WWUTT 2108 Jesus Institutes the Lord's Supper (Matthew 26:26-30)

The Institution of the Lord’s Supper as a Memorial Meal

In Matthew chapter 26, Jesus institutes with his disciple the Lord's Supper. The eating of the bread and the drinking of the cup in remembrance of the sacrifice Christ made for us. And may we handle these things in a right way when we understand the text.

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Here once again is Pastor Gabe.

Thank you Becky and greetings everyone. As you can probably tell, my voice is much clearer than what it was the first couple of days of this week. So let's get caught up on this lesson here. We're back to Matthew 26 and we're reading about the institution of the Lord's Supper.

So I'm going to start reading verses 26 to 30 out of the Legacy Standard Bible. Hear the word of the Lord. And after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. So what we want to do today in examining this passage is we want to come to understand what each of these elements represents.

And what a proper practice of the Lord's Table is supposed to look like. We also want to consider what this does not mean. For the most common practice of the Lord's Table in the world today is the Mass.

The idea that the Eucharist or the bread itself literally transforms into the actual flesh of Jesus. And the cup transforms into his actual blood. I think we can see from this account that Matthew gives, that definitely does not happen.

And it is plain as day. So again, we want to understand what this does mean and what it doesn't mean. As we look at this institution of the Lord's Supper, which Jesus gives to his disciples. Coming back to verse 26.

It starts by saying, now while they were eating. What were they eating? Of course this was the Passover meal. So it would have included lamb. The Passover lamb had been sacrificed. And they also ate unleavened bread.

And they drank fermented wine. It wasn't grape juice in the cup. It would have been fermented wine. Much to the chagrin of those who want to say that they were actually drinking grape juice. So listen to the instructions regarding Passover that are given in Exodus 12.

Remember, this is a meal that is a memorial. This is in remembrance. So even when Jesus tells his disciples to do this in remembrance of me. That word doesn't appear here in Matthew 26. But we'll look at some other accounts in Luke and in Mark.

And then also what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11. As we understand that Jesus gave the bread and the cup to be in remembrance of him. So this meal is a memorial. It is remembering when God brought the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt.

So listen here to Exodus 12 beginning in verse 1. Now Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt. This month shall be the beginning of months for you. Remember we talked about this earlier in the week.

As it being the 14th day of Nisan. Which is the first month in the Hebrew calendar. It is to be the first month of the year to you. Verse 3. Speak to all the congregation of Israel saying. On the 10th of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves.

According to their father's households. A lamb for each household. Now if the household is too small for a lamb. Then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one. According to the number of persons in them.

According to what each man should eat you are to apportion the lamb. Now that's really what Jesus and his disciples are doing here. They've come to a neighbor's house. This isn't their home. But they've gone to somebody who has given them the upper room of the house.

For them to partake in the Lord's table. Verse 5 begins to give the qualifications for the animal. Your lamb shall be a male without blemish. A year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats.

And you shall keep it until the 14th day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. So again their 14th day of Nisan. Moreover they shall take some of the blood.

And put it on the two doorposts. And on the lentil of the houses in which they eat it. Now this was the practice at this at the first Passover. This wasn't a regular practice among the Jews. But that they would put the blood on the doorposts.

Because remember the 10th plague is about to come upon Egypt. The angel of death or God as he passes through Egypt. Striking down the firstborn. The firstborn sons. If he sees the blood on the doorposts he will pass over.

Hence the name of this feast of remembrance. So you shall take some of the blood. Put it on the two doorposts. And on the lentil of the houses in which they eat it. And they shall eat the flesh that night.

Roasted with fire. And they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water. But rather roasted with fire. Both its head and its legs along with its entrails.

And you shall not leave any of it over until morning. But whatever is left of it until morning you shall burn with fire. Now you shall eat it in this manner. With your loins girded. With your sandals on your feet.

And your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Passover of Yahweh. And I will go through the land of Egypt on that night. And I will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt.

Both man and beast. And against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments. I am Yahweh. And the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And I will see the blood. And I will pass over you.

And there shall be no plague among you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. And so just as God delivered his people out of slavery in Egypt. So Jesus Christ who is our Passover Lamb. Remember that Paul specifically referred to Jesus as our Passover Lamb in 1 Corinthians 5.

It's in John chapter 1 where John the Baptist says, Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. So Jesus is the fulfillment of this Passover. And just as the Passover meal was to be a remembrance.

So Jesus is reinstituting Passover in another remembrance. How Jesus is the fulfillment of all of these things. So he's giving the Lord's Supper to his disciples as a remembrance of what Jesus is about to do for them.

