illustraion: Greatest Treasure

• There is a song by U2 called "I still haven't found what i'm looking for". Maybe that's how you have felt. As if you have been searching and searching. Well, I want to show you today that the reason we believers are gathered to celebrate the Lord's Supper is because we found what you're looking for. All those years of frustrated searching come to an end, the greatest treasure it right here.

The promise of the greatest treasure

• Jesus own statement: "my blood of the new covenant"
• OT Covenant established in Ex. 20:24. The process: you are to continually bring various offerings for various offenses and at various occassions to give to the Lord as an atonement.
• The band-aid on a deep wound process.
• Yet Jesus promises that his blood is a "new covenant". Something is changing.
• Jesus went to the cross as the sacrificial lamb - so that sins could be forgiven. So that your sins could be forgiven. Peter writes it this way, 1 Peter 1:18-19, "knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from you fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
• The greatest treasure is the blood of Jesus Christ poured out for the forgiveness of sins. Have you been looking for that treasure?

Many are looking for the treasure but not all will find it

• Here is a sobering reality from the picture of the Last Supper. Jesus was standing right in front of these men. The greates treasure was with them, yet one, Judas Iscariot, still missed the point. He ran away not knowing and still searching for what he had already found.
• Jesus told those who were gathered, that his blood was shed "for many" for the remission of sins.
• This does not mean that there are only a few that are capable of finding it, it means there are those out there who are going to choose to walk away from this treasure as Judas did.
• Jesus told a parable in Matt 19 about a rich young man who thought he already had the greatest treasure. But he still felt he lacked something. Jesus told him to sell his possessions and come follow him and in Matt 19:22 it reads, "but when the young many heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions."
• You see, we are gathered here today to celebrate the blood that was shed for the remission of sins. Maybe you haven't found that in your life. You've been digging every where but i'm here to tell you today, the treasure is right here. Jesus is calling you today into a relationship, quit looking for your treasure 72 inches from the truth. Realize that this blood we celebrate was poured out for you too.

Jesus wants to share the greates treasure with you

• The sad truth is that many will walk away from the treasure. But the glorious hope is that you don't have to be that person.
• Jesus says something pretty amazing. In v. 29 He states that he will not drink this cup again until he drinks it "with you" in his father's kingdom.
• Jesus was telling the disciples that the old way of taking these 4 cups of wine for the passover was finished. The new way, of accepting Jesus Christ would be instituted on the following day!
• The cup we remember today, is the cup of the new covenant.
• If you are here today and you have never accepted Jesus as your Savior, then quit looking for treasure where you are not going to find it. Don't be one of the unfortunate who will miss what Jesus did. Rather give your life to him today.