Communion
Communion Luke 22:14-23 2-18- 07
I. The hour has come. (14)
Have you ever anxiously anticipated something only to find out that when you experienced it, it was nothing like what you had anticipated. I have done that several times in my life.
For instance, truck diving was nothing like what I had dreamed of as a young boy. Oh, there were some good experiences, but it ended up being a whole lot lonelier than I had anticipated and a lot more work too! I had dreamed of seeing all those marvelous places that you hear and read about in travelogs. The closest I ever got to most of those places was about one inch on the atlas map. At one point when I totaled up my hours away from home and family to the rate of pay I received, I realized that I was getting far less than minimum wage.
I learned a lot about people and myself as a truck driver and the experience was good for me; it just was not what I thought it would be.
When I went to college, I thought about all the great things that I could do when I got out. I thought about going to a church and seeing disciples added to the church on a regular basis, but I didn’t think about the times that I would be up all night trying to resolve a family issue of traveling to the bedside of hurting and dying people. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t trade the position and place in ministry that God has put me into for anything; it just isn’t like I anticipated it would be.
I think the disciples experienced the same thing as they sat down to partake of this last meal with Jesus before He went to the cross. Even today, orthodox Jewish families and messianic Jewish families will look in great anticipation to observing the Passover Feast. When I first observed this meal I was startled to find that it is not the food on the table that makes the event fo wonderful. In fact, the only two things on the table that I found pleasant to taste was the cup that was passed and the bread that was shared. Then they had to ruin the bread by dipping it into the bitter herbs. This was far from the Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas dinners that I had enjoyed.
Here the focus was not on the great food that was prepared, but on the purpose for them gathering that night. It was to recall to memory the marvelous event of preparing to leave the bondage of Egypt which represents sin in the life of every believer.
These men did not understand the full ramifications of what was happening and would soon happen. If they had understood they would have not been in the positions that they were in. Had they understood they would have ran as far away from that palace as they could go. Yet, because they were there and Jesus chose to complete the task He was sent to complete we can be free from sin and access eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
II. He eagerly anticipated this hour. (15-16)
This was the culmination of everything that Jesus had come to earth to do. Soon it would be over and salvations work finished.
I enjoy doing something profitable like making changes to the house or accomplishing something in teaching or in ministry. I enjoy getting started, but I absolutely relish the end of every project. It gives me a good feeling that I did what I set out to do. All too often when I set out to do something, it ends up taking much longer and costing much more than I anticipated.
Don’t you think that Jesus was sometimes weary in His physical frame and His humanness as He struggled against the ineptitude of man and the outright attacks of the devil.
He was eager for this all to end.
IV. He passed the first cup. (17-18)
Some people never notice that there were two cups that were passed, this, and the one at the end of the meal.
My mother taught me that we should first see that the guests are served before we start eating a meal. The culture here is different. Jesus takes the cup first because he is assuming the roll of a servant, who, when in the presence of his master, would take the first sip and the first bite of every bit of food to demonstrate that it was good and not tainted with anything that would harm his master. Notice that He says He will not eat again until the kingdom of God has come.
V. He broke and passed the bread. (19)
The bread they eat is to be dipped into the bitter herbs and then ingested.
Something is changing here! Previously they always were to recall the exodus from Egypt and the first night that their ancestors introduced to this custom. Now Jesus has told them to remember Him when they participate in this meal. The change is that there will be no more veil over their eyes as to what this represented. Jesus is declaring that their payment for sins is about to be settled. He will pay the ultimate price on the cross, not only for them, but for you and me also.
VI. He passes the second cup. (20)
With this cup Jesus declared what his purpose in life was. He came to pour out His life for us that we might escape the snare of sin and eternal death. His followers still don’t get the picture of what He was about to do. They are still thinking that the coming of the kingdom means that they will cast the Romans out of the land and hence, ever be free from being subjugated and taxed by a foreign government forever. They think that perhaps they all will share a part in the new government which will bring them from rags to riches as well as spiritual purity. Which leads us to the next and final point.
VII. Someone in the group is a betrayer. (21-23)
After Jesus said this, each one of them turned to the other asking who might do such a thing. Even though there had always been conflict in the group, there was also a certain amount of cohesiveness that held them together.
Jesus said that it would have been better if this man had never been born and indeed it would have. It would have been better to have never been born than to live and commit that last incriminating deed that sends a soul to an eternal depravity of hell fire and torture.
Before we partake of this Eucharist, this Communion, lets all examine ourselves. I am pretty sure that there are none of us who would knowingly do anything that would disqualify ourselves from experiencing the joys of eternal life with Jesus Christ our Lord.
However, we should ask ourselves these questions:
1. Have I been loving to my neighbor?
2. Have I been receptive to God’s purpose in accomplishing the "Great Commission"?
3. Have I resolved the issues that stand between me a and a Christian brother or sister?
4. Have I been dismayed that my calling in Christ is not what I anticipated it to be and harbored a grudge between God and myself?
5. Have I claimed ownership of the church when it actually should belong to God who payed the ultimate price for it?
Today, let us really remember what this Communion meal is all about. Let us settle the score with God and those made in His image and get on with the work of the ministry.
