The Lord's (Last) Supper

Mark 14:12–25 ESV

12 And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 13 And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, 14 and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” 16 And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. 17 And when it was evening, he came with the twelve. 18 And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” 19 They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?” 20 He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. 21 For 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.” 22 And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

There was much preparation to take the Lord’s Supper.

They secured a place that was secure? Private? Intimate!

It was only the 12 who went in. We do this as family. Not only the family that lives in our home. Not only the family that holds membership at this church. But the family that has God as Father.

So when we come to the Lord’s Supper, there is much preparation for us to take. But not in the setup. The place is secure, the elements are prepared. Our preparation happens between our ears, between our ribs and between the pews.

Get our mind right: We agree that God is right. If there is anything we are at odds with God about, we agree with Him. That is the essence of repentance. We agree with Him.

When Jesus proclaims “I am the bread of life” He becomes very pointed with His teaching about the body and the blood. It was a hard teaching to hear, the symbolism lost on many who heard it. They walked away, truly walking away. Jesus turned to the disciples and asked if they would leave as well. The spokesman, Peter, answered: Where will we go!? You have the words of eternal life! He was saying ‘we agree with you’.

Get our heart right: We ask, as the psalmist did, for God to search our heart. In chapter 139 he says

Psalm 139:23–24 ESV

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

And if the Lord shows us our heart holds ‘any grievous way’, sin, we go back and agree with the Lord. We repent of the sin held in our heart. We get our heart right.

Psalm 138:23-24

Get our relationships right:

Matthew 5:23 ESV

23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,

Matthew 18:15 ESV

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

What we cant come to the table with is pretense. A mask, if you will. No masks at the table.

What we cant come to the table with is pretense. A mask, if you will. No masks at the table.

The most common we wear is that we are ‘OK’. The ‘good church member’ will pull up in the parking lot for church, reach over in the glove box and firmly secure our best ‘I’m fine’ mask before we come in. Whether we are here every Sunday or are CEO church members, we practice this most devastating habit.

But why? Do we want so badly to be ok that we are willing to lie to ourselves and each other? Do we hope to ignore what’s wrong in our lives? Maybe we are completely unwilling to admit sin in our lives. Betrayed, hurt, stuck in a habit or attitude. If you hold up a mask, I cant love you. Only the mask.

The longing for righteousness based on personal merit is deeply embedded in human nature.

We want to be right on our own terms. Maybe that’s why we are so willing to fake it.

But faking it is disobedience. And while obedience draws us closer to the Lord, disobedience separates and hardens our hearts.

Not today. Oh please not today! We cant afford to hide behind a mask today. We have to be completely transparent before the Lord before we take communion.

We’re gonna have a time of invitation and reflection. I’m going to take the liberty of inviting you to a posture: Put your face in your hands to pray. When you lift your head from that prayer, grab your mask and keep in in your hands. Set it down and do not put it back on. Then let’s enjoy coming to the table together.

We want to be right on our own terms. Maybe that’s why we are so willing to fake it.