This is my body – Jesus said, as He held up in his hands something that did not look like His body. This is my blood, the blood of the New and Eternal covenant, poured out for you, and for the forgiveness of your sins, He said, as He held up in His hands a cup, which held wine.
This He did during the feast of Passover. At the highest point of the Jewish calendar year. At the remembrance of God’s old covenant grace. Of His salvation of His people through liberation and redemption from slavery. About 500 years before our Lord took on flesh, – His people, the Israelite’s, had been slaves in Egypt. They had been for centuries. A captive people (a common theme in their national existence, and of their identity as a people). They felt, as you can imagine, abandoned by God. Hopeless. Helpless. And they were despairing.
But God, as He is, was not content to leave them there in that suffering. And so He set toward saving them. And how? Through death. Through blood. Through sacrifice. Through flesh.
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: 2 This month shall mark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. 3 Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household. Your lamb shall be without blemish. You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. 7 They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. 8 They shall eat the lamb that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire with unleavened bread. You shall let none of it remain. For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. 13 The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass over you. This day shall be a day of remembrance for you.
Death, blood, sacrifice, – flesh. This would mark the moment of God’s liberating salvation of His people. This would be their remembrance, year after year after year. And so it was. Up until this very night, 2000 years ago, when Jesus gathered with His disciples in the upper room, where the place was prepared for them to partake of this sacrifice. Of this pure, spotless, unblemished lamb, raised for 2 weeks, and slaughtered, and eaten. It’s blood a memorial. Its blood a mark. Its blood a sign. A sign of God’s salvation. And so it was remembered, that salvation came through judgment upon the oppressor. That salvation came through death, and through blood and fire, and flesh, – and sacrifice. And so they remembered.
And gathering together, they partook. And as they ate, and as they remembered. As they drank the cups of wine, remembering. And as they ate of the bread, remembering. And as they partook of the lamb, remembering, – Jesus spoke.
He there foretold of His death. Reminding them that He Himself was to suffer. Was to die. Was to be crucified. There He prophesied of His betrayal at the hands of Judas. There He foretold of Peters threefold denial. And there, to these men who would betray Him. To those who would abandon Him. To those who would forsake Him, – He bent down, and washed them. A duty not even fit for a slave. And yet He did it. For these, He foretold, He would die.
And then, While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. 24 He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many
and thus making the table His altar. The bread His flesh. This feast a sacrifice. Making the old covenant new. Making Himself the lamb – He loved them.
And then to each one of them. To the one who would betray Him. To the one who would foresake Him. To those He would abandon Him. And those who He knew did not believe in Him, He gave Himself. To those who would leave Him to die alone He gave Him the flesh was to be give up unto death on the cross. To those who would walk away from Him, He fed with His blood, to be soon poured out for them. And thus – in these things, and with these things, forgave them for the sins they had still yet to do to Him.
This He did knowing that Judas would betray Him. This He did knowing that Peter would deny Him before others. This He did knowing His disciples would abandon Him. This He did knowing that none of them actually believed in Him. This He did. This He does. This He forgives. This is the message of Maundy Thursday. Friends this is love. This is forgiveness. To look unloving, abandonment, and betrayal and forsaking of friends in the face, and to love them anyway. TO forgive them anyway. To wash them of their sins. To wash them of the crimes they did and will do against you. This is how He loves us. This is how He washes us. This is how He forgives us.
Here, Jesus looks those who curse Him in the eye, and proclaims I will not hate you. You are not my enemy. You can abandon me. You can forsake me. You can walk away from me. And you will – and I will still claim you. I will still love you. I will still forgive you. I will still die to save you.
This is Love. This is grace. This is forgiveness. This is Christ.
And that’s what this is. That’s what all of this is. This maundy Thursday, this liturgy, THIS SACRAMENT friends. That’s what it is. It is Christ loving those who don’t love Him back. Choosing those who He know will turn away. And giving His whole self to them. Holding nothing back. Protecting nothing of Himself or for Himself, but giving it all to us. First on the cross – and then at the altar.
Here He welcomes us. He invites us to come and to meet Him. To see His heart. To eat it. To drink it. To consume His love. To consume HIM. As He gives Himself to us. As He gives Himself for us.
Not because we have earned His love. Or deserved His love. But for the forgiveness. THIS IS HIS LOVE. HE IS love.
To bring to the altar those He know will walk away. Who will go back out and sin again. Who will go back out and forget about Him. Who will go back out and turn away from Him. And yet it is, again, and again, and again, He welcomes us back. Again, and again, and again, His Word is forgiveness. Again, and again and again, He gives us His flesh and blood, given, poured out.
And then, having taught them how to love. Relentlessly, sacrificially, self destructively – He said to them; A new commandment I give you. that you love one another. Just as I have loved you
A new command He gives you. That you give yourself for others. That you pour yourselves out for others. That you offer yourselves up for others. That you endure the sins of others. That you love others, in the way of the cross.
