Matthew 26:17-30
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Symbol-
Symbol-
As we come this morning, we are going to be looking at the institution of the Lord’s Supper.
As we do that, I think it’s clear, We live in a world of symbols.
Where pictures mean something more than just the artistic value of the picture. We associate meaning with pictures.
For instance, if you see a heart you think of love.
Light on at KK means hot donuts.
Red can with black writing means Coke Zero.
When you see the colors red, yellow, and green on a traffic light we understand what those things mean.
Red means stop .
Green means go.
Yellow is supposed to mean slow down.
A ring on the the left hand on the ring finger implies marriage.
A handshake is a symbol of friendship and love, and back in the day it could’ve been the symbol of a deal.
You give someone a thumbs up that means OK.
If you give someone a thumbs down, that means not OK.
Even certain colors are associated with things.
Some people in this room would not be caught dead wearing orange and purple.
And likewise some would not be caught dead wearing garnet and black, because it means more than just the color.
My hope this morning is that we leave understanding the bread and the cup that we share in the Lord’s Supper is more than just some bread and some juice.
It is representative of something more. Something meaningful.
Look with me beginning in verse 17.
17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?”
And so we continue in Matthew, we are in Passover week.
When it says Unleavened Bread, he is talking about the feast of Unleavened Bread, which is synonymous with Passover because at the Passover unleavened bread was used.
But the disciples come to Jesus and they know that Jesus is a man who keeps the Jewish law.
He is a Jew and Jews celebrate Passover.
And so they ask him where do you want us to prepare it?
Just a note here: the Passover was a big deal.
Most of you know Passover was a feast that commemorated God’s salvation of the people of Israel whenever they were enslaved in Egypt.
Remember the last plague in Egypt—God sent the death angel to the houses of all the people in Egypt, which included the people of Israel who were captive at that time.
But they were given instructions to kill a lamb to paint blood over the doorpost of their homes, marking them as as those who were the people of God.
When the death angel came, if the blood was applied to the doorposts of the house, the death angel passed over that house while all those in Egypt were judged.
And so it’s a story of God’s grace in judgment.
It’s a story of God’s salvation.
It’s a story of how God literally judges the enemies of his people while saving His people.
And so Passover is a reminder of that. Its a big Jewish celebration.
You know, we have really the BIG three major holidays.
Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving.
And I love all three of those seasons for different reasons.
But there is a lot of preparation that goes into celebrating those things.
Just think about Christmas for a moment.
There’s Christmas decorations.
There’s Christmas present you have to go shopping and buy.
You then have to wrap those presents.
Often you have to make travel plans or family plans.
You have to plan around one family’s Christmas with another family’s Christmas.
There’s Christmas activities at church
You have Christmas at home
Christmas at friend’s houses.
Christmas parties at work.
And all of those things involving preparation.
Passover was no different. There’s a lot of things that they had to be done, to get everything ready for the celebration.
Let me just run down a broad list here of passover preparations.
1. They had to remove all the leaven from out of the house.
2. Then they Choose the Lamb
1. A spotless male lamb was picked for the sacrifice.
3. Sacrifice the Lamb
1. It was taken to the temple where it was killed and its blood was offered.
4. They then had Roast the Lamb
1. The lamb was roasted whole (not boiled), so its took time.
5. Then they had to bake the Unleavened Bread
1. This bread was made without yeast.
6. They had to gather the Bitter Herbs
1. These herbs reminded them of slavery in Egypt.
7. They had to Get the Wine and get it ready.
1. Four cups of wine were used during the meal.
8. They had to prepare a place for all of this.
9. They had to set the Table
1. All the elements were arranged: lamb, bread, herbs, wine.
10. And then came time for the celebration where they had to tell the Story
1. The Exodus story was retold, and Psalms were sung as they remembered all God had done.
And so, there’s a lot to be done.
And this was the disciples job, and so they ask Jesus where, and Jesus is going to give them some specific instructions and they are going to get all this done so that they can share in the special meal.
18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’ ” 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.
The other gospel writers give more detail here, but Matthew keeps it simple.
They go and in God’s Providence everything that Jesus tells them is exactly how it ends up.
There is a certain man they speak to who gives them the use of an upper room.
And so they prepare the Passover meal.
The next thing we’re told is that Jesus is reclining at the table.
Look beginning in verse 20
20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. 21 And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”
Now, I have been to some pretty awkward dinner parties over the years.
I remember one time in college, I was at dinner party at someone’s house, when the two people who had invited me and my friends over, they got into an argument.
And one of them just got up and stormed out.
And it got real awkward, real quick.
And I’m going to be honest here.
I am quite possibly the worst person to be there in that moment because I don’t like awkward, and my defense awkwardness is to try and say something funny.
Because I’m going to try to make it not awkward.
And so I may so—
How about these green beans?
Or I may just join in on the argument and argue for one side because that’s more fun.
But I’m sure we’ve all went to dinner or had some a supper where things got awkward really quick.
I can’t imagine the feeling here in this moment as Jesus looks at the 12 men who had followed him for the last three years and tells them, “One of you is going to betray me.”
