Matthew 26:17-29 "The Lord's Supper"

Good Morning Calvary Chapel Lake City!

Parents you may dismiss your kids!

If you don’t have a Bible...

Please continue to pray for the various families in our fellowship not here today, recovering from various illnesses.

If you are new to Calvary Chapel…I’m Pastor Marc, welcome! Thanks for joining us today!

Welcome Card & Prayer Basket!

------------------------------------------------------------

Please turn in your Bibles to Matthew 26. We are covering verses 17-29 today.

Last time, we looked at a contrast between Judas and Mary of Bethany. Judas was centered what he could gain in his relationship with Christ, whereas Mary was focused on how she could give.

Mary did what she could… she didn’t fight Jesus going to the cross… she embraced God’s plan and sacrificed a very expensive oil… perhaps even her life savings… to anoint and prepare Jesus’ body for burial.

And, as Mary anointed Jesus’ head with her hands and His feet with her hair, she and the whole household shared… they took on the same fragrance as Christ… a beautiful application as to what happens to us as we sit at Jesus’ feet, as we sacrifice in worship to Him.

Judas complained that this sacrifice was a waste… deceitfully... he wanted to sell the oil so he could steal some of the money.

A selfish heart vs a servant heart. Judas remains in infamy, whereas Jesus said of Mary, “what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

Judas then went to the chief priest and was paid 30 pieces of silver, which fulfilled a prophecy in Zech 11, that Messiah would be betrayed for this exact sum.

Starting in V17, where we pick up today, it is now Thursday… the 14th of the Jewish month Nisan… a day prior to Friday… what we call Good Friday… Friday was the day Jesus was put on trial and crucified.

But, prior to that, Jesus would share in one final Passover meal with His disciples. The teachings Jesus gave during this meal gives us the basis for the ordinance of “communion,”

… and this meal is often called “The Lord’s Supper” which will be our sermon title for today.

Let’s pray, and then we will pick up in V17.

Matthew 26:17-19 “Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread [Mark states this is “when they killed the Passover lamb”] the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?” 18 And He said, “Go into the city [Jerusalem] to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.” ’ ” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.”

During the Passover, there was another feast… the Feast of Unleavened Bread as well.

We often call the week prior to Passover, Passover week, but it is technically a one day feast that overlaps with an eight-day long festival called the Feast of Unleavened Bread… which begins the day prior to Passover, so both of these feast are pictured here.

Lambs were sacrificed and prepared on Thursday.

Thursday after sunset (so Friday) the family would gather for the Passover meal.

After sunset was the beginning of the next day for a Jew… based on Rabbinic interpretation of Genesis 1:5 “So the evening and the morning were the first day.”

I highly recommend attending a Passover Dinner or Pesach Seder if you ever have a chance. Truly, I hope a door will open for us to have a Passover Seder as a church family. It’s amazing how the traditions and elements of this dinner go all the way back to Exodus and points to Christ.

Jesus and His Jewish disciples would have been celebrating this traditional Seder dinner…

We see elements of the Seder in these passages… unleavened bread, wine, a meal, hallel psalms...

But, Jesus very much changes this highly ordered meal… adding meaning and instituting new ordinances for the church… this is no longer a traditional Seder… it’s “The Lord’s Supper.”

In preparation for this meal, Jesus gives specific instructions… some believe prophetic instructions… others think Jesus may have just met a man earlier in the week who would host them.

Tradition even holds the host home was Mark’s home and the owner was Mark’s father. But, scripture does not specify...

Mark 14:13-16 states, “And He sent out two of His disciples [Arguably His closest two disciples… Peter and John… according to Luke] and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him. 14 Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” ’ 15 Then he will show you a large upper room [typically the second story of a Jewish home], furnished and prepared; there make ready for us.” 16 So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover.”

Some scholars believe this detail about a man carrying a pitcher of water was a prearranged signal since women typically labored over carrying and filling the water jars.

