GOD’S WORD FOR OCTOBER 17

We are using Charles Spurgeon book, “The Risen King.”  It’s a collection of well chosen excerpts from Spurgeon’s  “Easter” sermons in devotional form, put together by Jeff Medders.   Pastor Spurgeon lived from 1834 to 1892  in London, England, and had a unique gift of understanding and showing the depth of our faith.  Thus, his reverential title as the Prince of Preachers.   Even though we’re not in or near that season, every day is a good day to focus on Christ’s sacrifice and victory for us!

REMEMBER  CHRIST

Luke 22:19

“And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’”

The main object of the Lord’s Supper is evidently that we should remember Christ by it.  It is not that we should call to mind a doctrine, though we should not be ignorant or unmindful of any truth which the Spirit of God has revealed.  But the essence of our business at His table is “Do this in remembrance of Me.”; that is, of Himself – of His own blessed person.  Think of Him not as an abstraction!  Dream of Him not as a mere idea!  Do not merely contemplate Him as a historical person who was once before people and has now passed from the canvas of history, as Confucius, Aristotle, or the like.  No, He lives and abides – an actual, ever energetic force and power among every generation.  Jesus has that divine nature that dwells perpetually in the present tense – the same yesterday, today, and forever.

You are taught that the very best way you can remember Christ is by receiving Him.  Oh, the sweetness of that truth if you will remember it when you come to this table!  You are not asked to bring bread with you.  It is here.  You are not asked to bring a cup with you.  It is here already provided.  What do you have to do?  Nothing but to eat and drink.  You have to be receivers and nothing more.

Now, whenever you want to remember your Lord and Master, you need not say, “I must do something for Him.”  No, no, let Him do something for you.  Oh my brothers and sisters, come and receive;  come and receive!  You do not need to come with anything except your hunger and thirst.  Someone that is invited to a meal need not say, “Oh, but I have no bread.”  You are invited to a royal feast, and you need not bring bread with you.  He who invites you to His table will provide you with all you want, and when you desire to remember Him, your surest and best plan is to enjoy the good things which He sets before you.  Remember that you are healed by His stripes – think of those cruel scourges, those five wounds, that body covered with a bloody sweat, that thorn-encircled brow, and those eyes all dimmed with blood.

Christ’s death is chosen for special celebration because it is the most important part of all that He did or suffered.  We would not depreciate His life, His baptism, His work, or His resurrection, but His death is the center of all.  All the doctrines of the gospel revolve around Christ’s death, as the planets revolve around the sun.  Take away the sun from the solar system, and you have dislocated everything.  Remove Your cross, O Christ, and the keystone and the arch of truth is gone!  Take away Your death, O Jesus, and it is death to all that you have taught – for all that you teach derives life from the fact that you indeed died!

The dying of the Savior gives us life.  His wounds heal us, His agonies bring us peace, and His tortures yield us ease.  The Good Shepherd knew that if His sheep desired to have green pastures, they would find them at the cross, so He appointed this sacrament to bring us there.  Remember Him, for He remembers you so as to be ever with you.  For remember what Your rien Christ says:  “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20).

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1 Corinthians 11:24-25

“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.”

Hebrews 13:5 (Amplified version)

“Let your character [your moral essence, your inner nature] be free from the love of money [shun greed—be financially ethical], being content with what you have; for He has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!”

Galatians 2:20

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

Romans 6:6

knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

1 Corinthians 2:2

For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Mark 8:34

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

1 Corinthians 1:18

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Galatians 6:14

But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

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