JDL - Direction Twenty-Three - The Lord’s Supper - from Passover to Seder

Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” (Matthew 26:17 (ESV))

Jesus, true God, gave up all the glory that was His in heaven and took on human flesh and blood, being born as a true human. He came to His own people and was born as an Israelite. At the age of twelve He was bar mitzvahed, and we hear about Him in the temple. At the age of thirty He began His earthly ministry. And every year as He was able, He went to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. The Passover was that Israelite celebration commemorating the children of Israel’s triumphant deliverance from bondage of slavery in Egypt and the passing over of the angel of death during the last plague.

As Jesus sat down to eat this last meal with His disciples, when He came to the point in the celebration of the third cup, the cup of redemption, He took this celebration and from it gave us a new celebration, the celebration of His Holy Supper, the Lord’s Supper as we call it.

Jesus took some of the bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to His disciples. This bread, in His hands, He gave to His disciples with the words, “Take and eat, this is my body.” Thus, the words of Jesus Himself, the account of the Word of God in all its truth and purity tells us that what is present is bread and Christ’s body.

After the bread, Jesus took the cup, the third cup, the cup of redemption and gave it also to His disciples. As He gave them the cup of wine, He said, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:27b-29 (ESV)). Thus, the words of Jesus Himself, the account of the Word of God in all its truth and purity tells us that what is present is wine and Christ’s blood.

The old Passover celebration has now been given anew. The new Passover celebration, that is, the Lord’s Supper is now celebrated. In the New Covenant, the sins (of all people of all places before this time) which had formerly been passed over have been paid for in Jesus’ death. And the sins of those living as well as those yet to live have been paid for in Jesus’ death. By faith in Jesus and His death and resurrection, the angel of death now passes over us.

In the Lord’s Supper we eat and drink, bread and wine, body and blood, and we participate in the Lord’s death and resurrection. When Jesus says to “Do this in remembrance of me,” He is not asking us to perform some memorial meal. He is not asking us to act something out. Rather what He telling us is that when we partake of His body and blood, in, with, and under the bread and wine, we are participating in His death and resurrection. His perfect life becomes our perfect life. His death becomes our death. His resurrection becomes our resurrection. His life becomes our life.

The main thing, then, in the Lord’s Supper is the fact that it is His supper. In His supper He is host and we are guest. He is the one giving the meal, and we are the ones being given to. He gives us His body and blood to eat and drink. He gives us forgiveness of sins, through the eating and drinking of His body and blood. He gives us faith and strengthening of faith. Yes, He gives, and we are given to. In like manner, in a Jesus-directed life, He is the one who gives (guidance and direction) and we are given to. And there is no better way to be directed than that we are first given forgiveness, which brings us back into a right relationship with Him, so that we might then listen as He speaks and gives to us.

Think About
Do you understand how an aspirin works to cure your headache? It works whether you understand or not. The same is true for the Lord’s Supper; it works for the forgiveness of sins because God makes it work.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Your body and blood, in, with and under the bread and wine in Your Holy Supper. Forgive us when we fail to recognize and believe Your Word which tells us what You are giving. Help us to always desire Your Holy Supper and the gifts You give through Your Holy Meal, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.