God With Us, In Christ

Introduction

There is a way to read the book of Exodus that misses the fullness of what God has revealed. We can read Exodus in such a way as to walk away with the idea that the purpose of this book is that a people escape slavery, that chains are broken, that Pharaoh is defeated, that the Red Sea is crossed, and that a nation is formed. While all of those things are true, glorious, and necessary, they in no way actually resolve for us the purpose, the book of Exodus itself, will not let us stop there and the truth demands that we see the larger truth that is portrayed. The Lord’s purpose is not merely to get Israel out of Egypt. The Lord’s purpose is to bring Israel to Himself. Redemption is not the finish line; redemption is the doorway. Deliverance is not the destination; communion is. God, Himself gives us this truth when He declares to Moses at the burning bush that the purpose for brining the people out is to bring them to Himself.

This is why we cannot see the final chapter of Exodus as a footnote or the epilogue to an epic tale, in fact, it is the summit, the very moment towards which all of this book has been moving. The moment when the Lord, the one who has spoken, commanded, redeemed, judged, forgiven, and covenanted, now comes down to dwell in the midst of His people. The cloud covers the tent of meeting. The glory of Yahweh fills the tabernacle. The God who thundered atop Sinai takes up residence in a tent in the center of His people, just as He had promised. What we have witnessed as we have moved through this book leads to this; the truth that God came to dwell with the people He has redeemed and dwelling within their midst, He leads them by His presence through all their journeys.

There are many who would consider this mere ancient history with no impact for today, however, we know it to be the living word of the living God and as a result of that knowledge, we must ask: what does this mean for us? What does it reveal about God? What does it teach us about the Christian life and our worship, our holiness, the guidance we receive, and the assurance that we have? Above all we need to ask, how Exodus 40 point us to Christ, who is the true dwelling of God with man?

This chapter can be broken into three major sections. The first being that God gives final instructions for His dwelling (vv. 1–16). Secondly, we see how Moses responds with exact obedience (vv. 17–33). Lastly, we see that God descends in glory and remains with His people (vv. 34–38). The focal point—the place where the text presses down with its full force—is those final verses. So, please take your copy of God’s word and if you have not already, make your way to the book of Exodus chapter 40, as we look at the final chapter of this amazing book that should play such an important role in the life of a believer. Having found your place I would ask that you...

Text

Stand with me in reverence for the reading of God’s Holy, Inerrant, Infallible, Sufficient, Authoritative, Complete and Certain Word:

Exodus 40 LSB

Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. “You shall place the ark of the testimony there, and you shall screen the ark with the veil. “You shall bring in the table and arrange what belongs on it; and you shall bring in the lampstand and mount its lamps. “Moreover, you shall set the gold altar of incense before the ark of the testimony and set up the veil for the doorway to the tabernacle. “You shall set the altar of burnt offering in front of the doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. “You shall set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it. “You shall set up the court all around and hang up the screen for the gateway of the court. “Then you shall take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it and set it apart as holy and all its furnishings; and it shall be holy. “You shall anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and set the altar apart as holy, and the altar shall be most holy. “You shall anoint the laver and its stand, and set it apart as holy. “Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. “You shall put the holy garments on Aaron and anoint him and set him apart as holy, that he may minister as a priest to Me. “You shall bring his sons and put tunics on them; and you shall anoint them even as you have anointed their father, that they may minister as priests to Me; and their anointing will be for them for a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations.” Thus Moses did; according to all that Yahweh had commanded him, so he did. Now it happened, in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was erected. Moses erected the tabernacle and laid its bases and set up its boards and inserted its bars and erected its pillars. He spread the tent over the tabernacle and placed the covering of the tent on top of it, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. Then he took the testimony and put it into the ark and attached the poles to the ark and put the mercy seat on top of the ark. He brought the ark into the tabernacle and placed the veil of the screen and screened off the ark of the testimony, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. Then he put the table in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil. He set the arrangement of bread in order on it before Yahweh, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. Then he placed the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle. He lighted the lamps before Yahweh, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. Then he placed the gold altar in the tent of meeting in front of the veil; and he burned fragrant incense on it, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. Then he placed the screen at the doorway of the tabernacle. He placed the altar of burnt offering before the doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and he offered on it the burnt offering and the meal offering, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. He placed the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing. From it Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet. When they entered the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. He erected the court all around the tabernacle and the altar, and he put up the screen for the gateway of the court. Thus Moses finished the work. Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had dwelt on it, and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle. Now throughout all their journeys whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out; but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up. For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of Yahweh was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.

Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father, Creator and Sustainer of all things, the One who brought Israel out with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, draw near to us now as we draw near to You. We confess that we are prone to wander, quick to trust our own wisdom, slow to tremble at Your Word, and often content with the gifts of Your hand while our hearts grow dull toward the glory of Your presence. Forgive us for cold worship, for careless obedience, for prayers that are hurried, and for hearts that are distracted.

Yet we give thanks and praise to You that You have not left Your people without a dwelling place. In the fullness of time You sent Your Son, the true Tabernacle, to dwell among us, full of grace and truth. And You have poured out Your Spirit upon Your church, making us living stones and a holy temple for Your habitation. We ask now for the light of Your Spirit to open the Scriptures to us. Give us eyes to behold wondrous things from Your Law. Give us hearts to receive Christ by faith, to delight in Him, and to follow Him.

Lord, still our minds and warm our affections. Guard us from mere familiarity with holy things. Keep us from hearing about glory without longing for it, and from speaking about Your presence while resisting the very holiness that welcomes it. Give us repentance that is honest, faith that is simple, and obedience that is glad.

Lord as we consider the glory that filled the tabernacle, grant that we would not merely admire a scene from long ago, but that we would bow before the God who is present among His redeemed people today. Lead us to Christ. Make us a people governed by Your presence, guided by Your Word, purified by Your Spirit, and satisfied in Your Son. We ask it in the name of Jesus Christ, our Mediator and High Priest. Amen.

God Orders His Dwelling According to His Word

“Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying…” That is how this chapter begins. Not, “Then Moses had a bright idea.” Not, “Then the people suggested a design.” Not, “Then the craftsmen proposed improvements.” It begins with God speaking. The tabernacle is not a human project that God later blesses. It is a divine dwelling that God commands into existence. Often times in our zeal we forget a truth that we should never forget, the truth that the way we worship God, the way in which we approach God, the fact of God dwelling with His people (in the already of the indwelling of the Spirit and the not yet of face-to-face) — each of these truths are matters of DIVINE revelation, not HUMAN invention.

First we see that God defines the terms...

“On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle…” The Lord appoints the day. He appoints the sequence: ark, veil, table, lampstand, altar of incense, doorway, altar of burnt offering, laver, court. Nothing is random. Nothing is left to Moses’ preference. The God who saves is also the God who orders.

This matters because we live in a time that treats worship as a canvas for self-expression. People say, “I worship best when…” and then they fill in the blank with a preference: a mood, a style, a method. But the question is not what fits our taste, the question is what God has spoken, what has He commanded, what has He revealed. God is not to be approached on our terms but on His. This is just as true of the “New Testament Church” as it was of ancient Israel.

You may recall that when we began working through the instructions regarding the Tabernacle that God began at the very center and instructed outwards. The first item that He commanded to be built in Exodus 25 was the ark, and notice that here again, He begins with the ark. This is because the ark is at the theological center. Hidden behind the veil, yes—but central, in fact, the Tabernacle compound is at the center of the camp and the ark is at the center of the tabernacle compound. The testimony, the mercy seat, the place of atonement, the throne of God in the midst of His people. If Israel forgets the ark, the very item that represents and defines the truth of God’s dwelling within the midst of His people, they lose the meaning of everything else. For us, today, Christ is the very center of all things, when we take our eyes off of Christ, when other things begin to encroach into that central area of our lives, our eyes are pulled away from Christ and it is that moment, just like it was for Peter as his eyes strayed from his Lord to the danger of the waves, that we begin to sink.

Then we see that God requires holiness...

Then comes the anointing: “anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it and set it apart as holy…” Holy. Set apart. Not common. Not ordinary. Not treated like everything else.

