[0:00] This is the evening service at Holy Trinity on the 6th of April 2003 The preacher is Paul Dudley His sermon is entitled In Remembrance of Me and is based on Luke chapter 22 verses 1 to 23 Let me pray Father we do indeed thank you for this time which we can gather together to learn from you Father we do pray that you will help us to have open hearts and ears Father that we will see the centrality of what you have done in Christ dying and rising on the cross for us We pray this in your son's name Amen The sense of smell and sound can trigger for us very strong and vivid images very strong For example whenever I hear this song
[1:01] I see some heads nodding My parents would have this playing in the background often on our old record player whenever I hear this you can keep that playing I want you to get the full value of this song I was sitting there it's great isn't music in the background as I speak I can so very vividly see me sitting there on the lounge room floor the record player right beside me there with this playing on it an old record going round and around and I was doing a jigsaw puzzle a 2000 piece jigsaw puzzle it was it was one of those big moments you know it was fantastic there was a log fire going and it snowed so it was just brilliantly white outside and in the background you hear it was just great anytime I hear it it's just so vivid in my mind thank you very much
[2:21] I think we've put ourselves enough of that I don't know if some people may have had the same you know some songs that just trigger certain memories very vivid and clean memories I was jogging this week and the weather down here has been fantastic there was a little bit of a chill in the air I was running towards Westerfolds Park and I came up to the crest of a hill in the afternoon and someone had their log fire on and there was this lovely smell of you know wood burning and it so vividly reminded me of every Easter for the 10 years prior to coming down here we would go up to Easter convention up in the Blue Mountains and have fantastic teaching with the family it was just such a I was jogging along I just thought where's the house?
[3:12] where's the convention? where's the Easter eggs? it was great but there are some things that that you know trigger our memories that you know we're not so keen on remembering for example when I look at the Harbour Bridge occasionally I cringe a little for I remember the day that when I was walking across I was very young mind you where I had to go to the toilet and there is no toilet in the middle of the Harbour Bridge and I had a very large wet stain there are things that remind us that remind us of all sorts of different things sometimes we actually set up triggers for ourselves so that we won't forget important things for example war memorials we put them up so we won't forget the great sacrifice that people paid for us Anzac Day there are all sorts of little things that we set up so that they trigger our memories so we won't forget those big things in life I had a friend and above his door as he went out he wrote just on a bit of paper
[4:16] Jesus may come back today he always had it up on top of his door so as he walked out that door to go to work or to whatever he was doing he was reminded of what that Christ could in fact come at any moment and so he was to live his life in light of that well tonight we're going to be looking at another very significant institution that of the Lord's Supper we're going to look at the way that Christ instituted this Last Supper for us so that we would not forget the most significant event in world history but if we're to understand the significance of this meal we need to have a look at the context of just before that meal we need to have a quick look at what was happening before we get to that point because that all helps us to understand what is about to happen so open up your Bibles to chapter 22 Luke chapter 22 in chapters 22 and 23 of Luke the conflict that began right at the very beginning in chapter 4 this conflict that has been brewing throughout the book comes to a head for right back in the beginning of chapter 4 there were those that wanted to kill Jesus they wanted to get rid of him back then right at the very beginning of his ministry but this tension has been building he arrived in chapter 19 at the end of chapter 19 to the temple and he cleared it out and so begins more conflict with the authorities of his day he begins a teaching ministry there and it goes on to the end of chapter 21 the debating is fierce particularly over the issue of Jesus' authority but at the beginning of chapter 22 the verses that were read tonight we begin a new section the section of Jesus teaching the temple that's finished it's now time for Jesus to spend time with his disciples you can just feel the mood darken if it was in a movie you can just imagine the lights dimming down a little the music being played very softly very mournfully you can imagine just just the darkness of it all everything being slowed right down as an audience we know what's about to happen we know that just around the corner
[6:58] Jesus is about to die we've been told on numerous occasions through Luke as an audience we want to scream out no! it's like those movies we know what's going to happen in the end we don't want it to happen we can sense it the darkness of it all well the new section as we see starts with another another mood that's happening as well it's that of the unleavened bread of the Passover we see in verse 1 it was the time of the festival of unleavened bread which is called the Passover it was coming near this was one of the great celebrations of Israel's history this was a great celebrational feast it was one of those times when all the Israelites would gather together in Jerusalem it would swell to the hundreds of thousands pilgrims would come swarming into this city for this great event that of the Passover and the unleavened bread it was a celebration where they remembered when God brought about a great liberation for Israel where he took them out of Egypt if you remember back in Exodus
