Mark 14:17-25 The Last Supper

Joel and Mary Nadel, Covenant Church

From: The Holy Bible and J.C. Ryle’s “Expository Comments on the Gospels - Mark”

House Rules: Phones, Respect, Stay on the Text, No Hijacking

Pray

Review

The last week of Jesus earthly ministry

Preaching, teaching, performing miracles for three years

Now He is in Jerusalem, to finish His work on the Cross.

In the previous passage, Judas became upset with the Lord when a woman came and poured expensive perfume on Him.

Mark 14:17–25 NASB95

When it was evening He came with the twelve. As they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me—one who is eating with Me.” They began to be grieved and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?” And He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who dips with Me in the bowl. “For the Son of Man is to go just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.” While they were eating, He took some bread, and after a blessing He broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is My body.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. “Truly I say to you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Introduction - Institution of the Lord’s Supper

This passage tells us how the Lord instituted the Lord’s Supper, what we call an ordinance

This would have followed on the heels of the Passover meal

The practice and meaning of this ceremony is simple and straightforward. Some churches have taken this ceremony and built on it or changed it and its meaning - they have deviated from the Scripture

The ceremony has been corrupted by errant explanations and superstition - to the point that it has become almost meaningless in many churches

For this lesson, we will dismiss the various matters of disagreement, and stick to the words of the Gospel, to our own benefit

First point: We should examine ourselves before we take the Lord’s Supper

This was His point when He warned His disciples: Mark 14:18 “As they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me—one who is eating with Me.””

He did this to get His disciples thinking - Mark 14:19-20 “They began to be grieved and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?” And He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who dips with Me in the bowl.”

The lesson He wanted to teach His church was this - that as we draw near to sharing Communion, we should carefully examine ourselves. We need to deal with any sin in our hearts

The benefit of the Lord’s supper depends entirely on our frame of mind and spirit

The bread and the wine, do no good to us, as medicine does for our bodies, unless our heart and will cooperate

They will not convey any blessing to us because the minister has blessed them, unless we take them rightly, worthily, and with faith

Some say that the Lord’s supper helps everyone who takes it, regardless of their state of mind - this is unbiblical, and has given rise to some gross superstitions.

Here is what the Heidelberg Confession says about these verses:

Historic Creeds and Confessions Question 81

Question 81

For whom is the Lord’s supper instituted?

For those who are truly sorrowful for their sins, and yet trust that these are forgiven them for the sake of Christ; and that their remaining infirmities are covered by his passion and death; and who also earnestly desire to have their faith more and more strengthened, and their lives more holy; but hypocrites, and such as turn not to God with sincere hearts, eat and drink judgment to themselves.

Question 82

Are they also to be admitted to this supper, who, by confession and life, declare themselves unbelieving and ungodly?

No; for by this, the covenant of God would be profaned, and his wrath kindled against the whole congregation; therefore it is the duty of the christian church, according to the appointment of Christ and his apostles, to exclude such persons, by the keys of the kingdom of heaven, till they show amendment of life.

Examining ourselves - continued

We need to pay attention to our attitudes

It is easy to get this wrong

On one hand, we should not be happy to stay away from the Lord’s table because we think ourselves “unfit” - this is a command of Christ and to do so is sin

On the other hand, we are not to casually go before the Table without thought - this does us no good, and also is a sin

It is a bad thing to be unfit for this sacrament, because it means we are unfit to die

To take it unworthily, is to provoke God

The only safe route is to be a decided servant of Christ and to live the life of faith - then we may boldly come before the table

Second Point: The Objective of the Lord’s supper is to remind us of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross

Christ intended the bread for us to remember His body, that was tortured and wounded for our sins and transgressions

He intended the wine as a memory of His blood, which He shed to cleanse us from all sin

The sacrifice for our sins from His death, and the assurance of our salvation really stand out in this whole ordinance

Some teach a false doctrine that His death was only the death of a very holy man, who gave us an example of how to die - this turns the Lord’s supper into something meaningless - and at odds with what He said when He instituted it

This point is very important - it puts us in the right attitude and teaches us how we ought to feel when we prepare for the supper

This should make us truly humble - the bread and wine now remind us of how terrible sin is - since nothing but Christ’s death could atone for it

It should make us hopeful about our souls - they remind us that though our sins are great, Christ paid a great price for our redemption

Most of all, it should make us grateful

The bread and wine help us to understand how much we owe Christ - how we are so obligaded to glorify Him

These are the feelings we ought to experience when we take of the Lord’s supper

Last point: the Lord’s supper is a great benefit to people who can partake

This lesson comes from the actions we take to receive this sacrament

The Lord commands us to eat the bread and drink the wine - the actions of a living person

Eating and drinking give us strength and refresh us

The Lord instituted His supper to strengthen and refresh our souls - but it is for those who are real, lively, Christians

This is a means of grace - It assists us to rest and trust in Christ, more completely

The visible symbols of bread and wine will help, enliven, and confirm our faith

A correct view of this point is very important

Eating of Christ’s body, and drinking of Christ’s blood are done in faith

Faith is the major means of communication between us and Christ

The Lord’s supper can help, enliven and confirm faith, but it is no substitute for faith - it cannot replace faith

Those who partake of the Lord’s supper without faith in the Saviour, are still dead in their sins

It should be a settled principle in our faith, that no unbeliever should go to the Lord’s table

To do any good, we must receive the sacrament with repentance and faith

No one will be saved or justified by coming to the table - they will actually be worse off

This is an ordinance for believers, not unbelievers - the living and not the dead

It sustains life, but does not give it - it increases our strength and grace, but it does not give it - it helps grow our faith, but does not plant it.

Bringing it home

Are we alive to God? - This is the great question

If so, we need to take the Lord’s supper, receive it with thanks, and never refuse the Lord’s Table. If we don’t we commit a great sin

Are we still dead in sin and unconverted?

Then we have no business at communion - we are on the wide, broad way that leads to destruction

We must repent, and be born again - joined to Christ by faith

Then and not before, we will be fit to partake.

The Gospel

Hebrews 10:31 NASB95

It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 (NASB95)

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

Romans 10:9 NASB95

that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

Prayer requests