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1. These words seem contradictory. If He was Lord, how could He die? If He died, how could He be Lord? Why show forth the memory of the Lord's death? Why not say as little about it as possible? Is it not keeping up the memory of His shame? Why not show forth His birth? He never said a word about that. He founded no birthday festival. Why not forget His death in His resurrection?

2. Note that for historical purposes the event is always called His crucifixion, but for religious purposes His death. We do not say about a man who is hanged that he died, but that he was killed. And so on the Lord's side it is always said that Christ died, on man's side that He was slain.

I. THE LORD HIMSELF ALWAYS MAGNIFIED THE EVENT. He never treated it as part of the common lot, or availed Himself of the consolation of despair, saying, it can come but once — the sooner come, the sooner done. His martyrs often said that. Christ made it the supreme fact in His history. It is easy for you who are getting on towards seventy to talk about your death. What is it to die at thirty, when you are quite strong — perfectly well? What is it at thirty — to make death the supreme thought of the mind — the meridian of your calculations? You cannot enter into it. But this is what Christ did.

II. THE LORD NEVER SPOKE OF HIS DEATH AS A FACT COMPLETE IN ITSELF. Now we do: we say the end cannot be far off. But Jesus never referred to His death as a full stop. He always connected it with His resurrection. He was always talking about coming back again. His life is a beautiful whole — not to be broken into parts, or studied in fragments, else the results of His ministry would be humiliation, victory of the enemy. What am I to make of this April day? At six it was so mild and beautiful; and at nine it was drizzling. And then, after ten, it was so bright; and just now it was so dark I could see nothing but for the gas, and presently it will be teeming with rain. Do not break the day off at any of these points, and say, What do you think of that? God says, Let it alone; take the whole year, and see what I make of it. And so Christ says, "Say nothing of this till the Son of Man be risen from the dead." The last fact explains the preceding facts.

III. THE LORD MADE THE CELEBRATION OF HIS DEATH THE ONE FESTIVAL IN THE CHURCH. There have been some poor black days in your life — you say let them be forgotten. Christ does not say so — nay, in view of this black day in His life, He boldly said that except men did eat His flesh and drink His blood, they had no life in them. He never spoke of His death as a disaster. He came upon it as from eternity, travelling in the greatness of His strength. Other men celebrate their triumphs — this Man His Cross; other conquerors tell of the banners they have wrested from the hand of the enemy — this Man celebrates His overthrow.

IV. THE LORD NEVER ASKED HIS TORMENTORS TO BE PITIFUL, OR IN ANY WAY TO MITIGATE THE AGONY OF HIS CRUCIFIXION. And this would be the less remarkable but for the fact that He did ask His Father if it were possible to let the cup pass from Him. So He was not insensible to pain. But when He comes to men, He asks no favour. Nay, when people lament His fate, He says, "Weep not for Me." And it is the more remarkable, because Pilate set the door open, and said in effect, Here is a way of escape; art Thou the King of the Jews? He put his question in a tone that offered deliverance. And yet this very self-same man, whom we have seen in this agony of blood, avails not Himself of the door so opened. Truly such a death had a meaning in it. Conclusion: Now in view of these facts, it becomes a serious question whether the reason given for this commemoration is equal to the necessities of the case. Why do you celebrate His death instead of His birth — His resurrection — the triumphal parts of His history? I answer — He was delivered for our offences. Why keep up the memory of His death? I answer, He was bruised for our iniquities. Why keep up the memory of His Cross? I answer, while we were yet sinners, He died for us. Will you, after hearing these answers, tell us, on the other hand, why we should leave such a death uncelebrated?

(J. Parker, D.D.)

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KJV: For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

WEB: For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.