In Exodus, God set Israel free from their Egyptian captivity with an event called the Passover (Exodus 12). Though plague after plague had rained down on Egypt, Pharaoh would not surrender. With a hardened heart, he refused to acknowledge a deity greater than himself. He was the ultimate man, and, like many after him, in his defiance, he would not and could not submit to God.

So, after nine plagues of judgment, God promised one last plague. It would finally lead to Israel's freedom from Egypt. In it, an angel of death would enter the land, mercifully passing over every house that had the blood of a sacrificial lamb on its door. Families gathered that night, sacrificed the lamb, placed the blood on the door, and prepared a meal of lamb's meat and unleavened bread.

As promised, God came into Egypt that night. The judgment was severe. Alarmed and grieving, Pharaoh finally bent and commanded the people to depart. Israel was free.

Because this was a significant event, one where God had purchased the people for himself, a new tradition was established. Each year Israel celebrated a Passover meal to commemorate the original Passover event.

In our passage today, Jesus will transition this ancient event into a new meal that centers around him. The deliverance he won for people at the cross is superior to the original Passover event. In fact, the original Passover is a mere foreshadowing of his ultimate sacrifice, in that he is our Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7). Often called the Lord's Table, the Lord's Supper, communion, or the eucharist by Jesus' church, it is a practice meant to commemorate the original events of the cross of Christ.

So, as we peer into this passage, we must spend some time rejoicing over this meal and all it signifies for us today. But first, some backdrop.

12 And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 13 And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, 14 and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” 16 And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

Jesus Prearranged The Venue

Before the cross, Jesus wanted to eat the Passover meal with his disciples one last time. Luke says he greatly longed to eat the meal with them (Luke 22:15).

Now, the meal took time to prepare, and had to be eaten within Jerusalem's walls (Deuteronomy 16:6). Since the lambs were sacrificed on Thursday afternoon, the meal occurred that night. So the disciples asked Jesus where they should prepare the meal (12).

Jesus had prearranged a secret venue. He sent two disciples -- the other gospels tell us it was Peter and John -- into Jerusalem looking for a man with a water pot on his head (13, Luke 22:8). This was an abnormal sight in their society. Once they found the man, they were to follow him to a house and ask its owner for the upper room reserved for Jesus (14). He would show them a large, furnished rooftop patio room where they could prepare the meal for Jesus and the disciples (15).

Why all the secrecy? Well, by this point, Judas had been paid to betray Jesus to the religious leaders. By keeping the location secret, Jesus delayed Judas' betrayal until after the meal. Jesus and the disciples often stayed in the Garden of Gethsemane during the feasts (John 18:2). Judas knew that location and could easily lead the religious leaders to Jesus once there. But he had no knowledge of this upper room, so he could not betray Jesus to them from there.

17 And when it was evening, he came with the twelve. 18 And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” 19 They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?” 20 He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. 21 For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

A Massive Announcement

Once they were all gathered together, before instituting communion, Jesus made an announcement. "One of you will betray me, one who is eating with me" (18). Mark presents the disciples searching themselves -- "they began to be sorrowful and say to him one after another, 'Is it I?'" (20).

Jesus told them it was one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me (20). This highlights how gruesome this betrayal was -- it would come from a friend who'd eaten this meal with him!

A Significant Statement

Notice the statement Jesus made about Judas: "For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born" (21).

First things first: from this statement, it appears Judas did not later repent and receive God's forgiveness for his actions. It would have been better for him not to have been born. I can't imagine this statement made about anyone who receives Christ's forgiveness.

As regrettable as our pasts might be, nothing goes beyond his grace. If we receive it, we should be glad we were born because now we have a future forever with Christ. But Judas didn't have that future. He was remorseful to the point of self-harm, but he was not forgiven.

Notice also the way Jesus blended God's sovereignty with man's responsibility. He knew he would die just like the Scriptures foretold, but he still pronounced a woe on Judas. Though these events had all been predicted and prophesied by God, Judas was still responsible for his actions. The sovereign plan of God did not cancel out Judas' moral responsibility.

This is the truth of Scripture: God's sovereign stated goals and plans do not diminish humanity's freedom and responsibility. Both are true and deserve our affirmation.

Jesus Was Alone

But Mark's point seems to be that Jesus was increasingly alone as he approached the cross. Similar to David, a man who was betrayed by many close friends and family members, Jesus could say:

Psalm 41:9 (ESV) — 9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.

