Jesus said:
“Do this in remembrance of Me”
Luke 22:19
Jesus
spoke these words as He shared the Passover meal with
His disciples.
“With
fervent desire I have desired to share this Passover
with you before I suffer.”(Lu.22:15)
Ø The Passover Meal is:
a celebration of deliverance from the bondages of Egypt.
God
instituted this feast of Passover (Exodus 12:1-14)
as He prepared the people for their deliverance from
bondage and death
A
celebration:
“So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you
shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your
generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting
ordinance.” (v.14)
Deliverance
from death:
“For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians;
and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the
two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and
not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to
strike you.” (v.23)
The
Passover meal is a celebration of the salvation given
by God to His people.
Ø The New Covenant
Jesus
became the sacrificial Lamb
whose blood ‘covers’ our sins.
“This
cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for
you.”
(Lk.
22:20)
It
is now His body and blood that brings salvation to mankind.
He
takes the Passover bread – unleavened to represent the
absence of sin – and says: “This is My body which
is given for you.” (Lk.22:19)
Promise
of resurrection life. Jesus
said: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat
the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you
have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks
My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at
the last day.”
(John
6:53-53)
Promise
of His abiding presence.
“For
My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.
He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me,
and I in him.” (Jn. 6:55-56)
Ø A kingdom celebration
The
breaking of bread and drinking of the cup is a reminder
that Jesus has established his kingdom on the earth.
“I
will no longer eat of it (the Passover meal) until it
is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” (Lk.22:16)
“I
will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom
of God comes.”
(Lk.
22:18)
During
this celebration of the Passover meal Jesus said to
His disciples: “And I bestow upon you a kingdom,
just as My Father bestowed one upon Me.”
(Lk.
22:29)
Ø The New Testament church celebrates
The
breaking of bread kept their focus on Jesus and what
He had done for them.
After
the Day of Pentecost, the believers met regularly, “And
they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine
and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
(Acts 2:42)
“So
continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and
breaking bread from house to house, they ate their bread
with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God
and having favour with all the people. And the Lord
added to the church daily those who were being saved.”
(Acts 2:46-47)
Ø Conduct at the Lord’s Supper
1 Corinthians 11:17-34
The
apostle, Paul, writes that which he has received from
the Lord. (v.23)
There
should be no divisions among those participating. (v.18)
This
meal is “to proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.”
(v.26)
The
focus is always to be upon what Jesus has accomplished
through His death and resurrection.
“Till
He comes”
is a reminder to the believers that Jesus will return.
In
this context, the apostle, Paul, warns the believers:
“Therefore,
whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord
in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and
blood of the Lord.” (v.27)
“But
let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the
bread and drink of the cup.” (v.28)
Are
there divisions? Are there judgemental thoughts about
any other part of the body?
“For
he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and
drinks judgement to himself, not discerning the Lord’s
body.” (v.29)
Are
we proclaiming the death of the Lord and reminding the
believers of Christ’s return?
God’s
judgement and discipline are the results of partaking
in an unworthy manner:
“For
this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many
sleep.” (v.30)
“For
if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.
But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord,
that we may not be condemned with the world.” (:31-32)
How
much of the church is “sick” or “asleep” because it
has mishandled the table of our Lord?
Jesus
said:
“Do this in remembrance
of Me.”
As
we celebrate (remember Jesus) according to the word
of God:
·
God saves
us out of bondage
·
God keeps
the destroyer from our households
·
God adds
to the church daily those who are being saved
And
we keep the remembrance of Jesus always before us:
·
Jesus became
the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world
·
Jesus rose
from the dead and has promised us everlasting life
·
Jesus will
return to rule and reign with the saints in his kingdom