THE REMEMBRANCE SUPPER

"DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME"

March 19, 2017

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“When Jesus had thus established the supper of the remembrance, he said to the apostles: ‘And as often as you do this, do it in remembrance of me. ... This is the new Passover which I leave with you, even the memory of my bestowal life, the word of eternal truth; and of my love for you, the outpouring of my Spirit of Truth upon all flesh.’”

– UB 179:5.9

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     It was a solemn night, on April 6, 30 A.D., when Jesus arranged for a special supper with his twelve apostles. He knew he would be arrested later that evening and eventually be put to death, and so he wanted to prepare them and strengthen them for those events.  He established the first Remembrance Supper as a means to remind them of the life he lived, his teachings of love, and the blessings he shared and would be sharing in the future.  He wanted them to remember his life, not his upcoming death.

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     This Supper is the only ceremony or sacrament associated with his whole life mission and the only event he expressly asked that we memorialize. For this reason, the Remembrance Supper should be paramount in the minds of all those who love our Sovereign Christ Michael, who incarnated as Jesus of Nazareth.

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    On April 6, 2017, after sundown, faith sons around the world will meet together in private homes and elsewhere for the annual commemoration of the Remembrance Supper.  We invite all, including all Urantia Book readers, to share in this night with us by commemorating the evening in small private groups with family and friends. This is a night for all mankind because all of us owe our existence and future life to Michael as the Creator of everything in our universe. As he explained, he is ‘the way, the truth and the life.’ If we expect to reach the Father on Paradise, we must first come through Jesus.

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     The Remembrance Supper is a very simple unpretentious supper as described in Paper 179, chapter 5 of The Urantia Book.  It involves a sharing of bread and drink among men and women of faith as they remember Jesus Christ, the exemplary life he led, and his glorious message of freedom and salvation.  The bread symbolizes ‘the bread of life’ – the life of the Father revealed in the Son, the living word of truth incarnated in mortal flesh. The cup of wine symbolizes the new dispensation ushered in by the outpouring of the Spirit of Truth. 

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     Because the first Remembrance Supper occurred in connection with the Jewish Passover, the bread was unleavened bread and the drink was red wine.  But these emblems are merely symbols. What is important is the meaning of the symbols, not the symbols themselves.  So, if unleavened bread is not readily available, another sort of bread may be used.  And if red wine is not available, another drink may be used, especially if those participating with you, including any children, would want to refrain from alcoholic beverages.

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      When planning your commemorations, we suggest you read Papers 179-181 to see how Jesus and the twelve apostles commemorated that night.  You may find that many more things occurred on that night than you may realize. Some of Jesus’ most profound and enduring teachings were expressed that night.  You might also enjoy watching the videos we prepared on those papers, The Remembrance Supper Special Edition Videos, in preparation for the Supper.

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     At a certain point in the evening, Jesus passed the bread and wine and commented on their significance.  You can do the same at your Remembrance Supper.  But rather than give you a formula for conducting your Supper, we encourage you to use your imaginations and let the spirit lead you in this regard. There are no formalities other than the sharing of the food and drink. 

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     It was also an occasion to discuss spiritual things, including brotherly love and unity.  In the first Remembrance Supper, Jesus washed the feet of his apostles as an object lesson in humility. It was the custom in those days for the servant of the host to wash the feet of the guests as they arrived.  Pitchers of water, basins and towels were placed just inside the door for that purpose.

      But on this occasion, there was no servant, so when the apostles arrived there was no one to wash their feet.  Any of the apostles could have taken on that role, but not one of them did. Instead, they proceeded to the dinner table and took their seats, subtly vying for the honored positions next to where Jesus would sit.  Jesus did not chastise them for their lack of humility. He simply demonstrated what real humility is by enacting ‘the parable of brotherly love’ – washing the feet of his apostles.