That's the emphasis -- a friend betrayed Jesus. Someone who ate a meal with him would turn against him. This is Mark's emphasis -- we know because he will conclude this section by foreshadowing the denial of Jesus by the rest of the disciples.

And still, even with such betrayal and denial looming, Jesus instituted this new meal for everyone there. This serves as the backdrop of communion. We all come, shortcomings and all, and he serves us. He dispenses grace to those who don't always honor him as they should. He loves us.

22 And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

The Events Of The Meal

So Mark tells us they were eating the Passover meal when Jesus did something out of the ordinary (22). The normal Passover ceremony would have begun with a blessing over the group. Then they would drink from the first cup of wine. Then the youngest child in the group, perhaps John in this upper room, would ask, "Why is this night different from other nights?" The host or father of the group -- Jesus in this instance -- would then retell the events of the original Passover in Exodus.

In the recounting, the elements on the table were explained. Lamb was eaten because it was the blood of the lamb on the doorpost that saved them.

Unleavened bread because their deliverance came so fast they didn't have time to correctly bake their bread.

A bowl of salt-water because of the tears shed in their years of slavery.

Bitter herbs because God had rescued them from their years of bitter living.

Four cups of wine because God had made them four promises before the Passover -- (1) he would bring them out of Egypt, (2) he would deliver them from the Egyptians, (3) he would redeem them with great acts of judgment, and (4) he would take them to become his people (Exodus 6:6-7). After reliving the original Passover in this way, they drank from the second cup of wine, and the meal itself began.

Then, before they drank from the third cup of wine, bread was broken. It is at this point Jesus seems to have veered off in a new direction. After blessing the bread, he broke it and gave it to them, and said, "Take; this is my body" (22). Then he gave them all the cup. They drank of it and he said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, poured out for many" (23-24).

Jesus Authored A New Covenant

This is an earth-shattering moment. There they are, ready to celebrate the blood of the Passover lamb, an annual reminder of God's redemption of Israel out of Egypt, and Jesus speaks of his blood of the covenant (24).

In this new meal, the bread no longer reminds them of the speed of their deliverance -- no time to bake bread the right way on the night of the Passover! Now the bread is reflective of Jesus' body.

And the blood, meant to signify the blood on the doorpost of each Israelite home, now signifies Jesus' blood. He has brought a new covenant for a new people, and this new meal is meant to commemorate it.

As Jesus' church, we don't have a variety of feasts and festivals and ceremonies like ancient Israel did. We aren't a physical nation but a spiritual people among the nations. But we do have two ceremonies Christ has left us, outward symbols of internal realities, in baptism and communion. Christian churches each have to determine how and how often they will celebrate both, but they are gifts to Christ's people. In communion, we receive much.

1. It Reminds Us Of The Incarnation

First, communion reminds us of the incarnation of God the Son. Holding the bread in our hands, we remember he came in bodily form. God became one of us, taking on flesh and dwelling among us. No one has a God like ours, a God who becomes one with his creatures. He knows us because he became us.

Hebrews 4:15 (ESV) — 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

2. It Centers Us Upon The Atonement

Second, communion centers us upon the atonement. He became us to die for us. Without him, our only chance before God is the perfect keeping of the law. But the laws God wrote on tablets of stone and the conscience of man are always broken. God is holy, sinless perfection, and he cannot abide with sin. He must judge. So not only did we fall short of God's glory, we were destined for his judgment. But God the Son shed his blood in our place after living a perfect life. He atoned for our sin, and communion reminds us of that atonement.

This is likely a good place to mention that we should see this meal as a sacrament but not a new sacrifice. Roman Catholicism has thought Christ is bodily present in the bread and cup and that each mass is a new sacrifice. But at the original meal, Jesus was in bodily form and said, "this is my body and my blood." Quite obviously, the bread and cup were not his literal body and blood. As he did at other times, he used imagery to remind us of a deeper truth. But the belief the bread and cup turn into the literal body and blood of Jesus leads to the view that he dies afresh every week. Not so. His lone sacrifice was sufficient for all time.

3. It Preaches The Importance Of Personal Faith

Third, communion preaches the importance of personal faith. Jesus said, "Take; this is my body" (22). Take. The individual recipient has a decision -- will I take the bread or not? Will I receive Christ? Will I partake of him and his work for me?

