The Institution of the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:26-29)

What this episode covers

The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper – Part 3 Well, I’m about to preach God’s Word as I’ve never preached it before! Literally… Let’s just get over the fact that this is awkward. It feels very different speaking to you through a camera. I can’t see your faces when I say something confusing. On the plus side, I also can’t see you nodding off to sleep. This just feels awkward. And it should because Church is not supposed to be this way. However, we have to get over it and move on. God is good! And he can and will use this difficult trial for His glory and our good. There were two videos previously posted. The first is an introduction to the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper and the second is an explanation of the four major views of the Lord’s Supper. I encourage you to watch those first if you have not seen them already. They help set the stage for today’s message. Pray & Read Matthew 26:26-29: (ESV) 26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” Now, let’s begin by considering… I. The Institution of the Lord’s Supper We know they were celebrating the Passover (Matt. 26:17-25). In fact, the meal had already begun (26). Christ institutes something new that is meant to replace the traditional Passover celebration moving forward. Jesus institutes the sacrament as the true Passover Lamb (Exod 12:46; Jn 19:36). The two elements he used were common staples, bread and wine. Since it was the Passover, we know Jesus used unleavened bread. Notice in v.17, “Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus.” This represented the haste in which the Israelites had to eat their meal. They did not have time to allow the yeast to leaven the bread. They had to flee Egypt swiftly. However, the New Testament never attaches such importance to the kind of bread that was used in communion. There seems to be an indifference about it. Some go so far as to suggest that the leaven might have represented the resurrection of Christ or the spread of the church. But that is never made explicit. Leon Morris points out that, “The Eastern Church has always used leavened bread, and this was the case in the West also until getting on toward A.D. 1,000.” But what about the type of wine? We know that it could not have been juice since it did not exist until Thomas Welch invented it in 1869. But was it red or white wine? John Calvin, “In regard to the external form of the ordinance, whether or not believers are to take into their hands and divide among themselves, or each is to eat what is given to him; whether they are to return the cup to the deacon or hand it to their neighbour; whether the bread is to be leavened or unleavened, and the wine to be red or white, is of no consequence. These things are indifferent, and left free to the Church…” Given Calvin’s reasoning, I imagine he would have allowed juice to be another valid option. It is still “fruit from the vine” even though it has not been fermented. What is far more important than the type of bread and wine that is used, is the meaning they represent. The bread is Christ’s body, given for his people (Lk 22:19). The bread is broken, symbolizing Christ’s death on the cross. Likewise, in reference to the cup, Jesus says “this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (28). Blood and pouring out are sacrificial language that indicates the violent death he would suffer. Unbelievers must receive forgiveness of sins before partaking of the Lord’s Supper. The blood of Christ was poured out on the cross for all who place their fait

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