On the Last Supper

Introduction: Corrective

Matthew 26:26–29 ESV

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.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 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.”

For most of us, the Lord’s Supper is often a moment for silent, solemn reflection.

We approach it as a memorial of our Lord’s painful and agonizing death on the cross. Like a funeral service that we perform again and again and again.

We approach this as a time to think about all our horrible sins and thank God for killing Jesus in our place so that we don’t have to suffer what he did.

As a worshiper leader, I’ll be honest: we like to treat Communion time to give you guys a break from singing. So you can rest your voices and join in with gusto when we get past the doom and gloom of the Lord’s Supper.

Then | Why “Last”?

What happens here is called many names.

Communion

The Lord’s Supper

The Eucharist

The Blessed Sacrament

The Mystery of Mysteries

One name, however, has got me thinking. This meal is also called the Last Supper. Why?

Here we are, two thousand years later, and we’re still doing it! We proclaim the same words that Jesus spoke to institute the Supper. We “do this in remembrance of him,” that is, we re-enact that sacred night

Or maybe it’s called “the Last Supper” because it’s the last event before the dawn of a new age.

Now

Every time this Supper is observed, we do not simply remember the death of Jesus as a past event. We re-enact that moment, that turning point from darkness to light, from despair to hope, from death to life.

And we also find ourselves on the cusp of such a turning point. It’s not quite the last week of the semester yet, but we’re living in the last days of Spring 2021.

We’re rescheduling all our finals to take them as early as possible.

All our conversations are about what our plans for the summer will be.

For most of us, we’re thinking about the classes we’ll be taking in the Fall semester.

And for the rest of us, there won’t be a Fall semester.

A Personal Note

If you would, I ask your forbearance to make a personal note. This is perhaps my last chance to say something to all of you in this capacity, and it’s fitting that it should happen in the context of a worship night. I was first “discovered” at Harding because I got to share this gift of worship that I have received by grace with all of you.

It is strange to now have to figure out how to say farewell.

Conclusion

There we shall rest in that Sabbath without sunset.

There we shall behold him, our End which is no end.

Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns, both now and forevermore, world without end. Amen.

Notes

Kairos - the time has come. A new day is dawning. The eschaton is here.

Christ embraces the Passion and his own death for the joy set before him beyond. He shuns not the cross for the life that it will end, but runs toward it for the life it will begin. Through death we shall be awakened to new life.

Gandalf: Here at last on the shores of the sea comes the end of our fellowship. I will not say do not weep, for not all tears are an evil.