The oil itself is not magic. It is a sign. It points beyond itself to the sanctifying work of God—what Calvin presses home so well when he wrote:

Commentaries on the Four Last Books of Moses Arranged in the Form of a Harmony Exodus, Chapter 40

This figure, therefore, clearly shews that nothing pleases God, that nothing is pure or holy in His sight, except what has been purged, and duly consecrated by the influence and grace of the Holy Spirit

The point is not that a substance sanctifies. The point is that God sanctifies—and what He sanctifies, He claims for Himself.

And notice what is anointed: the tabernacle, the furnishings, the altar, the laver, the utensils. Holiness is not only for hidden places; it is for the whole life of the covenant people. The nearer a thing comes to God, the more it must be set apart. That principle did not die in the wilderness. “Be holy, for I am holy,” still stands.

And He provides a Priesthood...

“Bring Aaron and his sons… wash them… put the holy garments on Aaron… anoint him…” God not only gives a place; He provides mediatorship. He does not say, “Come however you like.” He gives priests to keep the charge of the sanctuary.

And from the outset, the text is already leaning toward Christ. Washing, clothing, anointing—these preach without words: no one comes to God without cleansing, without righteousness, without consecration. And all of that is found finally and fully in Jesus Christ. He is the Holy One. He is the Anointed One. He is the Priest. He is the sacrifice. He is the mercy seat. He is the way into the presence of God.

We see in these first 16 verses God’s clear and concise ordering. As we move forward we see Moses responding to God’s revealed truth in careful and complete obedience.

Moses Obeys with Careful, Complete Obedience

This shift from command to obedience begins with these words: “Moses erected the tabernacle…” Verse after verse, action after action. And after nearly every action comes the refrain: “just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.”

That refrain is pressed again and again because the Spirit is teaching something about ourselves, namely that there is nothing to which we are more prone than the mixing of our inventions with God’s commands, as though our ways could be wiser than His.

Note here obedience in the details is not legalism; it is reverence

Some hear careful obedience and assume rigidity. Scripture calls it faithfulness. God is worthy of exact obedience because God is God ALONE. From Isaiah 44:1 - Isaiah 46:9 we read this truth some 9:

Isaiah 44:6 ““Thus says Yahweh, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, Yahweh of hosts: ‘I am the first, and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me.”

Isaiah 44:8 “‘Do not be in dread and do not be afraid; Have I not long since caused it to be heard to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, Or is there any other Rock? I know of none.’””

Isaiah 45:5 ““I am Yahweh, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God. I will gird you, though you have not known Me,”

Isaiah 45:6 “That they may know from the rising to the setting of the sun That there is no one besides Me. I am Yahweh, and there is no other,”

Isaiah 45:14 “Thus says Yahweh, “The fruit of the labor of Egypt and the profit of Ethiopia And the Sabeans, men of stature, Will come over to you and will be yours; They will walk behind you; they will come over in chains And will bow down to you; They will make supplication to you: ‘Surely, God is with you, and there is none else, No other God.’””

Isaiah 45:18 “For thus says Yahweh, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it; He established it and did not create it a formless place, but formed it to be inhabited), “I am Yahweh, and there is none else.”

Isaiah 45:21 ““Declare and draw near with your case; Indeed, let them consult together. Who has made this heard from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, Yahweh? And there is no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a Savior; There is none except Me.”

Isaiah 45:22 ““Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other.”

Isaiah 46:9 ““Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me,”

And because God is God and there is no other, when He commands, we do not negotiate. We do not trim the edges. We obey.

And we must be honest: we are not naturally drawn to this. We are drawn to selective obedience. We will obey where it costs little, where it feels natural, where it receives applause. But God is not served by partial obedience. Partial obedience is in reality, just disguised disobedience. The repeated refrain found here in Exodus is a mirror held up to the church: do we live “just as the Lord commanded,” or do we live “as seems right in our own eyes”?

Moses uses what God provides

Notice how quickly Moses puts everything to use. The table is not left empty; bread is arranged. The lampstand is not left dark; lamps are lit. The altar of incense is not left cold; incense rises. The altar of burnt offering is not left clean; sacrifice is offered. Even the laver is not left unused; hands and feet are washed.