The bread has to be eaten. The wine has to be drunk. And no one can force you to partake. You must decide. This is how faith operates. No one can force you to become born again. You must personally receive Jesus. You must, by faith, apply the work of his body and blood to your life.

4. It Communicates The Unity Of The Church

Fourth, communion communicates the unity of the church. Why do we have fellowship with one another? How have we become a spiritual family? It is not our race, sex, education, political affiliation, zip code, or income bracket that unites us. These are all lesser markers that should not divide God's people. But, as we partake of a common table and eat from the same bread and cup, we should remember our oneness in Christ. It is his blood that unites us.

5. It Reminds Us We Belong To Jesus

Fifth, communion reminds us we belong to Jesus. This meal should also make you feel you belong in Christ's family. The original Passover meal was meant to be celebrated inside a house with your own household, up to ten people. So when Jesus sat with his disciples and initiated this meal, it serves as a reminder that we are part of his household. We belong because of what he did. He brought us in.

6. It Gives Us A Chance To Glory In The New Covenant

Sixth, communion gives us a chance to glory in the New Covenant. Luke records Jesus saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood" (Luke 22:20). The New Covenant is a mystery to many modern believers. Many of us struggle along through life trying hard to obey God. Many have a relationship with God today that bears a striking resemblance to the Old Covenant. Through a constant breaking of the law, they feel under constant condemnation, but there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).

Jesus' blood introduced a New Covenant, and we need a continual reminder of this covenant of grace. We must know how God promised to live inside us, changing and shaping us from the inside out. We must see how we are in a covenant of grace, one in which there is always hope for personal growth and sanctification and increased Christ-likeness. His mercies are new every morning, and communion reminds us of who we are in Christ -- we are his everlasting possession, and he will never let go.

7. It Reminds Us Christ Is Our Head

Seventh, communion reminds us Christ is our Head (Ephesians 5:23). He is the leader of the church. The church is his body.

Colossians 1:18 (ESV) — 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

He created us by his blood. Without him, we would be and have nothing. And, on that night almost two thousand years ago, our leader instituted this meal. So when we partake, we should be reminded of his authority. What he says goes. He is our Shepherd. He is our Lord.

8. It Reminds The Church Of Its Mission

Eighth, communion reminds the church of its mission. Jesus told us to make disciples of all nations. Jesus said his blood is poured out for many (24). When he shed his blood, it was for the world. "God so loved the world he gave his only Son... (John 3:16). To hold the bread and cup is a privilege, one afforded to us because the gospel came to our ears. As we hold them, we are holding a message the world needs to receive.

9. It Creates An Opportunity For Healthy Self-Reflection

Ninth, communion creates an opportunity for healthy self-reflection. The Corinthian church was a messy church, and some sort of sin had spread throughout their corporate feasts together. When they ate together, the rich were elevated above the poor, and appetites ran out of control. Part of their meal, it seems, included the taking of communion. So Paul told them they should not approach the Lord's table so lightly.

“Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” (1 Corinthians 11:28 ESV).

Now, I say this with fear and trembling, for I've known people who've taken this too far, way out of its context, but there is a place for healthy Holy Spirit-led examination when taking communion. Confession of our sins and recommitment to the Lord seems appropriate during this time.

10. It Stirs Our Hope For The Second Coming

Tenth, communion stirs our hope for the second coming of Christ. This meal serves as a stimulus for eschatological hope. Jesus said he wouldn't eat this meal again until it was fulfilled in the kingdom of God (Luke 22:16). Mark records Jesus saying, "I will not drink [this cup] again until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God" (25). And Paul said, "As often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes (26). So when we partake of this meal, it serves as a reminder that Jesus is coming again!

"It is a wellspring in the wilderness, a green spot in the desert, a feast to refresh us on our pilgrimage, and a foreshadowing of that feast above, where 'many shall come from the east, and west, and north, and south, and recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." - The Pulpit Commentary, Mark and Luke, Eerdmans, p. 288

26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Just as Jesus had said, he did not drink the final cup of the Passover meal. He had established a new meal for his people, and he wouldn't drink wine again until he comes. Instead, he seems to have jumped straight to the closing songs of the old Passover meal, perhaps from Psalm 115-118. Then they left the upper room and headed for Gethsemane at the Mount of Olives (26).

Jesus had established his new meal, and now he was ready to die. The time had come.