THE LORD'S SUPPER

1 CORINTHIANS 11:23-26 NKJ 

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. 

OBSERVATION: 

The night Jesus was betrayed, He shared an important meal with His disciples.   

Imagine what kind of strength, inner strength, it required to keep His composure knowing what was facing Him.   

I tease the nurses who want to take my blood pressure before a procedure. I tell them to wait until afterward. I know what's coming and my blood pressure reveals my apprehension.   

But Jesus was calm and collected. He took the time to share an important meal that would become an institution of the Church.   

Jesus first gave thanks to God and then broke the bread. He likened His body to being the bread of life that was broken for mankind. Isaiah chapter 53 is a marvelous prophecy talking about what Jesus did for us by His body being broken before and then during His time on the cross.  

His body was broken for us. His body was broken so that we might be healed. He was our substitute. Before the cross, He was whipped and beaten. Everything Jesus did was for our good. His body was broken so that ours does not have to be.   

Then He took the cup and spoke of the new covenant in His blood. In the bible, all covenants were ratified and sealed with blood. In the Old Testament or old covenant, it was the blood of animals. But in our better covenant of today, Jesus poured out His own blood. Hebrews 9:12 tells us it was His blood that obtained eternal redemption for us. Jesus purchased our freedom and the forgiveness of sins with His spotless blood. 

This makes the Lord's Supper much more than a ritual. It is a powerful reminder of what Jesus did for us.   

APPLICATION: 

We treat the Lord's Supper or Communion with great respect. We recognize in His death Jesus gave new life to us.   

His broken body has provided healing. His shed blood opened a pathway to God that was unobtainable before.  

When we receive the Lord's Supper, we are so grateful for all Jesus has done for us. This memorial meal serves as a reminder, and we proclaim the Lord's death until He comes again for us.