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     During our Remembrance Suppers, we should approach the evening with the same type of humility for our brothers and sisters in attendance.  Not that we must wash each other’s feet, but we should be mindful of the needs of all those in attendance and look for ways to be of service to one another.  And after we share in this intimate supper, perhaps we can carry that humility out of our homes and into our daily affairs.  By faith we enter into the spiritual brotherhood, but we remain in it by the way we treat ‘the least ones’ of our brothers.

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      The Remembrance Supper is also an opportunity to publicly and openly confess our union with Jesus. Unfortunately, some UB readers have not reconciled in their minds the need to honor Jesus and carry on his ministry.  In fact, a few shy away from any associations with the ‘Biblical Jesus’ for fear that they are subjecting themselves to outdated and authoritative religious ideas.  Yet, they should realize that by including the life and teachings of Jesus in the Fifth Epochal Revelation, the revelators are emphasizing, not diminishing, the need to understand Jesus and to complete the ministry he began. Paper 195, chapters 9 and 10 expressly state as much.

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      And then, there is this:

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“All of you who have had the courage to confess faith in my gospel before men I will presently acknowledge before the angels of heaven; but he who shall knowingly deny the truth of my teachings before men shall be denied by his guardian of destiny even before the angels of heaven.”

- UB 165:3.5

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     Thus, participating in a Remembrance Supper reveals our stand, not only to men, but to your Guardian Seraphim who joyfully represents you at your resurrection.

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     For these reasons, we encourage all to spend the evening in solemn contemplation.  It is our wish that one day, our entire planet will give worshipful honor to the Christ and recognize our oneness as a spiritual family, children of God and brothers to each other.  Imagine the rejoicing that will occur in heaven by the celestial family looking on at our faithfulness!  And by so doing we can quicken the establishment of a worldwide brotherhood that will open the door to a divine visitation.

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     After the Remembrance Supper, please share with us your experience of commemorating this special occasion.  We would like to know how you celebrated, what you talked about, how many attended and participated, where you are located on this beautiful planet, anything you are willing to share. We will set aside a section on our site where we will publish all such comments.

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      It is our prayer that more and more of mankind come to appreciate their wonderful Creator and Sovereign and the value of his teachings so that he will unquestionably know that his life and his death on earth, as well as his decision to provide a greater revelation, was not in vain. And as we ‘do this in remembrance of him,’ he will know that we heard him, that we believe him, that we honor him and look forward to supping with him in the heavenly kingdom.

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Your Brothers in the Master's Ministry,

www.TheChristExperiment.org

  Return to The Remembrance Supper 

Concerning the times of the coming again of the Son of Man, no one in heaven or on earth may presume to speak. But you should be wise regarding the ripening of an age; you should be alert to discern the signs of the times. You know when the fig tree shows its tender branches and puts forth its leaves that summer is near. Likewise, when the world has passed through the long winter of material-mindedness and you discern the coming of the spiritual springtime of a new dispensation, should you know that the summertime of a new visitation draws near.

A● You have actually combined three questions into one , each of equal value so I will divide this answer into three sections to better help you understand the value and meaning of each inquiry and its answer.

PHOTO: In Search of God

Q● It's better not to pray than to pray without the spirit of GOD?

A● Without the inclusion of God prayers are merely verbalized wishes, the expression of sincere desires. When prayer becomes so materialistic that it has degenerated into a pseudomagical technique of avoiding the expenditure of that effort which is requisite for the solution of the problems of life on this world it fails to meet the laws of prevailing petitions to God.

True prayer is always indited by the spirit of God indwelling the minds of the children of God. All other petitions are simply things hoped for in human experience. True prayer is the breath of the human soul and it always brings forth an addition of power not an added burden of life. We do well to always follow our urge to pray to God. The truest prayer is in reality a most personal and intimate communion between man and his Maker.

Prayer functions as the most potent agency of religion in the conservation of the highest values and ideals of those who pray. When prayer leads up to the appearance of the concept of a divine and heavenly Father, prayer is always a socializing, moralizing, and spiritualizing practice.

