Matthew 26:17-29; Mark 14:12-25; Luke 22:7-20; John 13:1-38
When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” 17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:14-20).
A typical Passover feast opened with a prayer of thanksgiving, followed by the drinking of the first of four cups of wine. Next, participants ate the bitter herbs and sang Psalms 113-114. Then they drank the second cup of wine and began eating the lamb and the unleavened bread. After drinking the third cup of wine, they sang Psalms 115-118; and then the fourth cup was passed among them. It is likely that Jesus instituted this special supper between the third and fourth cups of wine. Today we call it “Communion” (1 Cor. 10:16), or “The Lord’s Supper” (1 Cor. 11:20), or “The Eucharist,” from the Greek word which means “to give thanks.”
In verse 16, Jesus makes the remarkable claim that this would be their final Passover together until the awesome “kingdom feast” that would take place at his return (Luke 22:28-30; 13:24-30; Matthew 8:11-12). Jesus was able to see beyond the trouble to the triumph, beyond the cross to his inevitable crown. He wanted to spend some precious time with his friends before his time of suffering.
The supper is a memorial of the redemptive death of Jesus and the new covenant that was initiated. The ancient covenants were ratified by the blood of animals; the new covenant came about through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus held up the bread and said, “this is my body that is broken for you.” Then he held up the cup and said, “this is the blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
Jesus also said, “as often as you eat the bread and drink from the cup, do it in remembrance of me.” He is asking these guys to keep eating and worshipping together, and when you do, Jesus said, don’t forget about me. In essence, Jesus is saying, “I want to be at the center of your relationships. I want to be at the center of your family life. That same love that I’ve showed to you when I went to the cross, I want you to have that love and give that love to others.” He’s talking about a love that sacrifices by the giving of yourself in humble acts of service.
Later on in the chapter Jesus said, A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (vs. 34-35).
Years later, in about 55 A.D., when some Christians were gathering together in the city of Corinth, Paul the apostle wrote to them to correct some problems they were having. These believers were getting together on a regular basis to have an agape feast, or a love feast. It was something like our shared meals, or potluck dinners. People would bring some food and the goal was to share it freely with others, so that everyone could benefit from the occasion. In the midst of this shared meal, they would pause and let everyone partake of the bread and the cup, as an act of communion.
However, here’s what happened in Corinth. The rich people got to the love feast early and they began to eat the food and drink the drinks, and when the poorer folks arrived, there was little or nothing left. The poor folks had menial positions and they had to work longer hours to make ends meet, so they didn’t always get to the event until later in the day. The end result was this: Some had plenty to eat and drink, while others walked away hungry, hurting, and feeling rejected.
Therefore, in First Corinthians 11, Paul wrote that it shouldn’t be that way. His point is this: When you gather around the table of the Lord, you’re gathering with Jesus and you’re gathering around Jesus. At that time, you’re supposed to remember the way that he lived and the way that he loved. Likewise, you’re supposed to look at yourself and ask yourself the question, do I have that same kind of sacrificial love operating in my life?
The point is, if we’re really following Christ, then we will experience his love, and we will share his love. Because deep down, that’s the kind of love that we’ve always wanted. The kind of love that gives and receives.
If you have a spouse who dies and the life insurance company pays you thousands of dollars after it happens, you don’t shout it from the mountaintops that the insurance company loves you. They’re just fulfilling a contract that they’re obligated to fulfill. However, if your loved one dies and some Christian friends make some meals for you, call you every day, and send you encouragement notes to help you get through the grieving process, you can rejoice in that kind of love. Because they’re doing their deeds of kindness, not because they have to, but because they want to. You can always tell the depth of someone’s love by what it costs them.
Prayer
Dear God, you have loved us with an everlasting love, and we are grateful for showing us how much you care through your Son. Forgive us for not always recognizing the immense value of each and every member of your family. We invite you to live your life through us so that the world will get an accurate picture of who you are, and many will come to believe.
Question
Have you been consistent in showing God’s love to other church members?