26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.
Introduction
In this sermon, I want to spend just a few moments discussing the Passover and this ordinance that was instituted at the time of the Passover. We call it “The Lord’s Supper”, “The Lord’s Table”, or the “Communion” service. These verses account to us that Jesus used the two elements, the bread and the fruit of the vine. These were elements of the Passover that the disciples were familiar with.
This feast took place every year. It was originally instituted as a memorial to the fact that God sent a tenth plague upon Egypt to free the people of Israel from bondage. In that night when the plague was to come (it was the plague of death) God had Moses instruct the people to sprinkle the blood on the door post on the two sides and the lintel above. That night when the plague was sent, the death angel would pass over the homes where the blood was applied (Exodus 12).
From that point the people would celebrate the Passover. They would use these two elements, the bread and the fruit of the vine. Jesus in the upper room that night took these two elements and placed them before the disciples. He uses them as an illustration of what is about to happen to him in his life.
Please notice that Jesus took the bread. He blessed it. He broke it. Then he said, “Take this and eat it. This is my body which is broken for you.” In the same manner after they had taken the bread, he took the cup that contained the fruit of the vine. He held it up before them and blessed it. He then instructed them to drink all of it because this was the blood of the New Testament that was shed for the remission of sins. These two elements that we still use today, the bread and the fruit of the vine remain unleavened in the tradition of the Passover.
The Holiness of God
Let us take a few moments to explore a little deeper into these elements. I believe that this will help us to understand something of the blessing of this table. You will recall that in the book of Exodus, when the Lord came to Moses to institute the Passover, the one thing that was stated was that no leaven was allowed to be in the home during this celebration.
The Jewish tradition has been that when the Passover is celebrated, they will make and use unleavened bread. Leaven, of course, is yeast. Yeast is a common ingredient used in bread. Without yeast, the bread usually does not rise the way that we would like for it too. In this time of Passover, the leaven was to be taken out of the food, the drinks, and thoroughly cleaned out of the house. Even today, in Jewish tradition, when the time for Passover comes, there is a time of thorough cleaning looking for any trace of leaven at all (Exodus 12:15).
All throughout scripture, we find that leaven is a picture of sin. For just a moment, let me remind you that the bread, of course, is unleavened bread. It is noteworthy, however, that in each account of the Gospel’s the word “wine” is not used in reference to the Lord’s Supper. It is always referred to as “the fruit of the vine” (Mark 14:25; Luke 22:18). This is why I believe that this is true. If they were to celebrate the Passover in accordance to the law given in the book of Exodus, there was to be no leaven at all in the food, the drinks, and the house. This means that they would have had to use the juice of the grapes as they came off of the vine. This would be in accordance to the law.
While grape juice can ferment over time on its own, it is true that if yeast is added, this will speed up the process of fermentation. By the way, fermentation is nothing more than the natural sugar in the juice being broken down. So when yeast is added to the juice, it interacts in such a way that it breaks down the sugar in the juice.
I believe that in this time of Passover, Jesus used bread without yeast as well as natural grape juice without yeast. This is important. If leaven represents sin in scripture, then this bread without leaven would represent the body of Christ without sin. We know that there could not be sin in his body if he were to be the perfect sacrifice. In the blood, it is no secret that his blood was the perfect, pure blood that would atone for the sins of the world. Therefore, it is reasonable to think that leaven could not have been in the drink because this would have been a representation of sin.
Even today, in our tradition of this celebration, we are in accordance to the law found in Exodus. These elements that we use today do not contain yeast or leaven. If leaven in scripture represents sin, and it does, then we have the representation of the body and blood of Christ without sin.
This is an indication to us of a deeper meaning of this table. I believe that this is more than just a reminder of Christ’s death on the cross. I believe that it is a reminder to us of God’s holiness. Let me say just a few thing is reference to this.
The word “holiness” means, “to be separated from sin.” It is also the word sanctify or sanctification, which means, “to be separate.” If God is who he says he is, if he is the true creator of this world, the sustainer of this world, and if he truly has the characteristics that are revealed to us in scripture (such as all knowing and all powerful), then he must be absolutely holy. Separated from sin.
Let me remind you that in the creation of this world we find the holiness of God. Here is why. When God created Adam and Eve, they were not defiled by sin. They were perfect. They walked in perfect harmony and unity with God. He was their life, their being. One day, when they decided to be disobedient, they sinned and became unholy. When they disobeyed the word of God, they were now polluted by sin. They were no longer separated from sin (Genesis 2:21 – 3:24). As a result, sin has now been passed throughout the generations of the human bloodline. Even in creation we see God’s holiness.
