SERMON OUTLINE:
Surprise #1: Limited Information.
Surprise #2: No Lamb.
Surprise #3: A New Meaning
SERMON BODY:
Now you will not find the four points graphics hanging up in any museum,
• No art expert would ever consider them a great work of art,
• But somebody in advertising would value them,
• Because their simplicity communicates some deep and great truths.
• Over the next four weeks we are using these four points as a springboard,
• For our teaching as we countdown to Easter.
• The first symbol in this series of four, is the ‘The Heart’ which stands for love.
• And in our Bible passage today,
• We have what has been called, ‘A love feast.’ or ‘agape feast,’
• (Agape = unconditional = all were welcomed and accepted!)
• This was a fellowship meal (& communion) eaten by Christians in the early church.
• (Acts 2:46–47; 1 Corinthians 11:17–34 & Jude 1:12).
• Tertullian (Christian leader in the second century AD),
• Hippolytus of Rome (Christian leader in the third century AD),
• Both wrote about communal meals, “love feasts.”
• Out of these meals together, the Church would also have a time of communion.
• Clearest example of that is found in First Corinthians chapter 11.
This morning, we are going to look at how Jesus instituted this type of meal,
• What Christians call, Communion, Breaking of Bread, The Lord’s Supper,
• The Lords table, Sacrament or Eucharist,
• A variety of names, each containing its own nugget of truth.
• i.e. Breaking of Bread (Acts chapter 2 verse 42)
• This describes the act of "taking bread and breaking it".
• i.e. Communion (1 Corinthians 10 verse 16).
• Greek word translated ‘Communion’ or ‘Participation’ is "Koinoia”.
• Meaning "fellowship” or “Sharing together"
• i.e. The Lords Table (1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 21)
• This title is actually used in both the Old & New Testament.
• The expression "Table" was symbolic of God's provision:
• i.e. The Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11 verse 20&26).
• In contrast to the ‘Lord's table’ which is a spiritual one that cannot be seen, it's symbolic,
• The ‘Lord's Supper’ can be visibly seen, you can smell it, touch it & taste it!
• It is a literal loaf of bread & a literal cup of wine.
• The emphasis in these verses is proclamation, declaring, speaking out.
• "You proclaim the Lord's death, until he comes".
• i.e. Sacrament - which comes from the Latin word "Sacramentum".
• This is not a biblical word, a word found in the Bible,
• Something sacred.
• This word, sacrament is a good reminder that our priority is first to the Lord,
• i.e. Eucharist (Greek 'thanksgiving'),
• It is a word we rarely ever use because of its association to other denominations.
• But the word itself is a good one!
Now as I looked at this topic this week,
• I was taken up with a number of surprises.
• And I thought I would share those things that surprised me in my studies.
Ill:
Famous paintings Trivia
(a).
• ‘The Mona Lisa’ (Leonardo da Vinci, c.1503-1506)
• In 1911 the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in Paris.
• Amazingly, in the year after the theft more people went to gaze upon the empty space,
• Then, had visited the work of art in the year leading up to its disappearance.
(b).
• Vincent van Gogh’s ‘The Starry Night’ (1889)
• The Starry Night depicts Van Gogh’s view from an asylum. He left out the iron bars.
• The value is reportedly about $900 million.
• Sadly, Van Gogh was unable to sell it!
(c).
• Most of us are familiar with Edvard Munch’s painting ‘The Scream’ (1893).
• But what you might not know is there are five versions of ‘The Scream.’
• The most famous is the 1893 version in the National Gallery in Oslo.
• Joke photo/cartoon,
• The reason why he screamed was he stood on a piece of Lego.
• TRANSITION:
• One of the biblical scenes that artists have tried to portray more than any other,
• Is the Last Supper scene.
• The most famous being Leonardo Da Vinci's painting ‘The Last Supper’.
• In 1980, a 19-year restoration effort of the artwork began.