Additionally, the disciples describe Jesus as “the Teacher”… whom this man presumably knows.

But, I have no problem thinking this whole scene is prophetic. If Jesus can make the heavens and earth and predict His death and resurrection… what is it to Him to predict a man carrying a pitcher of water who would offer his upper room?

Continuing to V20…

Matthew 26:20-25 “When evening had come [So, now Friday], He sat down with the twelve.”

Don’t you love that? “He sat down with the twelve.” Man… those guys had a blessed privilege. Sitting down with Jesus.

Don’t downplay the significance of spending time and sitting down with Jesus right now… you sit down with Him when in His word, in prayer, in serving… all preparation for life and heaven.

Paul said in 1 Cor 13:12 “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.”

Presently, our understanding of spiritual things and God is like looking in a mirror dimly… like looking in a first century brass mirror. Not a perfect reflection.

However, right now God knows us completely and intimately. We only know Him in part, but in heaven… we will see and know God to our full extent… as clear as looking at Him face to face.

God has amazing things in store for us in heaven. Beautiful promises!

Back in Matthew... V21, Jesus predicts His betrayal… an important account highlighted by the fact that this account is recorded in all four Gospels…

V21 “Now as they were eating, He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” 22 And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, [“It’s Judas isn’t it?”… NO… they had no idea… in fact they all held a healthy skepticism of their own flesh saying… ] “Lord, is it I?”

John 13:22 records, “Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke.”

John also records… Peter leaned over to John… to play the telephone game… and passed a message through John to Jesus, “Lord, who is it?”

I wonder if there was a little pride in Peter’s heart here? As, he points at others… “Lord, who is it?”

But, the other disciples asked one by one, “Lord, is it I?”

That is the correct… humble attitude. “Lord, is it I?” And, I want to chew on this for a moment.

As we go through these passages in Matthew 26-27, we will repeatedly encounter moments of pride and humility of the people around Jesus… friend and foe alike.

And, this “Lord, is it I?” moment is a good reminder and application for us today... not to become prideful… not to trust in our flesh…

Jer 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?”

We all have an internal battle… our flesh desires to betray the Lord… and our spirit is loyal to God.

Paul describes this internal warfare in Gal 5:16-17 “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.”

We will soon see this in Peter who will say he would never deny the Lord, and I think he meant it. After all, he drew a sword and cut off Malchus’ ear while facing droves of soldiers. Wrong method, but I think he meant it.

But, later his flesh was weak, and indeed he did deny Jesus three times.

Do not put stock in your flesh… This “Lord, is it I?” attitude is a humble attitude… the right attitude.

The opposite of humility is pride which leads to sin.

Pro 16:18 states, “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.”

When choosing Overseers of the church, Paul advised Timothy… 1 Tim 3:6 “...not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.”

A overseer stood to fall by pride if they were a novice.

Notice, Paul added that pride is the sin that caused the very fall of Satan. Wow! That’s significant.

There are two key OT passages that display how pride caused Satan to fall… and I want to look at these because if pride took Satan down… how much more must we be on guard? How much more must we have that “Lord, is it I?” attitude.

These two OT passages display God pronouncing proclamations against two earthly kings, that are seemingly under the influence of Satan, thus many scholars interpret these passages as a proclamations against Satan himself.

The first passage is Isaiah 14:12-15 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! 13 For you have said in your heart: [what follows is called the five “I wills” of Satan… when your will is elevated above God’s will… pride is the issue. Satan said… ] ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ 15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol [Hades in Gk.- the realm of the dead prior to Christ’s victory over the grave], To the lowest depths of the Pit.