Here is a quiet rebuke and a necessary lesson: God does not give holy things as ornaments. He gives them to be used. The Word is meant to be heard, believed, and obeyed. Prayer is meant to rise like incense. The Lord’s Day is meant to be kept holy. The ordinances are meant to be received by faith. Fellowship is meant to strengthen. Discipline is meant to heal. Gifts are meant to be used in service to Him.

“Thus Moses finished the work”

This sentence ends the human side. Everything God commanded has been done. Now what remains? Only this: For God to come...

Moses can build the tabernacle, but Moses cannot bring the glory. Obedience can prepare the place, but obedience cannot manufacture the presence. Israel cannot summon God like a servant. God comes by grace. God comes by covenant faithfulness. God comes because He has promised to dwell among His redeemed people. In John 3:3 Jesus says that unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of heaven. Unless God comes, which is only something that God can do, over which we have no power, then our efforts, our obedience, our calling out is in vain… He comes to us by Grace Alone and as He comes our obedience to His commands is our only proper response and we use all that He has given us to make Him known, to the ends of the earth.

God Descends and Dwells

“Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle.” Here is the climax of Exodus. The “then” matters. It is the divine response to “so Moses finished the work.” The Lord takes possession of His dwelling place among His people.

The cloud: God present, God hidden

The cloud is both mercy and mystery. Mercy, because it is the visible sign that God is with them—no more wondering, “Is Yahweh among us or not?” Mystery, because it conceals as it reveals. God is near, but He is not tame. He is present, but not manageable.

A proper understanding of this truth should crush the modern impulse towards a casual approach to God. We often want nearness without holiness, comfort without reverence, intimacy without awe. The cloud teaches: God’s presence is not casual. It is covenantal and holy.

The glory: God’s majesty filling His house

“The glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle.” The glory is God’s manifested greatness—weight, splendor, majesty. This is the Lord publicly owning the work, publicly accepting the worship, publicly restoring fellowship after the golden calf.

Grace does not merely cancel debt. Grace restores communion. Grace brings God to the center again.

Moses cannot enter

Even Moses cannot enter. The prophet of God, the mediator of the old covenant, the intercessor for the people—overwhelmed by glory. Why? Not because Moses is rejected, but because God is holy. The majesty is too weighty. The brightness is too great. The nearness of God does not diminish the holiness of God.

And here the text cries out for Christ. Moses cannot enter, yet the people must draw near. There must be a Mediator who can approach. There must be a Priest greater than Aaron and greater than Moses. The New Testament answers: Jesus Christ. He enters the holy place not made with hands. He approaches the Father without being consumed because He is the Son. And He enters not for Himself only, but for us—opening a new and living way.

Christ is the true tabernacle: “The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us, and we saw His glory.” In Him, God does not merely dwell in the camp; God dwells in our nature. God comes nearer than Israel could have imagined.

The Presence That Governs the Journey

The chapter goes further because God’s presence is not merely a moment; it becomes the pattern for their life.

1) God’s presence directs their movement

Whenever the cloud lifts, Israel sets out. If the cloud remains, Israel stays. They are taught a new rhythm: do not move because you are restless; move because God leads. Do not stay because you are fearful; stay because God commands.

This is humbling, sanctifying, and comforting. The wilderness is full of unknowns, but the cloud says, “You are not navigating this alone.” The One who redeemed you will lead you.

Many believers live as though the Christian life is: God forgives you, then you manage the rest. Exodus 40 will not allow that. If God dwells among you, He leads you. If God is present, He governs.

2) God’s presence is constant: cloud by day, fire by night

Not only in crisis. Not only on special occasions. “Throughout all their journeys.” The Lord is not a God who visits occasionally and leaves you to fend for yourself. His covenant faithfulness is steady.

3) God’s presence is public: “in the sight of all the house of Israel”

The cloud is a rebuke to unbelief and a comfort to the weak. God places His presence in the center so the people are held accountable and strengthened.

