REMEMBER ME – And never forget – Following Jesus From the Edges.

Following Jesus From the Edges

Remember Me

Pastor Calvin Cook

May 27, 2026

Scripture Focus: Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

“And He 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.’” — Luke 22:19

I have taken a couple days off from writing these devotionals while at the same time considering the importance of listening to and considering the teachings of Jesus. We have been in a thread of the direction that Jesus gave without option.

Over the Memorial Day holiday and celebration of Pentecost I have considered the need for remembrance. As I cared for graves of ancestors I couldn’t help but think of what I have learned from the generations that came before me. I certainly remember the teachings of my parents, but grand parents and great grandparents and others who I never knew but through the pages of history and remembrance of stories passed down – I paused to remember.

As I continue reflecting on the no-option directions of Jesus, I find myself sitting in the upper room on the night before the cross. The atmosphere must have been heavy. Jesus knew what was coming. The disciples did not fully understand. Within hours there would be betrayal, arrest, suffering, and crucifixion.

Yet in the middle of that moment, Jesus did something remarkable.

He took bread. He took a cup. And He gave His followers a simple instruction: “Do this in remembrance of Me.”

Notice what Jesus did not say. He did not say, “If you happen to think about Me.” He did not say, “When it fits into your schedule.” He did not say, “Only when life becomes difficult.”

He simply said: “Do this in remembrance of Me.”

This was not merely a church ritual. It was not a religious tradition to be performed out of habit. It was a direct instruction from Jesus Himself.

Why?

Because Jesus understood something about human nature. We forget. We forget God’s faithfulness when life becomes difficult. We forget giving and tithing when finances are tight. We forget His grace when guilt creeps in.

We forget His promises when fear takes hold. We forget the price He paid when comfort becomes our focus. The disciples would soon face persecution, hardship, uncertainty, and even martyrdom. Jesus knew they would need a constant reminder of who He was and what He had done.

The broken bread would remind them of His body given for them. The cup would remind them of His blood shed for the forgiveness of sins. Every time they gathered at the Lord’s Table, they would remember the cross, the empty tomb, the covenant of grace, and the Savior who loved them enough to die for them. The same needs to be true for us today.

We live in a world filled with distractions. News available 24 hrs a day that changes by the opinion of the reporter or agency that shares the news. Technology demands our attention. Worries consume our thoughts. Schedules fill our days.

Yet above all the noise, Jesus still speaks: “Remember Me.”

Remember My sacrifice. Remember My mercy. Remember My forgiveness. Remember My resurrection. Remember My love for you.

Perhaps one of the greatest dangers in our relationship with Jesus that we face is not the outright rejection of Jesus, but simply forgetting Him while remaining busy with everything else. Maybe this is the same for the church today that focuses on numbers, finances, entertainment and trading the teachings of scripture for what feels good to us and our own wants and desires.

Today, before the demands of life pull you in a dozen directions, pause and remember.

Remember the One who carried the cross.

Remember the One who conquered the grave.

Remember the One who calls you by name.

Because when Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of Me,” He was not offering a suggestion. He was giving His followers a direction that still leads us back to the very center of our faith.

I am thankful for Memorial Day as it causes me to at least once a year pause to remember the lives of those who in many ways pointed me towards the right ways of life, pointed me toward God, taught through their lives. I know what some are saying. All that time and travel you spend on planting flowers on graves doesn’t matter. Well, it matters to me, because it matters to me to remember.

The same is true in coming to the Lord’s Table – It pauses me to remember Jesus and His great sacrifices and the abundant life, grace, and hope of eternity that is offered through all God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit has done. Remembering this can not be an option.