Sabbath is a Meal

As we noted this morning, the central command of the fourth commandment is to remember. When Jesus told His disciples to celebrate this meal in remembrance of Him or as His memorial, He was indentifying the sharing of this meal as the new center of Sabbath keeping in the Kingdom of God. The Old Covenant focused on a particular period of time, carving out space in time for God’s people to gather together, remember God’s mighty acts of deliverance, and feasting together while looking out for one another’s needs. In the New Covenant, we still need to guard our time, and setting aside the Lord’s Day is a big part of that. But the more crucial point is this meal, being the people who share this meal, being a certain kind of community. The New Covenant focuses on a particular way of being together, watching out for each other, sharing with those in need, dwelling together and building the Kingdom together. Here at this table we remember Jesus our Savior – we remember how He saved us from sin and death and Satan through His death and resurrection, we remember one another, remember that we are family, remember the needs and sickness in our family, and remember our responsibility to uphold one another in love and prayer and service. But even more importantly, a memorial is something that God notices. God remembers. God was the first to take Sabbath. God is the great Sabbath keeper. God is the one who sees the rainbow and remembers; God sees His people sharing this bread and wine, and He remembers. He remembers and He visits us with His presence, dwelling with us and building His Kingdom in us. He forgives our sins, He comes to heal, He comes to rescue, He comes to answer prayer.  Some come: eat, drink, and remember.