At the Table | This Do In Remembrance of Me

23 I received a tradition from the Lord, which I also handed on to you: on the night on which he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread. 24 After giving thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this to remember me.” 25 He did the same thing with the cup, after they had eaten, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Every time you drink it, do this to remember me.”

1 Corinthians 11:23-25 (Common English Bible)

The word "remember" that Jesus used wasn't just about thinking back to something that happened in the past. In Greek, the word is anamnesis means something much deeper than cognitive recall. It means to make present again, to re-experience, to participate in something that transcends time.

When Jesus said "do this in remembrance of me," he wasn't just asking his followers to think about him occasionally. He was giving them a way to encounter him, to experience his presence, to be transformed by his love over and over again.

That's what makes communion different from looking at old photographs or visiting historical sites. When we eat the bread and drink the cup, we're not just remembering something Jesus did two thousand years ago. We're participating in something that's still happening. Jesus continues to give his life for us, continues to love us, continues to transform us.

This kind of remembering is active, not passive. It's not just thinking "Oh right, Jesus died on the cross." It's allowing that reality to shape who we are and how we live. It's letting Jesus' sacrifice become the defining reality of our existence.

When we truly remember Jesus in this way, it changes us. We can't encounter the depth of his love and remain selfish. We can't experience the reality of his forgiveness and continue to hold grudges. We can't participate in his sacrificial love and remain focused only on ourselves.

This is why communion is so much more than a religious ritual. It's a regular opportunity to be remade by the love of Christ. Every time we come to the table, we have the chance to be transformed again by encountering the one who gave everything for us.

Personal Application: When you take communion, are you just remembering facts about Jesus, or are you encountering his living presence? How might you open yourself more fully to being transformed by these encounters with Christ?

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for giving us communion not just as a way to think about you, but as a way to encounter you. Help us come to your table ready to be changed, not just to remember. Make yourself present to us in fresh ways every time we eat the bread and drink the cup. Transform us through these sacred encounters. Amen.