Title: Looking Back
2011-10-30
Today, we are invited to participate in the Holy Communion while looking at the Lord who tore His body and shed His blood to save us. Lord, who bore my sins to save me, I hope it will be a time to reflect and be renewed in the presence of the Lord who was torn on the cross and shed His blood.
The Lord Who Prepared the Passover Supper
Jesus, the Son of God, left the throne of heaven and came into this world to save us from eternal destruction because of our sins. And after suffering unspeakable suffering and shame, he was finally crucified and died.
But the Lord did not suffer all these things because he lacked strength. Although the Lord was Almighty God, He was willing to suffer all this to save us. When all these things happened, the Lord was aware of everything that was coming every moment. He knew when and what was going to happen to the Lord. And the Lord voluntarily and proactively accomplished all these things.
The Lord knew that in just a few hours, He would be arrested and, after suffering and shame, be crucified and die. On a Thursday afternoon with only a few hours left of all this, the Lord had the disciples prepare the Passover supper. The Lord wanted to share the last Passover supper with His disciples.
Passover
The Passover was a feast kept to commemorate God's deliverance of Israel from suffering in Egypt. When Pharaoh, king of Egypt, rejected God's command to let Israel go, God sent ten great plagues upon Egypt. But Pharaoh was hardened and did not obey God's commands. It was after the 10th plague that Pharaoh surrendered and sent the children of Israel out. The tenth plague was the death of all the firstborn in Egypt.
But when all the firstborn sons of Egypt were killed, not one of the firstborn sons of Israel died. It was because God had slaughtered a lamb and sprinkled its blood on the doorposts and lintels. That night the messenger of God's death passed over the house sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, the name of the feast was called the Passover.
Jesus gave special words at the Passover Supper with his disciples. When the Lord shared the bread and wine with His disciples, He said that they were His body and blood. “As they were eating, Jesus took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took the cup, gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, “Drink it, all of you. It is my blood of the covenant, which is shed for you” (verses 26-28).
Communion service
This refers to Jesus being torn and dying on the cross to save us sinners. The Lord offered Himself as a sin offering to God to atone for our sins. Now, anyone and any sinner can receive forgiveness of sins and be saved as long as they believe in the Son of God who was torn and shed on the cross and shed His blood.
The Lord clearly explained this gospel with bread and wine. Just as bread and wine are absorbed into our body to save us, the Lord saved us, who were torn on the cross and shed His blood, to save us from everlasting life.
The Lord instituted the Lord's Supper in this way, and He said that from now on, we should celebrate the Lord's death, who died for us. “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19b), so the Old Testament Passover was passed on to the Lord's Supper. The Passover, which commemorated our salvation in Egypt, has been replaced by the Eucharist to commemorate the Lord who died on the cross to save us. Today we do this ceremony to commemorate the Lord who was torn on the cross and shed His blood to save us.
Judas Iscariot
Jesus prophesied the betrayal of Judas Iscariot at this Last Supper. “As they were eating, he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me” (verse 21). Jesus knew that Judas Iscariot would betray and betray him. Judas Iscariot was well aware of what Jesus was talking about. Jesus said these words to give Judas Iscariot an opportunity to repent. But Judas Iscariot did not turn.
All the disciples who heard this word of the Lord were troubled and asked: “They were very troubled, and each said, “Lord, it is not I” (verse 22). “Judas, who betrayed Jesus, answered and said, Rabbi, I am not” (Matthew 26:25a).
Jesus pointed to Judas Iscariot more clearly. “He answered and said, He who has put his hand into the vessel with me will betray me” (verse 23). “Jesus answered, “I have dipped a loaf of bread, and he is the one giving it.” Immediately he dipped a loaf and gave it to Judas the son of Simon Iscariot” (John 13:26).
Although Jesus repeatedly and clearly urged repentance, Judas Iscariot did not repent. Judas Iscariot did not give up on his evil thoughts and plans, even though he was right where Jesus was telling them that He would be torn on the cross and shed His blood for sinners and for them. The Lord said this about Judas Iscariot, who could not repent like this. “The Son of Man goes as it is written about him, but woe to him who betrays him, for it would have been better for him if he had not been born” (verse 24).
In the end, Judas Iscariot sold Jesus without repenting. And he died miserably, and his soul was cast into eternal destruction.
Today, as we partake of the Lord's Supper, we look back to the Lord who was torn and shed for us. At this time the Lord came to us and said, ‘Look at you. And repent and turn.” Let us examine ourselves honestly before the Lord who died on the cross for me. And let us repent and forsake our sins. Then the Lord will purify and renew our hearts. But unless we repent, we too will be like Judas Iscariot, who would have been better off not being born. I hope that you will receive the body and blood of the Lord, reflect on yourself, and become a repentant saint.