You Are Invited

Dear Reader,

We warmly invite you to attend the “Lord’s supper.” You no doubt recall that, on the night before Jesus Christ died to open up the way to eternal life for believing mankind, he instituted a memorial meal and instructed his faithful followers: “Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19) This very special occasion will be kept this year on March 25, after 6 p.m., and we urge you to make every effort to be present.

Last year nearly two million persons were in attendance in about 195 lands to observe this commemoration of the Lord’s death. What makes this occasion important to you as an observer or as a partaker is the fact that it is the only celebration that Jesus commanded his disciples to keep each year. To miss it would be a serious oversight indeed!

The manner in which this celebration is to be kept is plainly seen in the words of the Christian apostle Paul, who wrote: “The Lord Jesus, on the night of his arrest, took bread and, after giving thanks to God, broke it and said: ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this as a memorial of me.’ In the same way, he took the cup after supper, and said: ‘This cup is the new covenant sealed by my blood. Whenever you drink it, do this as a memorial of me.’”​—1 Cor. 11:23-25, “New English Bible.”

Since the day that took place, according to the Bible, was Nisan 14 on the ancient Jewish calendar, faithful Christians have endeavored to keep it on that specific day of the year and in the very way Jesus instructed. This year Nisan 14 corresponds to our March 25, after sundown.

This night will be a memorable one for you. You will not be called on to say or do anything, if you are a visitor, and no collections of any kind will be taken. However, on your arrival at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses you will no doubt be greeted warmly and made to feel welcome. You will get to meet many happy people​—people who have a deep appreciation for the provision made by Jehovah God for their salvation through Christ. You will be privileged to associate with these people of faith and experience a rewarding hour of spiritual upbuilding and warm companionship. Songs will be sung to God’s praise, and heartfelt prayers will be addressed to the Most High God. An informative and faith-strengthening talk from the Bible will be given. Unleavened bread and unsweetened wine, the same kind of emblems that were used by Jesus, will be on hand, and those who have the witness of God’s spirit identifying them as heirs with Christ of the heavenly kingdom will partake of those emblems, just as the apostles Matthew, John, Peter and others did on the night that Jesus instituted this memorial meal.

There will also be many present who do not partake of those emblems. They are not of the “little flock” called by God to share the heavenly kingdom. (Luke 12:32) But many of them are devoted Christians. As related in Revelation chapter 7, they, too, earnestly declare: “Salvation we owe to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb.” This portion of the Bible goes on to describe them as serving God zealously “in his temple,” that is, in close association with those heirs of the heavenly kingdom, whom the Bible describes as making up “a holy temple . . . for God to inhabit by spirit.”​—Rev. 7:9-17; Eph. 2:21, 22.

Although those who look forward to sharing in fulfillment of the Bible’s promise of eternal life on a paradise earth do not partake of the Memorial emblems, by their close association with those who do, they show that they fit the description there in Revelation of those who enjoy heaven’s blessing and who will receive salvation from God and the Lamb Jesus Christ. They appreciate that the Lord’s evening meal calls attention to a marvelous liberation from sin and its penalty death, a liberation that will come to them through the thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ. Their respectful attendance at the annual Memorial celebration shows their deep regard for this divine provision. We encourage you to be present with them.

As you can see, it is not only to a very happy occasion that you are being invited, but also to a very meaningful one. This occasion affords you an opportunity to manifest the depth of your appreciation to God and Christ for the unspeakable prospect of life eternal made possible by the ransom provision. It offers you a fine opportunity to renew your appreciation of spiritual things. It presents a choice occasion to reflect on one’s own life course in the light of God’s requirements and a stimulus to do God’s will. This occasion, therefore, is rewarding to each and every one who is present. A spiritual blessing awaits you.

So please accept our invitation to be present for this Memorial of the Lord’s evening meal at any Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses on March 25, after 6 p.m. If you know of no Kingdom Hall near you, you might consult a telephone book or write an airmail letter to us immediately, and we will be happy to supply you with the address of the Kingdom Hall nearest to you.

Yours in the remembrance of the love of Jehovah God and of Jesus Christ,

Jehovah’s Witnesses