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“Keep doing this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).
1, 2. Why do we attend the Memorial every year?
We attend the commemoration every year because almost 2000 years ago and Jesus himself established a simple ceremony the night before he gave his life so that all of us would have the opportunity to live forever. Jesus commanded his disciples to continue celebrating this event and this is a reminder of his great gesture of love.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
True Christians attend the commemoration every year, and we do it not only because we obey the mandate left by Jesus Christ, but because of his Sacrifice. Therefore, in addition to attending the commemoration, we pray and meditate on the sacrifice of his death.
We also preach and invite people to join us for this very special event.
So he gave the commandment to celebrate the commemoration of his death And as John 14:15 says: If you love me you will obey my commandments. Yes of course we love Jesus and we want to do what he has commanded.
Furthermore, what we have to do is dedicate more time to invite as many people as possible so that they can attend this very important event.
3. What will we see in this article?
In this article we will look at three facts that demonstrate how Jehovah's servants go to great lengths to remember Christ's death: Holding the memorial, inviting others to attend, and holding the memorial despite the odds. difficulties.
WE CELEBRATE THE COMMEMORATION AS JESUS SAID
4. (a) What truths are explained each year at the Memorial? (Luke 22:19, 20).
Every year in the commemoration speech, the following questions are answered with the Bible, for example: Why do we need the ransom? And how does the death of a single man achieve the forgiveness of the sins of many people?
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
We are also reminded of those who eat the bread and wine and what these symbols represent for us who have the terrestrial hope and those who have the Heavenly hope and what these symbols represent.
And how important it is that we remember this fact, not that Jesus gave his life and apart from the fact that it was to obey his father, also wonderful blessings for people here on earth and not for heaven. So how important is it that we remember him with the respect that Jehovah wants us to remember him.
4.b) Why is understanding these truths so special?
Understanding these truths is special because even today, there are millions of people who do not know how to give the sacrifice of Jesus the value it deserves. And neither do they commemorate his death as he himself commanded in Luke 22: 19-20.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
If for example today there are religions that every year sacrifice a lamb, they say so that God forgives their sins. So that person who does that doesn't really understand why Jesus came on earth. So it is very necessary to explain this very important topic to people.
Some religions also do not commemorate the death of Jesus as he said it would. And what is that for? Well, it is the question that many ask themselves and we will see that in the next paragraph.
5. How did people begin to commemorate the death of Jesus after most of the apostles died?
After the death of most of the apostles, false Christians began to infiltrate the congregation and say twisted things to drag the disciples off and lead them after them. One of these things was, that Jesus did not offer his body once to bear the sins of many people, so the sacrifice of Christ had to be offered according to them over and over again. In fact, this false teaching persists today, and people go to their churches every week to celebrate the sacrifice of the mass.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Shortly after Jesus died, false Christians began to infiltrate the congregation and began to put false things into the congregation so that people would be led astray.
Although the Bible says that Jesus offered a sacrifice forever, they have taught that this sacrifice can be repeated in the mass and they usually do it every weekend or even during the week, and they say that the blood, the wine is the blood and the bread is the body of Christ, as if in what they call transubstantiation those emblems became the blood and body of Jesus. But that is not what the Bible teaches.
But we have to remember that these people, as the paragraph says, are kind-hearted people who firmly believe that. So since that is not so according to the Bible, it is a reason that we have to make an effort and show them that it is not so and talk to them about what the Bible says.
The note indicates that instead of once a year it can be repeated as many times as you want on a weekend during the week and each time it is as if Jesus died again, that is, it has nothing to do with what the The Bible says, but many people believe it.
6. What did a group of Bible students come to understand in 1872?
In the 1970s, a group of Bible students led by Charles Russell began to deeply analyze the word of God. They came to understand the true value of Jesus' sacrifice and also understood how his death should be remembered. And by 1872, they understood with the help of the Bible that Jesus paid a ransom for all mankind.
And this they shared with the whole world by publishing it in books in magazines and in newspapers.
7. How does what the early Bible students investigated benefit us today?
It benefits us because, thanks to the efforts of those sincere Christians and the blessings of Jehovah, today we see clearly what the sacrifice of Jesus means and all that it will accomplish. We have also learned that the Bible offers two hopes for people who obey God: immortal life in heaven for some and eternal life on earth for millions of people.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
And we managed to clearly understand what the sacrifice of Jesus means and all that it will achieve.
