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Author
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Topic: "WHY CELEBRATE THE LORD'S SUPPER"
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Carol Swenson
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Member # 6929
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posted
Amen Betty Louise. And WildB, thank you for another good post.
Mark 14:22
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” (NKJV)
By Any Other Name
Each name believers today use for this sacrament brings out a different dimension to it. It is the “Lord’s Supper” because it commemorates the Passover meal that Jesus ate with his disciples; it is the “Eucharist” (thanksgiving) because in it we thank God for Christ’s work for us; it is “Communion” because through it we commune with God and with other believers. As we eat the bread and drink the wine, we should be quietly reflective as we recall Jesus’ death and his promise to come again, grateful for God’s wonderful gift to us, and joyful as we meet with Christ and the body of believers.
Christians differ in their interpretation of the meaning of the commemoration of the Lord’s Supper. There are three main views: (1) The bread and wine actually become Christ’s body and blood; (2) the bread and wine remain unchanged, yet Christ is spiritually present by faith in and through them; and (3) the bread and wine, which remain unchanged, are lasting memorials of Christ’s sacrifice. No matter which view they favor, all Christians agree that the Lord’s Supper commemorates Christ’s death on the cross for our sins and points to the coming of his kingdom in glory. When we partake of it, we show our deep gratitude for Christ’s work on our behalf, and our faith is strengthened.
Just as the Passover celebrated deliverance from slavery in Egypt, so the Lord’s Supper celebrates deliverance from sin by Christ’s death.
Mark 14:23
Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. (NKJV)
Luke mentions two cups of wine, while Matthew and Mark mention only one. In the traditional Passover meal, wine is served four times. Most likely the cup mentioned in this verse was the third cup; verse 25 refers to the fourth cup that Jesus did not drink, vowing first to complete his mission before drinking again of wine. Christ spoke the words about his body and his blood when he offered the fourth and last cup. He gave thanks and gave it to them. Matthew includes the command, “Drink from it, all of you” (Matthew 26:27 NIV).
Prayer of Thanks
This wine cup was to picture a painful death just ahead. It would represent Jesus’ blood for the rest of time. Yet Jesus treated it with the same reverent gratitude as all other cups of wine when he paused to thank God the Father for it.
Table grace is not an empty ritual, a moment to let food cool off. It’s our giving thanks, however briefly, for provision and protection and heavenly mercies. Prayer brings the awareness of God’s presence to the table. It reminds us of the source.
Jesus blessed the food, thanking God for it, even at his last meal before his death. So should we express thanks to God for all his provision.
The celebrations in the Christian church (Communion, Eucharist, the Lord’s Supper) have first a sharing of bread (including a repetition of Jesus’ words, “This is my body”), and then a sharing of wine (including a repetition of Jesus’ words, “This is my blood,” 14:24). Thus, the Christian celebration incorporates the initial and ending portions of this last supper of Jesus.
Jesus gave thanks for the cup of wine. The Greek word translated “had given thanks” is eucharisteo, from which we get the English term “Eucharist.” It shows the joyous nature of the early celebrations of the Lord’s Supper.
They All Drank
That they all drank from the cup reflects our common experience at Communion. We experience the presence of Christ; we remember his life and death for us; we acknowledge again his lordship in our life.
Communion humbles us before God. We all come; we all eat and drink together. We confess our sin and restate our need for him to lead our lives. This ritual gets rid of our pride.
Communion reminds us that we are forgiven. It reaffirms for us that sins confessed are sins forgiven because of Christ’s death. Communion cleanses our guilt.
Communion expresses our oneness in Christ. We participate as a body of believers in one communion; thus, we are unified in our faith and in our experience of Christ.
Communion encourages us to recommit. As we recall the sacrifice of Christ, we are reminded to pledge ourselves to service like his.
Mark 14:24
He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.” (NRSV)
As with the bread, Jesus spoke words in figurative language.
The old covenant was a shadow of the new, pointing forward to the day when Jesus himself would be the final and ultimate sacrifice for sin. Rather than an unblemished lamb slain on the altar, the perfect Lamb of God was slain on the cross, a sinless sacrifice so that our sins could be forgiven once and for all. Jesus explained that his blood would be shed (or “poured out”), referring to a violent death. Once again Jesus was teaching his disciples that he would soon face a violent death, dying on behalf of others.
Those who accept Christ’s sacrifice and believe in him receive forgiveness. Now all people can come directly to God through faith because Jesus’ death has made us acceptable in God’s eyes (Romans 3:21-24).
Sealed Agreement
Jesus’ death for us on the cross sealed a new covenant between God and people. The old covenant involved forgiveness of sins through the blood of an animal sacrifice (Exodus 24:6-8). But instead of a spotless lamb on the altar, Jesus offered himself, the spotless Lamb of God, as a sacrifice that would forgive sin once and for all. Jesus was the final sacrifice for sins, and his blood sealed the new agreement between God and us. Come boldly to God through Jesus, in full confidence that God will hear you and save you from your sins.
