IT’S ABOUT TIME!

 

For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.  (1 Corinthians 11:26)

“It’s about time!”  You’ve heard that—usually as an expression of exasperation or relief.  You may have also heard, “Time is money.”  It is more valuable than that.  If you lose money, there is the possibility of recovering it—or gaining more.  Every tick off the clock, however, is gone forever.  Are you squandering time, spending time—or investing it in that which has eternal significance?  Each opportunity to meet and share the Lord’s Supper is an important time on the calendar.  That family meal is about time.

It is A TIME FOR REMEMBRANCE (1 Cor.11:23-25).  The phrase, “in remembrance of Me,” is used twice.  When we take the time to take the bread, it is a reminder of Christ’s body—beaten, bruised and bloodied for us.  When we drink the cup, it is a memorial to His blood—the cleansing fountain that flows from Immanuel’s veins.  It is time to recall the greatest gift to meet our greatest need.  “It is finished!” (John 19:30) as to the work to be done on the cross, but we will never cease to worship Him for what He did.

It is A TIME FOR REFLECTION (1 Cor.11:27-32).  We prepare to partake of the Lord’s Supper with a season of self-examination.  A spiritual inventory is to be a regular feature of the believer’s life.  Where are you today in your walk with Christ?  How does it compare to this time last week, last month, or last year?  Are you making progress?  Questions we should consistently consider:

• Are there any sins to confess?
• Are there any relationships to mend?
• Are there any commitments to honor? 

The Lord’s Supper is a TIME FOR REDEDICATION (1 Cor.11:26)  There is not only the past dimension of remembrance—Jesus came and died for us—and the present aspect of reflection—Jesus is here by His Spirit and wants communion with us—there is, further, the promised season of return—Jesus is coming again and that challenges us to rededicate ourselves to live in light of eternity.  There will be a time when the Lord’s Supper will be superseded by the Lamb’s Supper (Rev.19:7-10).  There will be no need for the symbolism of the Lord’s Supper, for we will actually be in His visible presence in Heaven!  So we look to the future with anticipation—and that calls us to consecration.  Right now, I will redeem my time; I will rededicate myself to serving Him, so He will find me busy when He returns.

It’s about time!