A hundred some years later, God responds to Satan’s prideful “I will” statements in Ezk 28:12-19 “Thus says the Lord GOD: “You were the seal [or model] of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. [9 of these are on the High Priests breastplate which has 12 stones for the 12 tribes] The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes Was prepared for you on the day you were created. 14 “You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. [He was a guardian cherub] 15 You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you. 16 “By the abundance of your trading [speaking about his abuse of position and influence in heaven] You became filled with violence within, And you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones. V17 [key verse] “Your heart was lifted up [pride] because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you. 18 “You defiled your sanctuaries By the multitude of your iniquities, By the iniquity of your trading; Therefore I brought fire from your midst; It devoured you, And I turned you to ashes upon the earth In the sight of all who saw you. 19 All who knew you among the peoples are astonished at you; You have become a horror, And shall be no more forever.” ’ ”

Last week we saw how covetousness was a major issue for Judas who fell. This week, Satan… who was a most special cherub for God… fell in pride… his “heart was lifted up because of [his] beauty...”

Thus, not surprising, pride is one of three main tools of deception Satan has used since deceiving Eve, and still today.

1 Jn 2:16 states, “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.”

Almost every person… and even angels… that have fallen away from God… seem to fit into one or more of these three categories…

Lust of the flesh- sin deriving from selfish cravings for things of the world.

Lust of the eyes- when we encounter and fall for the enticement of temptations in the world.

Pride of life- a boasting & arrogant person who glories in themselves or their possessions.

Knowing these are the fiery darts of the enemy… knowing satan fell because of pride… knowing that in these chapters in Matthew… from Judas to the Religious Leaders... to the Jews... to the Romans... to even Jesus’ own disciples… they all stumble at various times from these sins…

Knowing this… how important is it for us to be humble… to not trust our flesh… for us to have healthy skepticism of ourselves… “Lord, is it I?”

Peter taught, 1 Peter 5:5-9 “… be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble. 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.”

The Bible has much to say about the battle between the flesh and the spirit… between pride and humility…

Soak these various verses in today… apply them to your life… learn from the mistakes and triumphs of Jesus’ disciples.

God didn’t spell out the failure of His servants in His eternal word to embarrass them -or- remind them of their failings for all eternity…

He recorded these things for us… because He loves us… and He wants us to succeed in life… to not stumble.

So maintain a humble attitude and the same attitude as the disciples… “Lord, is it I?”

Continuing on… Jesus responds… VSS 23-25…

Matt 26:23-25 “He answered and said, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me. 24 The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.” 25 Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, “Rabbi, is it I?”He said to him, “You have said it.”

Jesus now identifies His betrayer. He is one sitting close to Jesus… normally a friend would sit close and share a common dish… a sign of unity and oneness.

Remember how the Pharisees complained that Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners?

Why would Jesus associate, fellowship, and be unified with such an undignified group?

Valid question, and still valid today… as He associates with us.

It’s called grace.

As Jesus shared in this Passover meal with Judas, it speaks loudly of two things.

First, Jesus will go to the end to reach the lost. He knew Judas would betray Him, but He still was reaching out to Judas until the end.

God does everything in His power… except violate our free will… to reach us.

In Romans 1: 24, 26, & 28… when we read “God gave them up to uncleanness… God gave them up vile passions… God gave them over to a debased mind…”

Trust… this is the final straw in a long line of attempts of God trying to reach a person who betrayed His loving outreach.

And, as Jesus shared this meal with Judas, the second thing this speaks is the model laid before us.

If Jesus would go this far to love on Judas knowing Judas would betray Him, what about us?

If you knew someone would betray you, would you love them to the end?

Take a walk with that this week. Jesus did… He loved Judas despite Judas being a scoundrel.

In V24, Jesus now refers to Himself once again as the “Son of Man”… His favorite title for Himself. It speaks of His humanity, but it is also a messianic title.

Fully human, fully divine.

Jesus said, “The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him...”

Jesus’ goes… to the cross to redeem mankind. He is not only the King, but also the Suffering Servant.

“As it is written… ” in fulfillment of prophecies written hundreds to thousands of years prior… Gen 3:15, Ps 22, Isa 53:4-8, Dan 9:26… and so forth…

This fulfillment of prophecy highlights God’s sovereign hand at work… even during this betrayal. God was never out of control… He was and is still today in complete control… Don’t lose heart.