Also during that time the vast majority of humanity thinks that after death there is life in heaven. Thanks to this in-depth study of the Bible, we understand that there are two 144,000 classes that are in heaven and also the great crowd that will be here on earth enjoying paradise. And all this thanks to the fact that we have delved into the word of God the Bible. And thanks to the redeeming sacrifice of the son of Jehovah of Jesus Christ. How much light, how much hope has brought to our lives with a clear understanding of this biblical truth is true.
Thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus, Jehovah allows us to be his servants, even though we are imperfect as he says in 1 John 2:1, my children, and this teaches us and motivates us to try harder, to make him happier and also to teach the people.
In 1 John 4:9 it says that the love of God has been revealed because we understand the ransom, because he has delivered his son and sadly many people do not understand. In fact, most of humanity does not know that the greatest gift that Jehovah has given us is the rescue and therefore they cannot approach him.
And all this research, all this meditation, all these benefits, precisely what it does is that love for our neighbor makes us invite more people to this important event.
WE INVITE OTHERS TO THE COMMEMORATION
8. What have Jehovah's servants done to invite others to the Memorial? (See pictures).
The Watchtower, already for the year 1881 invited the brothers to the commemoration to be celebrated in Pennsylvania. From then on, each congregation began to celebrate its own commemoration. But it was in March 1940 that the publishers began to invite all kinds of interested people from their area. And in the year 1960, Bethel House sent printed invitations for the first time. Since that day, this work has not stopped. On the contrary, since then it has greatly improved how the images for these paragraphs are displayed. Invitations are now available in both paper and electronic formats.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Well, we see in the foreground on the right a man who has received the invitation by mail, and then we see the different types of invitations that have existed over the years, from the 60s in black and white, to more modern ones in the years from 2000, different formats, the digital format. Also in many languages, including sign language, and we see brothers from all countries offering the invitation. Now the brothers from all over the world, all over the planet, are doing the same thing, we are inviting in preaching, we dedicate ourselves to that, inviting people to the commemoration.
Yes, what I wanted to highlight is the description of the images, which, as it says, the invitations have been improving year after year, and that is why we now have this type of invitations, so simple, so explanatory and that reach people very well.
9, 10. Who benefits from our efforts to invite others to the Memorial? (John 3:16).
Those who are going to the comparison for the first time benefit, as listening to the talk may motivate them to get to know Jehovah better and become his servants. Another group that benefits are the inactive, since by inviting them to the commemoration we remind them that God still loves them. And when they attend, they too remember how happy they were serving Jehovah.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
In the case of Monica, the sister of the experience mentioned in the paragraph. She was inactive and during the Covid-19 pandemic, she started preaching again, and after attending the 2021 commemoration she said: This commemoration has been very special for her. It is the first time in 20 years that I have preached to other people and invited them to the commemoration. I did it to be thankful for what Jehovah and Jesus have done for me.
So all these comments answer the question of the previous paragraph at the end, why so much effort and so much time dedicated to preparing and delivering invitations, because people's lives and happiness are at stake in the present despite being in a Unfair system like the one we live in. So let's make every effort to deliver the invitation to as many people as possible.
ILLUSTRATION
A man receives the Memorial invitation in the mail and reads it while holding it in his hand. Image series: 1. Publishers from different parts of the world presenting the Memorial invitation. 2. Invitations to the Memorial in multiple languages, including sign language. The invitations, digital or printed, date from the 1960s to the present. What can we do to fully support the Memorial campaign? (See paragraphs 8 to 10).
11. How has Jehovah blessed all that we do to invite people to the Memorial? (Haggai 2:7).
For example, in the year 2021 Because Jehovah has blessed Our effort to invite people to the commemoration and despite the Covid-19 pandemic, we had a record attendance of 21,367,603. This number is more than double the number of Jehovah's Witnesses in the world. Which fulfills what Haggai 2:7 says, Jehovah is shaking the nations and the valuable things of the nations, they are entering the house of Jehovah.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
And what we have mentioned is not the interest that each time there is a larger number, but that more people can benefit from the death of Christ.
In 1 Timothy 2:3,4 Jehovah's will is that people of all kinds Be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of the truth, and in Luke it is shown that this is a great happiness for all.
WE CELEBRATE THE COMMEMORATION DESPITE THE DIFFICULTIES
12. What situations might prevent us from celebrating the Memorial? (See picture).
The situations that could become obstacles for us to celebrate the commemoration are the problems that Jesus already predicted in Matthew 10:36, Mark 13:19 and Luke 21:10. That is, family opposition, persecution, wars, pandemics, among other things. For example, in the image for this paragraph we see some brothers celebrating the commemoration in a small group and in what appears to be a basement, because there are disturbances in the area where they live.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
We also have to remember all the brothers who are suffering persecution for these two causes.