Now let’s pause for a moment, because we all have the benefit of having read the Bible and have been told the story, and so we know which disciple it was that betrayed Jesus.
Right? We all know the name— Judas Iscariot.
In fact, We all probably feel some type of way whenever we hear that name Judas.
You know we’ve got three ladies expecting babies in our church right now and that is so exciting. Thanks to God for that.
You know, Jackson and Mrs Kyle have a little girl on the way. Girl dad for life Jackson.
And then Javy and Mrs. Rebecca found out they’re having a little boy. He’ll be up there, singing with him before long.
And Pastor Will and Mrs. Tara they are going to wait to find out.
But in talking with them, I am certain of this, that none of these couples have even considered the naming their child, Judas.
That’s just not something we would do.
We wouldn’t even name our dog Judas.
Now we may name a cat that. Amen?
I’m sorry to you cat people out there.
Judas may be one of the most universally hated people in the history of the world.
But at this time, the disciples don’t have this knowledge.
At this dinner when Jesus says one of you will betray me the other 11 don’t just start going yeah, yeah, yeah we know who he is talking about.
No, that’s not how it happened.
The betrayal hasn’t happened yet so they don’t know.
In fact, they all assume it could be them.
Look at the next verse
22 And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?”
I think this tells us something about the disciples here.
One right after another, they’re asking Jesus to tell them whether or not they’re going to betray him or not.
I think this shows their own knowledge of the reality of their own depravity and sinfulness.
Their response isn’t “oh no way Lord we would never do that.”
We see Peter do that on another occasion, but not here.
At this point, they all seem to at least entertain the possibility that it could be them.
But the next thing that Jesus says, removes all questions as to who it is.
Listen to what he says—
23 He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. 24 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.” 25 Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”
And so, when the rest ask, we aren’t told Jesus’s response but when Judas asked, by the way already knowing he would betray him, Jesus identifies Judas as the one.
But don’t miss what Jesus says in verse 24
24 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.”
In other words, everything that’s happening is happening according to plan.
He is going to die as it is written of him.
In other words, all of this is planned.
It has been planned before the foundation of the world.
God has ordained that this would happen.
He has decreed that this would happen.
All of this Jesus knew would happen.
But this verse tells us that even though—
This is in the sovereign pre-ordained plan of God.
Judas is still held personally responsible for his actions, because they are evil actions.
And he did it. He chose to do it.
And so, this shows us that God sovereignty does not remove man’s responsibility.
You see this in this verse.
It all goes according to plan.
Jesus wants us to understand that he is not a pawn in the game.
He is the one in control of all pawns
He is God.
But we are also accountable for every action.
Now, this is one of those things in theology, that I believe we in our finite minds will never be able to grasp fully.
I do not pretend to know or to be able to explain the relationship between God sovereignty and man’s responsibility, only to say this— scripture teaches both.
God is sovereign.
Man is responsible.
Man is so responsible that Jesus says it would have been better for Judas, not to have been born to commit this act of betrayal.
It would have been better if Judas would’ve not have existed to betray Jesus Christ into the hands of evil men.
And so, He is held accountable and he is clearly identified at this point.
The gospel of John tells us a little more detail of that night.
John tells us that during the Passover meal, Jesus disrobed, wrapped his towel around him as a servant, and washed the disciples feet.
That washing would have included Judas by the way.
But John also tells us that once Judas is identified and immediately following his taking of the morsel from Jesus, Jesus dismisses him.
27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”
And so the timeline seems to me as follows…
They begin celebrating the Passover meal—
Jesus washes their feet, he gives him a lesson on what that means.
After which point Jesus identifies Judas as the betrayer, and then John says Jesus dismisses him after identifying him. Telling to do it quickly.
Jesus, now institutes what we know as the Lord’s supper.
It has been called the Lord’s table.
It has been called communion.
Luke in Acts chapter 2, calls it the breaking of bread.
Whatever you call it, Jesus intends for this to be an ongoing celebration.
It is a meal that Jesus’s disciples across the ages now share together in remembrance of what he has done and in anticipation of what he will do.
Listen to the next few verses.
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.”
And so as they are eating the Passover meal, Jesus takes two of the elements that were present in the Passover meal, and he institute something new.
Our Lord here redirects us from PASSOVER which was the celebration of the rescue of one nation from another nation… he now shifts it from that to a better rescue story— the rescue of a chosen people from out of every nation through his redemptive work.
And so, Jesus takes the bread and he takes the cup, and instead of pointing them back to the Passover, he now takes the elements of that meal and institutes a new meal.
A meal that fulfills that passover meal.
Because Jesus is the TRUE passover lamb.
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.
Jesus takes the bread and says this is my body.
Not the body of an animal.
This is his own body.
The bread is representative of that which will be given up.
Jesus will lay down his life.
His flesh will be offered up as a substitute for us who now still dwell in the flesh.
Jesus will offer up his body to be spit upon.
Jesus will offer up his body to be beaten.