But, fulfillment of prophecy does not excuse Judas’ crime of betrayal.

Jesus said, “… woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”

Certainly Jesus is speaking about Judas, but there have been many a Judas through out the ages…

And, it seems there is a harsher eternal judgement for wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Jesus warns against such treachery. It takes a most wicked heart to be in the body of Christ… to be loved on… and nourished by God and other Christians… and to betray that love for the love of darkness.

In a similar fashion, Jesus warned elsewhere against being a person of wicked influence who would seduce other believers to walk away from Him… Matt 18:6-7 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!”

Grave eternal consequences.

The words of V25 are hard to read aloud… “Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, “Rabbi, is it I?” He said to him, “You have said it.”

All the other disciples in humble skepticism of their flesh asked Jesus, “Lord, is it I?”

Mark 14:19 tells us, “And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, “Is it I?” And another said, “Is it I?” ”

What is Judas to do? One by one the other disciples questioned themselves. If Judas remained silent, he would be exposed.

So, Judas asks, “Rabbi, is it I?”… knowing in his heart that he is the betrayer.

Notice… all the other disciples say, “Lord, is it I?”

Jesus is their Lord… their master… the one to whom they have pledged allegiance.

But, Judas does not address Jesus as ‘Lord,’… only as Rabbi… as teacher. Judas has betrayed and forsaken the Master-Servant relationship.

All of us are mastered by something. The key is finding a loving Master to serve.

Money is a cruel master. Drugs and alcohol are a cruel masters. Hedonism/ pleasure seeking is a cruel master.

Because even though these provide a short-term… a passing pleasure… they deceive… they do not fully satisfy in this lifetime… there is always… eventually something lacking…

And, certainly they cannot save your soul eternally.

There is only one Master who can satisfy the longing of your soul and save you eternally… and His name is Jesus Christ.

If you have not bent your knee to Him as your Lord, make today your day of salvation… simply with an honest prayer saying ‘yes’ to Him, and submitting your life to Him.

As difficult as V25 is to read, equally difficult are the additional details in John’s account… Jesus’ response to Peter’s question “Lord, who is it?”…

John 13:26-30 “Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. [Last chance Judas… time to repent or have God give you over to a debased mind. He chooses wrong.] 27 Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him [Is Jesus now speaking to Judas or Satan… or both?], “What you do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. 29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, “Buy those things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. [Amazing how a wolf can deceive the sheep… the other disciples still do not know] 30 Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.”

Those ominous words… “And it was night.” Chills run up my spine reading both… “Satan entered him” and “…it was night.”

For they are the same. Judas had forsaken the Light… forsaken Jesus..., and embraced the darkness of sin.

Now, as Judas departs, Jesus announces His own coming departure to the eleven and begins to institute a new commandment… a new covenant…

Only John records theses words just prior to Jesus instituting the Lord’s Supper…

John 13:31-35 “So, when he [Judas] had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. 32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. [looking forward to Jesus’ obedience to death honoring the Father’s will, and the Father’s reciprocal honor to Jesus at the resurrection and ascension.] 33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

This was a new commandment… a fresh commandment given to the disciples… these men God used to establish His church.

From the day Jesus departed until today… His church will only survive through the bonds of love we have for one another.

If they jockeyed for position… as in… who would sit at His right hand and left… they would fail.

They and we… must be great by being a servant… by having love for one another.

And, when you live this way… it’s a testimony… a witness to people.

With that… Jesus now institutes the Lord’s Supper…

Matthew 26:26-29 “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” 27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. [Jesus is our Passover lamb] 29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” [The Millennium]

This is the Lord’s Supper… what we call ‘Communion’… no longer the Passover Seder… these new ordinances are not part of the Passover meal.

This was an ordinance for the church.

Jesus Himself does not even participate in this meal because it was for the church.