What he's going to do the very next day. Just hours from now. He is going to go to the cross and die. Giving his body. Spilling his blood. And remember from what's said in Leviticus that the life is in the blood.

So spilling the blood represented that Jesus was giving his life as an atoning sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. Just as Passover was a remembrance. So now the Lord's Supper is to be a remembrance.

So that's what they're eating is Passover. That's what Jesus gives as a new institution for them to eat on the regular. Now, and I'll show that to you here in a moment. But some will think of Passover, or sorry, as the Lord's Supper.

Something we should only be partaking in once a year. Because Passover was once a year. And so maybe they'll do it at Easter or maybe they'll do it, you know, on the 14th day of Nisan. Exactly when the Jews practice it.

So that's when we should do it as well. But remember that Jesus says, as often as you eat this and drink this. And Paul comes back to that as well in 1 Corinthians 11 .26. As often as you eat this bread and drink the cup.

You proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes. So there is nothing here that says. There's nothing anywhere in the institution of the Lord's Supper that says it's supposed to be once a year. You could do it every week if you wanted.

That's what we do at our church. We partake at the Lord's table every Sunday. And I have to remember that when I'm preaching. That I'm cutting off my sermon at a certain time so that we're leaving room for us to partake at the Lord's table.

Most of the churches I've been a part of up until being a part of Providence Baptist. We partook at the Lord's table once a month. So it was usually the first or second Sunday of the month. You as a church can decide how often to eat it.

But don't make it a legalistic imposition. It must be every week or it must only be once a month or once a quarter or once a year. These are not legalistic things. A church can come to this as they so desire.

But if your church, if the church that you're a part of. Decides this is how often we're going to partake of the Lord's table. Then do that with your church. Don't decide individually among yourselves.

You know what?

I'm only going to take it once a year. Because now you've actually separated the body. You are divided from one another. Because you believe something about the Lord's table that you don't share with the rest of your congregation.

Don't be divided from one another at this table. We are all to come together at this table. As one recognizing that we all are sinners in need of a Savior. And Christ is that Savior. He who gave himself for us.

As an atoning sacrifice for sins. So we come back once again verse 26. They're eating the Passover. Jesus took some bread. And after a blessing. He broke it and giving it to the disciples. He said take eat this is my body.

Now likewise in 1st Corinthians 11. Paul said in verse 23. For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you. That the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was being betrayed. Took bread and when he had given thanks.

He broke it and said this is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way he took the cup also after supper. Saying this cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it.

In remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup. You proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes. So Paul mentions that he gave thanks. Just before serving the bread. Matthew recalls that he gave thanks before the bread.

And then even before the cup. You can decide to do that however you want. I have seen it done. And even when I was growing up. I think this was the common practice. That the bread would be served to everybody.

And we would pray before the bread. And then the or we might pray. And then it would be served. And then we would pray and then the cup would be served. Now that takes a long time. So for the sake of time.

We give one prayer at the start of serving. And then everybody receives the elements of bread and the cup together. And then we announce those elements and partake in them together. So you could do it where you pray before serving the bread.

You pray before serving the cup. But just recognize that takes a little bit more time. Some will go that route. And others will just say a prayer at the beginning. Before serving these elements together.

So then in verse 27. When he had taken a cup and given thanks. He gave it to them saying. Drink from it all of you. For this is my blood of the covenant. Which is poured out for many. For forgiveness of sins.

So Matthew makes reference to the blood being a new covenant. And so does Paul. In 1 Corinthians 11 he also says new covenant. Now some translations will say new testament. But the proper understanding of that word.

The proper rendering of the Greek word there would be covenant. So when we even divide the Bible into two parts. Old testament and new testament. We're really talking about the old covenant. And the new covenant that we have in Christ.

Now a covenant. If you'll remember a covenant is a legal agreement. And God would seal the covenant with blood. In this case with the new covenant. In Jesus Christ it is the blood of the God man. It is God's own son whom he has given.

Who will shed his blood for the new covenant. The blood which Jesus would shed. Those who are under that blood. Are the true Israel of God. The blood that Moses had sprinkled. What had been put on the doorpost during Passover.

What Moses sprinkled on the ark. What he sprinkled over the children of Israel. That was the blood of sprinkling. Hebrews makes a reference to that in Hebrews 12. Jesus is the mediator of a new covenant.

And that which is old is now gone. That's also talked about in Hebrews. And also in Galatians 3. So this sign of the new covenant. For the disciples. Is the literal blood that Jesus is going to shed. But there is a spiritual sealing that is happening.