I. The hour has come. (14)
Have you ever anxiously anticipated something only to find out that when you experienced it, it was nothing like what you had anticipated. I have done that several times in my life.
For instance, truck diving was nothing like what I had dreamed of as a young boy. Oh, there were some good experiences, but it ended up being a whole lot lonelier than I had anticipated and a lot more work too! I had dreamed of seeing all those marvelous places that you hear and read about in travelogs. The closest I ever got to most of those places was about one inch on the atlas map. At one point when I totaled up my hours away from home and family to the rate of pay I received, I realized that I was getting far less than minimum wage.
I learned a lot about people and myself as a truck driver and the experience was good for me; it just was not what I thought it would be.
When I went to college, I thought about all the great things that I could do when I got out. I thought about going to a church and seeing disciples added to the church on a regular basis, but I didn’t think about the times that I would be up all night trying to resolve a family issue of traveling to the bedside of hurting and dying people. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t trade the position and place in ministry that God has put me into for anything; it just isn’t like I anticipated it would be.
I think the disciples experienced the same thing as they sat down to partake of this last meal with Jesus before He went to the cross. Even today, orthodox Jewish families and messianic Jewish families will look in great anticipation to observing the Passover Feast. When I first observed this meal I was startled to find that it is not the food on the table that makes the event fo wonderful. In fact, the only two things on the table that I found pleasant to taste was the cup that was passed and the bread that was shared. Then they had to ruin the bread by dipping it into the bitter herbs. This was far from the Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas dinners that I had enjoyed.
Here the focus was not on the great food that was prepared, but on the purpose for them gathering that night. It was to recall to memory the marvelous event of preparing to leave the bondage of Egypt which represents sin in the life of every believer.
These men did not understand the full ramifications of what was happening and would soon happen. If they had understood they would have not been in the positions that they were in. Had they understood they would have ran as far away from that palace as they could go. Yet, because they were there and Jesus chose to complete the task He was sent to complete we can be free from sin and access eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
II. He eagerly anticipated this hour. (15-16)
This was the culmination of everything that Jesus had come to earth to do. Soon it would be over and salvations work finished.
I enjoy doing something profitable like making changes to the house or accomplishing something in teaching or in ministry. I enjoy getting started, but I absolutely relish the end of every project. It gives me a good feeling that I did what I set out to do. All too often when I set out to do something, it ends up taking much longer and costing much more than I anticipated.
Don’t you think that Jesus was sometimes weary in His physical frame and His humanness as He struggled against the ineptitude of man and the outright attacks of the devil.
He was eager for this all to end.
IV. He passed the first cup. (17-18)
Some people never notice that there were two cups that were passed, this, and the one at the end of the meal.
My mother taught me that we should first see that the guests are served before we start eating a meal. The culture here is different. Jesus takes the cup first because he is assuming the roll of a servant, who, when in the presence of his master, would take the first sip and the first bite of every bit of food to demonstrate that it was good and not tainted with anything that would harm his master. Notice that He says He will not eat again until the kingdom of God has come.
V. He broke and passed the bread. (19)
The bread they eat is to be dipped into the bitter herbs and then ingested.
Something is changing here! Previously they always were to recall the exodus from Egypt and the first night that their ancestors introduced to this custom. Now Jesus has told them to remember Him when they participate in this meal. The change is that there will be no more veil over their eyes as to what this represented. Jesus is declaring that their payment for sins is about to be settled. He will pay the ultimate price on the cross, not only for them, but for you and me also.
VI. He passes the second cup. (20)
With this cup Jesus declared what his purpose in life was. He came to pour out His life for us that we might escape the snare of sin and eternal death. His followers still don’t get the picture of what He was about to do. They are still thinking that the coming of the kingdom means that they will cast the Romans out of the land and hence, ever be free from being subjugated and taxed by a foreign government forever. They think that perhaps they all will share a part in the new government which will bring them from rags to riches as well as spiritual purity. Which leads us to the next and final point.
VII. Someone in the group is a betrayer. (21-23)
After Jesus said this, each one of them turned to the other asking who might do such a thing. Even though there had always been conflict in the group, there was also a certain amount of cohesiveness that held them together.
Jesus said that it would have been better if this man had never been born and indeed it would have. It would have been better to have never been born than to live and commit that last incriminating deed that sends a soul to an eternal depravity of hell fire and torture.
Before we partake of this Eucharist, this Communion, lets all examine ourselves. I am pretty sure that there are none of us who would knowingly do anything that would disqualify ourselves from experiencing the joys of eternal life with Jesus Christ our Lord.
However, we should ask ourselves these questions:
1. Have I been loving to my neighbor?
2. Have I been receptive to God’s purpose in accomplishing the "Great Commission"?
3. Have I resolved the issues that stand between me a and a Christian brother or sister?
4. Have I been dismayed that my calling in Christ is not what I anticipated it to be and harbored a grudge between God and myself?
5. Have I claimed ownership of the church when it actually should belong to God who payed the ultimate price for it?
Today, let us really remember what this Communion meal is all about. Let us settle the score with God and those made in His image and get on with the work of the ministry.
posted by Pastor Al at 1:44 PM
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