Mark 14:25
“Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” (NKJV)
Again Jesus assured his disciples of his victory over his imminent death and of a future in the kingdom of God. The next few hours would bring apparent defeat, but soon they would experience the power of the Holy Spirit and witness the great spread of the gospel message.
Jesus’ vow to abstain from wine was made before the fourth cup, which was drunk with the words, “I will take you as my people, and I will be your God” (Exodus 6:7 NRSV). Jesus reserved the drinking of this cup for the future restoration. This powerful scene is accented by Jesus’ taking the third cup, saying “I will redeem you,” sharing it with the disciples, and then pledging that he would finish this celebration in the kingdom of God (see also Luke 14:15; Revelation 3:20; 19:6-9). See Isaiah 25:6-8 for the Old Testament purpose of the messianic feast. Matthew 26:29 adds the words of Jesus “with you,” giving real assurance to his disciples and to all of us. Because Jesus would be raised, so his followers will be raised. One day we will all be together again in God’s new kingdom. The fruit of the vine in the kingdom will be new in quality—joyous, complete, fully realized.
Invitation to Dinner
What the disciples could not see, but Jesus did, was all the trouble just ahead—all the clamor, pain, and public humiliation. Here Jesus determined to see it through (no more eating until …); he also turned his gaze to the future and the promise.
How would Jesus endure the pain? He knew a big banquet was coming. There he would celebrate and break the fast with all his loved ones gathered around.
When you face imminent trouble and need courage, do as Jesus did. Remember the promise and look to the future. Trust Christ even in circumstances you don’t understand and when they seem overwhelming. Thank God for the victory that wipes away all tears.
By the way, have you sent your R.S.V.P.? This banquet is for you, and the price has been already paid. Look forward to joining him at the heavenly feast.
(Life Application Bible Commentary: Mark)
Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007
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Betty Louise
Advanced Member
Member # 7175
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posted
Wild,
It is like you are looking in our window sometimes, the way you bring up a topic that we just studied about. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif) Yesterday we read the 11th chapter of I Corinthians, where Paul was talking about the Lord's Supper. One of the reasons I believe that we need to be reminded of our Lord Jesus' death is to be reminded that our salvation came with a cost and the cost was high. Like the song says we were bought with a price and that price was Jesus' blood. thanks for posting this.
betty
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Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
Posts: 5051 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: May 2008
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WildB
Moderator
Member # 2917
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posted
by Cornelius R. Stam
The Lord's Supper was first instituted by our Lord after His last observance of the Passover (Luke 22:14-20). The main elements of the Passover feast were roast lamb, unleavened bread and bitter herbs (Ex.12:8) while at the Lord's Supper they were bread and wine (Luke 22:19,20).
Furthermore, the Lord's Supper was given by Paul to the Gentiles as a celebration of what Christ had done for them. Here let us be Bereans and ask a question or two from Scripture. Was not the Old Covenant made with Israel (Ex.19:3-6)? And does not this covenant affect the Gentiles?
"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that EVERY MOUTH may be stopped, and ALL THE WORLD may become guilty before God" (Rom.3:19).
It is significant that Paul calls himself and his coworkers, not Peter and the eleven, "able ministers of the New Covenant" (IICor.3:6). And remember he was "the apostle of the Gentiles" (Rom.11:13) and wrote this to Gentiles. As with the Old Covenant, so with the New, full light was not given until the revelation of the mystery to Paul by the exalted Lord.
The simple fact is, that what was promised to Israel and Judah under the New Covenant (Jer.31:31-34) we, Gentile believers, receive by grace. As we came under the condemnation of the Old Covenant so we also come under the blessing of the New -- by grace, for remember, the blood of the New Covenant, shed at Calvary, was also shed for us. It is that blood whereby we are saved. He shed no other.
But, beloved reader, has it ever occurred to you that to accomplish this, our blessed Lord had to be baptized into the human race -- become bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh--one with us, yea, one of us? Before we could be baptized into Deity, He had to be baptized into humanity. Before we could be baptized into His death, He had to be baptized into our death (Luke 12:50). To lift us from earth to heaven, to bless us with all spiritual blessings, He had to take on Himself a physical body to be beaten and scourged and spit upon and crucified.
God would have us remember this. And not only would He remind us of this stupendous fact and have us live in the light of it (Col. 1:21,22): He would have us show it forth to others as well.
"THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME."
"FOR AS OFTEN AS YE EAT THIS BREAD, AND DRINK THIS CUP, YE DO SHEW THE LORD'S DEATH TILL HE COME" (ICor.11: 24,26).
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That is all.....
Posts: 8775 | From: USA, MICHIGAN | Registered: Mar 2004
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