• But sadly, very few of Leonardo da Vinci’s original brushstrokes remain.
• Leonardo Da Vinci may have been a great painter,
• But his was a poor theologian – let me explain!
• e.g. Meals in Jesus’ day were eaten from a platform that stood 18 inches above the floor.
• Not a very long table.
• e.g. The men would have laid on the ground,
• Their weight supported by their left arm while they ate with their right hand.
• So, they did not sit up!
• (more like a teenager eating popcorn while watching Netflix on the sofa!)
• e.g. The table would have been U-shaped,
• So, servers could place food items on it without needing to step over the men.
• e.g. And of course, the last supper took place in Jerusalem,
• Not in Milan.
• But apart from the historical and cultural mistakes, it’s a pretty good painting – lol!
Surprise #1: Limited Information.
• In the gospels of Matthew, Mark and John,
• There is no instruction or exhortation to Christians to celebrate communion in the Church!
• I can see some of you thinking, “Are you sure!”
• Well, I am sure, and you have to go to the gospel of Luke,
• And only Luke’s gospel to find those familiar words,
• “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke chapter 22 verse 19).
Ill:
• Just think about that!
• If we did not have the gospel of Luke
• We might place the Lord’s Supper,
• In the same category as say, the foot washing of the disciples,
• Something to be admired but not replicated.
• Now some Anglican, Lutheran and Methodist Churches practice foot washing.
• On what is called, ‘Maundy Thursday’ - the fifth day of Easter Holy Week.
• But in all my time as an evangelical Christian,
• I have never seen foot washing taking place in an evangelical Church service!
• (Joke: now I did bring a bowl and a towel this morning if YOU want to put that right!)
So, if we did not have Luke’s gospel,
• The last supper might be something Jesus did with his disciples,
• We can admire it and talk about it.
• But we might never have replicated and practiced it!
Ill:
• Now, those words, “Do this in remembrance of me.”
• Aare some of the most well-known words of the communion service.
• i.e. In many Churches I visit they are carved out on the side of communion tables,
• i.e. Quoted often in many prayers and hymns.
• Yet bizarrely they are recorded by two people,
• Even more bizarre, these two were not even present the upper room!
• They got there information later on.
• The two were Dr Luke and the apostle Paul!
• So that was my first surprise in studying this topic this week!
• TRANSITION: Now don’t miss understand me,
• Both Dr Luke in his gospel and the apostle Paul in his first letter to Corinth.
• (1 Corinthians chapter 11 verse 24),
• Guided by the Holy Spirit make it abundantly clear.
• That Jesus told his disciples, “Do this.” (Luke chapter 26 verse 19).
• And of course, the book of Acts tells us that the early church,
• From it’s very beginning, met for the ‘breaking of bread and prayers.’
• (Acts chapter 2 verse 42).
• In Acts Chapter 20, they were breaking bread every single week.
• It says when the church got together, “the first day of the week, to break bread.”
• That was the celebration of the Lord's Supper.
Surprise #2: No Lamb.
Ill:
• For us in the UK Christmas dinner must be Turkey!
• Turkey for most people is the centrepiece of their holiday meal.
• Even in Charles Dickens’ classic story, ‘A Christmas Carol,’
• Ebenezer Scrooge sends Bob Cratchitt a large turkey,
• Turkey was much more expensive than the goose that poor families had to make do with.
Ill:
• But not a lotta people know this…
• But it was King Henry VIII who revolutionized the Christmas meal.
• When King Henry decided on a change one year,
• And he swapped his usual goose for a Norfolk Black bird,
• And the rest of the country soon followed,
• And turkey became our number one Christmas meal!
• TRANSITION: What Turkey is to Christmas, Lamb was to the Passover meal.
• But it was not the influence of a king,
• Or even human traditions that chose the lamb for Passover.
• Lamb was selected because God commanded it!
• We see that recorded in the law if Moses (Exodus chapter 12).
