Last Supper or Lord’s Supper
Matthew 26:20-30
The Last Supper as it is commonly called is recalled in most churches every Sunday. For us it is a reminder of what the Lord had done on our behalf. In this passage we see the prophecy of the betrayal, and we see the promise of Jesus that he will not take of the fruit of the vine until we drink it with him in His Father’s Kingdom. But the Passover, which this actually is, has roots in the Old Testament, the meal has dealings in the past, the present and the future.
In the Past:
The leader of the Seder would say “For thousands of years the people of Israel have not forgotten that their ancestors were slaves in the land of Egypt. The passage from slavery into freedom became the chief event of Israelite history. Classical Hebrew writings lay stress on the fact that the external liberation was not an end in itself but the necessary precondition for the receiving of the Law on Mount Sinai. In every generation let each one feel as if he or she came forth out of Egypt. It was in this spirit that told the story of the liberation was told and handed down from generation to generation, each generation in turn growing up in the knowledge that it would have the responsibility to tell the story to the next one. The beginning is the Feast of the Unleavened Bread
The unleavened bread was baked without any yeast in it, today we liken the cracker or the Matzos to this. Some have even gone as far as actually baking bread with yeast. While taking of the bread they would say; “Remember the day on which you went forth from Mitzrayim, from the house of bondage and how Adonai freed you with a mighty hand.
IN THE PRESENT: We have a communion meditation, we are asked to examine ourselves, and to take of the bread and the cup in a worthy manner recognizing the Body of Christ. Some have taken this to be literally recognizing the bread and the wine/fruit of the vine to become the actual body and blood of Jesus this is called TRANSUBSTANTIATION. We here celebrate it in a little different fashion, we do not take of a whole meal just the bread and the cup, we believe the emblems represent the Body of Christ calling this CONSUBSTANTIATION. In actuality, the recognizing the Body of Christ as Paul relays it to us is in recognition of the church. In taking of the emblems we remember THE DAY on which we went forth from the bondage of sin and how the Lord freed us with his death on the cross.
IN THE FUTURE: We will take of these emblems in the Great Banquet, called the Wedding feast of the Lamb, and in it we will remember “How the Lord freed us from this mortal body to immortality and we will be with him forever.” (1 Thess. 4:17)
There are 4 cups which they take part of throughout the Passover meal: but before I go there, let me tell you of the seating arrangement. The Head of the House would naturally be seated at the Head of the Table, the wife/mother would be at the other end of the table. The children would be seated from oldest to youngest, with a chair to the right of the head being empty. That chair is reserved for Elijah, for it is said that Elijah would announce the coming of the Messiah. Before the taking of the cup, the youngest child would get up and go to the door, calling out Eli, Eli, and wait to see if Elijah comes. Then the youngest takes their seat and the meal continues.
There are 4 cups taken in the meal the first is the Cup of Sanctification or the Cup of Promises. With the taking of each cup they remember the promises of Adonai. The first promise they recall is the promise of deliverance from the bondage of Egypt. When the drink of this cup they go through a ceremonial washing of the hands. It is to represent rebirth and renewal.
IN THE PRESENT: WE do not take of a cup of sanctification, we sanctify ourselves by being immersed in Christ. By our baptism we receive sanctification It is our dedication to Christ. We do so when we recognize the Body of Christ and when we become part of the Body of Christ through our Baptism.
IN THE FUTURE: When we are caught up with Him, and remain with him forever, we become his bride. And thus we are sanctified, dedicated to him forever and ever.
THE NEXT PART OF THE MEAL IS EXTRAORDINARY WHEN SEEN THROUGH NEW TESTAMENT EYES.
This is called the Yachatz
They take the middle of the three Matzot and break it in two. The smaller piece is replaced between the other two, the larger piece is wrapped in a napkin and set aside in another room for 3 days. This is called “afikomen” which means desert. In the home this takes the place of the sharing of the Pascal Lamb which is done at the Temple.
In this part they recognize all who are oppressed and hungry, when we take of it we remember those who are among us, sinners in need of redemption, or those who have already been redeemed. We take remembering the suffering Jesus did on our behalf.
In the Future we will take of this as a celebration of all those who have washed their robes in the blood of the lamb, made whole and clean. We remember the Lamb who was slain for our redemption and we remember that God keeps his promises.
The taking of the cup of the covenant:
This is where they remember the promise to Joseph, and the preparation to receiving the Law at Mount Sinai.
In Jesus’s day: This is the cup of the New Covenant, a blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Today: We call this the cup of the New Covenant, a contract between God and his people. We remember the blood shed by Jesus on the cross
In the Future: It will be a cup of blessing, shared among all who have responded to the call of the Gospel.
We can choose to live in the past, or in the present, or we can choose to live for the future. A time is coming and has now come, a day for which we have been waiting for.
It is the day of decision for us, where will we stand when the Wedding feast of the Lamb is being given? Today we have a choice, we can give ourselves to Him or we can choose to put it off, but, you may end up on the outside, where there is weeping and gnashing teeth, because you waited too long.
