Do This in Remembrance of Me During the last weeks of His earthly ministry, on several occasion, Jesus directed His disciples’ attention to His approaching suffering and death. Lk. 9:51; 18: And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, 31 ¶ Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. 32 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: 33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. 34 And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken. He was fully aware of the way of suffering that awaited Him. He chose voluntarily and purposed to lay down His life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world.

A Set Purpose On the eve of His crucifixion, Jesus made definite preparations in anticipation of His death and departure – preparations that would be necessary for Him to carry out His plan to save man. “My time is near” was the message Jesus sent by the disciples to the man whose house they would meet for the Passover meal. Mt. 26: ¶ Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover? 18 And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples. 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover. His message here underlines the sense of urgency He must have felt. He was conscious of His destiny. Our Lord was rapidly approaching the goal and purpose of His life on earth.

The Passover The preparation of the Passover involved removing all the leaven from the house. Ex. 12:14-22* Unleavened bread would be prepared for the Passover and the lambs would be slaughtered. So, on the day before Jesus’ crucifixion, “the first day of unleavened bread”, He sent Peter and John to help prepare. Lk. 22:7,8* But even as the Passover was approaching, one of Jesus’ disciples had already made arrangements with the Jewish authorities to deliver Him into their hands for a sum of money. Lk. 22:1-6* In the large, furnished upper room, Jesus and His disciples observed the Passover meal together. How fitting! God’s redemption of Israel from Egyptian bondage was commemorated in every Passover. Ex. 12:23-27* Those historic events foreshadowed Jesus’ own redemptive sacrifice. Thus, He eats the Passover the night before His death. He conveys to them the meaning of His impending death for all men. Jn. 1:29 29 ¶ The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Bitter Ironies The bitterest of Ironies in these events was about to be revealed. He announced to His disciples the solemn and shocking news that His betrayer was one of THEM! Mt. 26: And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. 22 And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? 23 And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. They were deeply grieved. His reply seemed deliberately vague. They were involved in a solemn feast but one still intended to betray Him. Thus, our Lord used the occasion to emphasize the necessity that He suffer. Mt. 26:24; Isa. 53:6

Bitter Ironies The bitterest of Ironies in these events was about to be revealed. He announced to His disciples the solemn and shocking news that His betrayer was one of THEM! Mt. 26:21-23 They were deeply grieved. His reply seemed deliberately vague. They were involved in a solemn feast but one still intended to betray Him. Thus, our Lord used the occasion to emphasize the necessity that He suffer. Mt. 26:24; Isa. 53:6 24 The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Judas replies only after Christ’s revelation, and answers: Mt. 26:25 25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.

Bitter Ironies The bitterest of Ironies in these events was about to be revealed. He announced to His disciples the solemn and shocking news that His betrayer was one of THEM! Mt. 26:21-23 This was not the only irony. After supper, as Jesus and the disciples went out to the Mt. of Olives, He warned of what the immediate future held in store for them as well as for Himself. Because of what was about to happen to Him, they would all become disheartened and lose faith before the night had passed. Mt. 26:31; Zech. 13:7 31 ¶ Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. 7 ¶ Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.

Bitter Ironies The bitterest of Ironies in these events was about to be revealed. He announced to His disciples the solemn and shocking news that His betrayer was one of THEM! Mt. 26:21-23 This was not the only irony. After supper, as Jesus and the disciples went out to the Mt. of Olives, He warned of what the immediate future held in store for them as well as for Himself. Because of what was about to happen to Him, they would all become disheartened and lose faith before the night had passed. Mt. 26:31; Zech. 13:7 He was their shepherd and they the flock. Temporarily they would scatter, while He laid down His life for them. Then He would be raised. Mt. 26:32 32 But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

The End and….The Beginning In the midst of all these revelations, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper. As they observed the Passover, Jesus took some of the unleavened bread, offered a blessing, broke it and gave it to the disciples, Mt. 26:26, and in the same way took the cup, gave thanks, and blessed it, vs ¶ And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; The significance of His impending death was revealed to them. Vs For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. He knew that the shedding of His blood would mark the inauguration of a new covenant. Jer. 31:31-34* He would suffer “for many”, “justify the many”, and “bear their iniquities”. Isa. 53:11 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

The End and….The Beginning In the midst of all these revelations, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper. As they observed the Passover, Jesus tood some of the unleavened bread, offered a blessing, broke it and gave it to the disciples, Mt. 26:26, and in the same way took the cup, gave thanks, and blessed it, vs. 27. Jesus intended that His disciples repeat the events of that night as a perpetual memorial. 1 Cor. 11:23-26* It was their last Passover together, but it was also the beginning of something new and wonderful! The disciples were to keep the memorial every first day of the week. Acts 20:7 7 ¶ And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. By doing so, we share in the body and blood of His death! 1 Cor. 10:16 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? Our fellowship with Christ and His sufferings is enriched by communing with Him in His death. Rom. 8:17; Phil. 3:10

The End and….The Beginning In the midst of all these revelations, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper. As they observed the Passover, Jesus tood some of the unleavened bread, offered a blessing, broke it and gave it to the disciples, Mt. 26:26, and in the same way took the cup, gave thanks, and blessed it, vs. 27. Jesus intended that His disciples repeat the events of that night as a perpetual memorial. 1 Cor. 11:23-26* It was their last Passover together, but it was also the beginning of something new and wonderful! The disciples were to keep the memorial every first day of the week. Acts 20:7 By doing so, we share in the body and blood of His death! 1 Cor. 10:16 Our fellowship with Christ and His sufferings is enriched by communing with Him in His death. Rom. 8:17; Phil. 3:10 17 ¶ And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint–heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; At the same time, we are drawn together in fellowship with one another. 1 Cor. 10:17

The End and….The Beginning In the midst of all these revelations, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper. As they observed the Passover, Jesus tood some of the unleavened bread, offered a blessing, broke it and gave it to the disciples, Mt. 26:26, and in the same way took the cup, gave thanks, and blessed it, vs. 27. Jesus intended that His disciples repeat the events of that night as a perpetual memorial. 1 Cor. 11:23-26* It was their last Passover together, but it was also the beginning of something new and wonderful! The disciples were to keep the memorial every first day of the week. Acts 20:7 By doing so, we share in the body and blood of His death! 1 Cor. 10:16 Our fellowship with Christ and His sufferings is enriched by communing with Him in His death. Rom. 8:17; Phil. 3:10 At the same time, we are drawn together in fellowship with one another. 1 Cor. 10:17 17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. The unity of disciples is enhanced as our minds are brought to dwell on the sacrifice that reconciles us to God and each other. Eph. 2: 13-16*

Conclusion Through the perpetual observance of the Lord’s Supper, we “proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes”. 1 Cor. 11:26 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. We declare our faith in the redeeming power of His death. Just as the yearly observance of the Passover retold an old, old story of redemption, our gathering around the Lord’s table every Lord’s day becomes our proclamation and confirmation of the words of Jesus. Mt. 26:28 28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. And this is the greatest story ever told!!