The Chalice - Lent Mid-week 4 - March 14, 2012 - Text: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

This evening we continue looking at the symbols of Lent and Easter. Our symbol this evening is the Chalice, that is the cup which is thought to be used by Jesus on the night in which He was betrayed, the night in which He shared the Passover Seder with His disciples or rather with His Apostles and from that Passover Seder He gave His apostles and us something new, His Holy Supper, the Lord’s Supper.

The background of the Passover Seder is that this was a meal of remembrance. This feast, this celebration, this meal was given to the Children of Israel by God Himself as a reminder to His people of their being delivered from their bondage of slavery in Egypt. The very first Passover entailed each family of the children of Israel to select an unblemished lamb which was slaughtered, the blood collected and with a hyssop branch painted on the door post and lintel of the door of the house as a sign and mark that the angel of death would pass over that house and spare the life of the first born. Interestingly enough, the painting of the blood on the door post and lintel make for a sign of the cross, the up and downward motion on the door posts and the side to side motion over the lintel.

The Seder meal included the consumption of four cups of wine and the eating of unleavened bread. The cups of wine in order were called the cup of sanctification, the cup of deliverance, the cup of redemption and the cup of praise. The unleavened bread consisted of three pieces of matzah in which the middle piece of matzah was broken with half being hidden and found later. Also the unleavened bread or matzah was pierced with holes, and stripped with char or burn marks.

The Seder meal was a meal of remembrance, remembering the passing over of the angel of death as Israel departed, escaped and were delivered from their bondage of slavery in Egypt. The final plague God sent in Egypt was the angel of death who went throughout Egypt killing the first born of man and animal, passing over the houses of the Israelites that were marked with the blood of the lamb.

The meaning of symbols include the Middle Matzah, which, as we said was broken, and half was hidden. The hidden half was later found and “redeemed” or bought back by the father. This middle matzah, broken, hidden and redeemed reminds us of Jesus who was broken, died, was buried and in three days rose for us.

It was this third cup of wine in particular, cup of redemption, which Jesus gave to His apostles with the words, “this is my blood.” Paul reminds us in his epistle, a little later than our text that if anyone eats and drink this Lord’s Supper without recognizing the body and blood of Christ, eats and drinks judgement on themselves. Thus, Jesus’ words are important and meaningful, this is His body and blood which He has given, broken and poured out for us.

And Jesus says to “do this in remembrance.” This word remembrance is not simply a recollection of a certain event as we would imagine today. No, this remembrance is an actual participation in the event which has taken place. So, as we eat the bread and body of Christ, and as we drink the wine and blood of Christ we are actually participating in His life, suffering, death and resurrection so that His life becomes our life, His suffering becomes our suffering, His death becomes our death and His resurrection becomes our resurrection.

In the Old Testament the family would bring the lamb to be sacrificed. The lamb was to be a whole, pure, unblemished lamb. The lamb was slaughtered, killed, and barbequed. The priest would keep part of the lamb for himself and his family and the rest of the lamb was eaten by family as they participated in the sacrifice.

So, what does this mean? And what is the significance of the chalice, of the eating and drinking of bread and wine and the body and blood of Jesus mean for us today? In the Garden of Eden God promised to take care of the sin of Adam and Eve. The price for sin was set, death, physical death and, apart from Jesus, eternal spiritual death, or hell. The price could only be paid by someone who did not owe, thus, we could never and will never be able to pay the price for our sins, because we owe too much, even our own souls for our sins.

Throughout the Old Testament, God directed the children of Israel to sacrifice offerings in order to remind the children of Israel that the price for sin is death. Truly, all these Old Testament sacrifices meant nothing as far as actually paying the price for sin, all they did was point to the one ultimate sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Like the Old Testament lamb, which was to be unblemished, Jesus is our Lamb of God, pure and holy, yet, it was not we who put our sins on Jesus, rather it was Jesus who took our sins, and all sin, the sin of all people of all places of all times. Jesus took our sins and He suffered and died, shedding His blood and paying the price, the physical death as well as the eternal spiritual death of hell for us in our place. Jesus could do this, take our sins, because as true God He was perfect and holy. And He could do this, take our place and be our substitute, because He was also one of us, truly human, being born of the human woman, the virgin Mary.

