The Revelation of a New Supper
Matthew 26:
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered 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. 29 I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
One of the things my wife and I were looking forward to when we got to Topeka was the opportunity to go to a variety of eating establishments. In Norton, we had basically two places to choose from on a Friday night - and we always ended up eating at the same spot. Although the food was good, we would have liked some more variety - something new once in a while. So when we arrived here we looked forward to a new variety. I never like to go to the same spot. I always like to try something new.
For over a thousand years, ever since the actual Passover to free the Israelites from Egypt, the Israelites had celebrated the same supper - the year old lamb and the unleavened bread at the Passover - to remember their deliverance from Egypt and look forward to a new deliverance from sin. It was on the of the Passover and also night of Jesus betrayal that Jesus said to his disciples, “I have a new supper for you - a new place to eat.” Since Jesus began his public ministry with a sacrament, it was only fitting that he should end it with one as well. Tonight we’ll look at how Jesus gave us -
The Revelation of a New Supper
I. The atmosphere
When I go searching for a new place to eat - a major priority to me is first of all the atmosphere. I prefer one to have the right “mood.” If the premises look dirty and run down, chances are the inside will be so too. When going on a more formal dinner, I usually prefer places that are a little bit darker, where you can eat in more of a booth like atmosphere and not too much out in the open. For instance, Grazies is down in a basement - where you can eat in a basement with more dim lighting. I was able to go on a date with my wife there once, and gazing at her across a candlelight sure was nice. I didn’t have to worry about bringing up conversation or what to say. I could just be myself and enjoy a nice meal with someone I love.
What was the atmosphere of the Last Supper? It took place in an upper room - very secluded. Jesus was there, eating the Passover with his 12 disciples - his close circle of friends. They knew that things were getting tense. Jesus had chased out the money changers and taught in the temple. They knew that the chief priests and teachers of the law wanted them dead. Jesus even predicted that He himself would die soon. And yet they could find comfort and peace as they spent time together apart from the pressure of the outside world. Just as God had delivered the Israelites from the Egyptians, so God had delivered them from their sins by sending Jesus. But Jesus turned what peace there was inside of the room upside down, when he announced that one of them with whom he had shared his bread that night would betray Him. Fear, bewilderment, and uncertainty soon entered the room. The disciples were hanging on every word Jesus said. After Judas left, the mood of the room must have been somber, strained, and searching.
We feel similar things yet today when we come forward to the Lord’s Supper. As strangers and aliens in this world, we come to worship with the pressures of life on our shoulders. We come with bills to pay, children to raise, and temptations to face. We come sorrowful over the troubles in this life and the sins that we have committed. Yet when we come together to take the Lord’s Supper, we also feel the comfort of being by close friends. We like the atmosphere of kneeling down next to someone who is in fellowship with us, of eating with another Christian whom we get along with. There is a special bond here - a serious bond - a spiritual one. It’s an atmosphere not like any other. You won’t get it at any restaurant in town. It’s different. But there’s something about it that we like.
II. The taste
The first thing I consider is the atmosphere of the restaurant when I go someplace new. The second thing I consider is what kind of food they have to offer. Mexican and Italian are my favorite types of food. And this is really the key to my RETURNING to the restaurant. If the food tastes good enough I would even be willing to eat it with my enemy if I had too - as long as it didn’t cost too much.
The food and drink that Jesus has to offer doesn’t taste like anything special from the world’s point of view. Unleavened bread is about as tasteless of a thing there can be. The wine that we choose is not million dollar wine. It’s Mogen David grape wine - about maybe twelve dollars a bottle? I’d have to ask Harry. Any unbeliever looking at this “supper” would snub his nose up at it. He’d say, “this doesn’t look like it would taste very good! And you don’t get much to eat either! I’ll go somewhere else!” So why do we keep coming back? It’s not just the atmosphere. It’s not for the physical taste. It’s for the spiritual taste of it.
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me. Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. In the same way that the Passover pointed forward to the sacrifice that was to come, so also Jesus was pointing to them forward to it as well. He said that his body was about to be “given”, and his blood was about to be “poured out”. Why was this going to happen? “For you” and “for many for the forgiveness of sins.” In other words, Jesus was saying that he would sacrifice HIMSELF for the forgiveness of their sins.
Jesus called this a new covenant. it was different from the old meal they had and the old covenant. If you remember, with the old covenant - they had to make sacrifice after sacrifice. And these sacrifices only pointed forward to a greater sacrifice to come - never actually paying for sins. But this was no longer only a promise of something better to come. Eating this would be much greater than just partaking of a dead lamb or unleavened bread. It was a partaking of the real and living body and blood of Christ. Jesus’ body and blood wouldn’t just provide a superficial cleansing. Now Jesus was providing a way to convey forgiveness to his people through this Supper. As they ate and drink on it, His blood would wash their mouths, their hearts, their stomachs, and even their souls. It would penetrate their deepest being and wash them from the inside out. His life would be integrated into their lives. He and His holiness would now become their holiness. Every time that they tasted that body and drank that blood they would remember that Jesus blood was shed for them. Every time that they partook of the Supper their sins would be wiped away. In a very personal and a very physical way Jesus was providing away to be connected with his people after his death and resurrection.
