Memorial weekend brings up presumed connections between the remembrance of dead soldiers of many wars and the remembrance of Jesus in the Lord’s Supper. But the connections are largely limited to the similarity of words used. Memorial day was conceived in an effort to make sure that departed warriors would not be forgotten and that their tombs would be kept neat and free of invading weeds and grass. It was an attempt to make sure that flowers would be placed on their gravestones, even if they had no remaining family or friends to memorialize them this way. It was brought about to remember those who had fallen in defense of their country.

The Lord’s Supper, our memorial, helps us remember the greatest sacrifice ever made—the crucifixion of Jesus Christ to atone for the sins of the world. It is not about a tomb containing the remains of the dead, but an empty tomb giving hope to the living. It is not about who lies there in the dust, but who has risen from the dead never to die again. It is about the death which gives life to all, because His death gives us the opportunity to die to this present world in order to live in that world which is to come.

“He is not here,” the women were told, “for He is risen.” They had come to the tomb expecting to find a body which they would prepare in the manner proper for burial at that time, because the Lord had hastily been laid there on the Friday before. Now more needed to be done to prepare Him for what they thought was to be His final resting place till the resurrection day. After they recovered from the shock of the empty tomb, and that was replaced with joy at the news of their Master’s resurrection, they were told to report the fact to His followers. The angel instructed them to: “Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you” (Matthew 28:7).

That garden tomb in old Jerusalem tells us, by its emptiness, that there is a home for us in the New Jerusalem above. Jesus says, in one of His final talks with the apostles, “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3). These prepared places are, however, waiting for those who have prepared themselves through obedience, to dwell there.

We know this because later in the same discourse Jesus says, “If you love me you will keep My commandments” and, “After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” (John 14:15, 19-21).

We should remember, on Memorial Day, those who gave their lives to secure and maintain our freedom. More importantly we should remember, on the Lord’s Day, He who died and rose from the grave so that we may have freedom from sin here, and an eternal home with Him and the Father in heaven.

Mel