[8:19] Israel is in slavery in Egypt and God by his mighty hand his powerful hand guides them out in a great act of deliverance the unleavened bread reminds the Israelites that on the night before they left to leave Egypt they ate unleavened bread to remind them that it was a time of haste of looking forward to of quickly gathering the things of moving on this was a very significant moment in Israel's calendar yet in the midst of this great celebration in the midst of this great festivity we see a great darkness happening the mood is very black for instead of God bringing a great deliverance what appears to be a very dark and sinister thing in verse 2 the chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death for they were afraid of the people they wanted to put God's son to death but there was a great barrier around Jesus this great buffer they weren't able to get to Jesus because of the crowds but this buffer this barrier is broken we see there in verses 3-6
[9:54] Satan gets away of getting in then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot who was one of the twelve he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of the temple police about how he might betray him to them they were greatly pleased and agreed to give him money so he consented and began to look for an opportunity to betray him to them when no crowd was present that great buffer that great wall that stopped Jesus being captured and put to death has been broken the impasse has been overcome by Satan the chief opponent of God's plan but who is the one that he enters?
[10:38] the one that we are told back in chapter 6 Judas Judas the traitor what a tragedy here in the midst of Jesus' closest friends the twelve disciples one of his own here is the one that would come that would betray him just reflect on that for a moment reflect on the fact that in the midst of great hostility he failed the test it's interesting to reflect on that isn't it?
[11:12] how will we go in the midst of great hostility in the midst of great pressure? how will we stand up? but it is also interesting to reflect on the chief priests and the scribes for they believed they were doing what was right they thought they were doing the right thing in killing God's son although they didn't think he was God's son so the plans are laid it appears Jesus is just this pawn going along like a little boat blown around by the wind a sailboat Satan and Judas and the chief priests look like they've got the upper hand looks like there's nothing that Jesus can do they think they're in control yet they are very, very mistaken for Jesus is still in control in verse 7 through to 13 here we see Jesus setting the wheels in motion he is the one that is controlling events he is no helpless victim in this he knows what is about to happen and he is in control we see Jesus sending Peter and John to prepare the meal for it has now become the day of the meal so we see there in verses 10 to 12 he gives them great detail on how to plan for the meal listen he said to them when you have entered the city a man carrying a jar of water will meet you follow him into the house he enters and say to the owner of the house the teacher asks you where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples here we show you a large room upstairs already furnished make preparations for us there here we see Jesus giving instructions to his disciples about what is about to happen that they are going to meet a man carrying a water jug they were to follow him to the house where the room would be all ready
[13:18] Jesus is in control here not Judas and the others the meal for the preparations for the meal would have taken a little bit of time the original Passover meal was a very simple meal eaten in haste but now in Jesus time it took the look of a banquet with couches and pillows to recline on with wine and drink and food the preparations included purchasing of an unblemished lamb of herbs of going to the temple to have the lamb sacrificed and then roasting the lamb let me give you a bit of a picture what might happen at one of these Passover meals the head of the family would start by getting the first of four cups four cups and blessing it then they would get some herbs they would share them around and dip them into some sauce a bit later a second cup would be readied and the youngest son of the family would say what is so special about this day then the head of the family would tell the story of Exodus he would deliver a bit of a sermon on Deuteronomy chapter 26 they would remember with thanksgiving their past liberation they would celebrate God's faithfulness to them now but it also was a meal that looked forward to future deliverance at the end of that cup and at the end of that eating they would sing Psalms 113 to 114 then the head would take then the head would take the head of the family would take the unleavened bread he would bless it break it and hand it to the others in the room and then after that the meal would take place at the end of the meal there would be two more cups of wine and then right at the end the singing of Psalms 115 through to 118 here we see the meal that they were to prepare well the disciples went off to go and prepare this meal and we see in verse 13 that they found everything as he had told them and they prepared the Passover meal who is in control?