When I was young - my favorite sandwich was Peanut Butter and Jelly. I would eat it every day. And if my mom packed me any other sandwich, I would be angry with her. In the same way, we never get tired of the Lord’s Supper. We can never get enough of it. When we come to worship we are often weighed down with a heavy burden of sins. We feel the pressure of the world trying to get us to fall and attack us. We feel the burden of giving in to our sinful natures time and again. But when we taste of the bread and wine and the body and blood of the Lord, we spiritually taste that we are forgiven. God whispers in our ears, “it’s ok. I love you. I have forgiven you.” This Supper is able to take all of our worries and sorrows and throw them on the back of Christ. It tastes so good, that we love to come every time it is offered. It never gets old! It keeps us coming back. And best of all, it doesn’t cost a thing! It’s free!
II. The effects
Several months ago my wife started a new program called Weight Watchers. Within this system you have to count points. She seems to enjoy it, but I don’t. If you could imagine how this works - vegetables don’t cost any points at all. You can eat all you want. But my thoughts are, “who wants to eat a bunch of green beans and peas?” Wouldn’t you know it, you sure don’t get a free pass on chocolate cake and ice cream shakes. But I can understand why they say that. When God cursed the ground because of Adam’s sin, I have a feeling that he also decided to put extra fat in every tasty food and make everything that is good for you taste like paper and everything that is bad for you taste like sugar. Like Alan Jackson sang, “everything I love is killing me, cigarettes, Jack Daniels and coffee.”
If you took this logic to it’s natural conclusion then, you would assume that this new Supper that Jesus revealed - that spiritually tastes so good and we love to eat must have some awful after effects. In the Corinthian congregation it may have seemed that way. Paul chastised them as he said, When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, 21 for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. 22 Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not! As a result some were “falling asleep.” But this was a case where they were eating and getting drunk prior to the Lord’s Supper, and therefore spiritually dying before they even had the Lord’s Supper. It wasn’t that they were taking the Lord’s Supper too often. It was that they were having too much unchristian fellowship.
There are some people that claim that if you take the Lord’s Supper too often it will somehow lose it’s importance. They might quote the creed, “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Back in the old Lutheran way they would only offer the Lord’s Supper four times a year. Some churches only celebrate it once a year on Maundy Thursday - maybe because the Passover was only celebrated once a year. They think that this will make people appreciate it more. Husbands, try this philosophy with your wife, and see how it works. Instead of telling her you love her too often, only tell her once in a while. And then, make sure that you don’t buy her too many presents. That way, when you do, it will really be special to her. That might work for a while. But what about the times that your wife is really going through a difficult time - and she needs a special pick-me-up? Well, you don’t want to give her a present too often, remember. You see how the logic falls apart?
The best thing about the Lord’s Supper is that there are no after effects. Jesus says to take it “often.” (1 Corinthians 11:26) You can’t overdose on it. You won’t get liver disease or obese from it. You can never take the Lord’s Supper too often - just like you can never hear your spouse tell you he or she loves you too often. Instead of making you spiritually sluggish, it strengthens your faith. When God assures you of your forgiveness, the Holy Spirit works to renew your faith and make you stronger. The Lord’s Supper is our spiritual vitamin table. Luther said, The Sacrament is a ford for us, a bridge, a door, a ship, in which and by which we pass from this world into eternal life. Therefore everything depends on faith. He who does not believe is like one who must cross the sea but is so timid that he does not trust the ship. Therefore he must remain behind and can never be saved; for he will not embark to cross over. This reluctance is caused by man’s dependence on the senses and by an untried faith, which finds the passage to cross the Jordan of death hard work. Moreover, the devil also fiercely helps to make it so. In other words, trust that the Lord’s Supper will work for you. And take it, take it, and take it some more.
When you find a new place to eat, where you like the food, you like the atmosphere, and the food is also healthy, it is a rare treat. There aren’t too many restaurants that can supply those three desires. If you find one you will be sure to go there time and again. But as it happens so often in life, the new gets old - and fast. We grow tired of something after a while. Sometimes ownership changes, and it just isn’t the same as it used to be.
When Jesus introduced the Lord’s Supper he revealed a new thing that had never been done before. The atmosphere was special. The taste was more than satisfying. And it was good for the disciples. This supper is no longer “new.” It’s been going on for 2,000 years now. But the neat thing about it is that we still enjoy the atmosphere - with Christians. We still love the taste - to know as we eat the body and blood of Jesus that we’re forgiven and God loves us. And we still love the effects - it strengthens our faith. May this Supper, as old as it is, stay new in your heart tonight and every time you take it. Amen.
