Jesus: The New Covenant and Redemption Through Communion

Devotional

Day 1: Divine Orchestration in Our Lives

Jesus' preparation for the Passover meal exemplifies His divine orchestration and foreknowledge. He instructed His disciples to follow a man carrying a pitcher of water, a rare sight, to find the place where they would celebrate the Passover. This meticulous preparation underscores that Jesus is not only a preparer but a pre-preparer, ensuring that everything was in place for this significant event. This act of preparation is a reminder that Jesus is always working ahead of us to fulfill His purposes. His care for His disciples reflects His care for us, orchestrating events in our lives with precision and love. [03:00]

Isaiah 46:10-11 (ESV): "Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it."

Reflection: Think of a situation in your life where you see God's hand orchestrating events. How can you trust Him more in areas where you don't yet see His plan?

Day 2: The New Covenant of Redemption

The Passover meal symbolizes the transition from the old covenant to the new covenant. Jesus redefined the elements of bread and wine, representing His body and blood, establishing a new covenant of redemption and eternal life. This new covenant signifies that through Jesus' sacrifice, believers are sanctified, delivered, and redeemed. The disciples were reminded that spiritual death would pass over them, just as physical death passed over the Israelites' homes marked by the lamb's blood. This profound transformation invites believers to embrace the new life offered through Jesus. [15:08]

Hebrews 9:15 (ESV): "Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant."

Reflection: In what ways can you live out the reality of the new covenant in your daily life? How does this understanding of redemption change your perspective on your relationship with God?

Day 3: Redemption Beyond Betrayal

Judas Iscariot's betrayal highlights the danger of believing the lie that one is beyond redemption. Despite his actions, the message is clear: no sin is too great for Jesus' redeeming power. Judas believed the lie that he was beyond redemption, a belief that led to his downfall. In contrast, the other disciples embraced the truth of redemption, never forgetting who Jesus was and what He had done for them. This serves as a powerful reminder that redemption is available to all, regardless of past actions. [19:50]

1 John 1:9 (ESV): "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Reflection: Is there a sin or failure in your life that you feel is beyond redemption? How can you bring this to Jesus today and trust in His power to forgive and restore?

Day 4: Communion as a Celebration of Faith

Communion is a reminder of our sanctification, deliverance, and redemption through Jesus. It is a celebration of the new covenant and a proclamation of our faith in His sacrifice and promise of eternal life. As believers partake in communion, they remember the profound significance of Jesus' sacrifice and the hope it brings. This act of remembrance is not just a ritual but a deep spiritual experience that connects believers to the heart of the Gospel. [28:26]

1 Corinthians 10:16-17 (ESV): "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread."

Reflection: How can you approach communion with a renewed sense of gratitude and reverence? What does it mean for you to participate in the body and blood of Christ?

Day 5: The Promise of Future Gathering

The fourth cup, which Jesus did not drink, symbolizes the future gathering of believers in the marriage supper of the Lamb. It represents the ultimate victory over sin and the fulfillment of God's promise to gather His people. This future promise is a source of hope and anticipation for believers, reminding them of the eternal joy and fellowship that awaits. It encourages believers to live with an eternal perspective, looking forward to the day when they will join Jesus in the ultimate celebration. [34:52]

Revelation 19:7-9 (ESV): "Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, 'Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.' And he said to me, 'These are the true words of God.'"

Reflection: How does the promise of the marriage supper of the Lamb influence your daily life and decisions? What steps can you take to live with an eternal perspective today?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, we explored the profound significance of the Passover meal that Jesus shared with His disciples, as recounted in Mark 14. This event, often referred to as the Last Supper, is a pivotal moment in Christian history, symbolizing the transition from the old covenant to the new covenant through Jesus Christ. The Passover meal was not just a remembrance of the Israelites' deliverance from Egyptian bondage but also a foreshadowing of the ultimate deliverance from sin and spiritual death through Jesus, the true Passover Lamb.