[15:42] Jesus is in control even in the dark mood of what is happening even though it looks like he may not be here we see that he is very clearly in control in verse 14 we see that the hour has come and notice how we started at verse 1 the Passover was near in verse 7 the day had come but in verse 14 the hour has come the moment has arrived the preparations have been done and they are ready my daughters have just had their birthday parties these are great events my daughters planned them my four year old in particular my two year old she thinks she is planning and she is all very excited about it all but doesn't quite understand what really all that happened except that she got lots of presents and there was lots of food but my four year old she writes great lists of presents of who should be invited of writing invitations for different people to come along there is great preparations and festivity about it all particularly as we get closer and closer to the event she marks it on her calendar soon it is only one week away soon it is only a couple of days away it is going to be tomorrow she is so excited about it all very hard to get her to sleep as well I might add but then the day arrives great excitement all the preparation that has gone into this party the cake that is sitting there the Barbie doll it looks fantastic all the preparations are done and she is so excited about it all there has been a great deal of build up here but is there any excitement in this?
[17:34] or is it all just a very dark and sombre meal? a sombre meal Jesus is alone at last with his disciples he has longed for this for a very long time verse 15 says he said to them I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer for I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God here we see Jesus saying that he has a deep desire to actually to have this meal with them for Jesus this meal is a bittersweet pill Jesus knows that there is suffering involved in the future but he also knows that the fulfilment of God's kingdom is just around the corner here we see this bittersweet pill God's kingdom about to be fulfilled also the suffering that will come because of it well in the next seven verses we see how this fulfilment will come about where Jesus explains using the Passover meal about what is to happen and about how what is to happen fulfils this Passover meal in verse 17 we see that he takes a cup then he took a cup and after giving thanks he said take this and divide it among yourselves among yourselves for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes it's not sure what cup this was in the four cups of the Passover meal it's most likely that it was one of the first two cups but there he is he gives thanks to the cup for the cup and then he passes the cup around there's a few things to notice here notice here notice the oneness of it notice the way that it is one cup that is shared around here Jesus points out the solidarity of this group those present the centrality of oneness of what is about to happen the way that Jesus brings about this again we see the reason for the importance of the meal it's the fulfillment of the Passover here we see a great transition in time a great moment it's like going from one era to another era two epochs it's this great point in history where things change and Jesus is pointing this out in verse 19 we see there that Jesus breaks the bread then he took a loaf of bread and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them saying this is my body which is given for you do this in remembrance of me and Jesus takes the bread and breaks it a very significant thing the breaking of bread is very has this idea of of giving one's life in battle for the sake of others it's interesting the way that Jesus here doesn't talk about the lamb he doesn't use the lamb the meat of the lamb there to talk about the great sacrifice but instead uses the bread the bread and the way that it is broken the idea of one giving one's life for the sake of others but it also brings to mind the way that Jesus broke the bread and gave thanks and handed it out in the feeding of the multitude in chapter 9 here we see Jesus giving out spiritual food here we see Jesus giving out food
[21:37] to his disciples in a way that feeds so many people feeds people in abundance giving them nourishment for all that they need in the end he says of that little section do this in remembrance of me the remembering of the Passover was a very significant thing for Israel they were to continue to remind themselves of that here Jesus says break the bread and remind yourselves of what is about to happen of the great sacrifice that is about to happen in verse 20 we see that Jesus hands around the cup and he did the same with the cup after supper saying this cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood the cup the cup for the Israelites would have been a symbol that represented great salvation a pouring out of blessing but also a pouring out of divine judgment here we see Jesus is the one where God's wrath is poured out upon but through this great blessing is poured out also notice Jesus says here it is the new covenant the old covenant that was made with Israel it's not completely broken but Jesus here is saying it's now fulfilled in what he is about to do about his death and resurrection on the cross where he gives his body and his blood
