The Last Supper

Reading: Luke chapter 22 verses 14-23.

Ill:

In 1866 a man named Alfred who had the rare opportunity to read his own obituary.

• Apparently the newspaper in Alfred’s hometown;

• Mistakenly believed that he had died and prematurely published his obituary.

• Alfred was a philanthropist (a generous donor to charities);

• He had made a fortune by inventing dynamite.

• In his obituary;

• His invention was blamed for the death and mutilation of thousands of people.

• He was shocked and dismayed by the harsh manner in which he was portrayed.

• Alfred was determined to improve his public image and leave a better legacy.

• He wanted to be remembered as a man of science and of peace.

• When Alfred died in 1896,

• His will provided the major portion of his $9 million estate;

• Be set up as a fund to establish yearly prizes for merit in;

• Physics, chemistry, medicine and physiology, literature, and world peace.

• Alfred’s last name if you haven’t yet guessed was Noble, Alfred Noble.

• The prize that bears his name is an international award given annually since 1901

• Question: How would you like to be remembered?

• Answer: None of us of course will be around to find out!

(1). Jesus said; “Remember me” (vs 19b).

Jesus knew exactly how he wanted to be remembered:

• The world focus on his birth (Christmas)

• Some major on his miracles –how amazing & breathtaking they were!

• Others on his teaching – the wisdom & the cross-cultural application of them.

• Jesus himself focussed in on one particular aspect – his death!

• What appeared to be the world’s greatest tragedy;

• Was in fact the world’s greatest triumph!

To help his disciples focus and also remember he gave to them a visual aid:

• Bread & wine.

• A solid and a liquid.

Ill:

• Lord N Horatio Nelson died during the Battle of Trafalgar, in 1805.

• At his death,

• Britain lost a complex leader who balanced a personal longing for honour and glory;

• With a compassion and respect for his men.

• He was buried in St. Paul’s Cathedral;

• And a party of his sailors bore his coffin to the tomb.

One who saw the scene writes;

• “With reverencey and with efficiency;

• They lowered the body of the world’s greatest admiral into its tomb.

• Then, as though answering to a sharp order from the quarter deck,

• They all seized the Union Jack with which the coffin had been covered;

• And tore it to fragments,

• And each took his souvenir of the illustrious dead”

For the rest of their lives to those coffin bearers:

• That little bit of coloured cloth;

• Would remind them of the admiral they had both served and loved!

Ill:

• In the houses of everyone of us here;

• There are draws or boxes full of things that others would call junk.

• Yet the reason they have been kept is because when we;

• Touch, handle and look at them,

• They bring back to our hearts and minds;

• This or that person, or this or that occasion.

To help his disciples focus and remember Jesus gave to his followers a visual aid:

• Notice: of the four gospel writers who record this event;

• Only Luke mentions that the Lord’s Supper was to become a memorial feast.

• You see the words in verse 19b,

• "Do this in remembrance of me";

• Those words are not found in the other gospel accounts of that night in the upper room.

• You won’t find them in Matthew, Mark or John.

• In fact the only other place where we find these words are in 1 Corinthians chapter 11;

• Where the apostle Paul discusses the Lord’s Supper.

• Some of the most well known words of the communion service;

• Ill: Engraved on tables – quoted in many, many prayers.

• Were actually recorded by two people who were not even the upper room.

• (Although we believe they were aided in their writings by the Holy Spirit).

Ill:

• The Greeks had an adjective which they used to describe time;

• “Time”, they said, “Which wipes all things out”.

• It is as the mind of people were a slate-chalk board;

• And time a sponge which wiped it clean.

Note:

• In the next few hours and days;

• The disciples would ride a roller coaster of emotional experiences

• Think of the turmoil, the disorder, the confusion;

• That would shake these followers to their very cores.

• These events could easily wipe clean the memories of the disciples .

• Like a wet sponge wiped along a slate-chalk board;