When we attend the Lord’s Supper we eat the bread and with the bread we eat Jesus body’ and we drink the wine from the cup and with the wine we drink Jesus’ blood, thus, very much like the Old Testament sacrifices, we participate in Jesus so that His life becomes our life, His death becomes our death and His resurrection becomes our resurrection.

And so, very much like the angel death passed over the homes marked with the blood of the lamb in Egypt, so too even today the angel of death, the angel of eternal spiritual death passes over us who are marked with the blood of Jesus, so that we do not die an eternal spiritual death, even though we may have to suffer physical death.

We are given life. The greatest gift we are given is the gift of forgiveness of sins. Without forgiveness we are left in our sins and we would only have eternal spiritual death. But with forgiveness is life and salvation. And the Gospel is that it is all gift. Gift given, gift received, all God’s doing, all our being done to.

As we look at the chalice we are reminded of the blood of Jesus. We are reminded that it was Jesus who shed His blood for us. It was Jesus who traded His life for ours. What should have been ours, eternal spiritual death, Jesus took. What should have been Jesus’, eternal life in Heaven, is ours. It is when we understand the whole sacramental aspect of the Lord’s Supper, that is when we realize how wonderful the Lord’s Supper truly is and why we crave the Lord’s Supper, for without this understanding, it would simply be a snack. But when we understand how the Lord’s Supper is a means through which He comes to us to give us the gifts He has to give, we crave the meal for our strengthening. May the chalice indeed remind you of this pure gift of Gospel of Jesus giving Himself completely for you because of His love for you.

Let me leave you with Paul’s passing on of the giving of the Lord’s Supper, ““23For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ 25In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ 26For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). To God be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

The Cross - Lent Mid-week 3 - March 7, 2012 - Text: Numbers 21:8-9; John 3:14-15

This evening we continue to look at some of the symbols for Lent and Easter. This evening we look at what is probably the most predominate symbol, not simply for Lent and Easter, but for Christianity in general. This evening we look at the cross and its significance. As we begin, let me first say, that is it truly sad that for too many people in our world today the cross has simply become a nice piece of jewelry, a nice set of earrings, a nice necklace, even a pretty colored piece of jewelry which matches my outfit, if you will. Let me first, rather crassly ask, would you were a pair of electric chair earrings? Because, whatever we think of the cross in terms of fashion, its original intent and purpose was as a means of execution and it was intended to be the most cruel means of execution. But let us get to the cross and its symbolism.

We first come upon the cross in the Old Testament in the account of Moses and the rebellion of the Israelites. God sent serpents to punish Israel and He sent for Moses to put a serpent on a pole to save the people. We read the Moses account, “8And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.’ 9So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live” (Numbers 21:8-9).

God had delivered the children of Israel from their bondage of slavery in Egypt and now they were wondering in the wilderness on their way to the promised land. And the people continually rebelled against Moses and against God. They continually complained because of their situation. They did not trust God. They continually sinned and in their sin they sinned even more.

And so, God punished the people. In the instance of our text, God punished the people by sending these snakes to bite and poison the people. There is nothing like the law and punishment to get people back in line. Of course the people did not like the fact that they were being punished and being killed off by these snakes and so they prayed to God. Whether they truly recognized their sin or not, I cannot say. All I can say is what the text says and it says they cried out for help.

God heard the cry of the people. He heard their cry of repentance and God sent forgiveness. The forgiveness God sent was a way for the Israelites to acknowledge their sin and confess and to, in faith, be given God’s forgiveness through the cure. God told Moses to put a snake on a pole so that in repentance and faith, when the person looked at the serpent on the pole he or she would be healed.

What we see happening here is that the curse has became the cure. The serpent which was sent to bite and punish the people has become the cure in that a simple look in faith at the serpent on the pole brought forgiveness and healing. Please keep these images in mind as we move into the New Testament.

