In The Upper Room – Preparation & Revelation Series

SERMON OUTLINE:

(1). Jesus said, “Remember me” (vs 19b)

(2). Jesus said, “This is my body” (vs 19a).

(3). Jesus said, “This is my blood” (vs 20).

(4). Jesus said, “Until that day” (vs 18).

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• In 1866 a man named Alfred who had the rare opportunity to read his own obituary.

• Apparently, the newspaper in Alfred’s hometown.

• Mistakenly believed that he had died and prematurely published his obituary.

• Alfred was a philanthropist (a generous donor to charities),

• He had made a fortune by inventing dynamite.

• In his obituary,

• His invention was blamed for the death and mutilation of thousands of people.

• As he read his obituary,

• He was shocked and saddened by the harsh manner in which he was portrayed.

• Alfred wanted to be remembered as a man of science and of peace.

• Not as a man of destruction and death!

• So, when he died in 1896,

• In his will he left the major portion of his $9 million estate.

• To set up prizes to encourage and reward outstanding contributions for humanity,

• In chemistry, literature, peace, physics, and physiology or medicine.

• Alfred’s last name if you haven’t yet guessed was Noble, Alfred Noble.

• The prize that bears his name is an international award given annually since 1901

• Question: How would you like to be remembered?

• Answer: None of us of course will be around to find out!

• TRANSITION: I am always amazed at what Jesus wanted to be remembered for!

• He never said…remember my birth (although the whole world celebrates it).

• He never said…remember my miracles (which have never been matched)

• He never even said…remember my teaching (although we obviously do).

• But he did say remember my death! He emphasised and highlighted it!

• In our study this morning, we will find out why?

• Because his death & resurrection and the heart, the core of the Christian faith.

• The cross appeared to be the world’s greatest tragedy,

• But was in fact the world’s greatest triumph!

• And the resurrection is the proof of that.

(1). Jesus said, “Remember me” (vs 19b).

• e.g. Throughout his teaching, Jesus often used visual aids.

• e.g. He took a boy’s picnic lunch, fed a large crowd and taught he was the bread of life.

• e.g. He healed a blind man,

• e.g. And taught he was the light for the world.

• e.g. He raised a dead man called Lazarus,

• e.g. And taught he was the resurrection and the life.

• e.g. He told a famous parable of a wise and foolish man,

• e.g. And used the visual illustration of builders.

• e.g. He borrowed a coin to teach about God and honouring him,

• e.g. He picked up a child and used him as a visual aid.

• e.g. He taught in his preaching about salt and light, birds and lilies, yeast and dough,

• e.g. Mustard seeds and vine branches, the list goes on and on.

• In these verses this morning,

• To help his disciples focus and also remember the lesson,

• He gave to them a visual aid:

• Bread & wine.

• Something solid and something liquid.

Ill:

• Lord N Horatio Nelson (1758-1805) was a British flag officer in the Royal Navy.

• His inspirational leadership, grasp of strategy,

• And unconventional tactics brought about a number of decisive British naval victories.

• Particularly during the Napoleonic Wars.

• He was wounded in combat, losing sight in one eye in Corsica at the age of 36,

• And most of one arm in the unsuccessful attempt to conquer Santa Cruz de Tenerife

• When he was 40.

• He was fatally shot during his victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

• And he was buried in St. Paul’s Cathedral.

• And a party of his sailors bore his coffin to the tomb.

• One eyewitness describes one incident from that occasion.

• “With reverencey and with efficiency.

• They lowered the body of the world’s greatest admiral into its tomb.

• Then, as though answering to a sharp order from the quarter deck,

• They all seized the Union Jack with which the coffin had been covered.

• And tore it to fragments,

• And each took his souvenir of the illustrious dead”

• TRANSITION: For the rest of their lives,

• To those coffin bearers, every time they saw or touched that little bit of coloured cloth,

• It would remind them of the admiral they had both served and loved!

• To help his disciples focus and remember him,

• Jesus gave to his followers a physical visual aid: