher' to convey that his suggestions are pastoral counsel, not binding commands, for ordering thoughts at the Lord's Table.

I am simply seeking to take the posture of a shepherd to God's sheep, a pastor teacher to you, the Lord's people, and to offer some suggestions for the right ordering of your thoughts at the Lord's table. And in the 25 minutes that remain to me, let me suggest three categories of thoughts, that surely will fit the injunction of the words of institution, this do in remembrance of me. Let me suggest, first of all, that you seek to engage in thoughts leading to a renewed appreciation of the love which compelled him to die for us. Engage in thoughts leading to a, renewed appreciation of the love w...

6:06 - 7:31 Read in full sermon

The point: Engage in thoughts leading to a renewed appreciation of the love which compelled Christ to die for us.

He explains that looking at our meager love for Christ causes it to shrivel, but contemplating His love for us kindles, expands, and increases our love for Him, like a fire being stoked.

of our present consciousness of love to him, but to look upon the meager measure of his love conciselessness of love to him as a result of others' human love. At that time, man's self-loving has no justice As we have Catherine speaking, he says that because faith may be sophistry every day, Our love to Christ is to cause whatever measure we have To shrivel and to become even less But it is by the contemplation of His love to us That our love to Him is kindled, expanded and increased And then surely as we come to the table In remembrance of Him The ordering of our thoughts In a category in whic...

8:55 - 10:17 Read in full sermon

The point: Marshal your thoughts and focus them on the measure of love in the Son of God's heart that led Him to give Himself for you, bringing in scenes of Gethsemane and Golgotha.

He uses the metaphor of Christ feeling 'the arrows of the Almighty in His own holy breast' to vividly describe the wrath of God He bore for our sins, emphasizing the depth of His suffering and love.

Who has not experienced that in coming to the Lord's table When you're in such times Seek to marshal your thoughts And focus them on what measure of love Was in the heart of the Son of God That He would be willing to do all that is involved in the words Give Himself for you Then you can bring in the scenes of Gethsemane And Gabbatha and Golgotha And all the horrors of that which He bore When He died the just for the unjust And felt the arrows of the Almighty in His own holy breast On behalf of our sins I would urge you in seeking To make this a supper of remembrance Doing what you do in rememb...

10:17 - 11:44 Read in full sermon

The point: Exalt and rejoice in the provisions secured by the bloodletting of the Son of God, despite your felt unworthiness, knowing these blessings were made for sinners.

He uses the metaphor of being 'hidden in the robe of His perfect righteousness' to explain how believers are accepted as righteous in God's sight through Christ's death.

He that spared not His Son But delivered Him up for us all How shall He not with Him Freely give us all things Now that's only a suggested And not an exhausted list Of the benefits secured for us By the death of Jesus Christ By the death of Jesus Christ By the death of Jesus Christ By the death of Jesus Christ By the death of Jesus Christ Surely then in coming to the table And ordering our thoughts In preparation for And while we are at the table It would be glorifying to God To engage in thoughts Leading to renewed appropriation Of the benefits procured By His death for us Nothing brings more...

14:39 - 16:06 Read in full sermon

The point: Exalt and rejoice in the provisions secured by the bloodletting of the Son of God, despite your felt unworthiness, knowing these blessings were made for sinners.

He challenges the false humility that says God's blessings are 'too high and too glorious for the likes of me,' arguing that God is most glorified when His people rejoice in these provisions despite their unworthiness.

He that spared not His Son But delivered Him up for us all How shall He not with Him Freely give us all things Now that's only a suggested And not an exhausted list Of the benefits secured for us By the death of Jesus Christ By the death of Jesus Christ By the death of Jesus Christ By the death of Jesus Christ By the death of Jesus Christ Surely then in coming to the table And ordering our thoughts In preparation for And while we are at the table It would be glorifying to God To engage in thoughts Leading to renewed appropriation Of the benefits procured By His death for us Nothing brings more...

14:39 - 16:06 Read in full sermon

The point: Engage in thoughts leading to a renewed consecration of yourselves to the person and to the ends for which He died for us.

He uses the image of 'Purchased by blood Ownership Jesus Christ The Lord' written over every part of a believer to emphasize that they are not their own but belong entirely to Christ.

We read in the scriptures That Christ died to make us His very own Purchased possession So that In the deepest recesses Of the heart Of all of Christ Redeemed ones There is a joyful acknowledgement That they are not their own That they have been bought With a price First Corinthians 6 And verse 19 No use to them Not that your body Is a temple Of the Holy Spirit Who is in you Which you have from God And you Are not Your own All that makes you you Every part of it From the topmost hair On the top of your head To the nail On your little toe On your right foot All that makes you you None of it is ...

17:35 - 19:04 Read in full sermon

The point: Allow the remembrance of Christ's death at the table to turn up the 'temperature' of your zeal for good works, combating lukewarmness.

He describes believers as a 'company of people like one Massive boiling pot Of zeal For good works' to illustrate the fervent, active holiness Christ died to produce in His people.