There is also a domain of prayer wherein the intellectually alert and spiritually progressing individual attains more or less contact with the superconscious levels of the human mind, the domain of the true communion with the indwelling Spirit of the Father. Once prayer has evolved to real communion with God there is a definite spiritual phase of prayer which concerns its reception and recognition by the spiritual forces of the universe, and which is entirely distinct from all human and intellectual association.

True prayer contributes greatly to the development of the religious sentiment of an evolving human mind. It is a mighty influence working to prevent isolation of personality.

Prayer also represents one technique associated with the natural religions of racial evolution which also forms a part of the experiential values of the higher religions of ethical excellence, the religions of revelation.

True prayer, always stands for man’s communion with a personal and superior being. On this world Jesus was the one perfect example of prayer leading up to unbroken communion with God. Of all human knowledge, that which is of greatest value is to know the religious life of Jesus and how he lived it.

So here is his counsel on how to pray and how he regarded prayer.

When Thomas the apostle of Jesus asked: “Master teach us how it pray” Jesus answered.

“John indeed taught you a simple form of prayer: ‘O Father, cleanse us from sin, show us your glory, reveal your love, and let your spirit sanctify our hearts forevermore, Amen!’ He taught this prayer that you might have something to teach the multitude. He did not intend that you should use such a set and formal petition as the expression of your own souls in prayer.”

“Prayer is entirely a personal and spontaneous expression of the attitude of the soul toward the spirit; prayer should be the communion of sonship and the expression of fellowship. Prayer, when indited by the spirit, leads to co-operative spiritual progress. The ideal prayer is a form of spiritual communion which leads to intelligent worship. True praying is the sincere attitude of reaching heavenward for the attainment of your ideals”.

“Prayer is the breath of the soul and should lead you to be persistent in your attempt to ascertain the Father’s will. If any one of you has a neighbor, and you go to him at midnight and say: ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine on a journey has come to see me, and I have nothing to set before him’; and if your neighbor answers, ‘Trouble me not, for the door is now shut and the children and I are in bed; therefore I cannot rise and give you bread,’ you will persist, explaining that your friend hungers, and that you have no food to offer him. I say to you, though your neighbor will not rise and give you bread because he is your friend, yet because of your importunity he will get up and give you as many loaves as you need. If, then, persistence will win favors even from mortal man, how much more will your persistence in the spirit win the bread of life for you from the willing hands of the Father in heaven. Again I say to you: Ask and it shall be given you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you. For every one who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks the door of salvation will be opened”.

“Which of you who is a father, if his son asks unwisely, would hesitate to give in accordance with parental wisdom rather than in the terms of the son’s faulty petition? If the child needs a loaf, will you give him a stone just because he unwisely asks for it? If your son needs a fish, will you give him a watersnake just because it may chance to come up in the net with the fish and the child foolishly asks for the serpent? If you, then, being mortal and finite, know how to answer prayer and give good and appropriate gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the spirit and many additional blessings to those who ask him? Men ought always to pray and not become discouraged”.

“Let me tell you the story of a certain judge who lived in a wicked city. This judge feared not God nor had respect for man. Now there was a needy widow in that city who came repeatedly to this unjust judge, saying, ‘Protect me from my adversary.’ For some time he would not give ear to her, but presently he said to himself: ‘Though I fear not God nor have regard for man, yet because this widow ceases not to trouble me, I will vindicate her lest she wear me out by her continual coming.’ These stories I tell you to encourage you to persist in praying and not to intimate that your petitions will change the just and righteous Father above. Your persistence, however, is not to win favor with God but to change your earth attitude and to enlarge your soul’s capacity for spirit receptivity”.

“But when you pray, you exercise so little faith. Genuine faith will remove mountains of material difficulty which may chance to lie in the path of soul expansion and spiritual progress.”

So to summarize how to pray to God and in the Spirit

God does not so much listen to the words of a prayer but to the attitude of the soul and desire of the heart.

We should go off by ourselves amidst the quiet surroundings of nature or to go into our rooms and shut the doors when we engaged in prayer.

Prayer must be: Unselfish — not alone for oneself.

