On Thursday, as Jesus prepared his disciples for the events about to occur, he instituted a meal. While this fast food generation rarely takes time to consider the significance of a meal, this meal had deep significance for the disciples at the table and should have radical implications for many today.
1. Jesus declared himself to be the Passover lamb.
Jesus is described as “our Passover” (1 Cor. 5:7). The connection between what we refer to as the Lord’s Supper and the Passover meal is evident though not equivalent. The point of contact was not the Supper itself but the cross to which it pointed. The Passover meal commemorated Israel’s deliverance from Egypt on the night the destroying angel “passed over” the firstborn male children of Israel and slaughtered in judgment the firstborn of Egypt. Blood was shed and the blood of the lamb covered God’s people. Jesus identifies himself as the “lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
2. Jesus tells us to eat his flesh and drink his blood.
This is one of the weirdest and most often misunderstood statements in the Bible (John 6:53-56). Jesus is not advocating some form of cannibalism, rather he is showing us exactly how he is the bread of life, and that he intends to feed and nourish us to everlasting life. We feed on Christ, the bread of life, through faith alone. It’s not a magic trick of the mind but a spiritual conveyance of the grace of God in his gospel. When we participate in the Lord’s Supper we are united with Jesus and are given living fellowship with the Triune God. What a remarkable feast that we are invited to! This is not a funeral, as the sentiments of many Christians portray when participating, this is intimate participation in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus!
3. Jesus makes himself known and presides over the Lord’s Supper.
As a pastor in the Presbyterian tradition, with a previously diverse church background, I always struggled with the idea that only an ordained minister should administer the Lord’s Supper. The reason is simple. It is because Jesus himself presides over and reveals himself in the Supper. The minister is his representative in this sacrament. Jesus’ conversation on the road to Emmaus brings clarity. The two disciples traveling to Emmaus were kept from recognizing Jesus until he broke the bread; once he did, immediately they recognized him (Luke 24:30-31). The Lord’s Supper is about, for and with Jesus. He presides over it and he makes himself known in it.
Whether you are a mature believer or an ardent atheist, the reality remains that the meal instituted on Thursday has endured for centuries and will remain intact “until the Kingdom of God comes” (Luke 22:18). Statistics say that the likelihood of you attending church this Sunday drastically increases, consider the significance of this simple meal and the implications it has on your own life.
Next up, the sacrifice…
Author: Adam Viramontes
No comments:
Post a Comment