The Lord's Supper

Matthew 26:26-29 “26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.””

So lets explain the Passover supper that they were originally observing. The passover supper is a yearly dinner that Jews observe in order to remember the day they were liberated from Egypt. The Jews that were in captivity was instructed to take a lamb that was perfect (without any form of spot or defect) and kill it. They were to put the blood over the doorpost so that when God sent the last plague, the angel of death would see the blood as a sign of faithfulness and pass over the house. Which is why the feast is call the Feast of the Passover.

Now Jesus has instituted the Lord’s Supper which replaces the Passover. You see, the Jews were freed from the captivity of Egypt so that they return to the Promised Land and establish the Jewish nation, fulfilling the Abrahamic covenant. You and I are freed from the penalty of sin when we place our trust in Christ, our “Passover Lamb.” We are set free from our sin, and free to live in Christ and enjoy a life fulfilling in Him.

“This is my body”- Notice something about the bread? What happened to it? It was broken. Torn apart. Christ’s body was broken for us during His crucifixion.

“This is my blood.” - Covenants were ratified (Made officially valid) with blood. They cost something its life to issue the covenants seriousness. Jesus was about to give His life’’s blood to create the new covenant between God and man. The covenant was this. If you place your trust in Jesus Christ and the sacrifice that He made for YOU on the cross then you will be saved. Jesus poured out His blood to cover your sins so that when death does come to you, eternal death will be overlooked and you may enter heaven with your God.

Now we observe the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of what He has done for you and I. We remember the sacrifices that He has made for us, and the spiritual freedom that we have once we place our trust in Him.

Those who are saved within a church body become part of that church by baptism, the outward confession of an inward change. Those who are baptized into a church body are eligible for participation in the church’s communion. Those who are saved and baptized, but are members of another church, they are eligible at that church. Those who are not saved are not experiencing the freedoms that they have in Christ and therefore cannot experience the Lord’s Supper because it means nothing to them.

Why is baptism a big deal? 1. Jesus commands it. 2. It is an outward declaration that you belong to God through the blood of Jesus Christ.