Reflecting on and remembering the death of the Lord Jesus is perhaps the best and most humbling thing one can do with their time. There are many ways we can reflect upon His death; however, there is one way we are commanded to. Each week the faithful children of God meet and reflect on the sacrifice and purpose of Christ’s death. We call this The Lord’s Supper or The Communion. To outsiders, it might seem strange that we take part in what we do. To Christians, we should fully understand the act of worship. The Lord’s Supper is not just a time where we reflect on the death and sacrifice of Christ, but a time where we think about the opportunity of a new life that we have been given through His resurrection, because “The Lord who pours the cup is risen from the dead.”!
In First Corinthians 11, we read of Paul reflecting on the Lord’s death. In the context, Paul has to remind the Corinthian church of why it is important to do so. “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner He also took the cup after supper saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” (I Cor. 11:23-26 NKJV).
One of my favorite songs about the Lord’s Supper is Come Share the Lord. Not only is it a beautifully written song with each verse seamlessly leading into a chorus that evokes great emotion and expresses the great love that we have burning within our hearts “like living flame(s)”; it is a song that causes one to emotionally think of the death of our Savior and the holy communion with Christ that all Christians should continue to remember and praise God for.
“We gather…” as a family and “He joins us…”, and soon we’ll all be together where “…angels sing.”. He desires us all to be together when we “come take the bread…”. The next time you sing this song, don’t just sing it as an encouragement to those around you, reflect inwardly.
When the son of Zarephath and the daughter of Jarius died, they were brought back to life by the power of God. Lazurus, Dorcas and Eutychus each died, but were resurrected at the hand of Jesus, Peter and Paul. Take a quick review of the scriptures and you’ll find these five individuals were not the only ones who died…only to live again. The son of a Shunammite woman, the son of a widow from Nain, an unnamed man whose dead body ‘touched’ Elisha’s bones, and ‘many saints’ (Matt. 27) all experienced death, but found resurrection in this life.
It’s important to note that each of these men and women who died and then were raised to life, eventually faced death again. However, there is one who died, was raised to life and lives still. Never again would our Savior face death. His victory over death opens the way for each of us. Jesus Christ is the 10th Resurrection.
“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.” I Corinthians 14:15
Sunday morning, April 20, 2014
The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.
“Holy, Holy, Holy!” – 47
A vision around the throne of God reveals the four living creatures saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the Almighty…” Revelation 4:8. In a similar vision Isaiah saw the Seraphim calling out, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of host…!” Isaiah 6:3. In like manner, this morning, we will join our voices and cry out, “Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee…”
“In Christ Alone” – no book
“No power of hell, no scheme of man can ever pluck me from His hand…” This contemporary song has become a beloved favorite among our spiritual songs. We sing of our hope in Christ. We remember His birth and His death. But more importantly, we sing of His ‘bursting forth…from the grave.’ And as we face the fear of death and feel the guilt in life, as God’s children we know that ‘here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.’
“Low in the Grave He Lay” – 344
Few songs can boast a more melancholy message as we sing, ‘Low in the grave He lay Jesus my Savior…Vainly they seal the dead Jesus, my Lord!’ But the chorus is anything but melancholy. With a shout of joy we sing of Christ’s resurrection, “Up from the grave He arose with a mighty triumph over His foes; He arose a Victor from the dark domain and He lives forever with His saints to reign…He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!”
“Alleluia! Alleluia! Hearts to Heaven” – 146
For those who don’t recognize this title you’ll find the words are set to the tune of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy (better know as the tune to “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee”). Notice the second verse; “Christ is risen, Christ, the first fruits of the holy harvest field…” Paul, in talking about the dead in Christ make this statement, “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” I Corinthians 15:20. God’s people can sing…Alleluia! Alleluia!
“Onward Christians Soldiers” – 646
Our scripture reading before this song is Matthew 10:5-8. We’ll stop our reading mid-verse, then pick up the song at the chorus. It will go something like this; “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the leper, cast out demons…”“Onward Christian soldiers! Marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before. At the sign of triumph, Satan’s host doth flee; On, then, Christian soldiers, on to victory; Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise; Brothers, lift your voices, loud your anthems raise!”
“There’s a Fountain Free” – 909
Christ offers us salvation through His blood. We can come before the throne of God because of the fountain that flows freely. The words are clear in the first verse, “…let us haste (hurry), O haste (hurry up) to it’s brink (to the edge of the fountain).” The beauty is that Jesus never MAKES people obey. We are all free to come to Him, or to walk away. So we sing, ‘Will you come?’ It’s a simple question, but your answer will bring about enormous ramifications.
“When the Roll is Called Up Yonder” – 852
What will happen when this life is over? When we die…what’s next? For God’s people there will be a resurrection to eternal life. To those who ‘will not come,’ the results, according to Christ, will be ‘…weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Matthew 8:10-12. But for God’s people, ‘on that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise, and the glory of His resurrection share,’ we’ll be called home. Following, if you will, the example of the 10th Resurrection.
