Matthew 26:26-29
God has given us regular reminders of our foundation in Christ. We looked at baptism last week. Below we’ll look at three reminders we receive during communion, or the Lord’s Supper.
1. Jesus lived and died so our sins could be forgiven. (v.28)
The meal Jesus and his followers were sharing in this passage was part of the Passover, which the Jews celebrate annually to remember the Exodus. During the Exodus, God killed all the first born of Egypt, but passed over the homes that had lamb blood painted over their threshold. When Jesus identifies the bread and wine with his own body and blood, he is making a radical statement about himself. He’s saying that he is The Passover Lamb. He would willingly give his blood for the protection of all who would seek shelter beneath it.
Isaiah 53 describes Jesus as the one who would bear our griefs and sorrows. Philippians 2 describes him as the one who let go of his divine status and embraced that of a slave for his followers. All the heroic movies, shows, and books we love are mere shadows of Jesus, the ultimate self-sacrificial hero.
And why did he do all this? For the forgiveness of our sins. This indicates that sin is our biggest problem. Not relationships or health or finances or stress. Sin is the danger from which Jesus came to rescue us. Sin is the rock that weighs us down in an ocean of other problems. It is the root that blossoms into all variety or issues. And it is Jesus’ sacrificial death on our behalf that cuts us free from it.
2. This forgiveness is offered to all. (v.27b)
When Jesus offered the cup, he said, “Drink of it, all of you.” And who was Jesus speaking to? He was speaking to Judas, who he knew was plotting to betray him. He was speaking to Peter, who would soon abandon and deny him. He was speaking to James and John who would later, along with Peter, repeatedly fall asleep rather than pray with him during his most intense hour of need.
Jesus offers his blood for the forgiveness of sins to all of us, including the disloyal, the greedy, the cowardly, the lazy, etc. But not all will receive it, as we learn from Judas’ fate. One must turn from his sin and embrace the lordship of Jesus Christ to receive this forgiveness, as Peter and the others did later.
3. Jesus is coming back. (v.29)
And when he does, all people will worship him. (See Revelation 21:1-8)
Discussion Starters
- Have you participated in communion at different churches that do it differently than we do? How should a church observe communion?
- How would you explain it to someone who has never heard of it?
- Read Exodus 12:1-28. How is Jesus like a Passover lamb? (See Isaiah 53; 1 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Peter 1:18-19)
- Read Matthew 26:14-16; 36-43 and 69-75. Can you relate to the imperfection of the disciples? Which do you relate to most? Why?
- Using discretion, share a time when you were convicted of sin and had to confess and repent. How did the gospel affect your experience?
- How can we serve one another in light of this passage?
- How can your group pray for you this week?