Jesus meticulously prepared for this meal, demonstrating His foreknowledge and divine orchestration. He instructed His disciples to follow a man carrying a pitcher of water, a rare sight, to find the place where they would celebrate the Passover. This preparation underscores that Jesus is not only a preparer but a pre-preparer, ensuring that everything was in place for this significant event.

During the meal, Jesus introduced a new meaning to the elements of bread and wine. The bread symbolized His body, given for the fellowship we have with Him, and the wine represented His blood, establishing a new covenant. This new covenant signifies that through Jesus' sacrifice, believers are sanctified, delivered, and redeemed. The disciples were reminded that spiritual death would pass over them, just as physical death passed over the Israelites' homes marked by the lamb's blood.

Judas Iscariot's betrayal was a stark contrast to the redemption offered to all. Despite his actions, the message is clear: no sin is beyond the redeeming power of Jesus. Judas believed the lie that he was beyond redemption, a belief that led to his downfall. In contrast, the other disciples embraced the truth of redemption, never forgetting who Jesus was and what He had done for them.

As we partake in communion, we remember that we have been sanctified, delivered, and redeemed. We look forward to the day when we will join Jesus in the marriage supper of the Lamb, celebrating the ultimate victory over sin and death.

Key Takeaways

1. Jesus is a pre-preparer, orchestrating events with divine precision. His preparation for the Passover meal demonstrates His foreknowledge and care for His disciples, reminding us that He is always working ahead of us to fulfill His purposes. [03:00]
2. The Passover meal symbolizes the transition from the old covenant to the new covenant. Jesus redefined the elements of bread and wine, representing His body and blood, establishing a new covenant of redemption and eternal life. [15:08]
3. Judas Iscariot's betrayal highlights the danger of believing the lie that one is beyond redemption. Despite his actions, the message is clear: no sin is too great for Jesus' redeeming power. [19:50]
4. Communion is a reminder of our sanctification, deliverance, and redemption through Jesus. It is a celebration of the new covenant and a proclamation of our faith in His sacrifice and promise of eternal life. [28:26]
5. The fourth cup, which Jesus did not drink, symbolizes the future gathering of believers in the marriage supper of the Lamb. It represents the ultimate victory over sin and the fulfillment of God's promise to gather His people. [34:52]
** [34:52]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:24] - Judas the Opportunist
[03:00] - Jesus' Divine Preparation
[10:00] - The Passover of Passovers
[11:12] - Redemption for All
[12:13] - The First Cup: Sanctification
[13:03] - The Second Cup: Deliverance
[15:08] - The New Covenant
[16:23] - Betrayal Foretold
[18:13] - Judas' Departure
[19:50] - The Third Cup: Redemption
[24:25] - The Lie of No Hope
[28:26] - Communion: A New Remembrance
[31:36] - The Fourth Cup: Future Promise
[34:52] - The Marriage Supper of the Lamb
[38:04] - Invitation to Redemption
[44:40] - Prayer of Redemption

Sermon Clips

"Tonight, they're getting ready to celebrate the fact, and they don't even know it, that it's not physical death, that they're celebrating something that had happened 2,000 years ago, but they're going to celebrate the fact that not physical death, but something better, spiritual death is going to pass over them." [00:10:17] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"They are going to leave and never forget from that day forward that the blood is more powerful than any sin that the enemy can tempt you with." [00:11:44] (10 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"Jesus says, I will sanctify you and I will deliver you. See, something's getting ready to happen on this Passover of Passovers. Jesus is getting ready to change two elements." [00:14:25] (12 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"The bread represents the fellowship that we have with the Lord. And any time we take of the meal and we take of the bread, we're reminded, we're remembered of the fellowship that we always have for him because he gave his body." [00:14:56] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"I'm here to stand before you today with a word. You're never to the point to where you cannot take the third cup of redemption." [00:20:35] (10 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"We now have fellowship because of the body. We have an unbreakable covenant because of the blood." [00:30:09] (9 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"You've been sanctified. You've been delivered. You've been redeemed. So Jesus took, after eating that Passover meal, then He took the bread. As we're doing now, at least we never forget that this bread represents He is now. Our Passover lamb." [00:39:19] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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