Do This
During the Lord’s Supper or Communion, it is most common to hear Luke 22:19, “Do this in remembrance of Me.”
As a mother, it is a regular occurrence for me to say, “Do this” or “Do that”. My children, especially in the younger years, would often respond, “Why?”
According to many cartoons, my children are not the the only ones and a recurring answer is, “Because
I said so.”
If you have ever uttered this answer, you are either smiling or grimacing because you know, as I do, that, “Because I said so” is not a reason to do anything.
My mother used to question me, “If your friend jumped off a bridge, would you?” Of course not. Just because someone else did or said we should was no reason for me to follow.
As I look into God’s word, each time He gives instruction He follows the directive with an explanation, a consequence or a blessing.
Ephesians 6:2-
“Honour your father and mother”–which is the first commandment with a promise–”so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
2 Samuel 22:25 KJV
Therefore the LORD hath recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in His sight.
Deuteronomy 28:1
If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all His commands I give you today, [then] the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.
Proverbs 22:6 instructs us to “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.
If I am training my child to not touch something hot, I can simply say, “No: and expect that from fear of consequences (punishment) they will obey. But, how would it be different if under controlled circumstances, I exposed my child to heat? What if I allowed them to hold their hand near a light bulb, stove burner or wood stove so that they could experience discomfort? Even with only that limited understand of too hot, my child could then choose to obey because they knew that my instruction was for their benefit.
Matthew 7:11
If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!”
Far too often, we are willing to take the blessings from God’s word while overlooking the accompanying verses. God’s blessings are a direct result of
OBEDIENCE.
In traffic, we obey because it is law. There are consequences for speeding, running stop signs or driving under the influence. However, there is an even better reason to obey…
Romans 13:1-2
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so
will bring judgment on themselves.
God’s authority is utmost and what ever we do, we need to do it for His glory. Our example may be the thing that shows Him to those around us.
Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Love…