Matthew 26:20-30
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Introduction
Introduction
Open your Bibles to Matthew 26
sample text
Text
Text
When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve.
what is the passover?
When God’s people were enslaved in Egypt, God sent moses to tell Pharaoh to “let my people go”.
But Pharaoh would not listen. So God unleashed nine plagues onto Egypt. And still Pharaoh refused to obey God.
So God Judged all of Egypt through the death of every first born son.
But God also assured His people that they would be unharmed.
that once this plague strikes, they need to leave Egypt immediately in the morning.
So everyone had a meal of lamb and unleavened bread. That means it has no yeast, because it had no time to rise.
And the most important part: Take the blood of the lambs that you are eating and put it on your door posts to your home.
when the Lord comes upon Egypt, He will pass over your house and spare you.
So we see all the way back in Egypt that God is the one who judges and the one who saves. He is the one who delivers His people out of their slavery and brings them into Their own land.
God told the to have this meal every year so they always remember what God has done for His people.
So this is the meal that Jesus and the twelve are currently having. All of Israel is also in Jerusalem to observe the passover festival. But for these thirteen men, the passover would be quite different this year:
And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”
We already know this, because Matthew told us last week. Judas made a deal to betray Jesus.
And Jesus already predicted that He would be betrayed or handed over. But the disciples are just finding out that it would be one of them that betrays Jesus.
When they hear this, they are shocked, but this time, not surprised. Perhaps they are starting to be a little more humble, realizing that they all have the potential to falter.
so rather than denying it, they ask:
And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?”
I hope it’s not me. Please don’t let it be me!
He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me.
This is no one specific. They all dipped their hand in the dish. That just means who ate this meal with me. But it will be someone who is at the table, one of the disciples.
The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”
Jesus will fulfill the scripture, this is the plan.
Those who are part of His murder are also acting according to the plan, but to their detriment and death.
And you can tell Judas is hearing these words and starting to get a little nervous:
Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”
Notice that Judas calls Him Rabbi, or teacher, when all the other ones cal Him Lord.
It it me?
Of course it is.
Guilty Dog
Nevertheless, during the meal, Jesus goes off script to the usual tradition and order. He does something new and describes it in ways that have never been said before.
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.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
what’s happening here is a greater passover meal. Egypt was just a foretaste. Just an example, to a much greater deliverance for God’s people.
Just as He brought the ancient people out of Egypt and into the promised land, so He will bring all those who believe in Jesus out of our slavery to sin, death, and the power of the devil and lead us into His eternal Kingdom, a Kingdom prepared for us. A Kingdom that Jesus has already brought.
Like at the passover, the judgment of God will pass over us because we are marked by the blood of the lamb.
But this blood doesn’t just hide our sin or cover it up. It’s not a temporary solution or a band-aid.
This blood of Jesus actually takes our sins away and makes us clean. It has the power to forgive.
God, in the Old Testament times gave His people a way to have their sins forgiven.
The price of sin is death. and since our God loves justice, that price must be paid. But because God is so loving and merciful, he said it doesn’t have to be our death. There can be a substitution, an animal sacrifice to take our sins and die in our place.
when he realizes his guilt in any of these and confesses the sin he has committed,
he shall bring to the Lord as his compensation for the sin that he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin.
And this was always a temporary solution. People sinned, they repented, they sacrificed, they were forgiven. But it was just a foreshadowing to God’s great plan.
The prophet John the Baptist is the first who sees and proclaims who Jesus really is and why He has come.
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice, not for one sin, not for one person, not for one time. But He is the Perfect, Holy, innocent Lamb of God who will suffer and die on behalf of every person for all time. And by His precious blood, there is unlimited forgiveness.
And this blood that is shed for the forgiveness of our sins, Jesus says himself, are present in the wine of communion.
His Body, which is given up, beaten, pierced, and nailed to a cross, is present in the bread of the bread of communion.
And as we receive these in faith, we receive the presence of Christ, forgiving us our sins.
Communion and baptism are my absolute favorite because God gives us so much through them. So I can always say, “but wait, there’s more!”
Let’s take a look at our final verses here.
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.” And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus is preparing His disciples for His death. This is the last time He will eat this meal with them until He comes back on the last day.
Which is a sad reality for the disciples. They are about to be without their leader, their teacher, their Lord. And it’s going to be a very difficult time.
And in fact, it still is a very difficult time for us, His disciples.
But Jesus assures us that He is present in this meal. And as we eat and drink, we do so in remembrance of Jesus
In remembrance of His sacrifice, his body given and His blood shed on the cross. That it is through Jesus alone that we are forgiven, cleansed, and children of God
And we also eat in remembrance that Jesus is coming back to us. That the day will come where we will eat and drink with Him when He brings the full kingdom of God to His people.
This meal, in all of it’s greatness an power, is still just a foretaste of the feast that is to come. the eternal wedding banquet of Christ and His bride, the church.
And we remember that this body is given for you, this blood is shed for you, this kingdom yours in Jesus. Communion is the way in which God’s grace and forgiveness are delivered directly to us.
And this gracious gift, this precious and holy meal, will forgive us, remind us, and sustain us in this life until Jesus comes back
Application
Application
I want to zoom out a minute, and make a point that I’ve been making for a few weeks now, because I think it’s so important.
A sermon about communion could be three hours long. You will not run out of blessings to mention, or old testament connections to make, or assurances to proclaim. So I think we’ve covered the bases for today. Instead of going on about communion specifically, I’d like to recall where we are in the story and reinforce some themes we’ve encountered.
I want you to remember that jesus is doing all of this for His disciples while they are in the midst of betraying Him. Right before they deny Him, abandon Him, Doubt Him, and forsake Him.
Jesus knows His people. We are weak, we are afraid, we are quick to turn on Him.
But Jesus meets their failures with the greatest blessing he has given the church. A meal of forgiveness and restoration.
It’s exactly what they would need, what we need, in these times.
Jesus continues to be faithful to His mission and to His promises and nothing will stop Him from delivering His people from their slavery to sin, death, and the devil.
Because from the very beginning, God has desired nothing more than for us to return to Him. And By the blood of Jesus, He has made a way.
Reading
Reading
When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.” 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.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 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.” And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Transition Slowly for the camera
Confession
Confession