Believing  — according to faith.

Sincere — honest of heart.

Intelligent — according to light.

Trustful — in submission to the Father’s all-wise will.

The earnest and longing repetition of any petition, when such a prayer is the sincere expression of a child of God and is uttered in faith, no matter how ill-advised or impossible of direct answer, never fails to expand the soul’s capacity for spiritual receptivity.

In all praying, remember that sonship is a gift. No child has aught to do with earning the status of son or daughter. The earth child comes into being by the will of its parents. Even so, the child of God comes into grace and the new life of the spirit by the will of the Father in heaven. Therefore must the kingdom of heaven — divine sonship — be received as by a little child. You earn righteousness — progressive character development — but you receive sonship by grace and through faith.

Prayer led Jesus up to the supercommunion of his soul with the Supreme Rulers of the universe of universes. Prayer will lead the mortals of earth up to the communion of true worship. The soul’s spiritual capacity for receptivity determines the quantity of heavenly blessings which can be personally appropriated and consciously realized as an answer to prayer.

Prayer and its associated worship is a technique of detachment from the daily routine of life, from the monotonous grind of material existence. It is an avenue of approach to spiritualized self-realization and individuality of intellectual and religious attainment.

Prayer is an antidote for harmful introspection. At least, prayer as the Master taught it is such a beneficent ministry to the soul. Jesus consistently employed the beneficial influence of praying for one’s fellows. The Master usually prayed in the plural, not in the singular. Only in the great crises of his earth life did Jesus ever pray for himself.

Prayer is the breath of the spirit life in the midst of the material civilization of the races of mankind. Worship is salvation for the pleasure-seeking generations of mortals.

As prayer may be likened to recharging the spiritual batteries of the soul, so worship may be compared to the act of tuning in the soul to catch the universe broadcasts of the infinite spirit of the Universal Father.

Prayer is the sincere and longing look of the child to its spirit Father; it is a psychologic process of exchanging the human will for the divine will. Prayer is a part of the divine plan for making over that which is into that which ought to be.

Our praying should be done in the spirit and in the heart — silently.

PHOTO: In Search of God

Q● So what is the spirit of GOD?

A● The spirit of God is an undiluted fragment of the Universal Father’s Spirit that comes to indwell the minds of his earth children! And this spirit fragment of God is the actual presence of God in man.

This spirit fragment of God indwelling the minds of his earth children is the pilot of the human soul and the guide of the human mind. Just as the earth father has a part of himself in his own children on earth so to does God have a spirit part of himself to unite with the human soul and actually fuse and become one with his faith-born children on earth. The faith- sons and faith-daughters of God.

This spirit fragment of God indwelling the minds of his earth children is not a spirit fragment of the infinite spirit also known on earth as the third part of the Divine Trinity of GOD - The Father – The  Son – and the Infinite Spirit; but is an actual spirit fragment of the Father himself. So behold what manner of love the Father has given onto us; that we should be called the sons of God.

THE endowment of imperfect beings with freedom entails inevitable tragedy, and it is the nature of the perfect ancestral Deity to universally and affectionately share these sufferings in loving companionship.

The love and devotion of the indwelling spirit of God is the most truly divine affection in all creation. The love of the  Creator Sons (Christ known on earth as Jesus) in their ministry to the races is superb, but the devotion of the spirit fragments of Divine Father to the individual is touchingly sublime, divinely Fatherlike. The Paradise Father has apparently reserved this form of personal contact with his individual creatures as an exclusive Creator prerogative. And there is nothing in all the universe of universes exactly comparable to the marvellous ministry of these impersonal spirit entities that so fascinatingly indwell the children of the evolutionary planets.

What the spirit of God does in us Indwelling the mortal mind.

The spirit fragment of God should not be thought of as living in the material brains of human beings. They are not organic parts of the physical creatures of the realms. These spirit fragments of God known on high as Thought Adjusters  or Divine Monitors can more properly be envisaged as indwelling the mortal mind of man rather than as existing within the confines of a single physical organ. And indirectly and unrecognized the Spirit Adjuster is constantly communicating with the human subject, especially during those sublime experiences of the worshipful contact of mind with spirit in the superconsciousness.