Similar to what we just read, but a little more explicit… Luke 22:17-18 records, “Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

When Jesus returns and initiates His millennial reign on earth… when the “kingdom of God comes,” then He will partake, and we will partake with Him. It will be amazing!

A quick side-note: This meal is most commonly pictured as Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Last Supper” painting, but that was not historically accurate… if Jesus was having the Lord’s Supper in the late 15th century… Da Vinci may have got it right.

But, common to the first century was eating around a small three sided table called a “triclinium.” There are many fascinating archeological pictures on Google of this ancient dining experience. I encourage you to check it out. I’d personally like to see these sites.

The closest I have come to eating a meal like this, was when we lived in the Philippines. Our family occasionally ate at a Korean restaurant called “Two-Story”… where we sat on pillows and the table was maybe 18” high. And, I would have to say that I prefer a traditional dining room table and chairs.

In V26, Jesus breaks the bread and shares it’s symbolic nature of what will happen in short order to His own body.

Jesus’ body was beaten, scourged, and pierced on the cross… Luke tells us Jesus’ body was “given for you,” and John tells us Jesus’ body was “broken for you.”

As we partake in communion, the bread is a symbol and more… it’s a powerful picture… an experience of unity and oneness with the Lord.

The word “communion” in Gk. is kŏinōnia, by definition “fellowship.” It’s the same word we associate with Christian fellowship. When you take communion, your are fellow-shipping with the Lord.

Communion should be an intimate time of remembrance and worship of Jesus’ sacrifice for us.

And, as Paul expressed in 1 Cor 11, it is also a time of self examination. A time of intimate confession to the Lord so that communion is taken in a worth manner.

After, the bread, Jesus takes the cup of wine, and shares that it symbolizes His shed blood V28… “shed for many for the remission of sins.”

Remission by def. means “dismissal or release,” figuratively pardon or forgiveness.

Since being expelled from the Garden of Eden, animal sacrifice… shedding blood to atone for sin… was God’s prescription to man.

But, Jesus ended this tradition of animal sacrifice.

Heb 9:12 “Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”

Jesus’ shed blood was the perfect price paid to redeem mankind once for all… and no more blood need be shed. We now only need to look to Jesus in faith.

Speaking about redemption… during the Passover Seder, there were 4 cups of wine… each symbolic.

The first cup is the Kiddush, which means ‘sanctification.’

The second cup is called ‘the cup of plagues.’

The third cup is referred to as either the ‘cup of redemption’ or the ‘cup of blessing.’

This third cup is likely when Jesus instituted the New Covenant.

1 Cor 10:16 states, “The cup of blessing [the third cup] which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?"

The fourth cup is often called hallel which means praise… what the disciples did in V30.

Jesus said in V28, “this is My blood of the new covenant.”

Marvelous… a new covenant… or testament… a contract.

No man could institute a new covenant between God and man. But Jesus is no mere man… He is the God-Man. The Son of God… the Son of Man.

The Old Covenant or the Old Testament… was a covenant based much upon the law. A covenant focused upon what you do.

The New Covenant or New Testament… is a covenant of grace. A covenant based upon what was done by Jesus for you.

The first mention of this new covenant is in Jer 31:31-34 (and we will wrap up soon after this) “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

This is what Jesus did for us. He gave us His Holy Spirit for us to internalize His law… and made provision for sin through Jesus.

And, we say, “Amen!”… And, “thank you Jesus!”

Let’s pray!

I know that we traditionally take communion on the first Sunday of the month, but I felt led to partake in communion today. I mean… how could we not?

Today, I would like for us all to take communion simultaneously, so please hold the elements and wait to take them together.

As you have the communion elements in hand, remember… this is a time of intimate fellowship and worship of our Lord.

From Luke 22:19-20 “And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” [take the bread in remembrance of Jesus’ broken body]. 20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.” [take the grape juice in remembrance of His shed blood].

Pray again.