Luke 22:19
“This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
Everything in the life of Christ was working toward His final hour. A moment in time when He, through His death, would provide life for all who believe. Prior to the events of the cross unfolding, Jesus took time to have a last meal with His closest followers. It was at this meal that He established the sacrament of communion. He told his disciples the bread was to represent His body which would be broken to provide healing, and the fruit of the vine would represent His blood, that would be shed for the removal of sin.
A few conditions are given to those who partake of communion. First, communion is for those who believe. The sacrament has its value in what it represents. The religious activity is of no value unless you are one who has received Christ as your Savior. Second, Paul spoke of partaking in an unworthy manner, meaning, if we have sin that has not been confessed and repented of, we should deal with it before we partake (1 Corinthians 11:27-29). Finally, Jesus tells us, the primary purpose of communion is remembrance. It is a time to focus on the Lord. As we hold the bread and the cup, we should be looking back to the cross, looking up to the Lord, looking forward to His return, and looking out at those who have not yet received Christ. Remember, Christ saved you through His work on the cross, and the day is coming when He will call you home.
Let’s be ready…
Pastor Jim
Maybe tonight around the dinner table you, as a family, should partake in communion together. Simply read through this passage, pass the elements, and pray.
Questions from Luke 22
- Who conferred with the chief priest?
- How did Peter and John to know which house to go to and prepare for the Passover?
- What are the two elements that were distributed to the disciples while seated at the table with Jesus?
- Why is each element significant?
- Who did Jesus say was at the table with them during the Passover meal?
- In verses 24-37 what behavior does Jesus establish as the behavior of the follower or disciple of Jesus? (Read Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45)
- Which disciple was about to be tested?
- It was normal behavior for Jesus to pray all night. The disciples had seen him do that often. As Jesus would pray in the garden this night after the Passover meal, what would be different this time?
- How was Jesus betrayed?
- How many times did Peter deny Jesus?
- After Jesus was beaten and mocked he was questioned by which group of people?
- What was their accusation?
Old Testament:
Numbers 13- Follow The Leader
Numbers 14- Rejection God’s Plan
As the world approaches the end times, difficulties will increase. The believer is reminded that these difficult situations are the perfect backdrop in which to share Christ with the world. This is a principle to live by. We do not need to wait until the end to have an impact upon the lives around us. The present circumstances which you face have been designed by God as the best conditions for you to grow as a Christian, and have an impact upon others for the kingdom of Heaven. In addition to reminding the disciples of the opportunities He will provide for them, Jesus also gives a promise of success:
We are introduced to a group of men who are examining Jesus. They have taken the time to carefully observe Him in action, dissect His teachings, and even quiz Him on a variety of difficult subjects. Their conclusion is worth noting. We read, “they marveled.” The word “marveled” means to be amazed by, and even to admire. It is a word that would commonly be used of a person standing in a museum observing a beautiful work of art. In that case, the proper response would be to admire the work and protect it from being harmed.
Jesus rebuked the leaders of His day for being able to discern weather patterns, yet failing to recognize the signs of the times. He also exhorted His followers to carefully observe the condition of the world, and to live in anticipation of His soon return.
The chief trait of this Pharisee was the idea that he did not need God. A modern equivalent would be the person who, with his imagination and personal experience, has fabricated both a god and a religious system by which he is acceptable to his god. The Pharisees did just that. They picked out certain verses from Scripture to form what they thought God was like, then based upon that, they established behaviors they believed He would accept. The result was a group of self-righteous men who looked down upon others and rejected Christ. In contrast, we find a man who has lived a compromising life. While externally he seems to be the one whom God would reject, he is accepted because he came to God, not on his own terms, but on God’s.
Lot and his family represent the Christian. Jesus tells us, if we want to save our lives, we must lose them. In other words, life, true life, abundant life, will not be found in holding things back from the Lord, but by giving up all to follow the Lord. Matthew modeled that idea when he left his tax table, Peter and John when they left the fishing business, and you and I when we leave behind our past life, and seek to live for Christ. Unfortunately, even after we determine to follow Christ, we face temptation to return to the things from which we were saved. Satan even has a way of making the sin life which we used to live, look better than it really was. Knowing this, Paul exhorts us,
Between man and God there is a great gulf of separation. This gap is caused by sin, and makes it impossible for us to have fellowship with God. This is precisely the reason Jesus came. He bled and died on Calvary’s cross to bridge the gap; to make it possible for us to know God now, and spend eternity with Him. This life will come to an end, and when it does, only what we have done with Christ will really matter. In this story, the rich man reveals what happens to those who refuse Christ. Not only do they live separated from God, but they die that way.
I imagine what the scene must have been like in the Synagogue that day. The crowd had gathered like they did every Sabbath. For some it was no more than a religious duty, for others, it was how they expressed their devotion to God. The scene suddenly shifts from the normal activities of prayer and Bible reading to a woman with a serious medical condition. She had been suffering for eighteen years and nothing could be done for her. Without hesitation Jesus called her to Himself, and when she responded to the call, He healed her. Imagine being there! Imagine the joy that would fill her, perhaps like the lame man in Acts 3, she leaped with joy, celebrating what Jesus had done for her. I would expect to read that the service changed that morning, as the people broke out in unrestrained praise. Sadly however, rather than hearing praise, we hear the sound of objection.
Jesus tells the story of a rich man who believed true life was found in great possessions. He worked hard and was very successful. His success caused him to evaluate his life. His conclusion, he needed to work harder so he might acquire more, and be able to retire in comfort. He began to increase his efforts, acquire more, build larger storehouses for all his possessions. All the while, hoping for that time when he would be able to live at ease and enjoy it all. Sadly and expectedly, he died and all of his riches were of no use to him as he stepped into eternity.”
There seems to be some striking differences between the Church in the book of Acts and the church today. The impact they were having on their world was tremendous; we read of the sick being healed, the dead being raised, and most importantly, multitudes of people believing in the resurrected Lord, and their lives being transformed. How is it that they, with so little, were able to do so much? We know they did not have the completed Bible, much money, or the technological resources we have today, yet they were turning their world upside down. The secret to their success was the filling of the Holy Spirit. It is clear, what they did not have was overshadowed by what they did have; that is, power from on High!
Jim Gallagher 