Endurance

Jesus’ last words, “It’s finished” (John 19:30). His carry-through exemplified what he had told his disciples earlier about their future mission: “Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. Everybody will hate you for my sake, but the one that endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:21-22).

What applied to him and his original followers applies to us who follow in their train. Accepting these emblems commits us to finishing the Father’s will like our Lord and his disciples did before us. It is a sobering thing we do here, one not to be taken lightly in prospect of what it means for us when we finish our course in Christ.