Inspired by . . . tradition

Inspired by . . . tradition

 

And He took a cup, and when He had given thanks He said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And He took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood" Luke 22:17-20

 

I had never really thought much about it before now, but the Last Supper wasn't the "Last Supper" for the disciples of Jesus.

For many of us, it's a familiar scene: The long table, with Jesus at the center, His disciples reclining around Him. The breaking of the bread, His body. The drinking of the wine, His blood. Do this in remembrance of Me.

And I do.  When I partake of the Lord's Supper, when I eat the little square piece of unleavened bread, I remember His body, broken on the cross.

For me.

When I drink the little cup of grape juice, I remember His blood. Dripping down where the thorns pierce His brow. Soaking into the wood of the cross.

For me.

 

 

But Jesus' disciples weren't preparing the upper room for the Last Supper. Certainly Jesus knew what He planned to do, but they didn't. In their minds, they were preparing the Passover meal. A meal prepared in a certain way, eaten in a certain way, to remember a specific occurrence.

 

“This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord;

throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast." Exodus 12:14

 

The disciples might not have understood it at the time, but after Jesus rose from the grave, He made sure they understood.

 

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Luke 24:27

 

Oh, to travel back in time and be a fly on Peter's tunic when Jesus was interpreting His Word and all things concerning Himself!  The Word made flesh – God's Word in action – oh, how glorious! Does it not say that their hearts were burning within?! {Luke 24:32}

 

Perhaps the following is a glimmer of what He shared with them....

 

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,  “This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you. Exodus 12:1-2

Jesus' death and resurrection marks a new beginning. "Behold I make all things new." Rev 21:5 Jesus' death, His payment for our sin, gave us a new start, direct access to God, the Father. "And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom." Matt 27:50-51

 

Your lamb shall be without blemish... Exodus 12:5

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15

 

Then they shall take some of the blood {of the lamb} and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it... Exodus 12:7

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29

I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain... Rev 5:6

 

The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:13

For the wages of sin is death, Romans 6:23

Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God. Romans 5:9

 

Textured with kk_mary

 

When Jesus instituted the Last Supper, He set aside the ritual of the Passover and revealed His end game.

The Victory!

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Talk about your heart burning! My heart burns and my pulse quickens every time I read that scripture – Amen?!

The Last Supper, what we call the Lord's Supper [or Communion}, is not so much a ritual as it is a sacrament. It is something we receive, rather than give.

We invite Him to commune with us, we receive His presence,

Yes, it's all about Jesus. His broken body. His blood poured out. I still think of the cross. I still visualize my sin, not the nails, holding Him there.

And weep.

But I also remember. I remember that the event in Exodus that the Jews celebrated {and still celebrate} every year was a glimpse,  a symbol, of what was to come.

Jesus, the Messiah. The lamb – slain so that we might be "passed over" when God judges sin.

Jesus has come. Jesus has paid. He has overcome death and conquered the grave!

 

Jesus Lives!

 

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

 

Rejoice with me,

and invite Him to your table.

 

Blessings,

 

 

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