Independence Day
In my Heartlight.org article today, I talk about our real Independence Day being on Sunday … every week. Sunday is the day of resurrection, the day our victory was assured and the power of death over us was defeated (Hebrews 2:14-18 NLT) . So let’s think through a few things:
How has Jesus brought you independence?
How would Sunday, and Communion, be different if we celebrated it in light of the resurrection and Jesus victory and not just remembering the crucifixion?
Do you think there is something important about the early Christians taking the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7 NLT) , the day of Jesus’ resurrection, rather than taking it on the day of his crucifixion?
I’d love to hear from you in the response section below.
I believe it is of utmost importance that we celebrate communion with the Lord’s sacrifice on the day of His resurrection. This is a Victory event, not a funeral. Just as we celebrate a baptism as a new birth instead of the death of the old self, we should frequently celebrate our victory through Jesus’ attoning sacrifice.
Steven Leggett
30 Jun 08 at 8:16 am
Ya know ol’ friend, the “empty tomb” analogy will probably resonate with returning Vets who are struggling with the sacrifice which was required of them. It might help them see the bigger picture. The way you tied it to the tomb of the unknown or the Viet Nam wall may make a connection with them. As an ol’ vet, I know that is what finally brought me out of my funk when I returned to, at that time, a hostile and unappreciative country.
Good article. It resonated with me.
Terry
Terry Murphy
30 Jun 08 at 8:33 am
I believe that WWII, Viet Nam, the Desert War, Iraq and Afghanistan are great examples of sacrifice just like Jesus sacrificed his life for us. For our freedom. One is for our freedom here on earth as we are human and the other from our savior Jesus Christ in our spirit life. What sacrafices and bravery from them all. That shows the integrity in each of them. The men and women in battle for freedom come back mentally wounded or physically wounded but they fought for what they believed in just like Jesus, that’s why he didn’t take the easy way out… He died and took all the pain for what He believed in so that He could leave the empty tomb and resurrect the 3rd day leaving witnesses. I believe… Amen.
Cheryle
30 Jun 08 at 11:17 am
Our true “independence” is reflected in our “dependence” upon our Lord. From the point of creation forward our Creator God set aside a day in which we can celebrate Him and our relationship with Him. That is the Sabbath. Exodus 20:8-11
8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
I praise God for the resurrection on the first day of the week. I praise Jesus for His sacrifice as He rested on the Sabbath even in death. So must we die to self each Sabbath, establishing once again our rightful relationship as creatures before our Creator and Savior.
My independence from self the world is best expressed in my awareness of God as Creator and myself as creature by keeping all 10 Commandments–the reflection of His very character and love.
Elizabeth
1 Jul 08 at 6:50 am
When I recieve communion, I recieve it with the understanding that forgivness for my sins comes with a responsibility on my part, and that responsibility is to not only recognize my mistakes (sins) but do everything in my power, which includes relying on God, to not do it again. In regards to “celebrating” the crusifiction vrs the resurection, I believe that the forgivness of sin is incomplete without both of them. Sin was paid for with the crusifiction and desention to hell, then celebrated with the resurection, when Jesus assended to Heaven, He presented us clean and redeamed to God. Maybe I have over simplified it but I am just a common man. Forgiven, but common just the same.
Ben
13 Jul 08 at 5:30 pm