I want us to think for a few moments about the last meal Jesus had with His disciples.
We call it the Last Supper and Jesus and His disciples were celebrating the Feast of the Passover together.
Jesus picks up a cup of wine and in: Luke 22:20 it says In 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.
Jesus is making an amazing statement here.
He says this cup of wine is like his blood being poured out. And His blood is part of a new covenant.
What is this new covenant?
Well a covenant is a legally binding contract between two parties.
But Jesus said a NEW covenant.
So if there is a NEW covenant there must be an old one right?
The Old or Mosaic Covenant was a covenant that God made with Israel on Mount Sinai.
Remember the Ten Commandments?
Actually in the Old Covenant there was more than just ten commandments, there were more like 610.
The old covenant was a system of laws, codes, rituals and observances. And people were accountable to these laws.
And every time the people failed to live by the standards of the Old Covenant they had to offer a sacrifice to God.
The reality was that it was impossible to completely follow the rules of the Old Covenant.
Everyone was guilty under the Old law of something
That’s why the Old Testament is filled with sacrifices and talks so much about sacrifices.
The purpose of the old covenant was to show people that they were guilty before God and in need of a Saviour!
This is actually what divides the Bible into two parts: The Old Testament, the old covenant and the New Testament - the new covenant.
The Old Testament is filled with sacrifices but the New Testament only speaks about one sacrifice. John The Baptist said when He saw Jesus “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!”
Jesus became the only sacrifice that could pay the price for our sin! He became the sacrifice.
Jesus said only I can lay my life down and take it up! Jesus did it all!
That’s why when He was on the cross He said,
IT IS FINISHED!
No other sacrifices were required,
no more animals, no more blood,
no dark cloud of guilt hanging over us because of our sin,
no more shame
no constant reminder that we are imperfect.
IT IS FINISHED!
You are made perfect through the finished work of Jesus at the cross!
You don’t have to be perfect,
just put your faith in the one who was perfect for you!
Everything in the Old Testament points to the cross
The Cross was for you and for me.
The Cross is where our forgiveness was purchased in the blood of Jesus.
Jesus was beaten, bruised, tortured.
Physically at the cross Jesus was crushed.
And this is what He was telling His disciples on that night around a table.
He said “ this cup of wine is like my blood in the New Covenant!”
“My blood will seal God’s new Covenant for humanity”
The New Covenant between God and you.
Forgiveness for your sins because of the blood Jesus shed for you.
The Promise of eternal life because He has conquered death.
The assurance of and a place in Heaven because of what Jesus has done.
IT IS FINISHED.
As we come to the Table together remember that God has already fulfilled His part of the covenant;
Jesus went to the cross and endured the shame and suffering.
Now we must do our part.
What is our part of the covenant?
To believe and receive by faith What Jesus did for you! That’s it!