Fast forward to the New Testament. When Jesus was speaking of Moses about this situation He says, “14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life” (John 3:14-15).

Jesus’ reference is first to Adam and Eve and their rebellion in the Garden of Eden. Their sin has been passed down, born in all people, genetically passed on. This sin which is passed on is what we call original sin. This sin was passed on even to God’s chosen people, the children of Israel. We see the fruition of this genetically inborn original sin in the rebellion of the children of Israel.

When God threatened to punish the sin of Adam and Eve that punishment was to be eternal, spiritual death. When God threatened to punish the children of Israel, at least in this instance it was the threat of temporal or physical death.

When Adam and Eve confessed, God promised and gave forgiveness. When the children of Israel confessed, God promised and gave forgiveness. When we confess our sins, we still have God’s promise and He gives us forgiveness of sins.

In the Garden of Eden God promise to send a Savior, even Himself in human flesh, the Son of man. In the wilderness God sent the serpent on the pole to be the cure. When the people looked at the curse on the pole and believed they were cured. When we look at the Son of man, the human Jesus, one of us who brought the curse, through Adam, Jesus became the cure.

What we are reading, hearing, is what we call a type and an antitype. The events of the Old Testament are a type of, are linked, and prefigure the events of the New Testament which are the antitype. Thus, we see the brazen serpent on the cross is a type of Christ and Jesus on the cross is the antitype. The poison-less (lifeless) serpent is the type and the “helpless” human Jesus, is the antitype. The “looking” at the brazen serpent meant healing is the type and “looking” at Jesus, that is faith in Jesus, means forgiveness and eternal life is the antitype. The punishment (being bitten by serpents) became the cure - the serpent being put on the cross is the type and the punishment for sin (death) became the cure - Jesus died on the cross in our place is the antitype.

What does this mean? Scripture continually bears out the truth that in the beginning God created everything perfect and holy, or as it says in Genesis, good and very good. Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sinned and now their sin infects all humanity as all people are conceived and born in sin.

God’s threat of punishment, eternal spiritual death must be appeased, the price for sin must be paid. The wages, the price, the cost for sin is death, physical or temporal death, but worse, eternal spiritual death which is hell. God’s threat is to all who have ever lived, all who are alive and all who ever will live. His threat is on those who are not perfect.

Thanks be to God that He has promised a way out and that way out is through His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. In order for Jesus to be our Savior He had to be perfect. In order to be perfect, He had to be and He is truly God. In order to be our substitute He had to be one of us, a human being. Jesus was born of the human woman, Mary and so He is truly human.

Jesus, being conceived by the Holy Spirit is true God, who gave up the glory that was His in heaven. Jesus became man, being born of a woman, being born in a stable. Jesus lived perfectly, for us, in our place because we cannot be perfect. After living a perfect life. After fulfilling all God’s commands and promises fully, Jesus took man’s sin, upon Himself. He who knew no sin became sin for us. And Jesus suffered. He suffered the entire price for our sin. He suffered eternal spiritual death for us in our place and He died. Of course, we know the whole story, we know the rest of the story, He did not stay dead, death and the grave had no power over Him, for on the third day He rose from the dead, victorious over sin, death and the power of the devil.

The cross, the means of capital punishment, the means of death has became our cure. We are the ones who bring sin and death. Yet, when we look on Jesus, as one of us, by faith in Him we have forgiveness and life, even eternal life. And so, much like the early sacrifice, where the family would eat the sacrifice, and thus participate in the sacrifice, so at the Lord’s Table, at the Lord’s Supper we too eat Jesus body and drink His blood and participate in His life, death and resurrection so that His life becomes our life, His death becomes our death and His resurrection becomes our resurrection.

The cross, for us Christians is a symbol of death, but even more, it is a symbol of life. It is a symbol of physical death and our sins which cause such death, but it is a symbol of life, of Jesus giving His life for ours so that we have forgiveness of sins and with forgiveness life and salvation. To God be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

What is okay and what is not okay, according to contemporary popular culture:

So, if we are honest, we must admit and understand the our life expectancy in this world is eighty, maybe ninety and in rare cases one hundred years (God has limited man’s years to 120 [Gen. 6:3]). And eternity, life after life in this world is forever, no ending, on and on, eons upon eons. And if we take God’s Word seriously, then we understand that eternity is forever and there is not movement from heaven to hell or from hell to heaven following the day of judgement. We also understand that the judgement that will befall us is determined by our faith or non-faith in Jesus, faith or non-faith which shows itself in one’s life.

