Three Meals

Introduction

Transition

The Passover

Luke 22:7–13 ESV

7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.” 9 They said to him, “Where will you have us prepare it?” 10 He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters 11 and tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 12 And he will show you a large upper room furnished; prepare it there.” 13 And they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

Unleavened Bread

Bread baked without yeast, often made because of insufficient time to prepare bread in the conventional manner.

Bread used at the Jewish Passover and most other religious observances was, by the command of God, unleavened. This was largely owing to the fact that leaven generally symbolized evil; fermentation implied decay and corruption.

Passover

The ten plagues: Water to blood; Frogs; Gnats/lice; Flies; Livestock Disease; Boils; Hail; Darkness; and the Death of the firstborn.

Each plague progressively intensified pressure on Pharaoh to release the Hebrew people.

The narrative emphasizes that while Egyptian magicians initially replicated some early plagues, they eventually proved powerless.

The final plague—the death of the firstborn—finally compelled Pharaoh to permit the Exodus.

The last plague:

Exodus 12:11–13 ESV

11 In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover. 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. 13 The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.

Key Point: The Passover serves as a remembrance of Israels deliverance through God’s power and love.

Transition

The Passover was instituted by God for the Israelites to REMEMBER what He did for them in defeating Pharaoh and liberating them from slavery.

The Passover is a powerful TYPE that points to the ultimate liberation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This leads us to our second meal:

The Lord’s Supper

Luke 22:14–17 ESV

14 And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. 15 And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves.

Passover was an important part of Jewish live. And Jesus, being a Jewish person, observed this special meal.

But more importantly, Passover pointed to the Lamb of God, whose blood was shed for the salvation of all who would believe.

Jesus IS the Lamb of God.

Jesus then instituted Communion.

The Bread: Represents Christ’s body—given for you!

The Cup: Represents the Blood of Christ—shed for you!

Luke 22:18–20 ESV

18 For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, and when he had 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.” 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

Notes

1 Corinthians 11:26 ESV

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Key Point: The Lord’s Supper (communion) serves as a remembrance of our salvation through the sacrificial death of the Lamb of God - Jesus.

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

Revelation 19:6–10 ESV

6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. 9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” 10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Key Point: The Marriage Supper of the Lamb serves as a celebration of the complete union between the Lamb (Jesus) and His bride (the Church).

Conclusion

Communion

1 Corinthians 11:23–32 ESV

23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.