Saturday, March 18th The Lord’s Table

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.

Luke 22:19

Read Matthew 26:26-29

The communion table in many churches is placed in the front of the worship center once a month. Little plastic cups filled with grape juice are distributed as people bow in quiet meditation. It is an experience of auditorium for our deliverance from sin, but it is also very different from the Jewish Passover that Jesus and His disciples enjoyed.

Passover in first century Jerusalem would be observed by the entire population. Josephus, a historian of the times, records that two million Jews made the pilgrimage to the Holy City for the Seder.

In that quiet upper room, Jesus took the well-rehearsed liturgy of the Passover and added a new object lesson to the old tradition. With cup raised and blessing given, He instructed His followers to remember Him. The fruit of the vine would represent His blood and the unleavened bread would symbolize His broken body. In this simple act, He shifted the focus from the deliverance from Egypt to the redemption of all humanity, because Jesus is our Passover Lamb.

Though most believers do not recall the practices of the Passover, we still remember His precious blood and body in the worship at the Communion table.

Something to think about

1. How was blood a significant part of the Passover?

2. What was the promise Christ gave about the cup?

3. How can you deepen your worship at our church’s Communion table?