February 29, 2004 Communion Dedication - Baldwin Christian Church

Exodus 12:13-14

Exd 12:13-14 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye [are]: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy [you], when I smite the land of Egypt. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.

All throughout the land of Egypt that night, peaceful quiet was pierced by screams of horror, wailing, weeping, and gnashing of teeth. Just as the LORD had said, the only houses spared the plague of death were those marked with blood; blood poured out before the setting of the sun that day; blood poured out of the best lamb each house could provide. The sounds of sorrow, flying through the air that night in Egypt, they COULD pass through the doors of homes marked by the blood of the lamb, but the plague COULD NOT pass through. The only difference between judgment and deliverance that night was a distinguishing mark of innocent blood. The sounds of sorrow were certainly a big part of the memory of that night. The LORD instituted an ordinance of memorial, but it was to be a feast, a holiday, a joyous memory of deliverance, of being passed-over for judgment and death.

As the years went by, the memories faded, then died, and traditions took their place.

Skip forward hundreds of years later to Mark 14:12-16

Mark 14:12-16 And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover? And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master (the Teacher) saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples (with My students)? And he will shew you a large upper room furnished [and] prepared: there make ready for us. And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

During the passover meal that night, the Lord instituted another ordinance of memorial:

1 Corinthians 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

Years have gone by, the memories have faded and died, and traditions have taken their place. Has communion become just a tradition for us? We eat this bread and drink this cup, but is the Lord's death made known in any other way in our lives? Do we eat this and drink this, and then say to ourselves, "Whew! I'll be passed-over when the death angel sees my house," and remain deaf to the cries of sorrow, the weeping, the gnashing of teeth? Do we shew forth the Lord's death when we leave this place?