Title: The institution of the Lord’s Supper

Scripture reading: Mark 14:22-26

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” ²³ Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. ²⁴ And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. ²⁵ Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” ²⁶ And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”

Main idea: Jesus shed his blood for our sins!

Lord’s Supper is beautifully outlined in three words. First, He took—humanity upon Himself; second, He broke—He was about to be broken on the cross; and third, He gave—He gave Himself for us. The bread signified His body given, the cup His blood shed.

The bread and cup reveal that his crucifixion and death on the cross is an atoning sacrifice, fulfilling the Passover and all the sacrifices of the old covenant. He himself is both the sacrifice and the high priest who offers it (Heb 2:17; 4:14).

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it” (Mark 14:22).
At this point Passover meal (Mark 14:18) passes over into the Lord’s Supper. After a few more hours the old symbol will have served its purpose forever, having reached its fulfilment in the blood shed on Calvary. Jesus also made clear that what was essential in the first was not lost in the second. Both point to him, the only and all-sufficient sacrifice for the sins of his people. Passover pointed forward to this; the Lord’s Supper points back to it.

“They all drank from it” (Mark 14:23).
That they all drank from the cup reflects our common experience at Communion. We experience the presence of Christ; we remember his life and death for us; we acknowledge again his lordship in our life. We all eat and drink together. Communion humbles us before God. Communion expresses our oneness in Christ. Communion reminds us that we are forgiven. In communion, we remember his life and death for us.

What is the meaning of the Bread
Jesus told the disciples to “Take, eat; this is My body.” Jesus used literal terms to describe a figurative truth. Just as he had many times said, “I am” the door, “I am” the bread, the light, the vine, so the bread symbolized Jesus’ work of salvation on behalf of humanity.

In a word, bread referred to the life of Christ. In the Incarnation at Bethlehem (“City of Bread”), Christ, the Bread of Life, took on a human body. He demonstrated his divine life to all the world by living a sinless life in that body. His body was the tent in which He lived among men for thirty-three years (John 1:14). He bore our sins on the Cross while in that human body. He triumphed from the grave by bringing that body back to life, and he now lives in that glorified body at the right hand of the Father where he prays for us. As members of his Body we share that life. Through the bread we see Jesus’ Incarnation, death, and resurrection life. Our partaking of the bread symbolizes our real participation in his life! If we are believers, we all partake of the life (the body) of Christ. This is what the bread means to us when we partake the holy communion.

What is the meaning of the Cup (Mark 14:23-24).
“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many”? The redness of the wine in the cup represented Jesus’ atoning blood. Being “poured out for many” is a referance to Isaiah 53:12, which speaks of Messiah as one who “poured out his life unto death.” This described a violent death. “many” refers to those who believe in Jesus. His blood was the blood of a new covenant (1 Corinthians 11:25). The old covenant was solemnized by the shedding of sacrificial blood of the animals (Exodus 24:6-8). Jesus’ blood sealed the new covenant, whereby men would be saved by resting their faith in his atoning blood.

What is the meaning of the New Covenant
The word “covenant” (Gr. diathēkē) refers to an arrangement established by one party that cannot be altered by the other party. In other words, God established the covenant, and humans can only accept or reject it; they cannot alter it in any way. The New Covenant is God’s new arrangement in dealing with man, based on Christ’s death (Heb 8:6-13). The spiritual blessings Israel expected God to grant in the last days are now mediated through Christ’s death to all who believe. The new covenant was ratified by the blood of Christ, and that is why He speaks of the cup as being the new covenant in His blood. This new covenant, and the full and free salvation that it offers to Jews and Gentiles alike, is based on the shed blood of Christ. The endless blood sacrifices of the Old Testament were only temporary. They pointed forward to Calvary.

Jesus’ words “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many” echoes Exodus 24:6-8, where Moses poured half of the blood of the covenant on the altar and sprinkled the people with the other half to seal the covenant. Jesus understood his death as sacrificial, inaugurating and sealing the new covenant. The foundation of the new covenant was laid through the cross.

Under this new covenant, Jesus would die in the place of sinners. Unlike the blood of animals, his blood (because he is God) would remove the sins of all who would put their faith in him (Hebrews 9:23-28). The prophets looked forward to this new covenant that would fulfill the old sacrificial system (Jeremiah 31:31-34). John the Baptist the forerunner of Jesus called Jesus “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

“I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine” (Mark 14:25).
For Him there would be no more festive joy until He returned to earth to set up His kingdom. Jesus is Coming again! He is going to get up off His Father’s throne in heaven and come back to this planet, the place of His rejection and suffering, and sit down on the throne of His father David. He will rule for a thousand years. Then wine, which is now the token of His blood outpoured, will be given another meaning: it will symbolize the joy of His return. How would Jesus endure the pain?  He knew a big banquet was coming. When you face trouble and need courage, do as Jesus did. Remember the promise and look to the future. This banquet is for you, and the price has been already paid.

“They had sung a hymn” (Mark 14:26).
Then they sang a hymn—probably a portion of the Great Hallel—Psalms 113–118. Then they went out from Jerusalem, across the Kidron, to the Mount of Olives where Gethsemane was located (Mark 14:32). The Hallel or praise Psalms, were sung or chanted in connection with the Passover. The first two (Psalm 113-114) before the meal, the remaining four (Psalm 115-118) after it concludes.

As Jesus and his disciples proceeded to the Mount of Olives, they were singing these praises to God. Jesus’ death would be painful, but God could be praised for what was about to occur. This group of psalms contains many memorable Statements. “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?” (Ps. 118:6). “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner” (Ps. 118:22). “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Ps. 118:24).

Application
We get weaker and less heft spiritually whenever we fail to make Communion an essential part of our spiritual life. As we come to the Lord’s Supper, we should do so in a judged condition. Sin should be confessed and forsaken. Lord’s Supper commemorates Christ’s death on the cross for our sins and points to the coming of his kingdom in glory. When we partake of it, we show our deep gratitude for Christ’s work on our behalf, and our faith is strengthened. Jesus blessed the food, thanking God for it, even at his last meal before his death. So should we express thanks to God for all his provision.

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26).

We observe the Lord’s Supper “till he come” (1 Cor 11:26). The return of Jesus Christ is the blessed hope of the Christian. In the church of the second half of the first century, believers celebrated Communion and then prayed Maranatha (Come, O Lord). (Didache 10:6; Jeremias, Eucharistic Words, p. 253)

In Old Testament times, the Israelites were commanded to observe Passover on the fourteenth of the Hebrew month Nisan. By contrast, Jesus commands his people to both eat the bread and drink of the cup regularly. but refrains from giving his followers a fixed schedule.

Those who accept Christ’s sacrifice and believe in him receive forgiveness. Now all people can come directly to God through faith because Jesus’ death has made us acceptable in God’s eyes (Romans 3:21-24). Come boldly to God through Jesus, in full confidence that God will hear you and save you from your sins.

Let’s pray together
Heavenly Father, thank you for Your provision. Your body is broken for us and Your blood shed for us. Thank you for the forgiveness of our sins. In Jesus Name, Amen.