Note:
• Verse 17 mentions two events that overlap.
• The Feast of Unleavened Bread, which was followed by Passover,
• They are separate events, although these two events overlap.
“On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?””
• Both events were started at the same time,
• And both were designed to help the people remember their escape/exodus from Egypt.
Ill:
• DVD Clip – story of Moses and the Exodus (Exodus chapter 12).
• Taken from Friends & Heroes Episode 11.
• The Pharoah of Egypt would not set God’s people (the Israelites) free.
• For over four hundred years the Israelites had been slaves.
• Even after 9 plagues he was hard-hearted and stubborn.
• So, God sent one more plague on Pharoah and the Egyptians.
• God was going to kill the first born of every household,
• That did not observe the sacrifice and feast He was commanding.
• An unblemished, one year-old lamb was to be killed on the 14th of the month,
• With its blood spread on the door post, and lintel of the house,
• And when the death angel would see that blood, he would “Passover” that house.
• TRANSITION: On that first Passover,
• God devised a way in which he could be both just and merciful at the same time.
• We might call it salvation through substitution.
Passover is the oldest of the Jewish religious feasts (being celebrated for 3,000+ years).
• Passover was also the first holiday ever given by God to the Jewish people.
• And it came with detailed instructions,
• They must celebrate it in a very specific way,
• Because the meal they would eat would be a teaching aid,
• Telling the story of the Israelites miraculous escape/exodus from Egypt.
• They were to have a shared meal of unleavened bread, wine, bitter herbs, & roast lamb.
• This was to be a lasting ordinance for all future generations.
• (see Exodus chapter 12 verses 1-18; Deuteronomy chapter 16 verses 1-8).
• TRANSITION:
• Question: So, what is missing from the gospel narrative?
• Answer: There is no mention of the roast lamb!
• In fact, there is no reference to the lamb in any of the five accounts.
• (The four gospels and Paul’s first letter to Corinth) - Not a single word about it!
Ill:
• A Passover without the lamb was like…
• A wedding without a bridegroom,
• It’s like a birthday with no cards or present.
• It’s like a Tennis match without a tennis ball.
• There had to be a lamb, or it couldn’t be a Passover,
• And yet there is no lamb mentioned.
• TRANSITION:
• Now, I have no doubt that lamb was on the menu.
• It just isn’t mentioned!
Note: At this Passover for Jesus and the disciples,
• Jesus appointed two disciples (Peter & John) to make the Passover preparations.
• (Mark chapter 14 verses 12-16 & Luke chapter 22 verses 7-13).
• Two of the disciples would have taken a lamb to the Temple,
• And the lamb would have been sacrificed by the priests,
• They then would have returned to the upper room with the carcass,
• Ready for it to be prepared and cooked for the Passover Meal,
• But surprisingly, none of the gospel writers mentioned these details anywhere.
• Now because the Passover was celebrated properly.
• I have no doubt that lamb was on the menu.
• Just surprised that it is not mentioned.
I wonder if the physical lamb is omitted because God’s true lamb is present with them.
• Let me explain,
• We know John the Baptist met Jesus as an adult, he called him, “The lamb of God.”
• (John chapter 1 verses 29-34)
• The apostle Paul would also call Jesus, “The Paschal lamb.”
• (I Corinthians chapter 5 verse 7)
• So maybe no animal lamb is mentioned,
• Because Jesus himself fulfils the Old Testament imagery,
• And he is in every sense ‘The lamb of God!’
Surprise #3: A New Meaning
“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.””
The Passover meal is also called, the Seder Feast.
• The Seder means the ordered or the organized feast.
• There was an order to the service of the meal.
• And in modern times, it's printed out in a booklet called the "Haggadah”.
• In which you get a step-by-step account of what happens when.
• The meal is full of symbolism,
• That explained to each family their history regarding the exodus/escape from Egypt.
