This is My Body: The Institution of the Lord's Supper

Introduction

Open Your Bibles tonight to Matthew 26:26-29 that’s Matthew chapter 26 verses 26 - 29

We are in the middle of Holy week. God willing, next year we will have a full calendar with Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and our usual sunrise Resurrection Sunday Service. This week about 2000 years the most momentous event of all history, past or future happened.

Pastor Washer once accurately stated

“On the day of the second coming, you will understand absolutely everything about the second coming, but you will be in heaven an eternity of eternities and you will still not even have begun to understand or comprehend the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” [1]

The events of the Virgin birth and incarnation of God himself as man, the sinless life, spiritual suffering, so must so that great drops of blood dripped down, the triumphant resurrection, and accession to the thrown, will all together be the most joyous topic for discussion by the saint for the rest of eternity.

In the midst of the battle and victory. In the toughest week of Jesus’ life on this earth, he left his people something to remember him by. The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11 tells us that we are to take the Lords Supper remembrance of him. We meet at this table monthly, soon weekly, and we do in remembrance of him.

Tonight we will meditate on the wonderful eyewitness account preserved for us in the infallible and sufficient word of God, of the institution of the Lord Supper. Our hope is the be come more in awe of God provision in this ordinance, this means of grace, he left for us.

Let’s Read from Matthew 26 verse 26-29

Matthew 26:26–29 ESV

26 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.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 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.”

My the Lord Bless the reading of is Holy, Infallible, and sufficient Word

Lets Pray

Transition

I have quoted Dr Baucham statement about the reliability of the scriptures. The scriptures, Dr Baucham says, are “The Bible is a reliable collection of historical documents written by eyewitnesses during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses which report supernatural events in fulfillment of specific prophecies claiming that they are words of divine origin, rather than human in origin." [2] As we get into verse 26 this evening, bare in mind that this is an eyewitness account, preserved for us by the power of God. By the grace of God we go to look back almost 2000 years to the week of Chirst’s pasion and we are giving a window to look in as see as our Lord prepared a table for us.

This is My Body 1

Text

Matthew 26:26 ESV

26 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.”

Exposition

“Now as they were eating”

Exposition

Passover, is what they were eating.

“And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as a statute forever.” (Ex 12:17, ESV)

The lamb that would take away the sin of the world.

Application

Matthew writes to a Jewish audience, his intends for the reader to understand the connection between the old passover.

As the old passover commemorated the freeing from the people of the physical Israel from Egypt, the Lord Supper is the celebration of the freeing of the true spiritual Israel from the bondage of sin and death.

Transition

They were eating in remembrance and Jesus is about say, now you are to remember me. The thing that the old Passover was a type a shadow of is now here.

“For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. (Heb 10:1, ESV)

Notice how next in the verse Jesus blesses the bread.

“after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat”

Exposition

This is not a mere, thank you Lord for this food we are about to eat.

Calvin writes, “While it is true that believers are commanded to give thanks to God, because he supports them in this fading life, Christ did not merely refer to ordinary eating, but directed his view to the holy action, in order to thank God for the eternal salvation of the human race.”[3]

“and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat”

No one can give you this bread or this blood but God himself.

Take, he says, we cannot add to this provision, all we can do is take.

“53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” (Jn 6:53–58, ESV)

We are just poor beggars who can only reach out our empty hands and say Lord give us your body to eat or we will die.

Transition

That is what this is, Jesus said take and eat, what this bread? My body.

"this is my body”

Exposition

There are three primary views that emerge from the reformation period about what this statement “this is my body” means.

All of the reformers disagree with the Roman Catholic church view of transubstantiation

The Luther's view was Con-substantiation

Con with substantiation.

The Zwingli the Swiss reformer thought a memorial view.

Probably the predominate view held by evangelicals today.

John Calvin tough the presents of Christ's Body in the spiritual scene saying , “Hitherto I have pointed out the simple exposition of the words of our Lord. But now I must add, that it is not an empty or unmeaning sign which is held out to us, but those who receive this promise by faith are actually made partakers of his flesh and blood.[4]

Think about this from other teachings of Christ,

“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. (Jn 10:9, ESV)

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (Jn 15:5, ESV)

Transition

Jesus bring in a concept with the cop. we can look at verse 27 and 28 we will see the word covenant.

This is my blood of the covenant 2

Text

Matthew 26:27–28 ESV

27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Exposition

“And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you,”

Exposition

This is the same picture that we had with the bread,

When we take we give thanks not only for some physical food but for the eternal life provided in Jesus.

The same as the bread, this is not something any human can give. Only Christ gives this life giving drink.

We are receivers only of his perfect redemption.

Transition

Then Jesus said, for this is my blood of the covenant

"for this is my blood of the covenant”

Exposition

“The variant” new

NKJV “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

This is not some huge doctrinal thing because the account in Luke 22 has the word new in there.

Remember just a few Sundays ago Pastor Gabe was preaching from 1 Petter 1:2, “for sprinkling with his blood:” (1 Pe 1:2, ESV)

Hopefully, you remember some of that exposition about how integral the idea of blood and covenant.

If not the sermon is up on YouTube it would be worth a review because all of the concept and scriptures Pastor Gabe provided apply right here.

The Author of Hebrews sums up for us in Hebrews 9:18–22

“18 Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. 19 For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” 21 And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. 22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” (Heb 9:18–22, ESV)

Transition

Think about how the Author of Hebrew states there “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” (Hebrews 9:22, ESV) and Jesus said, “this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

“which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins”

Exposition

I think there is one word that is very import there, that is the word many.

Not all

Transition

Finally we come to verse 29 and there are two points we want to pull out this even and examine. First, Christ’s promise is that this supper is not the final one he will share with his people. Death will not keep him from a future sharing of the cup with his brothers. And second, he gives us a understanding of now he uses the word new. Look at verse 29.

"new with you in my Father’s kingdom” 3

Text

Matthew 26:29 ESV

29 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.”

Exposition

"I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day”

Exposition

His death is not the end.

He will drink of it again,

Application.

“I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Exposition

What is New mean?

We hear the words new and old covenant.

What is meant by new covenant and what is not ment by new covenant.

“It is plain from these words that he promises to them a glory which they will share with himself.’ [5]

New drink in a new Kingdom, is not about the wine directly but about the culmination.

Just as the New covenant is not new in the scene that it never existed before. drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.

Transition

We will conclude to night with the words of Revelation 21:1–7

Conclusion

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” (Re 21:1–7, ESV)

Benediction

Ephesians 3:20–21 ESV

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

References

[1] Rose Michels , ed., “From: One of the Most Important Passages of Scripture.,” Paul Washer Quotes, March 19, 2021, https://paulwasherquotes.wordpress.com/2011/12/20/one-of-the-most-important-passages-of-scripture/.

[2] Voddie Baucham, “Why You Can Believe the Bible - Voddie Baucham - YouTube,” YouTube ( Antioch Bible Church, September 10, 2014), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1XJ7DeR5fc.

[3] John Calvin and William Pringle, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke, vol. 3 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 205.

[4] Ibid, 209.

[5] Ibid 211.

Bibliography

Baucham, Voddie. “Why You Can Believe the Bible - Voddie Baucham - YouTube.” YouTube. Antioch Bible Church, September 10, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1XJ7DeR5fc. (11:09 - 11:23)

Calvin, John, and William Pringle. Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010.

Michels , Rose, ed. “From: One of the Most Important Passages of Scripture.” Paul Washer Quotes, March 19, 2021. https://paulwasherquotes.wordpress.com/2011/12/20/one-of-the-most-important-passages-of-scripture/.