And here the New Covenant fulfillment shines: God no longer dwells in a tent with a cloud above it. He dwells in His church by His Spirit. Pentecost is not an accident of history—it is the fitting counterpart: God filled the tabernacle with glory; God fills His people with the Spirit. Fire appears again, not to consume, but to indwell and empower.

And then the final horizon: Exodus ends with glory in a tent; Revelation ends with glory in a renewed creation. “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men.” No veil. No wilderness. No concealment. God with His people forever.

Christ at the Center

We see that the tabernacle reveals God’s desire to dwell with His people, it also reveals the necessity of atonement and mediation. As we move through redemptive history into the fulfillment we know that ultimately Christ is the true tabernacle and final Mediator. As Christ came to earth in the incarnation He accomplished the work here to provide a once for all sacrifice so that man could be reconciled to God. Once we are reconciled to God we become members of His church and the Holy Spirit makes the church God’s dwelling place. This is the current situation for all who believe, it is the already but as God’s word tells us, there is coming a better day, a day in which we will stand face-to-face with God, where we will know that eternity is God dwelling in the midst of His people, forever.

Our worship must be affected by these truths:

This passage is not merely the summit of the book of Exodus, is is also a passage that points us forward to the final fulfillment of God’s plan in redemption, but is is also a truth for the church today, a truth about God who gathers a people and dwells among them. As we understand this truth it shapes not just our understanding of scripture and the future, but also of our worship today. The truth is that although we do not stand face-to-face with God as we will, we are still indwelt by the Holy Spirit and as people who have received this promise, when we gather we do so knowing that God is in our midst.

This is extremely important, this understanding changes the focus of our worship. We no longer need an experience to prove that Christ’s presence is real, we have His promise. We do not gather with the intention of attaining something for ourselves, but to give glory and honor and praise to Him, we gather to meet commune with God through His word, in prayer, and in praise. As we gather our posture is marked with holy fear and holy joy. Moses could not enter the tabernacle once the cloud descended because of the glory of the Lord but this was in no way something that dissuaded Him, rather it created a level of reverence and awe. This is the approach we are to take, one in which our soul truly acknowledges who God is, and drives us to prepare to come before Him, to gather with His people to worship Him. Our preparation for Lord’s day worship begins when our Lord’s day ends. We eagerly await the time to gather together with the saints, we guard our hearts, renew our minds and desire to come together in holy fear and holy joy before our Lord, together.

That holy fear and holy joy drives our desire to hear His word read, preached, and sung. We desire to come to Him in prayer, not just in our times alone, but as His body, allowing the incense of our prayers to be a sweet aroma to Him and then to recall, through the ordinances that we have been given just what He accomplished for our sake. As we gather on the Lord’s day, the first day of the week, we declare that our lives are governed by God and God alone, that God is in our midst and that His kingdom is first. We seek Him as our guide, not just out of the bondage of sin, but through our whole lives and our whole lives are governed by the truth that we are called to obedience as a result of the salvation that has been given. That obedience is not a effort to produce a reaction but one that declares our faithfulness to the one who is faithful to us in all things, and through that, God is honored.

If we will be a people among whom God delights to dwell, we must be a people who love His presence, tremble at His Word, cling to His Christ, and walk by His Spirit.

Conclusion: The Question That Demands an Answer

Exodus closes with a tent covered by cloud and filled with glory. But that glory was always pointing forward. The true glory has come in Christ, and the true dwelling has begun in His church, and the final dwelling is promised in the new creation.

So here is the question that must be answered: Are you living each day with a settled awareness that the holy God truly dwells in the midst of His people through Christ, shaping your choices, ordering your loves, and governing your steps—or does your life quietly testify that His nearness has been neglected and His presence taken lightly, calling you now to repent and return? And for those who do walk in humble dependence upon Christ, let this be your assurance: the God who has drawn near will not depart, but remains faithful to dwell with His people and to lead them all their days.

The Lord does not merely offer you improved circumstances. He offers you Himself. He does not merely give you escape from Egypt. He gives you communion in the camp. He does not merely forgive; He comes to dwell. And He comes to dwell in those who are cleansed by blood, clothed in righteousness, and led by His Spirit.