Jesus will offer up his body to have a crown of thorns placed upon his head.
Jesus will offer up his body to be nailed by his hands and feet to a cross.
And Jesus will offer up his body ultimately to absorb in his body, and in his soul, the wrath of God meant for us on the cross.
You have to think that the disciples would’ve remembered this moment Jesus broke the bread, as they watched the flesh of Jesus be ripped apart by the Roman guards with the whip.
I believe the disciples would’ve remembered this moment as they watched them, nail him to the cross.
Jesus in giving them the bread is telling them I am doing this for you.
Then he takes the cup as well again, this being a staple of the Passover meal, but now transformed into a better meal representing a better salvation and a better blood applied than that which was applied to the doorposts.
He says to his disciples drink of it all of you for this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sin.
Now, there is so much in that statement there
Jesus says the cup is representative of his blood.
His blood that would be poured out for us.
His blood that would issue forth from his body as He was beaten, as his hands and feet were pierced, as the crown of thorns is placed firmly upon his head and as his side was pierced.
He calls it the blood of the covenant.
The covenant being the new covenant, of which in that covenant, God promised to forgive the sins of his people.
We understand it had to be Jesus and his blood.
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
The blood of bulls and goats do not take away sin..we learned that in Hebrews 10.
Jesus alone is the satisfying sacrifice.
Nothing else will do.
Daniel Doriani said this—
Matthew, Volumes 1 & 2 The Lord’s Supper Instituted
Debts must be paid in kind. If I owe a bank $10,000, my banker will not accept a home-cooked meal in lieu of payment. He will not accept a poem dedicated to my favorite banker. He will not accept a pen-and-ink sketch of his children, nor should he do so.. If man owes God a debt, then man must pay that debt. Jesus came to do that very thing. He was the true man, who came to shed a man’s blood, to redeem mankind. The lambs of God merely pointed to his sacrifice.
Jesus as fully God and yet fully man can offer up his life, his perfect life, as a suitable and satisfying sacrifice for us.
This is amazing.
It’s mind blowing— It baffles me. I don’t understand it all, but I believe it.
Harry Farrington said this in the Christmas hymn.
I know not how that Calvary's cross
a world from sin could free;
I only know its matchless love
has brought God's love to me.
It’s amazing isn’t it?
That God would be pleased to look on Jesus and his work and his body bruised and beaten, and offered up and his blood poured out.
That God would look on all of that and be satisfied in His perfect holiness to pardon me.
That is the message of the gospel.
The supper that Jesus institutes preaches to us the gospel.
The supper that we partook in last Sunday night, reminds us of the gospel.
I encourage you for your spiritual well-being and your spiritual health to be present for those services where we celebrate the Lord’s supper.
You are missing an opportunity to be reminded of what Jesus has done.
And let me also remind you that partaking in that Supper is a command.
Jesus says, do this in remembrance of me.
And when we are faithful to partake and remember, we are reminded
That by his body and by his blood that he poured out for us, he was right when he said it is finished.
It has been finished.
Jesus says here that he pours out his blood for the forgiveness of many.
That many, referencing the people of God, that Great multitude which no one could count from revelation chapter 7, those who by God’s grace will believe, those known only unto God, Jesus has paid their debt.
13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
It’s done. The certificate of debt canceled.
And that forgiveness, and that gospel truth is applied the moment we believe by God’s grace through the Spirit’s work of regeneration.
Praise be to God for the Lord’s supper.
This is why we do it, because the Lord we serve, gave it as a gift to his disciples to pass along to us to remind us of what he has done for us and accomplished for us on the cross.
And so as we come to the end of this passage, let us not miss what we have seen in this..
Jesus gathered with his disciples in a room prepared for Passover — a meal that reminded them of how God saved his people from slavery in Egypt.
But that night, Jesus pointed them to the fulfillment of all of that.
Jesus is showing them that He is the true Passover Lamb.
Not a Lamb whose blood was painted on doorposts, but one whose blood is applied to each and every believing heart.
Jesus is not a lamb who saved one nation for one night, but He is the Lamb that rescues a people from every tribe and tongue from an eternity of wrath, and secures our entrance into a better Land.
And so this morning.
Let us examine our lives.
Let us be reminded that the Lord’s Supper is given so that we can remember what Jesus has done.
And we don’t just looking back. We also forward.
Listen to how Jesus finished this meal..
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.”
Jesus is coming again. There’s a greater supper ahead — the marriage supper of the Lamb.
And Jesus says here, I’ll give you this meal, as my disciples, but I won’t take it again, until everyone for whom this body and blood are for are with me for etenrity.
I will not take it until every disciple has been redeemed and we drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.
We look forward through the symbols to that day.
Until that time, we remember.
We thank God,
It is finished and that Christ is enough.
But the question that really we should all leave considering this morning is this—
Will you be at that supper?
Have you been forgiven by Christ?
When you hear me speak of Christ’s body and blood, are you thankful, because you know that its only through that offering that you are saved?
Does those symbols mean something to you? Or are they disposable? Without any meaning for you?
