Memorial Day // Luke 22:19

By Mark Jordan

Luke 22:19 (NIV) | And [Jesus] 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.”

I hope you have plans for a meaningful Memorial Day. It is so much more than the unofficial start to summer, for we are to take time today to pause, remember, and give thanks to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for securing, preserving, and defending freedom. This is a rhythm steeped in biblical meaning as we reflect over how Jesus gave of His life to save us from the tyranny of sin and death. He paused in the middle of His Last Supper to tell the disciples to remember Him, give thanks, and honor His sacrifice while they shared in the bread of their meal. Remembering and honoring Christ’s sacrifice necessarily changes the way we are to engage the world. It might be borderline cliche, but the saying, “freedom isn’t free” is true. The Apostle Paul carried this thought further in his letter to the church at Corinth: “You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies” (1 Corinthians 6:19b-20). We were bought with a price in the precious blood of Christ. His example has placed a call on others to stand in the gap for many by securing, preserving, and defending freedom. Let’s make sure we pause, remember, and say “thank you” for the sacrifice of the men and women who died in service to our nation on this Memorial Day, knowing they did so in the example of Jesus Christ. As Galatians 5:1 says, it is for freedom’s sake that Christ set us free. So let us also do as the Bible implores and serve one another humbly in love for this is God’s will (Galatians 5:13).