Ill:
• DVD: The Passover Seder Plate Explained
• YouTube: https://youtu.be/OYK4oB5F08A?si=5bfyKQGpQhp0OBs7
Ill:
• The meal at Passover always follows a pattern, an order,
• Remember the word, ‘Seder’ is the Hebrew word for order.
• At a certain time in ordered proceedings,
• They broke bread (unleavened bread, which is called matza.)
• Part of the order was to drink wine (there were four cups of wine).
• Jesus would take these familiar items but change their meaning,
• He would give them a new meaning.
• Doing this would have both surprised and stunned the disciples!
(3a). Bread - “This is my body” (vs 26).
• We know the words so well, “This is my body”.
• But don’t skip past that phrase, it is so very, very important.
• Jesus is giving the bread in this service, a brand-new meaning,
• He is introducing here, a brand-new concept:
• Up until now whenever these 11 disciples had celebrated Passover.
• In fact, for centuries whenever Passover was celebrated,
• The bread had only one meaning!
• It had to be Unleavened bread.
• As commanded by God in the Old Testament (Exodus chapter 13)
• And in the Passover ceremony,
• Unleavened bread had always stood for ‘leaving Egypt’ (leaving slavery).
• ‘Leaven’ had spoken to them of a past life, a life of oppression.
• Unleavened bread was a way of saying.
• “We are starting a new journey, a new life!”
YET:
• From now on - this is such a pivotal moment!
• From now on - bread was to have a brand-new meaning:
• It was to symbolise Christ’s physical body:
• That body was of course without leaven (symbolic, without sin).
Note: The wording of Jesus in verse 19.
• Jesus said: “This is my body GIVEN for you”.
• Jesus will offer up his life as a sacrifice,
• He was not assassinated or martyred, and his life was not taken from him!
• Jesus himself said, he would give his life.
• This was His claim:
Ill:
• An army Chaplain was visiting a soldier in the hospital,
• The soldier had been wounded in action.
• The Chaplin trying to comfort him said, “You have lost an arm in the great cause.”
• The soldier replied, “I didn't lose it—I gave it.”
• TRANSITION: Jesus did not lose his life either.
• He willingly gave it for us so we could be reconciled to God.
(3b). Wine - “This is my blood” (vs 27-28).
"Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
Question: What is a covenant?
Answer:
• Most of us are familiar with contracts and not covenants.
• Let’s compare the two words to appreciate the difference.
Ill:
• Just say, a patient fails to keep an appointment with a dentist,
• The dentist is not obligated to call the house and inquire,
• “Where were you? Why didn’t you show up for your appointment?”
• The dentist simply goes on to the next patient,
• And the dental practice takes note of the patients absent,
• Now that patient may receive a bill for failure to turn up.
• Because the patient broke an informal contract.
• But that is all.
• But a covenant:
• Is more like the ties of a parent to her child than it is a dentist’s appointment.
• If a child fails to show up for dinner,
• The parent’s obligation, unlike the dentist’s, isn’t cancelled.
• The parent searches to finds out where the child is,
• They need to make sure the child is safe and cared for.
• Contract is a business arrangement.
• A covenant id family, a deeper relationship.
Note:
• e.g. When God made covenants with Noah (Genesis chapter 8 verse 20).
• e.g. Abraham (Genesis chapter 15 verse 10).
• e.g. And Moses (Exodus chapter 24 verse 8).
• These covenants had a common theme.
• Blood was shed!
• An animal was sacrificed to show how important this relationship was to be.
• We are told in the Bible that when covenants are broken (always broken by the humans),
• A costly priced must be paid for reconciliation.
• The price of reconciliation was always paid in that blood of a shed animal.
• Quote: The writer of the book of Hebrews (chapter 9 verse 22) tells us:
• “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness”.
This graphic and painful demonstration of animal sacrifice in the Jewish system:
• All pointed forward to the death of Christ,
• Who would be the final sacrifice, ‘once and for all’ for reconciliation?
