December
2, 2003
A
MEMORIAL OF CHRIST'S GREAT SACRIFICE
"As
often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim
the Lord's death till He comes" (1 Corinthians 11:26,
NKJV).
"In
instituting the sacramental service to take the place of the
Passover, Christ left for His church a memorial of His great
sacrifice for man. 'This do,' He said, 'in remembrance of
me.' This was the point of transition between two economies
and their two great festivals. The one was to close forever;
the other, which He had just established, was to take its
place, and to continue through all time as the memorial of
His death.
"In
this last act of Christ in partaking with His disciples of
the bread and wine, He pledged Himself to them as their Redeemer
by a new covenant, in which it was written and sealed that
upon all who will receive Christ by faith will be bestowed
all the blessings that heaven can supply, both in this life
and in the future immortal life. This covenant deed was to
be ratified by Christ's own blood, which it had been the office
of the old sacrificial offerings to keep before the minds
of His chosen people. Christ designed that this supper should
be often commemorated in order to bring to our remembrance
His sacrifice in giving His life for the remission of the
sins of all who will believe on Him and receive Him.
"In
the Saviour's death the powers of darkness seemed to prevail,
and they exulted in their victory. But from the rent sepulcher
of Joseph, Jesus came forth a conqueror.
"Jesus
refused to receive the homage of His people until He had the
assurance that His sacrifice was accepted by the Father. He
ascended to the heavenly courts, and from God Himself heard
the assurance that His atonement for the sins of men had been
ample, that through His blood all might gain eternal life.
The Father ratified the covenant made with Christ, that He
would receive repentant and obedient men, and would love them
even as He loves His Son. Christ was to complete His work,
and fulfill His pledge to 'make a man more precious than fine
gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir (Isaiah 13:12).--God's
Amazing Grace, p. 152.
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