In zeal To do good works That is works That are determined By the standards Of his own word and law Works that are done Not to gain his favor But out of gratitude For his favor Works done to his glory And in the strength of his spirit Christ died to have In Trinity Church Not a people who merely glory In the once for all Sacrifice that he offered Unto God Not to have merely a people Who will revel in the blessings Procured by God By his death But a people whose lives Make it evident That the end for which he died Is being realized in us We ought to be a company Of people like one Massive boili...

21:59 - 23:27 Read in full sermon

The point: Allow the remembrance of Christ's death at the table to turn up the 'temperature' of your zeal for good works, combating lukewarmness.

He uses the metaphor that 'it's here at the table That the temperature's turned up' to suggest that communion is a time for renewed zeal and consecration, combating lukewarmness.

In zeal To do good works That is works That are determined By the standards Of his own word and law Works that are done Not to gain his favor But out of gratitude For his favor Works done to his glory And in the strength of his spirit Christ died to have In Trinity Church Not a people who merely glory In the once for all Sacrifice that he offered Unto God Not to have merely a people Who will revel in the blessings Procured by God By his death But a people whose lives Make it evident That the end for which he died Is being realized in us We ought to be a company Of people like one Massive boili...

21:59 - 23:27 Read in full sermon

The point: No longer live for yourselves, but for Him who for your sakes died and rose again, allowing this transformation to manifest in your speech, thoughts, and life patterns.

He explains that 'Christ's love for us Holds us in its vice-like grip' to convey the compelling, inescapable power of Christ's love in motivating believers.

And all that awaits for me At your coming Then surely, Lord Jesus With whatever time and energy I have left I want to give myself To the performance of works That will glorify you That will validate My professed love to you And then one third element Of this concern And I say again I'm just, as it were Almost picking up at random These strands of biblical truth He died According to the scriptures That we should no longer live for ourselves Look at 2 Corinthians 5 In verse 15 A text could not speak more clearly To this issue The apostle says in verse 14 The love of Christ constrains us That is,...

23:27 - 24:53 Read in full sermon

The point: As you take the emblems, ask yourself if the ends for which Christ's body was given and blood shed are being realized in you, and pray for the Spirit's power to crucify self-living and foster zeal for good works.

He contrasts 'cosmetic changes' like polite speech or clean living with the 'radical Transformation' Christ died to accomplish, which is a deep change in the heart's orientation from self to Christ.

In dying for his people Was not to make A few cosmetic changes In the way they lived Change them from outwardly Immoral to polite Moral, respectable people Change them from those With foul mouths To those with clean mouths Change them from those With slippery fingers And deceitful tongues Into honest, upright Truth-speaking people Those can all be Cosmetic changes He died that a change Far deeper And far more pervasive Might be wrought In all of his people That they should no longer In the deepest recesses Of their being Live unto themselves Yes, when they changed Their patterns of speech And ...

26:21 - 27:48 Read in full sermon

The point: As you take the emblems, ask yourself if the ends for which Christ's body was given and blood shed are being realized in you, and pray for the Spirit's power to crucify self-living and foster zeal for good works.

He prays for the Spirit's power not to give 'Pingles up and down My spine' but to crucify the remnant of living for self, distinguishing true spiritual power from mere emotional sensation.

For which he died As we take the broken bread Ask ourselves Has this bread Symbolizing the body Given up in death For me Has this cup Given Taken now And symbolizing The blood Violently shed For me Are the ends For which the body Was given And the blood shed Are those ends Being realized In me Am I living Unto myself In any area Am I seeking In every area To live unto him Who for my sake Died and rose again If not to say Even as we take The emblems O Lord Jesus In the taking Of these emblems Send your spirit With fresh and copious Measures of power Not to give me Pingles up and down My spine B...

27:48 - 29:17 Read in full sermon

The point: Lay hold of Christ himself by faith, taking Him to be your Savior, life, and salvation, committing yourself to Him.

He describes what unbelievers consider 'fun' as 'nothing But the slippery road to hell,' illustrating the destructive nature of self-centered living from a believer's transformed perspective.

Until Christ crucified Becomes the object Of your confidence And the one To whom you commit yourself And when you wonder Why we live such What you consider strict And restricted lives And according to your standards We have no fun Well you see It's because we live By a totally different standard We've been bought by another And the one who bought us Is so changed us That what we once regarded as fun We now see was nothing But the slippery road to hell The very one you're on And in the cross of Christ We've seen self-centeredness And self-will as ugly and heinous And we have seen sin At least i...

32:13 - 33:39 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The sermon concludes with a prayer, thanking God for instituting the simple ritual of communion as a meal of remembrance and asking the Holy Spirit to attend the believers'…

He urges unbelievers to 'with the hands of your soul Reach out and lay hold Of Christ himself By faith,' using a vivid image to describe the act of spiritual reception.

So with the hands of your soul Reach out and lay hold Of Christ himself By faith And say Lord Jesus I take you To be my own I take you To be my Savior To be my life To be my salvation I take you To be all you've promised to be To believing And to penitent sinners Let us pray That God will then bless us As we come to the table Seeking to be obedient to our Lord Doing what we do In remembrance of him Let us pray Our Father We thank you that Knowing How often The world of spiritual reality Becomes dim and fuzzy Because of our remaining sin And the influence of the world And of a vicious devil We ...

33:39 - 35:08 Read in full sermon