By that blood. And then the remembrance that the disciples would practice in. Remembering what Jesus had done for them. Would be a spiritual remembering. We would literally eat bread and drink of a cup.

In remembrance of these things. But we are spiritually. We are in a spiritual remembrance of that which had literally been done for us. Jesus giving his life and shedding his blood. For the forgiveness of sins.

And only those who are in Christ. Who believe in him by faith. Are covered in the blood of the Lamb. So that we know our sins are forgiven. And God who is bringing judgment upon this world. Will not bring judgment upon those who are under the blood of Christ.

Rather we are his children. Again those who are truly Israel. Under the blood of Jesus Christ. And we will receive a promised land that is not marked on the earth. At a certain latitude and longitude.

It is a heavenly kingdom. As also talked about in Hebrews. That's in Hebrews 11. If the faithful had thought they were going to receive an earthly kingdom. Then they would have had the chance to enter into it.

But as it is they anticipate a heavenly one. And so we likewise look toward a heavenly kingdom. Not a physical land inheritance. But as Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5. We will inherit the earth.

The new heavens and the new earth. In which righteousness dwells. 2 Peter chapter 3. So Jesus giving these things to his disciples. The bread that represents his body. Which is going to be sacrificed.

The blood that represents the life that he is going to give. But blood of a covenant. For the forgiveness of sins. And he says. I say to you I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on. Until that day when I drink it new with you.

In my father's kingdom. Now I tell you. Every time that I contend with a Catholic. Over the fact that the mass is not the proper practice of the Lord's table. As we have it in scripture. The mass is an altogether different invention.

In which a priest is calling upon God. To enter into this bread and this cup. As though the priest has authority over God to do such a thing. And that the bread would transform into the literal body of Jesus.

His actual flesh. And the cup would transform into his actual blood. This is a re-sacrifice. And I'm not putting words into the mouth of Catholics. I will have Catholics that tell me. That's exactly what it is.

It is a re-sacrifice of Christ. I am on the website of a Catholic priest right here. Father Hugh Barber. Who says the following about the mass. Some argue against the Catholic teaching. That the mass is a sacrifice.

The early church fathers tell us. That it is. So their practice is. This is a re-sacrifice of Jesus. Directly contradicting what is said in Hebrews. Hebrews 10 .10. By this we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ.

Once for all. And every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time. The same sacrifices. Which can never take away sins. But he having offered one sacrifice. For sins for all time. Sat down at the right hand of God.

Waiting from that time until his enemies are put as a footstool for his feet. For by one offering. He has perfected for all time. Those who are being sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us.

For after saying. This is the covenant that I will make with them. After those days says the Lord. I will put my laws upon their hearts. And on their mind I will write them. He then says and their sins and their lawless deeds.

I will remember no more. Now where there is forgiveness of these things. There is no longer any offering for sin. So this this Catholic and Orthodox practice of re-sacrificing Christ. It is a heresy.

It is directly opposed to statements in Scripture that Christ gave himself. Once for all. There does not need to be a continual re-sacrificing. Hebrews puts the sacrifice of Christ. Directly contrary to that.

The priests of the old covenant. They were continually sacrificing. Jesus makes one sacrifice for all. Lest we say that that wasn't sufficient. And Jesus needs to continue to offer himself. In order to forgive us our sins.

That is a different sacrifice and a different Christ. Hence why the mass is a heresy. And those Catholics that will tell me. And you know this is the position of the Catholic Church. I don't even need to read you their dogmas.

You've heard this plenty of times. No Catholic would even disagree with me. They believe that the bread transforms into the literal body of Jesus. The cup transforms into his literal blood. And whenever I contend with that and say.

It's a memorial. It's not the actual flesh and blood of Christ. They will quote to me. Almost 100 of the time. Exactly what Jesus said to his disciples. This is my body. This is my blood. But we can see in context.

Here in Matthew 26. That he was being metaphorical or even typological. He was not saying this is bread that is transformed into my actual flesh. Let me give you two reasons why. Number one. Because Jesus had not been sacrificed yet.

He had not yet gone and died. He's sitting right there with them. So he's breaking bread and giving it to his disciples. Which is transforming into his actual flesh. That's absurd. The sacrifice hadn't even happened yet.

Second reason. And this one is really the most telling. Because Jesus says in verse 29. I say to you. I will not drink of this fruit of the vine. From now on until that day when I drink it with you in my father's kingdom.