With the above understanding and presuppositions, why is it that we think we are more caring when we care about a person’s temporary physical well being and we are accused of all sorts of malevolence, malice and meanness when we show care for their eternal well-being? Let me explain. When a friend has a drinking or drug problem, we believe it is okay to point out this problem and work to help our friend to beat the problem. Yet, when our friend puts their soul in eternal peril, by such public sins as living together without the benefit of marriage, living any lifestyle contrary to the Word of God, such as a homosexual lifestyle, or by outright despising the Word of God by not only rejecting the gifts God gives by not being in Divine Service and Bible class regularly (every time it is offered) and even speaks out against the pastor and the congregation, we think, “How dare you.”

What most people fail to realize concerning spiritual sins is the fact that even though Jesus paid the price for all sins, we reject that forgiveness when we fail to confess, to repent of our sins and when we fail to strive with God’s help to not commit such sins again. So, when I am living with someone without the benefit of marriage, not only am I sinning, but I am rejecting forgiveness by not confessing that I am doing wrong. But, what if I do confess? When we confess we live that confession by changing our lives, by striving with God’s help to not continue to do the same sin. So, if I confess and then continue blatantly to live in that sin I am truly not confessing. To live in one’s sin, denying forgiveness puts one’s soul in eternal peril, because to die refusing and rejecting the gifts God gives is the sin against the Holy Spirit. And this principle may be applied to any public or private sin in which one refuses to confess and/or, with God’s help, change one’s way.

So, again, why are we perceived and less loving when we care for one’s eternal well-being over one’s physical, earthly well-being? Maybe it is time we start rethinking our attitudes toward others that love us by calling us to account for our spiritual well-being.

More To Think About

What is wrong with this statement?

“Jesus came to show us how to live.”

Perhaps the putting the best construction on everything and explaining everything in the best possible light we might say that Jesus did some to set an example for us, but if that is the only reason Jesus came, then certainly we would simply fall into disbelief, despair and other great shame and vice. The fact of the matter is that we cannot live according to Jesus’ example; thus, if the way one is saved is to follow Jesus’ example, then we would all be doomed.

Jesus came to live for us. Jesus came to fulfill all righteousness for us. Jesus came to obey the Law perfectly for us. Jesus came to fulfill all the prophecies concerning the coming Messiah for us. Actually Jesus came to do what Israel was chosen to do and could not do. Jesus came as the true Israel, to live as God’s chosen people. Jesus came to take our sins upon Himself. Jesus came to suffer and die to pay the price for our sins. Jesus came to rise from the dead defeating sin, death and the devil. Jesus showed Himself to be alive, for us. Jesus ascended to the place from which He descended where He is watching over us, ruling over us, and interceding for us.

Here again we see the fullness of the Gospel is not simply that Jesus died and rose, but that He lived for us; thus. He was able to give His life as a substitute for us. He took our sins. He gives us His righteousness and perfection.

What Jesus does and our response to what Jesus does can be seen in this illustration of repentance. There was a teacher who passed out new crayons to the entire class. She told all her students to be careful and not break them. One child pushed a little too hard and broke one of his crayons. The teacher then asked for the children to put any broken crayons on the top of their desk. In order to “stay out of trouble,” the one child hid the broken crayon in the box, putting the bottom part in the box and the broken off top part on top. The teacher then went around the room and instead of “yelling” at the students, she exchanged new crayons for broken ones. Unfortunately, the child with the hidden crayon did not receive a new crayon. In much the same way, our sins that are unconfessed, although the price has been paid for those sins, to us they are not forgiven. We have refused that forgiveness, which is truly our own option since the price has already been paid. And our sins that are confessed are forgiven because the price has already been paid.