Post 32: In Remembrance of Me
Image: Jesus with a crown of thorns on his head in a depiction of His crucifixion, along with a semi transparent American flag in the background with a cross showing. The words “In remembrance of me” are shown along with a bible verse and the website name “bytesofsalvation.com”.
Post Summary: This short post discusses and celebrates Memorial Day, but within a Christian perspective, chiefly honoring Jesus Christ, who gave His life for our spiritual reconciliation and freedom!
What is Memorial Day?
Generally observed on the last Monday in May, Wikipedia defines Memorial Day as "a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces¹.
Many commemorate this holiday by posting American flags and mourning at the graves and memorials of service men and women who died in the line of duty¹. Some businesses may also hang American flags in or near their establishments. Families often host gatherings, prepare special meals, and participate in moments of silence in remembrance of lost loved ones.
It is unfortunate that our earthly liberties, which we often take for granted, sometimes come at great personal, physical and often emotional cost to those who fight to secure such liberties. More regrettable is the fact that some loose their lives securing and protecting the rights of those who are left behind to reap the benefit of their sacrifice, and I take a moment here to honor such sacrifce!
Remembering Christ
As I write commemorating the men and women who lost their lives for the sake of my earthly freedoms, my heart shifts focus to someone infinitely more important who gave His life to redeem fallen mankind from the death penalty of our sin...Jesus! There is no earthly sacrifice that compares to the selfless, sin-cleansing, sacrifice of Jesus’ laying down His heavenly life to rescue us from the eternal consequences of the wage of our sin!
God’s word tells us that all of mankind has sin (Romans 3:23), and that the wage or penalty of that sin is spiritual death or eternal separation from God (Romans 6:23). God did not want to leave us in this condemned, fallen state so He did something about it. In His amazing love, God purposed that His only begotten Son, Jesus, would die on the cross to pay the penalty of sin on behalf of mankind (1 Peter, 2:24, Romans 5:8, 1 John 2:2). God's word also says that anyone who places their faith in Jesus, who alone has paid the penalty of sin, will be saved (John 3:16, Acts 4:12)
In remembering Christ, I am reminded of Jesus' own words "Do this in remembrance of Me".
This phrase shows up in the following passages, during the Last Supper when Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper (communion).
Luke 22:19-20: " ¹⁹And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me. ²⁰In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you."
1 Corinthians 11:24-25: " ²⁴and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, “This is My body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” ²⁵In the same way also He took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
In these passages, I believe the “bread” is a symbolic representation of the physical body of Jesus that was sacrificed on the cross. The “cup” represents the "new covenant"—the shedding of Jesus' blood for the forgiveness of sins. The “remembrance" here is not simply just a mere memory of Christ, but rather a living declaration—a time to reflect on Christ’s sacrifice, His triumph over sin and death, and the hope of His return.
The Lord's Supper, is the greatest form of remembrance we as Christians can practice towards our Savior whose body was broken and whose blood was shed that we could have forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with God. I have the highest gratitude for such a worthy sacrifice for so unworthy a person as myself!
Comfort for the Grieving
If you have lost a loved one, placing particular emphasis on those killed in the line of duty (this is a Memorial Day post after all), remember that God's Word also brings deep comfort and healing when we meditate on scripture during times of sorrow and grief.
Three of my favorite scriptures listed below are sure to provide great comfort for those suffering from loss.
Psalm 34:18: "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
Jeremiah 31:13: "I will turn their mourning into laughter and their sadness into joy; I will comfort them."
Matthew 5:48: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
As Christians, it is also important to be reminded that while we may be grieving the loss of fallen service members, we do not mourn as those without hope. We can hold onto the promise of eternal life and future reunion for the believers in Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13–14, Romans 8:38–39).
Hope of Eternal Life
For believers, death is not the end. In John 11:25–26, Jesus Himself said “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” The context of this verse is that Jesus said these amazing words to comfort his grieving friend Martha after the death of her brother, Lazarus,
John 11:25-26 offers two promises:
"The one who believes in me will live, even though they die": This promises future bodily resurrection. For a believer, physical death is not a permanent end, but rather a temporary transition. Because Jesus conquered the grave, those who trust in Him will be raised to eternal life.
"Whoever lives by believing in me will never die": This promises present spiritual life and eternal security. The moment someone puts their faith in Jesus, they receive eternal, spiritual life that death cannot destroy. Their soul remains eternally connected to God.
In this passage, Jesus shifts the focus from an abstract concept to Himself, claiming that He has absolute authority over life and death. He then asks Martha (and all readers) a personal question: "Do you believe this?"
After Jesus's declaration to Martha, He then proceeds to raise Lazarus from the dead, demonstrating His power over life and death (John 11:38-44)!
God’s Promise of Peace
Jesus offers a peace that the world cannot give (John 14:27, Philippians 4:7, Ephesians 2:14). This peace comes only to the believer in Christ who has been reconciled to God by faith that Jesus's sacrificial death has completely washed away their sins. Through trusting solely in Jesus' sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin, believers are declared righteous in God’s sight—a gift received by faith, rather than by trying to earn it through personal goodness (Ephesians 2:8-9).
As we remember and mourn any losses we may have experienced, let us look to Jesus for the supernatural peace that can come only through being reconciled to God, our Creator.
Conclusion
As I reflect on the meaning of Memorial Day, I can't help but draw a light comparison between sacrifice of those who have given their lives for our earthly freedoms with the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, whose death secured our spiritual freedom.
Christians, this Memorial Day, let us first give honor and glory to Christ our Savior for His sacrifice as we also honor the fallen men and women of the armed forces. May we use their examples to renew our commitment to serve others selflessly!
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