Fulfillment

Jesus said,“I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won’t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.”

I grew up next door to the church building.  We walked to church even when it was raining.  Church attendance was required for at least two reasons; everyone would know that I was skipping worship, my parents “encouraged” my attendance.  As a congregation of approximately 60 on a Sunday morning, every absence was noticed.  Because “a good Christian” goes to every worship service, I equated worship attendance with a true faith journey.  That false understanding grew in me.  I thought that I was “earning” God’s pleasure and acceptance.  That I should.  That I could.  God’s grace depended on my activity.

What’s interesting is that I’m not alone.  About 2000 years ago, a group of Jews that we tend to look down on in the church, the Pharisees, thought the same way.  Fellowship and the favor of God required strict adherence to the law.  No understanding of knowing and having a relationship with God.  Just follow the law.  Make the proper sacrifices at the proper time, eat the right food, wear the right clothes, only associate with the proper people.  All action, no heart.  What this group was missing, and what I was missing; it's always and only been about the blood. (Leviticus 17:11)  Good deeds have never and will never cut it.  (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23)

The Passover was given to the Jews as a reminder of their exit from Egypt by the power of God and their protection by the blood of the sacrificial lamb.  Though the Jews of the time didn’t know or recognize that the lamb was a picture, a foretelling of the Sacrifice. (Isaiah 53:1-7)  Every year that they celebrated the Passover Seder they were telling of the Sacrifice.  Of the coming Lord and His perfect sacrifice.  (Hebrews 10:5-7)  We who have received the covering of the Blood celebrate the Sacrifice every time we receive communion.  "For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again." (1 Corinthians 11:26)  The Lord redeemed His people from slavery in Egypt through the blood of the lamb.  The LORD also redeemed us, His people, from slavery to sin through the blood of The Lamb, and we proclaim His sacrifice until he returns every time we partake in communion.  The Lord’s Supper celebrates His fulfillment of the promise of Passover.

  1. Have you received the Lord’s gift of salvation?
  2. What does communion mean to you?


--Zine Smith

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