Until Jesus’ death, we were under the Old Covenant
Here, with the “Lord’s Supper,” Jesus explains that His disciples
are now
under a “New Covenant”
Once
we were under the law, now we are under grace
Once
we were condemned to death, now we have eternal life
"The
law (Old Covenant) cannot work out its purpose, except to bring a man to
lie guilty and helpless before the holiness of God. There the new
covenant finds him and reveals God, in His grace, accepting and making him
a partaker of His holiness." Andrew Murray
Here,
at the Lord’s Supper, we have an opportunity to determine if we are living
by grace – or if we are still trying to live under the law.
Do we
freely and gratefully accept the sacrifice of Christ for our sins?
Or do
we accept it, but then attempt to work at it – earn it – make ourselves
right – and then hold others accountable to our own standards we’ve set
rather than God’s standards of grace freely given?
There
is no compromise here.
As we
continue to discover together what God is seeking to do here – with this
individual body of believers, we must recognize this – while the law is
useful to help us see our sinful state and our need of a Savior, we choose
to live a life embracing grace.
We
serve God – because faith without works is dead, because we love Him,
because there is a Great Commission which tells us to ‘Go make
disciples,” because we are told to care for one another.
But
our service is not a requirement for salvation.
Salvation is free. Grace is free. Mercy is free.
Free –
but for everyone but Christ.
For us
to continue to try to earn it is to deny the power of Christ to fulfill it
all.
In
Israel – went to the Upper Room
Also
went to the Garden Tomb – where we celebrated communion
What
impacted me most was not the location – although that was incredibly cool.
What
impacted me most was the revelation of what Jesus was really saying when
He says to them “Do this in memory or remembrance of me.”
Luke
22
Having
grown up in church, it was ritual
Having
grown up, I thought Jesus was saying, “Do this as a way to recognize what
I am doing here.”
But
what Jesus was really saying was, “Do this – so you won’t forget me!”
Can
you imagine that picture. Jesus in the Upper Room with his disciples.
They
are in the process of celebrating the Passover – which is a celebration of
God’s intervention and miraculous delivery of them.
The
Jews knew what it meant to remember. They knew what it meant to do things
of ceremony and ritual.
The
passage in John does not record the communion aspect of the Last Supper.
But what it does contain are these words to put things in perspective:
John
13 “1It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the
time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having
loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of
his love.”
And
then Jesus goes on to wash their feet, and predict his betrayal and
Peter’s denial. He comforts them, because He knows they are confused.
And He speaks those very famous and very divisive words: John 14 6 “Jesus
answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through me.” And He promises them the gift of the Spirit.
Then they leave to go to the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane.
In the
midst of all of this, Jesus served them the first communion.
And He
told them as He did that they should do this as a way to not forget Him.
Luke 22 19And
he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying,
"This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."
20In
the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the
new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
He was
telling them, “You are no longer under the Old Covenant – remember that
when you get together.”
He was
telling them, “It is my body and my blood which brings you into the New
Covenant – remember that when you do this.”
He was
pleading with them – don’t forget me and go back under the law.
That
had to be on His mind a short time later when He prayed in the Upper
Room. In John 17, we see Jesus praying for Himself, praying for the
Disciples, then praying for all believers.
Jesus
prays this prayer: John 17 20"My prayer is not for them alone. I
pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that
all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May
they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one
as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to
complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them
even as you have loved me. 24"Father, I want those you have given
me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given
me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25"Righteous
Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that
you have sent me. 26I have made you known to them, and will
continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be
in them and that I myself may be in them."
So,
what do we celebrate here today as we celebrate communion?
We
celebrate the fact that we are no longer under the law, but are under
grace.
We
celebrate the truth that the sacrifice of Christ paid once for all – and
paid it all – grace is free, mercy is free
We
celebrate the truth that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life – and we
confess the need for His saving grace
We
celebrate the unity that believing this and celebrating this together as a
body brings to us
We are
not alone in our beliefs.
The
world may not understand or may reject the sacrifice of Christ, but we –
His body – will gratefully remember this morning what He did