The Lord's Supper, On Purpose Series

1. Groundhog Day

Punxsutawney Phil is a groundhog that comes out of his burrow on Gobbler's Knob, Pennsylvania, each February 2 to predict the weather. According to legend, if Phil sees his shadow, there will be 6 more weeks of cold weather. If he doesn't see his shadow, spring will come early.

This is all humbug and good humor, of course. No one to my knowledge takes Phil's predictions seriously. Furthermore, he's unreliable--more often wrong than right, I'm told. [Source: Our Daily Bread]

2. Wouldn't it be fun if we really could know the future?

* When wars would end; who kids would marry; stock market; Numbers for the lottery

* If we knew the future we would be calmer, richer, more self-assured

* This is why we buy books that predict future trends; why palm readers & astrologers stay in business;

* 900 ad on TV -- get daily horoscope for a few dollars a day

3. Actually, life would be terrible if we knew the future

* God tells us not to consult mediums, etc. about the future

* It would be a waste of time and would not be to our benefit

* It would take the joy and excitement out of life -- don't date her, she will break your heart in three months; don't go to that game, we lose by 12; don't go to church, the sermon is no good

* Instant replay is never as exciting as the live action

* If we knew the future, we would put off until the last minute things we should do in advance

* Depressed about future -- I dread 2017 -- year of serious surgery; mother's passing, I dread it and therefore, would fail to enjoy 2016

God was protective when he created us without the ability to know tomorrow

4. Missed Predictions

Some people have thought they had a window into the future. For example, back in 1967, experts predicted that by the turn of the century technology would have taken over so much of the work we do that the average American work week would be only 22 hours long, & that we would work only 27 weeks a year. As a result, one of our biggest problems would be in deciding what to do with all our leisure time. How's that working out for you? -- Many have wrongly predicted the next coming of Jesus.

5. Jesus knew what was going to happen in the future -- he lived knowing he would be crucified

Matthew 26.2 2 "You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified."

a. What would be like to be on Death Row and know the exact day and hour of your execution? Final hours horrible; final steps buckle the most proud

b. "The only way to predict the future is to have power to shape the future." -- Jesus did!

* Jesus knew when and how he would die -- he predicted it and prepared for it

* Jesus knew he would bear the weight of the sins of the world on his shoulders

* He would experience separation from Father -- hell on our behalf

6. In spite of pressure he demonstrated concern for followers -- when he could have expected people to comfort him, he was comforting them (Daughters do not weep for me weep for yourselves. . . )

7. He showed calmness under pressure when he instituted the Lord's Supper Mark 14.22-26

I. The Imaging of the Death of Jesus -- Bread and Wine

A. Representative in Nature

1. [If I showed you a picture of my mother and said, "That's my Mom." You would know that it was only a representation/image of my mother, it was not really her.

2. The same is true of the bread -- it is a display/image/representation of the body of Jesus

3. The cup is a representation of the Blood of the New Covenant -- Jeremiah 31.31-34

31 "Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."