Remembering Jesus' Sacrifice

We Worship God
A Guide for Worship Leaders:
Remembering Jesus Christ

Matthew 26:17-30 (The Message)

The Traitor

 ¹⁷On the first of the Days of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Where do you want us to prepare your Passover meal?" ^18-19He said, "Enter the city. Go up to a certain man and say, 'The Teacher says, My time is near. I and my disciples plan to celebrate the Passover meal at your house.'" The disciples followed Jesus' instructions to the letter, and prepared the Passover meal.
 ^20-21After sunset, he and the Twelve were sitting around the table. During the meal, he said, "I have something hard but important to say to you: One of you is going to hand me over to the conspirators."
 ²²They were stunned, and then began to ask, one after another, "It isn't me, is it, Master?"
 ^23-24Jesus answered, "The one who hands me over is someone I eat with daily, one who passes me food at the table. In one sense the Son of Man is entering into a way of treachery well-marked by the Scriptures—no surprises here. In another sense that man who turns him in, turns traitor to the Son of Man—better never to have been born than do this!"
 ²⁵Then Judas, already turned traitor, said, "It isn't me, is it, Rabbi?"
   Jesus said, "Don't play games with me, Judas."

The Bread and the Cup

 ^26-29During the meal, Jesus took and blessed the bread, broke it, and gave it to his disciples:

   Take, eat.
   This is my body.
Taking the cup and thanking God, he gave it to them:

   Drink this, all of you.
   This is my blood,
   God's new covenant poured out for many people
      for the forgiveness of sins.
"I'll not be drinking wine from this cup again until that new day when I'll drink with you in the kingdom of my Father." ³⁰They sang a hymn and went directly to Mount Olives.

For Reflection
Yet another part of the mystery that is Jesus Christ!  It has been believed that once consumed the elements of communion were transformed in our bodies to the actual flesh and blood of our Savior.  We are hard pressed to believe that today.  But What if it were true?  How would it change your concept of communion?  How would it affect your every day obedience to God's call?

I suspect that it is well enough that we share the cup with the living Christ in this world as a reminder of the new covenant available to all humanity.  Whether the sacrament is actual, figurative, or symbolic,  its meaning is clear.   Communion is a memorial before God, of the transforming sacrifice on the cross once and for all. Celebrate the New Day!

Pray
that each time you share the bread and drink from the cup you re-commit your life to the living Christ.  Pray that you embrace this sacrament not only to remember the sacrifice of the Holy One, but also, to confirm your transformation in the Kingdom of God.