Come to Christ. Trust Him. Worship God as He has commanded. Follow where He leads. Rest when He says rest. Set your hope on the day when faith will give way to sight, and the dwelling of God will be with man forever.

Closing Prayer

O Lord our God, we praise You that You are the covenant God who draws near to dwell with Your redeemed people. We confess that we have often lived as though Your presence were an accessory rather than our life, as though Your Word were advice rather than authority, as though Christ were useful rather than precious. Forgive us. Cleanse us.

Grant to us, by Your Spirit, the reverence of Moses who would not alter Your commands, and the joy of Israel who could lift their eyes and see the sign of Your presence in the midst. Yet grant us something greater still: fix our hearts upon Jesus Christ, the true Tabernacle, the Mediator who has entered the heavenly holy place, the One in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily, the One who brings sinners near without compromising Your holiness.

For the weary, be comfort. For the anxious, be peace. For the rebellious, be holy fear and true repentance. For the doubting, be assurance grounded not in feelings but in Your promises. Teach us to move when You lead and to wait when You appoint, to obey with glad hearts, to use the means of grace faithfully, and to make Your presence central in our homes and in our church.

And hasten the day when the pilgrim journey ends, when the cloud and fire give way to everlasting light, when tears are wiped away, and when the tabernacle of God is with men forever. Keep us to that day, through Christ our Lord, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Lord’s Supper Liturgy

Call to Worship

Psalm 95:6–7 LSB

Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before Yahweh our Maker. For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you hear His voice,

Confession

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. The third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen

Prayer

Almighty God,

We come before You in humility and reverence. We thank You for Your grace poured out through Christ Jesus our Lord. We confess our sins, asking Your forgiveness, trusting in the finished work of the cross. Prepare our hearts, O Lord, that we might partake of this holy ordinance in a worthy manner. Strengthen our faith, deepen our repentance, unite us in love, and conform us more to the image of Your Son. Bless this congregation, grant us boldness to proclaim Your gospel, and preserve us in Your truth until Christ returns. We ask all this in His holy name. Amen.

Scripture

Luke 22:7–22 LSB

Then came the first day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. And Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, so that we may eat it.” And they said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare it?” And He said to them, “Behold, after you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house that he enters. “And you shall say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ “And he will show you a large, furnished upper room; prepare it there.” And they left and found everything just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover. And when the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. “For I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. “But behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Me on the table. “For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”

Fencing of the Table

Brothers and sisters, this Table is for those who have repented of their sins and trusted in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. Those who do, in good faith, stand right and have been declared just based on the righteousness of Christ. If that describes you, come and partake. If you remain unrepentant or outside of Christ, we urge you to refrain, lest you eat and drink judgment upon yourself. Brothers and sisters, even those who have repented and believed are commanded to examine themselves to ensure that they come prepared to this table. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 11:27–29 “Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must test himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.”

Let us now take a moment to examine ourselves and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

Prayer of Consecration

Gracious Father,

We set apart these common elements of bread and the cup for this holy use. We acknowledge that they do not physically become the body and blood of Christ but serve as a reminder for us. We thank You for Christ’s body broken and His blood shed for the remission of our sins. May this Supper be a means of grace to nourish our faith and strengthen our covenant bond with You and with one another. Amen.

Bread

As we come to the observance of the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper, given to us to celebrate in memory of His broken body and shed blood. It is said that on the the night before He was betrayed, at the conclusion of the feast of the Passover, which He and His disciples were celebrating, He took bread and having blessed it, broke it and gave it to His disciples and said “this is my body, which is given for you.”

Prayer

After bread is passed out:

John 6:58 ““This is the bread which came down out of heaven, not as the fathers ate and died. He who eats this bread will live forever.””

Cup

On that same night our Lord took the cup and having blessed it, gave to His disciples as said “This is My blood which was shed for you.”

Prayer

Hebrews 9:22 “And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

1 John 1:7 “but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Drink

1 Corinthians 11:26 “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes.”

Conclusion

After our Lord and His disciples ate the bread and drank the cup, celebrating the first Supper of our Lord, it is said that they sand a hymn and went out.