Note: Last Sunday morning’s message looked at our
Lord’s institution of the Lord’s Supper as recorded in Luke 22. Here are some notes:
19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This
is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 20 Likewise
also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you (Luke
22:19-20).
With vv. 19-20 we have Jesus instituting the New Covenant
meal, the Lord’s Supper. Notice:
First, the figurative
nature of Jesus’ words: The superstitious view that the
bread and cup are magically transformed (transubstantiated) into his body and
blood is to be rejected. Jesus often used
figurative language (cf. the “I am” sayings).
Indeed, here the obvious sense is that the bread represents his body and
the cup represents his blood.
Second, the emphasis
upon limited atonement or particular redemption:
His body is “give for you”; his blood is “shed for you.” The “you” here in both cases in context
refers to the disciples. He does not lay
down his life for those who might hypothetically or possibly become his sheep. He lay down his life for his sheep (John 10:11).
He shed his blood for them.
Third, the command to
continue to do this in remembrance of him:
Jesus told his
disciples to continue to do this in remembrance of him. Paul says that as often as we eat this bread
and drink this cup we do show the Lord’s death till he come (1 Cor 11:26). If we love Jesus, we will keep his
commandments (John 14:15).
Jesus calls the cup in particular a figure for “the new
testament [covenant].” This covenant
would not come through the perpetual sacrifices of animals in the temple but
through the once for all sacrifice of Christ on the cross (cf. Hebrews 8:7-13
citing Jeremiah 31:31-34).
Grace and peace, Pastor
Jeff Riddle
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