Exodus 12, Deuteronomy 16:1-4, Luke 22 Audio file is at the end of text.
Today we will take communion. To prepare us, I want to go back to the origin of this sacred ritual that some Christians take part in several times a year or weekly or even daily. A history lesson might deepen the meaning of something that has become a
habit. Habits are good but when something is a habit it is often done on auto-pilot which means we can even do it without thinking at all.
In Exodus 12:1-28 Moses records how God worked to free the Jews from Egyptian captivity. Prior to this text, we read that The Nile water was turned to blood, frogs, lice, flies and locusts invested the land, the cattle was made sick, the people got boils, darkness fell and then came thunder and hailstorms. Even after all of this adversity, Pharaoh would not free the Jews. Today we read about the 10th of what is now called the 10 Plagues of Egypt.
Moses told his people to kill a goat or lamb and smear blood from the animal on the door frame at the entrance to their home. This blood would show that all who live in this home are being obedient to God's commandments. In addition to covering their doors with blood they were given detailed instructions on how to prepare a meal with the lamb or goat and that they were to make bread without yeast because there would be no time to let the yeast rise.
Death came to every Egyptian household while it "passed over" the Jews. Pharaoh got up in the night and went to Moses and said, "Get out of here and go quickly."
Deuteronomy 16:1-4 is where the Jews are instructed to once a year celebrate their freedom from slavery. They are to remember that because of the blood, death passed over their home while it came to every Egyptian family. They are to eat unleavened bread at this celebration because that is what their ancestors had to eat on the night God saved them and delivered them from the cruel grip of a foreign king.
Jesus and his disciples were devote Jews and in Luke 22:1-20 we read about what has come to be called, The Last Supper or The Lord's Supper. Jesus and his disciples were to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread which is also called the Passover. So for thousands of years the Jews observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread and now Jesus stops history. He says to the disciples, "take this bread. It is my body broken for you and eat it in my memory."
Jesus did not say, eat this in memory of your fathers who were rescued by God from the Pharaoh. Jesus said, "eat this in memory of me." He also said, "This cup is the new covenant written in my blood, blood poured out for you." He did not say, this cup represents the blood of the lamb and goats that your fathers smeared on their doors.
For those of us who claim Jesus as their personal savior, this communion is about the blood of Jesus being spilled over you to cover you. Just like the Jews were protected by the blood on the doors, you are protected by the blood of Jesus. You will never die.
But, you must accept the action of Jesus personally. While Moses led all the Jews to freedom as a group, Jesus leads each of us individually. While Moses only freed the Jews, Jesus frees any person who accepts his free gift of grace.
Praise be to God.
In Exodus 12:1-28 Moses records how God worked to free the Jews from Egyptian captivity. Prior to this text, we read that The Nile water was turned to blood, frogs, lice, flies and locusts invested the land, the cattle was made sick, the people got boils, darkness fell and then came thunder and hailstorms. Even after all of this adversity, Pharaoh would not free the Jews. Today we read about the 10th of what is now called the 10 Plagues of Egypt.
Moses told his people to kill a goat or lamb and smear blood from the animal on the door frame at the entrance to their home. This blood would show that all who live in this home are being obedient to God's commandments. In addition to covering their doors with blood they were given detailed instructions on how to prepare a meal with the lamb or goat and that they were to make bread without yeast because there would be no time to let the yeast rise.
Death came to every Egyptian household while it "passed over" the Jews. Pharaoh got up in the night and went to Moses and said, "Get out of here and go quickly."
Deuteronomy 16:1-4 is where the Jews are instructed to once a year celebrate their freedom from slavery. They are to remember that because of the blood, death passed over their home while it came to every Egyptian family. They are to eat unleavened bread at this celebration because that is what their ancestors had to eat on the night God saved them and delivered them from the cruel grip of a foreign king.
Jesus and his disciples were devote Jews and in Luke 22:1-20 we read about what has come to be called, The Last Supper or The Lord's Supper. Jesus and his disciples were to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread which is also called the Passover. So for thousands of years the Jews observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread and now Jesus stops history. He says to the disciples, "take this bread. It is my body broken for you and eat it in my memory."
Jesus did not say, eat this in memory of your fathers who were rescued by God from the Pharaoh. Jesus said, "eat this in memory of me." He also said, "This cup is the new covenant written in my blood, blood poured out for you." He did not say, this cup represents the blood of the lamb and goats that your fathers smeared on their doors.
For those of us who claim Jesus as their personal savior, this communion is about the blood of Jesus being spilled over you to cover you. Just like the Jews were protected by the blood on the doors, you are protected by the blood of Jesus. You will never die.
But, you must accept the action of Jesus personally. While Moses led all the Jews to freedom as a group, Jesus leads each of us individually. While Moses only freed the Jews, Jesus frees any person who accepts his free gift of grace.
Praise be to God.
