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.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 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.” (Matthew 26:26-29)

The Lord’s Supper

The night of the Passover was incredibly fearful. God brought nine plagues upon the nation of Egypt, and the final was to be devastating. Moses warned the Hebrews of the night of death the Lord planned for Egypt by telling them how to be saved from destruction. The people were to take a lamb without blemish, a male of the first year, for each family or neighbor. On the fourteenth day of the month, the whole assembly would kill the lamb at twilight and take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they were to eat the lamb. God placed specific requirements on the people on how to cook the meal and what to do on the night God brought death upon Egypt.

Moses gave the instructions to the people, and they obeyed. On a fearful night, the hand of God swept over the land of Egypt and killed all the firstborns of every family and the firstborn of the livestock. It was a night of death on a scale never seen or heard before. At midnight, the Lord struck all the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon. When God saw the blood on the homes of the Hebrews, He passed over and saved them from death. As the hand of the Lord killed the firstborn of every Egyptian home, there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. This night of terror would be commemorated as the Feast of the Passover to remind the Hebrews of the wrath of God and the grace of God.

Jesus took the Passover every year with Joseph and Mary and His half-brothers and sisters. It was a solemn feast remembered with the emblems of the night God swept through Egypt and the singing of the Hallal Psalms, which were considered Psalms 113-118. For Jesus, the Passover took on greater meaning the last three times He observed the feast. On the night He was betrayed, Jesus observed His final Passover with the twelve apostles (including Judas). As a solemn night of remembrance, the Passover took on a deeper meaning for the Son of God. He took the emblems of the Passover and established a memorial for His disciples symbolic of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. Jesus would be the lamb sacrificed, and His blood would be what His Father would see in the hearts of men. The Lord’s Supper would be a foundational part of the Kingdom of Christ.

There is no part of the worship the saints of God engage in more emblematic and purposeful than the Lord’s Supper. The unleavened bread and fruit of the vine are more than something to eat and drink. Paul would remind the church at Corinth of the penalties attached to the supper if taken in an improper manner. The Lord’s Supper is commanded by God to be observed every first day of the week as a memorial of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Jesus told His disciples to take the supper to remember Him. Luke describes the early church meeting on the first day of the week to remember the sacrifice of Jesus. The Lord’s Supper is not something that can be done by individuals in their homes watching television. Paul expressly said it is when the church comes together.

The Lord’s Supper is a holy communion expressing to God our thanksgiving for sparing us from His wrath and offering His grace. On the night God came to Egypt, His wrath was poured out. Only by the blood of the Lamb were the Hebrews saved. All men stand in the face of the wrath of God. Only in the blood of Jesus Christ will God pass over our sins and redeem us. That is what the Lord’s Supper should mean to each one of the disciples of Christ. It should be a time of thanksgiving, reflection, sorrow, joy, blessing, and looking forward to His return. Paul said, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26)

Never take the Lord’s Supper for granted. It is a moment of great importance to take the time to thank God for what He has accomplished through Jesus Christ. Without the blood of the lamb, we would find ourselves in the place of the Egyptians – facing death. Churches should never rush through the Supper. It is not a time to laugh and play with babies and look around the room. God is looking into our hearts and seeing what we think about the death of His only Begotten Son. What does He see? Thank God He has saved us through the blood of His Son. How amazing is the grace of God.