[23:16] Jesus is not enacting his death in this supper he is not doing a little this is what is about to happen here he is interpreting what happened back then in the Passover and bringing that together with his death and resurrection you see part of it is through this section is Jesus is trying to give interpretation Jesus is trying to help his disciples understand not only his disciples but us also what would be the point if I played that song at the beginning but didn't tell you why it was significant for me you might just listen to it and go yeah that's a nice song it has no significance at all but for me it has great significance but for me to explain that significance I must explain it and here is Jesus explaining the significance of the Passover the Passover pointed towards what Jesus would do in his death and resurrection in his death on the cross where he would pour out his life to take the punishment for others there are many overlaps between the Passover and what Jesus came to do we see the significance of the Exodus as a point where there was great liberation
[24:37] Jesus' death on the cross is a point of great liberation for us not a liberation from a political regime but a liberation from sin back in the Passover meal we saw the importance of the sacrifice well here we see the importance of Christ's sacrifice in its relation to bringing deliverance and relationship and back then we saw the way that God worked his leadership of Israel his leading of Israel in the new covenant we see Jesus is the one who leads his people but not only that this meal pointed forward to the great banquet Jesus pointed this out he looked forward to that great banquet the banquet that he spoke about in chapter 13 that banquet that would be prepared for Jesus and his followers what is central here is Jesus' death on a cross with no break in the narrative Jesus moves from the interpretation of his death as a covenant sacrifice to how this is going to happen we see in verses 21 through to 23 without any break
[25:59] Jesus starts speaking about his betrayer but see the one who betrays me is with me and his hand is on the table for the son of man is going to be for the son of man is going as it has been determined but woe to that one by whom he is betrayed then they began to ask one another which one of them it would be who would do this here is a stunning revelation for the inner circle can you imagine it being there one of the twelve this very pointed moment and Jesus says one of you are going to betray me you can just imagine them being completely and utterly stunned but it also comes as a great warning that even those who share in table fellowship those who listen to these words there is no guarantee that you will be there at the end but so stunned are they that they start trying to ask who is going to do this who is the one that would do this well as we have seen this passage has been built up we have seen some of its significance and importance in the flow of Luke yet passages like this throughout time have been burdened with false teaching and some of the points of contention and many think that when we celebrate the Lord's Supper now that when we do this we actually re-sacrifice Christ again we don't re-sacrifice Christ
[27:34] Christ died once for all many think that it is the priests who mediate this sacrifice again that it is the minister or the priest who does this that he is the one who has been able to mediate grace to others grace comes through Christ many think that this is a means of topping up your grace topping up your righteousness this is an important meal that we do celebrate together it is a way that we remember what Christ has done for us and there is very great benefit for us who participate in it the problem is we as humans forget all too often the centrality of the cross in our lives it is very easy to forget things and one of those is the centrality of what Christ did for us but God in his graciousness has used means by which to other senses using of other senses to help us remind us of what Christ has done that when we do participate in this we are greatly spiritually encouraged we are refocused on what Christ has done there is great spiritual blessing in being reminded of what Christ has done for us and the benefits that we can enjoy because of what he has done for us many of you know that I have a terrible habit of forgetting names
[29:10] I am hopeless at it I admit it in the mornings there would be at least one occasion where I forget someone's name or I call them by the wrong name the great benefit is those who wear their name tags it makes it so much easier oh hello John oh hello Gary hello Paul there is lots of Pauls so if all our fathers go with a Paul I am hopeless at it and it gets me in so much trouble sometimes where you call someone by the wrong name or you completely forget their name I am hopeless at it what is happening here by Christ instituting this Lord's Supper is a means by which we won't forget the most significant event in history so that we will not forget what Christ came to do for us my prayer is that each one of us by his spirit will not forget what he has done for us and live lives in light of that
[30:12] Amen Amen Amen