Our Sinfulness is Revealed in the Presence of God’s Holiness
In the presence of God’s holiness is revealed our sinfulness. You can not stand in the presence of the Holy God and see him for who he is in his holiness and not understand how sinful you are. The best illustration of this comes from Isaiah chapter 6.
Isaiah 6:1-6
In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. 6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
This was a vision of God’s holiness. The result of this was that Isaiah came to the understanding that he was unholy and sinful. In the presence of God, we too come to understand that we are sinful and unclean. This tells me two things about the Lord’s Supper. First, not only is this a reminder of Christ’s death on the cross, but it is a reminder to us of God’s holiness and our sinfulness.
Second, if we are to partake of these elements freely, we must have our sin cleanse from our lives. The first step in this cleansing is to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life. If you do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life you cannot freely partake of these elements and have the meaning to it as it would to someone who knows Christ as Lord and Savior of their life. When we come to Christ, the scripture tells us that he clothes us with his own righteousness. In position, when we come to Him, he takes us from the position of sin and places us in position into righteousness, holiness, and sanctification. In position you are not the person you use to be in your life of sin. You are now one of God’s children adopted into His family by your faith in Christ. For us to take of this freely, we first must accept Christ as our own personal Lord and Savior of our lives.
You also need to know this, not only are we Holy in position, but also we need to practice holiness in our lives. There was a time in the Corinthian church that they had professed faith in Christ, they had received forgiveness of their sins. In position, they were holy because of their profession of faith. In practice, they were not holy. In chapter five of First Corinthians, the church had become in such unholy practice that they became involve in immorality.
1 Corinthians 5:1-8
It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.
2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
As a result of their unholy practices, they became filled with pride. The sin no longer bothered them. They accepted the sin, they looked over the sin, they ignored the sin, and they were no longer convicted over their sin. Even thought they had professed the name of Christ they were still living, in practice, unholy lives. They had not been brokenhearted over the sin in their lives.
What Paul was telling these people was that they were losing their people to sin and to Satan. “Your glorying is not good. You are losing to the enemy. Your practice, your glorifying of this sin is not good.” May I remind you that anytime sin enters into our lives, it is not a good thing to glory in the sin.
Please note that verses six and seven refer to the leaven. Remember that leaven in the scripture refers to sin. Paul is telling the Corinthian people that they need to remove, or takeout, the sin in their lives. Become a new lump, even as unleavened bread. The reason – Christ is our Passover. Even in Egypt, the nine plagues did not force Pharaoh to release the people. It took the tenth plague of death to release the people of Israel when they would place the blood on their doorpost. Just as they were released because of the plague of death, Jesus is our Passover because of His death on the cross. Now due to the death of Christ on the cross, we can step out of the life of sin into a new life in Christ. He is our Passover. We are to live a life of holiness just as Christ, our Passover, placed his holiness upon us. We are to be separated from sin.
Please notice that in verse eight, Paul refers to unleavened bread. It is the bread of sincerity and truth. In other words, if we are to be a people that are unleavened, we must be a people that are sincere about our faith. Walking in the truth of our faith and living it out in our lives. Please note that in verse eight, we are to keep the feast without the old leaven. In other words, there are some things that you have done in your past lifestyle that you need to forget about because God has forgiven you. There are habits that you need to get rid of, it is old leaven. Paul takes this a step further, “neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness.” Those things in our lives that would be considered wicked and cause of to have malice toward other, we are to live without them.
We are continually to be pure just as the bread and the fruit of the vine remain pure without leaven. This is not to say that you will not sin. You will. When you do sin, you must confess it.
In preparation to partake of the Lord’s Table, do you know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? This is the first question that must be answered. If you cannot answer “yes”, then you cannot and should not partake of these elements. That is not being mean or hateful. This is simply letting you know that this is such a serious ordinance that we must know Christ. He is the one who instituted this practice. He gave His own body and blood on the cross for the sins of the world.
If you answered yes to the first question, you must now answer a second question. Are you living out in your life the practice of holiness? When you sin, are you confessing it before Christ to receive cleansing? The wonderful promise of First John 1:9 is that when we confess our sins to Him, He will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Vance Havner once said, “There is a price to pay to be a holy man of God. You have to buck the current because the tide is running the other way.” Listen, it is easy for us to become involved in sin and become polluted just like the bread with the leaven. If we are to be a holy people, we must buck the current and go against the tide. We must stand for what is right. This means confessing our sin. Coming before Holy God understanding how unholy we are and confessing our sin to Him and asking Him to have His way. The wonderful promise is that we will be forgiven and cleansed from our sin.
My prayer is that each time we approach this table that we would be reminded of God’s holiness and that we would be repentant of our sin.
