APPLY YOURSELF TO THE FIELD MINISTRY: Week of March 27 to April 2, 2023, Speech, What happens if due to exceptional circumstances we cannot attend the Commemoration?, Lesson 18, Prepared Assignment.

APPLY YOURSELF TO THE FIELD MINISTRY:  27-March-2-April-2023, Speech, Lesson 18, Assignment Prepared. 

Talk (5 min.): w93 2/1 31. Title: What if we are unable to attend the Memorial due to exceptional circumstances? (th lec. 18).

If a Christian is sick or traveling and cannot attend the Memorial, should he celebrate it a month later? Ancient Israel celebrated Passover each year on the 14th of Nisan. But the question arises because of the special provision mentioned in Numbers 9:10, 11, which we invite you to read. If you found it, please accompany me with the reading.

WE ARE GOING TO READ NUMBERS 9:10,11.

“Say to the Israelites: 'Even if any of you or future generations becomes unclean by touching a dead person or is far away on a journey, you must prepare the Passover sacrifice for Jehovah. 11 They must prepare it in the second month, on the 14th, at nightfall. They should eat it together with unleavened bread and bitter greens.

Notice that the law limited the date of the Passover celebration. It was said: “You must prepare it [and….] You must eat it” in the second month, but “Only” in the case of an Israelite who was ceremonially unclean on Nisan 14 or who was far from where Passover was celebrated, That is, he should not choose the date according to his convenience. The date was Nisan 14 and it was a mandate. The second month was only, Optional in very special cases.

For the Jews of the first century, the date Nisan 14 was the night of the celebration and even for Jesus and his disciples, that day was important because it was a mandate and they obeyed it as it was, they kept the Passover on the date that God had designated. Let us please read Luke 22:7, 8. It says:

WE ARE GOING TO READ LUKE 22:7,8.

Then came the day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover sacrifice must be offered. 8 So Jesus sent Peter and John with these instructions: "Go and prepare the Passover for us to eat."

That same night, Nisan 14, in the Jewish Passover celebration, Jesus instituted the annual celebration that Jehovah's Witnesses know as "the Lord's Supper." It is the most important event of the year for Christians, in fact, it is a mandate. Now let's read Luke 22:19. He says:

LET'S READ LUKE 22:19.

Then he took a loaf, thanked God, broke it, gave it to them and said: “This represents my body, which will be given for your benefit. Keep doing this in memory of me."

So today Christians no longer celebrate Easter, because we are not under the Mosaic Law, but what we do celebrate and it is a mandate, is the Commemoration of the death of Jesus or "The Lord's Supper" and it will be celebrated next week, on April 4 of this year, after sunset.

So we return to the initial question: If a Christian is sick or traveling and therefore cannot attend the Memorial, should he celebrate it a month later?

No, you should not celebrate it a month later, so what should be done in this case? Well, in the case of a Christian who has participated in the emblems for years, is in bed, either at home or in the hospital, one of the elders of the congregation will bring him the bread and wine, they will read some appropriate Biblical texts and he will serve the emblems to eat them.

And if an anointed Christian is traveling, they should plan to go to a congregation in the area where they are on that date.

And in the case of those of us who are not participants or those who have hope of living forever in a paradise Earth, there is no option, it is a mandate, the Lord's dinner must be celebrated on the same night that corresponds to the Jewish Nisan 14.

So if someone is sick or traveling and unable to attend any congregation that night, they should privately read the appropriate scriptures (pertaining to that celebration) and pray that Jehovah blesses this observance throughout the world. But that will be done only on that date. no other.