It is exceedingly difficult to help struggling men and women to achieve a better understanding and attain a fuller appreciation of the unselfish and superb work of the Fathers Spirit Adjusters living within them, who are so devoutly faithful to the task of fostering man’s spiritual welfare. These Divine Monitors are efficient ministers to the higher phases of men’s minds; they are wise and experienced manipulators of the spiritual potential of the human intellect. These heavenly helpers are dedicated to the stupendous task of guiding us safely inward and upward to the celestial haven of happiness. These tireless toilers are consecrated to the future personification of the triumph of divine truth in our life everlasting. They are the watchful workers who pilot the God-conscious human mind away from the shoals of evil while expertly guiding the evolving soul of man toward the divine harbors of perfection on far-distant and eternal shores. These Spirit Adjusters are loving leaders, our safe and sure guides through the dark and uncertain mazes of our short earthly careers; they are the patient teachers who so constantly urge us forward in the paths of progressive perfection. They are the careful custodians of the sublime values of creature character.  The wish  of the Hosts of Heaven is that we could love them more, co-operate with them more fully, and cherish them more affectionately.

Although these Divine Indwellers are chiefly concerned with our spiritual preparation for the next stage of the never-ending existence, they are also deeply interested in our temporal welfare and in our real achievements on earth. They are delighted to contribute to your health, happiness, and true prosperity. They are not indifferent to our success in all matters of planetary advancement which are not inimical to our future life of eternal progress.

The Father’s Spirit Adjusters are interested in, and concerned with, our daily doings and the manifold details of our life just to the extent that these are influential in the determination of our significant temporal choices and vital spiritual decisions and, hence, are factors in the solution of our problem of soul survival and eternal progress. The Father’s Spirit Adjuster, while passive regarding purely temporal welfare, is divinely active concerning all the affairs of your eternal future.

The Father’s Spirit Adjuster remains with us in all disaster and through every sickness which does not wholly destroy the mentality. But how unkind knowingly to defile or otherwise deliberately to pollute the physical body, which must serve as the earthly tabernacle of this marvellous gift from God. All physical poisons greatly retard the efforts of the Spirit Adjuster to exalt the material mind, while the mental poisons of fear, anger, envy, jealousy, suspicion, and intolerance likewise tremendously interfere with the spiritual progress of the evolving soul.

Today we are passing through the period of the courtship of our  Spirit Adjuster; and if we all prove faithful to the trust reposed in us by the Divine Spirit who seeks our mind and soul in eternal union, there will eventually ensue that morontia oneness, that supernal harmony, that cosmic co-ordination, that divine attunement, that celestial fusion, that never-ending blending of identity, that oneness of being which is so perfect and final that even the most experienced personalities can never segregate or recognize as separate identities the fusion partners — mortal man and Divine Spirit Adjuster. In other words the Spirit of the Father becomes one with us, making us both human and divine as was demonstrated by Jesus. So through living faith we become an eternal child of God.

Q● And how can I get it?

A● You are already in possession of this beautiful Spirit of the Universal Father. The very fact that you make these inquiries is living proof of that spiritual reality. The Universal Father and now his Creator Son always respond to the faintest flicker of faith in the human soul.

The next step in the journey to finding God our Father and becoming increasingly more like him is the attainment of a powerful and Living Faith that will take you from your present faith reach up to the conviction of certainty about your status in the Spiritual Family of God as one of his ascending sons/daughters of God.

The good news is that even your Faith is a gift from God. Ask and you will receive. Knock and the door will be opened. Seek and you will find.

The way, the life, and the truth has been established on this world by the presence of the Spirit of Truth and if you so desire you can learn more about this good spirit helper of men’s souls here.

Pato Banton Words of Christ I (Listen Now)

Or read about his life and his teachings here.

INDEX JESUS PAPERS Breaking News Concerning Your World