Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, instituted the Lord's Supper.  This Thursday, over the years, has come to be known as Maundy Thursday.  The word "Maundy" comes from a Latin word "mandatum" meaning command.  Our English word "mandate" comes from this Latin word.  Jesus on this night gave his disciples and his church of all time a new commandment, a new mandate "to do this in remembrance of me", meaning the Lord's Supper.  Every celebration of the Lord's Supper is a remembrance of what Jesus has done for our salvation.

Now some would say that this remembrance is simply to look back with found and happy memory of what Jesus did for you throughout his life.  When Jesus commanded, "do this in remembrance of me" he meant far more than just simply remember what I have done for you.  First, in the Lord Supper, it is God who remembers his love for you in Christ Jesus.  The Father sent the Son from heaven to earth to live the life we could not, without sin, and to die the death we deserve, and to rise again!  All this God remembers each time the Lord's Supper is celebrated.  So he first remembers you in the Supper. 

Then secondarily, in response to Christ's saving work of redemption through his suffering and death, we remember the grace, mercy and peace we have in him!  Really it is an issue of the "Gap!"  You see the "Gap" is not just the place where you buy your jeans.  No the gap is a question.  How do we bridge the gap between what Jesus did 2000 years ago on the cross and our lives today - in the present?  How do we receive what Jesus won for us back then, in our lives today?  The answer - in the body and blood crucified for us on the cross and received today in, with, and under bread and wine in the Lord's Supper.  Jesus is just as present in the Lord's Supper, with us today as he was on the night he instituted that blessed meal. 

So when Jesus says, "do this in remembrance of me" he means far more than simply - "remember the good old days."  He means remember that in the bread and the wine, my body and blood, I am present to give you all the gifts I won for you on the cross.  You have in this meal, forgiveness, life and salvation!

Blessed Maundy Thursday to you all!