A Most Important Observance
LAST year 4,550,457 persons attended a celebration of very great importance. It is an annual event, and we cordially invite you to be among those present this year.
This highly significant observance will be kept by the more than 34,500 congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses earth wide on March 27, 1975, after sundown. Generally, the place of assembly will be the local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
WHAT IS THE OCCASION?
This very important observance will commemorate the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was the most significant man ever to live on earth, Jesus never asked anyone to celebrate his birthday. Rather, on the last night of his earthly life, Christ instructed his followers to commemorate his death. They were to do so “in remembrance” of him.—1 Cor. 11:23-25.
WHAT WILL IT BE LIKE?
Complying with Jesus’ words, Jehovah’s witnesses will commemorate Christ’s death sometime after 6:00 p.m., Standard Time, on Thursday, March 27, 1975. This will mark the start of Nisan 14, according to Bible-related reckoning. It was on Thursday evening, Nisan 14, in the year 33 of our Common Era, that Jesus Christ celebrated the annual Passover with his apostles. (Luke 22:7-15; Ex. 12:1-14) Then, after dismissing traitorous Judas Iscariot, Jesus instituted something entirely new. (John 13:21-30) Known as the “Lord’s Evening Meal,” it is often called the “Memorial” and is celebrated in remembrance of Jesus Christ. He died later on the very day that he instituted this important meal.
Jehovah’s witnesses will hold this yearly observance according to the pattern furnished by Jesus. With appropriate prayers, he gave his faithful apostles bread to eat and passed a cup of wine from which to drink. (Matt. 26:26-30) For mankind’s benefit, Jesus Christ gave his perfect body, represented by the bread, and poured out his blood, symbolized by the wine. Only those to whom Christ holds out the hope of being kings and priests with him in the heavenly kingdom partake of these Memorial emblems. (Luke 22:28-30; Rev. 20:6) But by attending, you will learn much more about these significant matters.
WHAT WILL BE EXPECTED OF ME?
As at all meetings of Jehovah’s witnesses, seats will be free. No collection plate will be passed and you will not be asked for a donation. Nor will you be required to participate in any religious ritual. Instead, you can merely be an observer and enjoy a spiritually rewarding Bible discourse of about an hour’s length.
WHY ATTEND?
Your presence at the Memorial this year will enable you to “consider closely” the part Jesus Christ plays in Jehovah God’s purposes. (Heb. 12:1-3) Through Jesus, God has made possible the solution of mankind’s greatest problem—alienation from the Creator due to sin and death inherited from the rebellious first man, Adam. (Ps. 51:5; Rom. 5:12) Whereas Adam lost perfect life for us, Jesus “gave himself a corresponding ransom for all,” opening the way for the human race to regain such life. (1 Tim. 2:5, 6) Would not anyone truly appreciating the love Jesus thus showed want to attend the commemoration of his death?
This extremely important occasion will also deepen one’s love and appreciation for Jehovah God. He “loved the world [of mankind] so much that he gave his only-begotten Son [Jesus Christ], in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) Are you not thankful to God for this marvelous provision? If so, we are confident that you will be on hand for the Lord’s Evening Meal this year.
Quite likely, you will have to put forth some effort to assemble with Jehovah’s witnesses on this very important occasion. However, they earnestly hope that your love for God and Christ will move you to be present when the death of Jesus Christ is memorialized. Act on this sincere invitation and you will reap rich spiritual rewards and blessings.