Jesus, the Passover Lamb: Meaning of Communion

Passover sets the frame. Israel sits under bondage. God appoints a lamb, its blood on the doorposts, so that death passes over. Jesus steps into that story and names himself the true Passover Lamb. The cup and the bread say with clarity what Egypt only shadowed. A holy God can pass over sins because of the dying of Jesus and the shedding of his blood. Paul then hands the church the Lord’s Supper as Christ gave it, so that the church remembers not mainly how Jesus lived, but how he died and why he died, “for you.”

Paul anchors the Supper in commemoration. The bread and the cup pull the gaze onto Christ. Distractions get set aside. The host is the Lord. The guests come at his word, to remember his cross. “Jesus died for me” becomes not a deathbed line but a life line, fit for the heart every day.

The Supper then trains appreciation. Thanksgiving fits the table. Gratitude rises because provision was made long before any sinner ever thought of Christ. The lyric “Thank you, Jesus, for the blood applied” becomes honest theology. The blood brought the church out of darkness into light.

The table also functions as proclamation. As often as the church eats and drinks, it preaches the Lord’s death until he comes. Baptism and the Supper tell the story straight, which is why the church guards the ordinances. Baptism declares burial and resurrection with Christ. The Supper declares atonement by his body and blood. The table is for believers, so that parents can seize the moment to tell the gospel to their children.

Paul adds examination. “Let a person examine himself.” The Spirit helps a Christian identify, then rectify by confession, then purify by cleansing faith. Judgment falls where the table is taken flippantly, which is why the aim is not to skip the table but to deal with sin so that the believer may take it in faith.

Consideration follows. “Wait for one another.” The table turns the eyes to the brother and the sister for whom Christ died. Finally, anticipation rises. “Until he comes.” The table links first coming and second coming. The church looks back to the cross and forward to the clouds. Like a town that learned to celebrate a boll weevil because life sprang from loss, the church carries a memorial where out of his death comes life, abundant and eternal.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Remember the Lamb who died [39:28] The Lord’s Supper fixes the focus on Jesus as the true Passover Lamb. The bread and the cup recall not generic inspiration but substitution, “my body for you.” Memory becomes worship when the cross stands at the center. The Christian learns to say, with clarity and humility, “Jesus died for me.” [39:28]
• 2. Let gratitude lead repentance [49:18] Thanksgiving is not fluff at the table; it is fuel for honest confession. Gratitude for “the blood applied” opens the heart to name sin without excuse and turn from it. Joy in mercy makes repentance possible and sweet. Thanksgiving and cleansing walk hand in hand. [49:18]
• 3. Proclaim the gospel with the table [49:54] Every observance preaches Christ crucified and risen, and so the church guards the story the ordinances tell. Baptism and the Supper are not props but parables enacted by faith. The table belongs to believers, which turns family questions into gospel conversations. The church catechizes by what it eats and drinks. [49:54]
• 4. Examine and deal, not dodge [59:50] Self-examination protects from judgment and leads to life. Identify, rectify, purify is the Spirit’s gracious path into the Supper, not a reason to avoid it. Skipping the table to keep a cherished sin is not holiness; dealing with the sin so one may partake is obedience. The aim is communion restored, not communion refused. [59:50]
• 5. Look back and look ahead [01:01:18] The table ties the cross to the coming. Memory steadies the soul in present grief, and hope pulls it forward. The elements whisper both “It is finished” and “He is coming.” The church eats between Calvary and the clouds. [61:18]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [28:46] - Singing about the blood
• [34:57] - Introducing the Lord’s Supper
• [35:27] - Israel’s bondage and Passover
• [37:03] - Blood on the doorposts
• [39:28] - Jesus the Passover Lamb
• [40:48] - Reading 1 Corinthians 11
• [43:22] - The Supper as commemoration
• [47:10] - The Supper as appreciation
• [49:54] - The Supper as proclamation
• [54:27] - The Supper as examination
• [55:27] - Two qualifiers to partake
• [56:56] - Identify, rectify, purify
• [59:50] - Do not skip, deal with sin
• [60:12] - Consider one another
• [61:18] - Until He comes
• [64:54] - Boll weevil memorial story
• [75:48] - Seeing through the cup
• [81:11] - Take and eat the bread
• [82:34] - Take and drink the cup
• [84:00] - Rejoicing and sending out

Bible Reading
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (ESV)
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Exodus 12:13 (ESV)
The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.

Romans 6:4 (ESV)
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

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Observation questions

1. What specific instructions did Jesus give about the bread and the cup during the Last Supper, and what do they symbolize?
2. According to Exodus 12:13, what was the purpose of the lamb’s blood on the doorposts? How does this connect to Jesus’ role in 1 Corinthians 11?
3. How does the sermon describe the Lord’s Supper as a form of “proclamation” ([49:54])?
4. What two qualifications does the sermon highlight for partaking in the Lord’s Supper ([55:27])?

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Interpretation questions

1. Why is it significant that the Lord’s Supper focuses on Jesus’ death rather than His life or teachings? How does this shape a believer’s worship?
2. How does gratitude for “the blood applied” ([49:18]) create a pathway for honest repentance instead of shame or avoidance?
3. Why are baptism and the Lord’s Supper described as “parables enacted by faith” ([49:54])? What story do they tell collectively?
4. What does it mean to “examine yourself” before taking the Supper ([54:27])? How does this process guard against hypocrisy or complacency?

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Application questions

1. “Jesus died for me” is described as a “life line” for daily living. How could repeating this truth reshape your perspective in moments of guilt, stress, or doubt?
2. The sermon says gratitude fuels repentance ([49:18]). What sin or attitude might you need to confess specifically this week, and how can thankfulness for Jesus’ sacrifice soften your heart to do so?
3. How can parents use the Lord’s Supper as a moment to explain the gospel to their children ([53:14])? What simple, clear language could you use to describe Jesus’ sacrifice to someone unfamiliar with it?
4. The phrase “identify, rectify, purify” ([56:56]) is a process for dealing with sin before taking the Supper. What step in this process do you most often neglect, and what practical action could help you address it?
5. The Supper points both to the cross and to Jesus’ return ([01:01:18]). How might remembering His second coming change the way you endure hardship or interact with others this week?
6. The sermon warns against skipping the Supper to avoid dealing with sin ([59:50]). Is there a recurring sin you’ve been avoiding confronting? What step will you take this week to “deal with it” rather than delay?