Let Us Remember

WE RECALL THE circumstances of the first Memorial: the blessing of the bread, and of the cup, the fruit of the vine by our Lord Jesus; we remember our Lord’s exhortation that these represented his broken body and shed blood; and that those who are his followers should participate—not only feeding upon him, but being broken with him—not only partaking of the merit of his blood, his sacrifice, but also in laying down their lives in his service, in cooperating with him in every and any manner. How precious these thoughts are to those who are rightly in tune with the Lord.

As we gather together this year to partake of those emblems on April 4th after 6:00 p.m, let our minds, then, follow the Redeemer to Gethsemane’s Garden, and behold him with strong crying and tears, praying to him who was able to save him out of death. This was not expressive of the Master’s fear of death, but rather if in some particular he might have failed to follow out the Father’s plan, and therefore be thought unworthy of a resurrection. We notice how our Lord was comforted by the Father through the angelic messenger with the assurance that he had faithfully kept his consecration vow, and that he would surely have a resurrection as foretold.

We behold how calm he was thereafter, when before the High Priest, and Pilate, and before Herod, and Pilate again —“as a lamb before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth” in self-defense. (Isa. 53:7) We see him faithful, courageous, to the very last, and we have his assurance that he could have asked of the Father and had more than twelve legions of angels for his protection. But instead of petitioning for aid to escape his sacrifice, his petition was for aid to endure it faithfully. What a lesson for all his footstep followers.

On the occasion of the institution of the Memorial of his death, the Master, in his conversation with the apostles, said: “I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (Matt. 26:29) Our Lord was here contrasting two great days—the day of suffering, and the day of glory. This Gospel Age has been the day of suffering. The Millennial Age will be the day of glory, and is especially spoken of as “the day of Christ.”—II Thess. 2:12

All the sufferings of Christ will be complete when the body of Christ shall have finished its course. The new cup of joy was given our Lord when he was received up into glory. Then all the angels of God worshiped him. Soon our cup of joy will be given to us. Surely there was a joyous time when the sleeping saints were awakened and entered into their reward and received the cup of blessing. (See Studies in the Scriptures, Volume III, pp. 23-32,40; Volume IV, p. 622.)

And one by one those who were alive and remained at the coming of the Master are being gathered home. Undoubtedly we shall all partake of this joy with them soon, if we are faithful. We believe the fullness of joy will not be reached until all the members of Christ are with him beyond the veil. Then we shall share his throne and partake of his glory. Then with our beloved Lord we shall drink of the new wine in the kingdom; for the promise is to all his faithful saints.

With that glorious morning of the new dispensation will begin the great work of the world’s release from the bonds of sin and death—the great work of uplifting. The Apostle Peter calls that great epoch, “The times of restitution of all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began. (Acts 3:19-21) The thought before the minds of those who participate in this Memorial should be that expressed in the apostle’s words, “If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him.” “If we be dead with him we shall also live with him.” “The sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.”—Rom. 8:17; Rom. 6:8; II Tim. 2:11,12

With these thoughts in mind, may we be encouraged to keep the Memorial Supper with joy, notwithstanding the trials and difficulties we meet along the way. So doing, and continuing faithful as the followers of Jesus, very soon we shall have the great privilege and joy of sharing the work of restoration with our Lord in his kingdom.

“Christ our passover is sacrificed for us; therefore let us keep the feast.”—I Cor. 5:7

—Excerpts from Reprints, March 1, 1915

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