Consider the Body

Consider the Body and Blood

Our Passover

Exodus 12:5–6 “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, 6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight.”

1 Peter 1:19 “…the precious blood of Christ, [was] like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”

Purpose

Exodus 12:23 “For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you.”

1 Corinthians 5:7 “Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.”

In the pattern of Old testament shadow, promise, and prophecy, and New Testament Light, Substance, and Fulfillment we clearly see here that God intended The passover and resulting exodus to be an abiding and defining picture of the liberating power and plan of God; namely that he would rescue and preserve a people for Himself.

Just as in the days of the Exodus, Jesus was sacrificed so that for all people whose hearts have the blood applied (by faith), there is no lasting death or destruction.

Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Consider This Body

Representative

1 Corinthians 10:16 “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?

Participation - κοινωνία - Fellowship

This supper is to be a ceremony or rite both of commemoration of the substitutionary death and sacrifice of our Lord Jesus, AND to be a fellowship (something meaningfully shared) by an assembled family of families, a community of faith.

In Baptism:

The candidate is saying they are a child of God, pledging to live for Him.

God is saying this IS my child whom I have saved and will equip to live for me.

The church is saying we believe you ARE a child of God sent to be a part of our branch of the family tree

In the Supper:

We who partake are saying that WE are brothers and sisters in Christ, whom He has gathered together for His purposes and our good; We are a family of families by God’s gracious design.

God is saying: Remember, I am your God, and YOU are my People. I have redeemed you and will be with you always.

Peculiarly Unified

1 Corinthians 10:17 “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.”

The supper is a particular sanctifying moment in the life of the church. It is a time where God uses our faith and participation to effect a spiritual work in drawing us together.

We are one in Christ.

For all the saved, this is already true. This truth is experienced in this life in moments of fellowship, especially in this Christ-instituted supper; this iHoly Communion.

Church Family, when we partake of this Holy Supper today, let us consider the body and blood of Jesus; given for our rescue and supply. Let us also consider the body of believers He has placed us in for His Glory and our Blessing.