(This Communion meditation originally appeared in our December 1, 1998, edition.)
By Kent Fillinger
The year was 734 BC. King Ahaz of Judah was under attack by the countries of Syria and Ephraim, which were trying to dethrone him. In order to encourage King Ahaz, God told King Ahaz to ask Him for a sign. When the ruler asked, God said, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14, New International Version). “Immanuel” means “God with us.”
This sign came true 730 years later and a baby named Jesus was born to two proud parents, Joseph and Mary, in the town of Bethlehem.
Thirty-three years after the birth of Jesus, His prediction came true. Jesus had told His disciples, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Your are witnesses of these things” (Luke 24:46-48).
At this time of the Lord’s Supper, we remember that the sign God promised King Ahaz came true in the birth of Jesus and that Jesus’ prediction also came true. Jesus did die. Then, three days after His death, He rose from the dead. Because this happened, we can repent of our sins and receive forgiveness.
The Lord’s Supper does not simply end with repentance and forgiveness. Jesus told us that we are to be His witnesses to these events. As a Christian, we make a statement or a witness to others that we believe in Jesus Christ as the one who has saved us from our sins when we participate in the Lord’s Supper. Remember that we are to be witnesses to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ every day of our lives.
Kent Fillinger was living in Pickerington, Ohio, when he wrote this meditation. He now serves as president of 3:STRANDS Consulting, Indianapolis, Indiana, and regional vice president (Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan) with Christian Financial Resources.
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