In Remembrance of Me

This lesson is perfect for Veteran's Day and even Memorial Day.

Notes:  This lesson involves taking communion.  Please make sure this is okay with your pastor and the children's parents first as communion is a very important and very deep subject.  Please note that the lesson can still be taught even if the children are not allowed to actively partake in communion. 


Even if you are not taking communion you can still bring a snack for the children that consists of unleavened bread (pita bread works well) and grape juice.  You might include some grapes and cheeses as well.

Happy Veteran’s Day (Memorial Day).  You know when I was your age Veteran’s Day was an important holiday.  School was closed, businesses were closed, banks were closed, and although the governmental departments still observe Veteran’s Day every year, most businesses are open and school is still in session.  Many people no longer observe Veteran’s Day.  How come?  Do we no longer believe it’s important to honor our veterans?  Have we forgotten what Veteran’s Day is all about?

I know this doesn’t quite sound like a Sunday School lesson but you will see in a minute where this is going.

What is Veteran’s Day?  It is the day we set aside every year to honor those military men and woman who have given up their freedoms, desires, homes, time and often times their lives for our freedom.  We celebrate the memory of fallen heroes.  We set aside November 11 every year in remembrance of them for what they’ve given up so that we might have a better way of life.

Now as far as Sunday School, is there anyone whom we should set aside a day of honor and remembrance?  One who gave his own life for our freedom.  One who gave up so much that we might have life and more abundant life.  Yes, Christ Jesus!

Now every day is a day that we are to honor and reverence God, but there is a time that we should set aside to remember what the Christ did for us.  Today we are going to honor Jesus.  He is the ultimate Veteran who gave his all for us.

IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME...

Scripture Text: Luke 22:15-20
Matt 26:30
1 Corin. 11:23-29


Jesus told his disciples, I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer.

He told them that we was going to be killed (for the sins of the world), and he blessed and brake bread and offered it to them.  He gave them wine to drink.

He said, this bread is like my body which is going to be broken for you.  And the wine is like my blood which will be poured out for you.  I will be beaten, spit upon, and bludgeoned for your sakes and for the sake of the whole world.  I willingly (like a good soldier) give myself for this cause.  The cause that the souls of men might be freed from the bondage of sin.  The number one reason I am giving my life is so that repentance and remissions of sins be preached in my name offering liberty to the world.  I give my life for your freedom.

You see Jesus Christ is the ultimate veteran.  He gave himself as the ultimate sacrifice for his brethren and countrymen.  He gave his life for freedom.  Freedom from sin, freedom from death, hell and the grave.  He paid the highest price so that we could have life and more abundant life.

He said to his disciples, please don’t forget me.  I want you to remember what I have done for you.  Remember the price I paid for your freedom.  Don’t forget that it was I that gave you the freedoms you have so...

...do this IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.   Do what?  What are we to do in remembrance of the beating of that body and the shedding of his blood?  We are to set aside a time of remembrance in honor of him.  A spiritual Veteran’s Day so to speak and on that day he said that we should take bread and break it (in remembrance of the beating and the giving of his body for us).  We should take wine and drink it in remembrance of the blood he shed for remission of our sins.  For our freedom of sin.

We are warned in scripture (1 Corin. 26-29) that this observance of our Spiritual veteran’s day is not to be taken lightly or half-heartedly (like some have done to our country’s veteran’s day in recent years), but we are to be serious knowing that we are putting Christ’s sacrifice in remembrance.  That it is not just another celebration, not just another time to get together and eat and drink, but it is to be done with the utmost respect and reverence of our savior’s sacrifice, remembering the beating he took for us.  Remembering the price paid for our sins.  Remembering that it’s because of him we are able to escape death, hell and the grave and that we are set at liberty from the one who would take captive our souls.

This is not something we do everyday of the week or even once a week, but just like our country’s veteran’s day, we here do this usually once a year.  However, the bible says that whenever you do this (whether it’s on a day like today, or on New’s Years Eve as we often do), it is only to be done in remembrance of Christ for his sacrifice and we are warned that if we do this without sincerity and unworthily we eat and drink damnation to ourselves.  So this is serious business.

Today in honor of our spiritual veteran’s day, let us put our savior’s sacrifice in remembrance.  Let us honor the ultimate veteran, the hero of our soul, Jesus Christ.

First let us pray....(this is where the act of communion would take place, if allowed.  If not, you may lay out a snack of pita bread, cheeses, grapes and grape juice for the children to enjoy.)