So if he said this is my blood. But then calls it the fruit of the vine. It can't be both. It did not transform into his literal blood. It was just wine. But it represents his blood. That is given. That is spilled for the forgiveness of sins.

Just as Passover was a memorial meal. Remembering what God had done for Israel. Bringing them out of slavery into the land of Egypt. And giving them a promised land. So the Lord's table is a memorial meal.

That we would remember the sacrifice that Christ made for us. Fulfilling what was being represented at Passover. But now in a much grander way. That we would be freed from the slavery of sin. And given a kingdom not of this world.

But a heavenly kingdom. As fellow heirs with Christ. Those who are in his blood of the new covenant. For the forgiveness of sins. Not for the deliverance from literal slavery. But the deliverance of slavery to sin.

That we might live righteously before him. By his sacrifice. By the life of Christ that has been given to us. Now that said, even though we partake of the Lord's table as a remembrance. As a memorial.

Do this in remembrance of me. By the way, that's literally translated memorial. You're remembering. It is a memorial meal. Even though we partake of these things as a remembrance. That doesn't mean that it's only bread.

And it's only a cup. These things are sacred. And we need to think of them as sacred. It's not out of bounds for us. Even as Protestants or myself as a Reformed Baptist. To call these things sacraments.

They are sacred. And we need to treat them as sacred. For remember that the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11. Whoever eats the bread and drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner. And again, Paul calls it right there.

Bread in a cup. He also calls it body and blood. But it's bread in a cup. Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner. Shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.

And there you have it. Referring to them as both. It is the bread and the cup. It is the body and the blood. Not literally flesh and actual blood. Jesus wasn't calling us to cannibalism. In order to enter the kingdom of God.

But that we would feast upon him in that spiritual sense. And be filled with Christ. A man must test himself, Paul says. And in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself.

If he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason, many among you are weak and sick and a number sleep. But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. And so, in this way, we are to consider this practice and these elements as sacred.

So sacred. That if we partake in them in an unworthy manner, we bring judgment on ourselves. So they are sacraments in that sense. We also understand that when we come to this table. And we eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

Our Lord is present with us. Just as Jesus had said previously in Matthew 18 concerning church discipline. Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in your midst. That's with regarding the assembly in the proper practice of discipline.

And so if Jesus is with us in our midst when we have to discipline one another. Don't you think he is with us even when we partake in the Lord's table? After all, the proper practice of the Lord's table requires discipline.

Once again, let a man examine himself. Lest he eat and drink judgment on himself. And so we also examine one another. Holding each other accountable. That we would not partake in the table in an unworthy manner.

Even bring judgment on the church if the church is not properly practicing these things. So Jesus is with us. He is with us even at that table. So this isn't just bread and cup. These are sacred elements.

And also as we partake in these things. We do so in the very presence of Christ. Praise God for his son who takes away our sin. And we remember that. What a great sacrifice was needed for us to be made right before God.

The Hymn After Communion and the Mount of Olives

Whenever we eat of the bread and drink of the cup. Now at the very conclusion of this in verse 30. It says, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. So notice here, that part of the Lord's table.

After they partake in the Lord's table, they sing a hymn. They go out to the Mount of Olives where we know that they prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus prayed, the disciples fell asleep. But that has become a practice for us as well.

Every church that I've been in with regards to practicing the Lord's table. We always partake in communion and then we sing a hymn. Because that's what Jesus and the disciples did. And I'll come back to that verse again.

What would they have sung after eating and drinking? After the Passover meal and going out. What would have been the hymns that they would have sung? I'll talk about that next time. So come back and join me for the next lesson, which will be on Monday.

As we pick up here in Matthew 26. Let's finish with prayer. Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for what we have read here. And I pray that we would be in proper practice of these things. Not eating and drinking judgment on ourselves.

But remembering this holy sacrifice that was given. That we would be made holy and righteous before you in love. And so let us partake in these things in a holy and righteous way. Doing these things with charity toward one another.

And in worshipfulness to God. I pray that those who are listening. Have a good solid church that they can be a part of where the gospel is preached. And these things can be handled in a right way. So that we may as worshipers of God.

Eat and drink in remembrance. Of the sacrifice that was given for us. The new covenant that we are under. So that our sins would be forgiven. And we have fellowship with God. Now and forever more. It's in Jesus name that we pray.

Amen.

You've been listening to When We Understand the Text with Pastor Gabe Hughes. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Gabe will be going through a New Testament study. Then on Thursday we look at an Old Testament book.

On Friday we take questions from the listeners and viewers. Tomorrow we'll pick up on an Old Testament study. When we understand the text.