By: Adrian Owen
As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. But I tell you, I will not drink from 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
In Matthew 26, Jesus establishes an ordinance that causes the church to look backward and forward. Jesus uses the Passover meal to establish an ordinance for the new covenant church that focuses the disciples’ attention on Jesus’ upcoming death, resurrection, and nearing return.
The Lord’s Supper is a sign of the new covenant. It is the way that a church comes together in unity to celebrate their savior and look forward to his return. We see from the text two events that the Lord’s Supper should draw our attention to: (1) the crucifixion and resurrection and (2) the second coming of Christ.
Looking back at Christ’s Death and Resurrection (v. 26b-28)
The first event the Lord’s Supper reminds us of is the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. We remember the crucifixion and resurrection in the two elements of the Lord’s Supper. The first element of the Supper is unleavened bread. Jesus states that this is his body. The bread is symbolically, not literally, his body. The bread is meant to draw your mind back to the “unleavened” or sinless body of Jesus Christ that was broken on our behalf.
The next element of the supper is the wine. The wine serves a two-fold purpose. First, the wine reminds us of the new covenant established by Christ in his death and resurrection. The old covenant placed its hope in a Messiah yet to come, but the blood of Christ establishes the new covenant between God and disciples of Jesus Christ. Second, Christ’s blood has been poured out for many for the forgiveness of sin. It is for all believers; it is for the church.
Believers take the wine and bread with their local church remembering the gospel that brought them to life, brings them together, and will bring them to Christ’s heavenly table.
Looking forward to Christ’s Return (v. 29)
The wine not only compels us to look back to Christ’s death, resurrection, and establishment of the new covenant, but it gives believers an exciting anticipation for the second coming of Christ--a hope for the future. In verse 29, Jesus says he will temporarily abstain from drinking wine until he can drink it new with us in the Kingdom of God, free of sin and death, and where everything will be made new. The next time that Jesus drinks wine will be with us, and it will be new wine, untainted with the effects of the fall.
Brothers and sisters, you should find great joy and hope in the Lord’s Supper. As we take the Lord’s Supper we not only think about what Christ has done, but we eat and drink in anticipation of what Christ will do! The Lord’s Supper is not an appetizer to what you’ll eat after a Sunday service. It is an appetizer to the meal we will sit and eat with our Lord. When we sit and drink the new wine with Christ, it will signify the completion of all of redemptive history. The work will be finished and realized.
Believer, this Supper is for you to both remember the work Christ has done on your behalf and anticipate the day that he comes back to reunite with his people forever.
Conclusion
So, what should our reaction be to the Lord’s Supper? There are two actions we can take now in response to the Lord’s Supper.
First, pray that we can take the Supper together again. We have gone many months without observing the Lord’s Supper. While we have been able to return to corporate worship, we have not been able to take the Supper yet. We need the Supper, so pray that we can take it again soon. Lord willing, we will have an opportunity to take the Supper on our One-Service Sunday, September 27th, so pray that you would not be hindered from joining with your church to take the Supper that day.
Finally, rejoice. This is a supper of celebration. Your sins are forgiven, and you will one day dine with your savior. If we did not have the atoning sacrifice of Christ, his resurrection, or the hope of his return, we should eat and drink for tomorrow we die! There is hope for us though. Christ shows his unexplainable grace to us through his death and resurrection and promise to come again to gather us together with him. We have the Lord’s Supper to remember this hope, so let us eat and drink for tomorrow we live!