More Than a Meal

Pastor Jon Verwey

12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go to prepare the Passover meal for you?”

13 So Jesus sent two of them into Jerusalem with these instructions: “As you go into the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 At the house he enters, say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ 15 He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is where you should prepare our meal.” 16 So the two disciples went into the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover meal there.

17 In the evening Jesus arrived with the Twelve. 18 As they were at the table eating, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, one of you eating with me here will betray me.”

19 Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one?”

20 He replied, “It is one of you twelve who is eating from this bowl with me. 21 For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!”

22 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it, for this is my body.”

23 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many. 25 I tell you the truth, I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.”

26 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives. — Mark 14:12–26 (NLT)

Take it, for this is my body v. 22

For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. — Hebrews 10:10 NLT

When we receive the bread, we are not simply remembering His suffering—we are declaring and embracing our own transformation through Him.

“This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many v. 24

18 For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. 19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. — 1 Peter 1:18–19 NLT

When we receive the cup, we are proclaiming that Christ’s sacrifice was perfect and complete.

I tell you the truth, I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new in the Kingdom of God v. 25

“Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.”— Revelation 19:9a NLT

Communion calls us to remember the sacrifice of Jesus, celebrate the redemption He accomplished, and live in the hope of His return.

Have I surrendered my life to Him, and do I believe all that we are “remembering” and “proclaiming” in communion?