April 2, 2015 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: Mark 14:22-25 “I TELL YOU THE TRUTH… UNTIL I DRINK IT ANEW!

MAUNDY THURSDAY

April 2, 2015

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: Mark 14:22-25

“I TELL YOU THE TRUTH…

UNTIL I DRINK IT ANEW!

1.     An Old Testament Banquet

2.     A New Testament Banquet

3.     A Heavenly Banquet

Mark 14:22-25 (NIV 1984) “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body." 23 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them. 25 "I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God."

          So what’s the deal with food anyway? Do you realize how much of our life revolves around food? Sure our bodies need it to survive but there’s more to it than that. There’s an emotional attachment. Both my daughters went away for their Spring Break, had a great time and were fed very well by their hosts. Both came home longing for some “regular” meals. Then there are those foods called comfort foods—the go tos when you aren’t feeling well. Chicken noodle soup. Ice cream. What’ s yours? So many people when asked about favorite childhood memories talk about the family meals. Today in God’s word we see that this food and family meal thing is more than just physical and emotional. God Himself chose to add a spiritual component to eating and drinking. Jesus points us to that with His “I tell you the Truth” statement for today—“Until I drink it anew.”

          Jesus spoke those words when He was having a special family meal with His disciples. “While they were eating…” What Jesus and His disciples were eating was an Old Testament banquet, a feast called the Passover. Actually there were several Old Testament banquets that all had different teaching or worship purposes for God’s people. There was the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles. These were held as kind of extended Thanksgiving days for the people. Good eating. Thankfulness. Joy. The Passover Feast had a different purpose. It commemorated the time when God rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt sparing them the 10^th deadly plague of the firstborn where the angel of death passed over the homes that had the blood of a lamb painted on the doorway. When God’s people ate this banquet they were reminded to be thankful for what God had done for them in the past. At the same time the Passover pointed ahead. At this meal the head of the household would teach his family what God had done for them and what God would do for them with the Lamb of God who would be sacrificed for the sins of the people. Jesus was celebrating the meal that pointed to Him! Clearly God likes to provide special meals for His people.

          It should not surprise us then since Jesus would fulfill the Old Testament banquet that the Lord would provide a New Testament one. “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body." 23 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them.” The New Testament banquet we normally call Communion or the Lord’s Supper. Different from the Old Testament banquet that was only celebrated once a year, the New Testament banquet gets repeated during the year. At the same time the New Testament banquet is similar to the Old Testament banquet. It points us to Jesus. It connects us to the forgiveness that Jesus won on the cross. Just like Jesus was present in the Old Testament banquet as the perfect Lamb who was slain so God’s people could live, Jesus is present in the New Testament banquet, really present in some miraculous way beyond our understanding He gives us His body with the bread and His blood with the wine. It’s a covenant meal of forgiveness. Just like the Old Testament banquet, when God’s people celebrate the New Testament banquet it leads to thanksgiving for what God has done for us. Just like the Old Testament banquet was celebrated as family with those you were united to, the New Testament banquet is celebrated in unity as a church family where beliefs are shared.

Just like the Old Testament banquet was replaced by another one the New Testament banquet will get replaced too. That’s one aspect of celebrating the Lord’s Supper that we often forget. Listen again to Jesus’ truth statement. "I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God." Did you hear that? Until I drink it anew! There’s another banquet coming. Think of  the many times Jesus compared heaven to a special banquet. How is heaven described? Joy and happiness and now we are right back to how so many of our happy times here are centered around food, feast, a banquet. I’m not sure exactly what the heavenly banquets are going to be like but we know they will be awesome. They will be awesome and better than any of the earthly banquets God prepared for His people. No longer will Jesus be pictured in a lamb or present miraculously we will see Him face to face. We will be in perfect harmony with the Lord and each other. Sin will be gone for good. What a blessing to look forward to.

And do look forward when you celebrate the Lord’s Supper. So much is going on. We come to this meal with repentant hearts. We bare our souls to God and own up to our sins. We look back with regret, remorse, shame. But then Jesus comes to us miraculously. “I forgive you!” He says. Do you need proof? Are you afraid I’m going to forgive you the way you sometimes forgive others? No. I forgive you completely, totally, freely. Here. Here is your proof. This is my body which hung on the cross as I fully paid for all of your sins. Here. Here is the blood I shed as I gave my life for you. You are forgiven.” And we move forward. Freed from our sins we look forward to battling Satan and temptation the next time. This time we will resist him and he will have to flee. This time my life, my words will honor Jesus. Look forward to those little victories. And for the failures come back to the Lord’s Supper.

We are going to keep needing it until…Did that word jump out at you? A small word but one to hold on to. “Until,” Jesus said. “Until that day when I drink it anew.” Every time we celebrate the Lord’s Supper we are proclaiming our confidence that the heavenly banquet is coming. Until then. Amen.