Matthew 26:26-29 – The Lord's Supper
Introduction
A. Jesus briefly established the memorial that became the center of the church's worship service for the next two thousand years. Acts 20:7, “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.”
1. The Lord’s Supper consists of two elements: unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine.
2. The symbolism of the Supper anticipates the death of Jesus, the shedding of his blood on the cross.
B. Lord’s Supper teaches us several truths, which are the foundations of the Gospel, and the power that transforms men from death in sin into a new life.
I. Matthew 26:26 Unleavened Bread, the image of the body of Christ.
A. Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”
B. The Body of Jesus
1. Hebrews 10:5, “Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me;”
-- V7 “Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’” (Psalm 40:6-8)
-- V10 “And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
--Jesus lived in a physical body, in which he obeyed the will of the Father. In this way, He became the perfect sacrifice to achieve the forgiveness of our sins.
-- Hebrews 2:14-15, “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”
2. Born of a Virgin, Matthew 1:18-25. Emanuel, God with us.
--John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
3. A body like our body.
-- Hebrews 2:17-18, “Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
-- Hebrews 4:15, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
-- Hebrews 5:8-9, “Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,”
4. We must discern the communion of the body of Jesus.
A. 1 Corinthians 10:16 It is communion of the body of Jesus.
B. 1 Corinthians 11:29 We are condemned if we do not discern the body.
C. 1 Corinthians 12:27 We are the body of Christ.
-- Ephesians 3:6; 4:12, 16; 5:23
II. Matthew 26:27-28 The Fruit of the Vine, the Image of the Blood of Christ
A. Genesis 9:4 “But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.” (Leviticus 7:26-27; 17:10-14; 19:26; Deuteronomy 12:16, 23; 15:23) Jesus Christ gave his life, when he shed his blood for us.
B. Cleanses us from all sin, 1 John 1:7.
C. Rescues us from our vain way of living, 1 Peter 1:18-24.
D. Matthew 26:28, "for the forgiveness of sins."
1. Acts 2:38, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins..." The Blood of Christ was poured out for the forgiveness of sins, and repentance and baptism is done for the forgiveness of sins. In the original Greek, the two phrases are identical. Blood does it, but repentance and baptism are also necessary for the forgiveness of sins.
2. Protestants deny that baptism is for the forgiveness (remission) of sins. Who cares? It matters a lot because without forgiveness man cannot escape the condemnation of God. Mark 16:16.
E. Matthew 26:28, "for this is my blood of the New Covenant."
1. The first covenant was the covenant that God made with Israel in the days of Moses when he climbed Mount Sinai (Horeb) and received for Israel the two tables of the Ten Commandments.
2. One part of the worship of that covenant was The Ark of the Covenant into which God commanded that they put the two tables of the Law, a portion of manna, and Aaron's staff.
3. Jeremiah 31:31-34 He prophesied that God would give Israel a new covenant. Hebrews 8:7-13 quotes that prophecy to declare that the first covenant was old and ready to vanish away.
4. The new covenant was mentioned in 1 Corinthians 11:25 in the context of the Lord’s Supper, reflecting the words of Jesus in Matthew 26. Again in 2 Corinthians 3:6, 14; Hebrews 7:22:9: 15-20.
5. The terms "New Covenant" and "New Testament" are found in the translations of Hebrews, but there is no difference in the Greek language of the original text. The translators chose the word "Testament," because in the context of Hebrews 9:16, it is said, “For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established.” The kind of covenant that is the New Covenant is that of the testament of someone who dies to confirm it and will not be valid until the death of the one who made the Covenant. So, it's called the "New Testament."
6. When man confuses the two Covenants, and seeks the worship as found in the Old Covenant, he ignores the death of Jesus who died to establish the New Covenant. Christ is the Lord of the New Covenant.
-- Matthew 17:5. God in heaven declared on the Mount of Transfiguration, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”
-- Hebrews 1:1-3. “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”
--The use of incense, altars, sacrifices, and Levitical choirs with the music of harps, annual celebrations, Sabbath days, a special priesthood (clergy and laity), tithing, and anything of the Ancient Law, all such things serve to nullify the New Covenant of Christ Jesus. The Worship that Jesus ordered is very simple, but it fulfills what God commands us today.
Conclusion
A. The Lord's Supper has been celebrated since the first century, and even today, we remember Jesus’ death according to the biblical pattern, every first day of the week. It's full of meaning. It offers us hope and makes us kneel before the Lord giving thanks for the blood that cleanses us from all sin.
B. We proclaim the Death of Jesus until He comes and takes us to our heavenly home.