Well, we can see a group of brothers who are celebrating the commemoration in an area, the note says where there are riots, it could be due to wars due to persecution, but we see how they are not reckless, they are a small group, they are in a suitable prudent place, possibly a basement, and we also see that at the bottom where the stairs have the emergency backpacks in case they have to run. So they are doing it in their own way and Jehovah blesses these efforts that the Brothers are making.
ILLUSTRATION
A group of brothers and sisters celebrate the Memorial in the basement of a home. Jehovah blesses our efforts to celebrate the Memorial. (See paragraph 12).
13. How did Jehovah bless Artem's courage and determination in celebrating the Memorial in jail?
For the 2020 season, Brother Artion was imprisoned for his beliefs in a 17-square-meter cell, where up to five inmates were kept. The brother managed to get some items to be used as symbols for the commemoration. However, his cellmates did not stop smoking and swearing. Artem Bravely asked them to stop smoking and swearing for an hour and they agreed. And although at first they were not willing to listen to the explanations that Brother Artem wanted to give them, after seeing him celebrate the commemoration, they asked for more details. Jehovah undoubtedly blessed the courage and determination of this brother.
Yes, what an example the question in the paragraph already highlights the attitude of the brother, the courage and determination that he showed. So he is an example for us too.
14. What did Jehovah's people do to celebrate the Memorial despite the COVID-19 pandemic?
And since we could not physically attend the commemoration due to the confinement due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the congregations that had internet access enjoyed the occasion by videoconference. In places and countries where there was no internet, the commemoration was broadcast on radio or television.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
In addition, the branches recorded the commemoration speech in more than 500 languages for those people and brothers living in isolated areas. And of course, there were always brothers who made themselves available to send these recordings to different destinations.
In the note, it shows that in a congregation in Venezuela, it says that they did not have telephone services or Internet access, they did well, through walkie talks, they were able to transmit the speech. And as the Sister says, we cannot see each other or hug, but if we can hear the voices of our brothers and thus we feel as if we were together.
15. What do we learn from a Bible student named Sue?
Sue explained to her teacher that due to Family opposition she would not be able to attend the commemoration, but her teacher read Luke 22:44 to her and explained that when we have problems it is best to pray to Jehovah for help. So the next day, she prepared the bread and wine, watched the special morning worship program on jw.org, and later locked herself in her room and listened to the commemoration on the phone. From this experience we learned that despite the difficulties, we must do everything we can to attend the commemoration and we will see how Jehovah blesses our efforts.
16. Why can we be sure that Jehovah will bless every effort we make to attend the Memorial? (Romans 8:31, 32).
We are safe, because our efforts are a show of love and appreciation for what both Jesus and Jehovah have done for us. And the Bible has taught us that Jehovah values this very much. One of the blessings that he will give us for our efforts to attend the commemoration is shown in Romans 8:31-32, which says that if God is with us who can be against us. Therefore, if we are determined to attend the commemoration, Jehovah will take care of removing the obstacles.
And sometimes there may be situations that seem impossible to celebrate, but if we have the desire and force ourselves for it, Jehovah will bless us in some way. An experience tells of a brother when he was in the ICU and he could practically do nothing and even the medical personnel had no one to enter and he could not receive visitors for an hour and he was very concerned about the issue of the commemoration, but Jehovah helped him. He blessed therefore allowing his dear wife to be with him all day, and so she could at least even though the emblems had to be imaginary, but at least they could see the program and assist them to see and hear it.
What truth about the ransom or Memorial do you personally value?
Personally, I highly value the great love that Jehovah had for humanity, because we needed the rescue, because otherwise no one would have hope or the possibility of being his friends.
Well, understanding that Jesus paid the ransom for us means that now we are going to explain to people with greater confidence that the teaching of the death of Jesus was essential, but it also gives hope to all humanity and that is something incredible and that is not something that other religions are teaching.
Whom do we invite to the Memorial, and why?
We invite as many people as possible, including people from our territory and also our brothers who are inactive. Because we want them to be friends with Jehovah and to know that Jehovah loves them very much.
What difficulties have some faced in celebrating the Memorial?
Some difficulties such as being in prison for their faith, also the opposition of their families and even the pandemic that affected us all, but we can be sure that Jehovah appreciates all our efforts to celebrate the commemoration.
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