Sunday, 8/31/2025

The Institution and Celebration of the Lord's Supper

Luke 22:7–23

Luke 22:7–23 (ESV) Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which

the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8  So Jesus sent Peter and John,

saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.”

9  They said to him, “Where will you have us prepare it?” 10  He said to

them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of

water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters 11  and tell

the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest

room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 12  And he will

show you a large upper room furnished; prepare it there.” 13  And they

went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the

Passover.

14  And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with

him. 15  And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this

Passover with you before I suffer. 16  For I tell you I will not eat it until

it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17  And he took a cup, and when he

had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves.

18  For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine

until the kingdom of God comes.” 19  And he took bread, and when he

had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my

body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20  And

likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured

out for you is the new covenant in my blood. 21  But behold, the hand of

him who betrays me is with me on the table. 22  For the Son of Man goes

as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is

betrayed!” 23  And they began to question one another, which of them it

could be who was going to do this.

Jesus understood the profound connection between two significant Old

Testament festivals: Passover and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

Exodus 12:7–13 (ESV) “Then they shall take some of the blood and put

it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat

it. 8  They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with

unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9  Do not eat any of

it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its

inner parts. 10  And you shall let none of it remain until the morning;

anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. 11  In this

manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your

feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the

Lord’s Passover. 12  For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night,

and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and

beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the

Lord. 13  The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are.

And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will

befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.

This was the greatest act of redemption in the Old Testament.

Jesus transformed the ancient ritual, declaring, “This is My body,

which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19).

He took the cup, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new

covenant in My blood” (Luke 22:20).

With these words, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, establishing a

new covenant ratified by His blood.

On the cross, Jesus became both the Passover Lamb and the

scapegoat.

1 Corinthians 5:7, “Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed for us”.

1 Corinthians 11:23–29 (ESV)For I received from the Lord what I also

delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was

betrayed took bread, 24  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.” 25  In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying,

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you

drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26  For as often as you eat this bread

and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

27  Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an

unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the

Lord. 28  Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and

drink of the cup. 29  For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning

the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

We need to look within 1 Cor. 11:28

Paul says that we are to examine ourselves not to discover whether we

are worthy to participate but to determine if we are partaking in a

worthy manner and for a worthy purpose.

No one merits the privilege of sitting at the Lord’s Table.

By God’s grace, we are given the privilege of becoming his children

and having fellowship with him.

Ps. 139:23 – 24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and

know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead

me in the way everlasting”.

We need to look backward (1 Cor. 11:24 – 25).

The Lord’s Supper is a memorial supper that is to remind us of Jesus

Christ’s death on the cross for our sins.

We must look back to Calvary if we are to receive the elements of the

Lord’s Supper into our mind, heart, attitudes, and ambitions.

We need to look forward (1 Cor. 11:26).

By our participation in the Lord’s Supper, we proclaim Christ’s death,

and we are to do this until he returns.