Luke 22:17-20 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 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.” 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”
 
IN the church today, we remember Jesus’ promise here as the new testament or the new covenant of grace. As the Lord said, “do this in remembrance of me.” he established a sacred act, a sacrament. We are to do this remembrance regularly in the church through the sacrament of “Communion”, “Lord’s Supper” or “Lord’s Table”. Perhaps there are other terms.
    Different denominations also have different views of the bread and the wine (more often grape juice). We debate on how these elements represent Jesus’ body and blood. Such questions, too, as, “How often do we offer the Lord’s Supper? How do we, when do we distribute the elements?” turn our eyes from Jesus’ commitment to our own perceptions and traditions. Sadly, it seems Communion has too often become Disunion.
    Let’s then listen closely to God’s unifying will for his church: Jeremiah 31:31-34 “The time is coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. 33 “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”  God promised to make a new covenant. That night in an average room our Savior fulfilled the Father’s extraordinary promise.
    The church is to be a community in union with one another and with God. Remember his great, loving promise, “This is my body given for you…This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” Our communion with the Holy God is not formed by how or when we do Communion. Jesus’ body broken and his blood shed shape the cross into the one pathway to the one God. Those who acknowledge his sacrifice in faith will be united in God’s eternal community.
    Keep your heart, mind and soul united with the Savior.
 
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for your eternal promise. Perfect in every way, you became the sacrificial lamb to remove my sin. I confess my sins. I confess you are my Lord and Savior. I pray I am one with you. In your name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.
 

Luke 22:14-16 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
 
WHEN you eagerly desire something, you truly want it to happen don’t you? You eagerly desire to enjoy Christmas with your family. You eagerly desire a fun, memorable vacation. On the day I write this, we have friends who eagerly desire their daughter’s marriage will be perfect, beautiful and joyful. Did you notice this “eager list” is about gathering with family and friends.? Yes, there are times we like to be alone, but families are made in God’s image to be in loving relationships with each other. In our soul, we eagerly desire to find support, love and strength in family, often affirmed when we gather. This is one reason a family meal each day is so important. Such regular constructive family time strengthens us as we know someone supports and loves us.
    In a like manner, Jesus eagerly desired to eat the Passover with his “family” – his closest disciples before he suffered. We might think this strange, though. This meal would confirm to Jesus he was closer to his suffering. Who wants to be reminded of the hard things – especially death – that is so close?
    Jesus, though, fully knew his ministry and his mission. Humbly, he had submitted to the Father’s will. There was no way to avoid the God’s declared will. Prepared for the cross, he was eager once more to experience once more the close family support.
    These loving relationships strengthened Jesus. He could move forward into his suffering as he kept his mind on those he was saving. He’s the soldier having one more meal with his family before leaving for the unavoidable war. The soldier can go even eagerly into battle because he knows whom he protects. His purpose is sure to keep his loved ones secure.
    This is Jesus’ eager delight on that Passover night. He could face the suffering because he was about to destroy death. He was eager to win the battle and claim the sure victory for his own. Eagerly, he desired that you would be secure in the family of God forever.
 
Prayer: Lord God, grant to me an eager delight to minister your love, mercy and joy. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
 

Luke 22:7-13 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.” 9 “Where do you want us to prepare for it?” they asked. 10 He replied, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, 11 and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 12 He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there.” 13 They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.
 
JESUS instructs his disciples to “Make preparations there (for the Passover).” The Son of God was about to sit down at the Feast the Father had been preparing for centuries.
    Preparations began at the dawn of time in the Garden of Eden. You know the occasion. Satan entered. Sin came to the world. God spoke the first invitation to the meal when he said to Satan. Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
    God began to write down his guest list when he called Abraham into a blood-sealed covenant confirmed. Genesis 17:10 “This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised.”  God had begun to invite people to the meal.
    God then set the table at the first Passover. Exodus 12:12 “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn – both men and animals – and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. 14 This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord – a lasting ordinance.” 
    Now the meal is prepared. Jesus is about to step through the threshold of an upper room in a middle-class Jerusalem neighborhood. The Son of God presides at the head of the table. The Feast will fulfill the covenants in Eden, with Abraham and to the Jews. Satan will wound the Passover Lamb. But the Lamb of God will destroy Satan’s headship – his authority. Jesus’ body will soon be the Unleavened Bread broken. His blood will mark the wooden cross. From that dark day into eternity sin will pass over, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:54)
      Yes, the meal is ready. Centuries of preparations are about to be fulfilled. God has come to the earth. He has entered the city. He will enter the upper room. John 1:29 “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
    The Son of God is about to speak a new testament of grace.
 
Prayer: Thank you, God, for your eternal preparations to draw me into your eternal home. In Jesus’ name I express my joy and my love to you! Amen.