On the first Sunday of November, our church observed two special times of remembrance during the worship service. We held our annual “Remembrance Sunday” commemoration and our monthly observance of “The Lord’s Table” (also known as the ordinance of Communion).
Each ceremony had symbols to aid us in our memory. For Remembrance Day, we had poppies and flags to remind us of the sacrifice our veterans made for our country. For Communion, we had the bread and the cup—symbols of Jesus’ broken body and shed blood—to remind us of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the Cross.
As a Christian, I wear a poppy and I take Communion for similar reasons. In each case I am making a public statement.
By wearing a poppy, I am saying: I have heroes. They are the veterans who answered the call to serve their country. I know that many of them shed their blood on battlefields so that I could be free. I am thankful for my political freedom and I will not take it for granted. I will live for what they died for. I will remember, and I will never forget.
By taking Communion, I am saying: I have a Hero. His name is Jesus Christ. He answered the call to serve His world. I know that His blood was shed for me on the Cross so that I could be forgiven and set free from the penalty of my sin. I am thankful for my spiritual freedom—available only through faith in the resurrected Jesus—and I will not take it for granted. I will live for what He died for. I will remember, and I will never forget.
Pastor Kent Babbey
Blenheim Baptist Church