• Verse 27 Jesus tells us that his blood would be,
• ‘Poured out’ or ‘gush out’ or ‘spill out,’
Note:
• Matthew tells us (vs 28):
• “Poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins”.
• Luke tells is more personal in his account, his blood was shed “For you”.
• (Luke chapter 22 verse 20).
• Jesus is talking to his committed followers and not speaking generally to the crowds.
• Mark adds in his gospel: “For many” (Mark chapter 14 verse 24).
• It literally means “For the benefit of many”.
• The substitutional death of Christ brought forgiveness for all,
• That is why he came.
• But note not all will be saved! Only those who respond!
• Salvation is available but it is not automatic.
Ill:
• In 1927, in West Africa,
• A blood specimen was taken from a native man named Asibi,
• Who was sick with yellow fever.
• A vaccine was made from the original strain of virus obtained from this man.
• In fact,
• All the vaccine manufactured since 1927 by the Rockefeller Foundation and health agencies,
• Derives from the original strain of virus obtained from this one man.
• They have been carried down to the present day.
• From one laboratory to another,
• Through repeated cultures and by enormous multiplication,
• It has offered immunity to yellow fever to millions of people in many countries.
• Through the creative imagination of science,
• The blood of this one man in the West Africa.
• Has been made available to serve the whole human race.
• The disciples are about to find out too.
• That blood of Jesus Christ.
• Would in a far greater way be made available to serve the whole human race.
Note: Now can you imagine the electric atmosphere in that upper room:
• When Jesus took bread and then changed forever.
• The prayer & meaning of that Passover institution!
• No longer did the disciples have to pray:
• “This is the bread of affliction which our fathers ate in the wilderness’.
• From now on it would be:
• “This is my body which is for you”.
• In changing the words & meaning of the prayer.
• Jesus was pointing to a deliverance which made the Exodus pale into significance.
• The Exodus was from human slavery into temporary freedom.
• Jesus has one eternal deliverance:
• From sin, death & the devil!
• Passover was a deliverance that brought liberty to one nation.
• Golgotha would be a cosmic achievement giving hope to the whole of humanity!
In Conclusion:
• We started with the four symbols and our focus was on the heart,
• Which of course represented love.
• And we have finished talking about the death, the sacrifice of Jesus,
• The ultimate demonstration of love!
Ill:
• Maybe because it is Mother’s Day in the UK,
• But this old but true story came to mind.
• Source: http://www.china.org.cn/china/wenchuan_earthquake/2008-05/18/content_15303108.htm
• Resue workers found a young woman buried beneath debris,
• It looked as if she performing an ancient ritual.
• The palms of her hands were placed flat on the ground and she was bent over.
• A rescuer cried out to her, but there was no reply.
• The rescue team was about to move on and look for more survivors,
• When the team captain returned to have one more look.
• He found a baby under the woman’s body.
• He cried out: "A baby is still alive!"
• The three- or four-month-old old baby was wrapped in a quilt.
• Uninjured, the baby was sleeping quietly.
• His sweet, chubby face brought some comfort to those around him at the disaster site.
• Holding the baby up, a mobile phone was revealed.
• On the phone's screen, a text message read:
• "Dear baby, if you survive, please remember that I love you forever."
• TRANSITION:
• This woman had made the ultimate sacrifice,
• Remember to save a lost world would take more than a perfect life.
• It would cost the precious blood of the Lamb of God.
• He would give his life in exchange for others.
• The Bible says (Romans chapter 5 verse 6),
• “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us!”
• He gave his all for you and me,
• In return, what will you give to him?
Quote: Isaac Watts the hymn writer.
“When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.”
SERMON AUDIO:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=P4Y9XveFxVyv9QoLLtyhQR60eSXLWf1N
SERMON VIDEO:
https://youtu.be/37ThLFiFbog
