Articles
How Can We Forget?
Christianity is person-centered. It is not doctrine-centered, vital as doctrine is. It is not church-centered. Religion is person-centered. We are called Christians because of our attachment to Christ.
How can we forget Who called us? How can we forget Who is the Author and Captain of our salvation? How can we forget Jesus? It is vital to remember Him. The Lord knew we might forget and become discouraged, disheartened, and weary. Even weary enough to give up.
The Lord’s Supper is a memorial. The Lord’s Supper was not set up to remind us. It is a memorial for people who remember. When people go to the Vietnam Wall, they are not there to remember. They come because they remember someone. On the first day of the week, people who remember, gather. They lift their voice in thanksgiving and praise around the table because they remember. Absentees are people who have forgotten. Their fervency of spirit is gone because they do not remember who Jesus is and what He did.
Remember, in heaven most high, the Creator of the universe, the Word in glory, sat on the throne of His glory. He left the throne in glory. He came not to be king or receive the honor men could bestow on a leader. He came in the flesh, a carpenter’s son. He led the life of a poor man. When we begin to remember Jesus, we look at that story as He came to His own and His own did not receive Him.
Then, that story has an appointment in which He leaves Galilee and goes to Jerusalem. The disciples warn Him, “Don’t go. Remember the Jews have been waiting to kill you.” He says, “You walk in the day, you will be all right.” He goes knowing what Jerusalem has for Him. They would had never have taken Jesus if He was not ready. He went to Jerusalem to give Himself. He goes to His appointment when men will lift Him up on the cross in order to put Him down.
When He gets there, He is scourged with a whip. His back is laid bare. When they had beaten him, the crowd who gathers will not be satisfied. Pilate thought surely, they will be satisfied when He has been scourged. He says, "Behold the man." But it is not enough. They cry out, “Let him be crucified." What has taken place is not enough.
A robe of mockery is placed around His shoulders. A crown is placed on His brow. Mocking, bowing before Him, they ridicule Him. When they had their ridiculous jest, it is not enough. They spit on Him. That is not enough. They mock Him and strip His clothes from Him. They leave Him bare before the eyes of all the crowd. Humiliated! But it is not enough. They wag their heads as He hangs on the cross. Nails driven through His hands and His feet. They walk by and jeer. They are not sad. It is not enough. The crowd goes on until He is dead. A spear pierces His side and the blood flows on the ground. I don’t think it was enough for the crowd who wanted Him dead and humiliated in every way they could.
When all of that has been done, He said, “It is finished.” It was enough. It was enough to be the sacrifice for man that sinned. It was enough for my salvation and yours. It was enough to change our lives as a sacrifice for sin so that we might be saved.
Remember Jesus. He is the focal point. The cross is the point to which people in all ages looked back ever since. To all that belonged to the story of Jesus on the earth, it is the cross that is the center. We are Christians because of the things that took place that day. Jesus is our focal point.
How can we give up what we started and walk away until we have forgotten Jesus? How can we become indifferent and negligent if we remember there is Somebody who went to that place as an appointment on our behalf? He gave His body for us. He shed His blood for our redemption. Unless we forget, we can’t quiet the spirit that rises and bubbles and pushes and demands.
How can we ever forget? How can it ever be mundane, boring, or unimportant for us, that Jesus came to the cross for us?
Rickie Jenkins
