Sharing The Lord’s Supper

Sharing the Lord’s Supper

Matthew 26:14-30

Sermon by Rick Crandall

Grayson Baptist Church - January 29, 2012

BACKGROUND:

*This morning we will worship the Lord by sharing the Lord’s Supper. Think back to the scene on the night before the cross. Jesus was gathered with His disciples to eat the last Passover of His earthly life.

*That night the Lord gave the Passover much greater meaning than it ever had before. Now it would become the Lord’s Supper symbolizing the new covenant and the sacrifice Jesus was about to make. Let’s read about it this morning in Matthew 26:14-30.

INTRODUCTION:

*So much has changed since that darkest of nights. But the Light that shined in that darkness shines just as bright today. And as we look at the Lord’s first followers, we will see that we have much in common with them. In fact, as believers, we are like them in the most important ways.

1. First: We share the same Friend.

[1] I am talking about our best friend, Jesus Christ. And one of the things our Friend gives us is His Leadership.

*That’s what the disciples needed here in Matthew 26. They had known for months that terrible things were going to happen when they went back to Jerusalem. Jesus had told them many times.

*About 9 months before this night, Matthew 16:21 says, "From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day."

*Now so close to the cross, the disciples were troubled to the max, even wondering in these verses if they would be the one to betray Jesus. On top of all of this, it was time for the Passover, the most important Feast on the Jewish calendar. What were they supposed to do?

*This was the question on the disciples’ minds in vs. 17, so they asked for the Lord’s leadership: "Now on the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, 'Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?'"

*They wanted some guidance, and in vs. 18, the Lord told them just the right thing to do: "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples."'"

*Mark 14:12-16 gives us more detail:

12. Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, "Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?''

13. So He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him.

14. And wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, `The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?'''

15. Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us.''

16. And His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover.

*Those two disciples took off to find this man carrying a picture of water. That was a very unusual thing to see in that day. But I like what Mark’s Gospel says at this point. They "came into the city, and found it just as He (i.e. Jesus) had said to them."

*Church: You will always find it just as Jesus says. He always tells the truth, because He is the Truth, and He cannot lie. And the Lord’s truth is timeless. It is just as good today as it was 2,000 years ago, and it always will be. As Jesus said in Luke 21:33, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."

*Jesus told His friends exactly what to do. And we can always depend on the Lord to tell us the right things to do. Our Best Friend gives leadership.

[2] But much more important, He gave His life.

*This is the life-changing, soul-saving message of the Lord’s Supper in vs. 26-28:

26. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body.''

27. Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.

28. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.