26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” 27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:26-28, NIV).
Have you ever thought about why Jesus and His disciples had gathered together for the LAST SUPPER? Did they know that this would be their last meal with Him before the crucifixion? Was this just to be another evening meal with their Lord?
Actually, they had gathered together that evening to share in the PASSOVER meal. Once a year, for almost 1,500 years, the Jews had celebrated their freedom and remember how they were spared by the angle of death PASSING OVER their doors as God forced the Egyptian Pharaoh to let Moses lead the Jews away from bondage.
This is why they were there that night. But Jesus had a much more profound reason for that evening meal. Not only was He there to celebrate Passover, and God’s covenant promise of rescue and freedom for His people, but also Jesus was there to become the NEW COVENANT that would set people free from the bondage of sin, forever!
Note the first thing Jesus did was to bless the bread, gives thanks to God for it. Gratitude. Gratitude for provision, for blessings, for salvation, for God keeping His promises, and gratitude to God for being a loving God.
Then, when Jesus broke the bread, He was symbolizing how His body was getting ready to be broken on the cross. He was previewing for the disciples what was getting ready to happen – the immense sacrifice that was getting ready to be made on behalf of all sinners, people just like you and me.
Lastly, the wine symbolized His blood that would be shed on our behalf. In hindsight, we know what Jesus did for us, but His disciples really had no clue as to what was about to go down. They also didn’t fully grasp that Jesus would see them again… in three more days, when He came back UP from the grave in VICTORY!
As we remember that First Communion, let us, too, come broken before Christ, so that we can truly embrace that fact that we RISE IN VICTORY WITH HIM, for what He alone has done!
Though we are sinners, we are FORGIVEN by the blood of Jesus Christ and have becomes heirs to the riches of heaven. That is our HOPE. That is His TRUTH. That is His PROMISE. That is a FACT. Praise our Lord for doing for us what we cannot do on our own!
David McCall
Executive Pastor
