What Jesus Did : Matthew 26:26-30 - A New Deal!
by Phil Ware
A New Deal! - Matthew 26:26-30
While they were eating, Jesus took some bread. Jesus thanked God for the bread and divided it. He gave the bread to his followers. Jesus said, "Take this bread and eat it. This bread is my body." Then Jesus took a cup of wine. Jesus thanked God for it and gave it to the followers. Jesus said, "Every one of you drink this. This wine is my blood. My blood (death) begins the new agreement {from God to his people}. This blood is given for many people to forgive their sins. I tell you this: I will not drink this wine again until that day when we are together in my Father's kingdom and the wine is new. Then I will drink it again with you." All the followers sang a song. Then they went out to the Mount of Olives. (ERV) Full TextKey Thought
Jesus begins a new relationship, a new covenant, a new agreement, a new deal with us. He spills his blood, offers up his body, and gives his life to cover our sins and offer us grace. He asks us to accept it and trust that it pays our spiritual debts and makes us holy. He asks us to receive this grace and to live in thanks for it. He asks us to take his Supper and tell his story until he returns again.
Ours is a blood covenant of grace. He has given us so much. He has paid such a high price. What is our response? Are we upholding our end of the deal?
He has given us so much; how can we offer him so little? He has sacrificed so much; how can we rebel against his Lordship? He has been so gracious; how can we not be thankful?Today's Prayer
Precious and sacrificial Father, thank you for giving us the Lord's Supper to remind us of your grace to us in Jesus and our partnership, our covenant, in your grace. May I and my fellow brothers and sisters, live each in ways that are more congruent with his will today. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the followers came to Jesus. The followers said, "We will prepare everything for you to eat the Passover meal. Where do you want us to have the meal?" Jesus answered, "Go into the city. Go to a man I know. Tell him that the teacher says, 'The chosen time is near. I will have the Passover meal with my followers at your house.'" The followers obeyed and did the thing Jesus told them to do. They prepared the Passover meal. In the evening Jesus was at the table with the twelve followers. They were all eating. Then Jesus said, "I tell you the truth. One of you twelve here will soon give me to my enemies." The followers were very sad to hear this. Each follower said to Jesus, "Lord, surely I am not the one!" Jesus answered, "The man that has dipped his hand into the same bowl with me is the person that will be against me. The Son of Man will go {and die}. The Scriptures say this will happen. But it will be very bad for the person that gives the Son of Man {to be killed}. It would be better for that person if he were never born." Then Judas said to Jesus, "Teacher, surely I will not be against you!" (Judas is the one that would give Jesus to his enemies.) Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you." While they were eating, Jesus took some bread. Jesus thanked God for the bread and divided it. He gave the bread to his followers. Jesus said, "Take this bread and eat it. This bread is my body." Then Jesus took a cup of wine. Jesus thanked God for it and gave it to the followers. Jesus said, "Every one of you drink this. This wine is my blood. My blood (death) begins the new agreement {from God to his people}. This blood is given for many people to forgive their sins. I tell you this: I will not drink this wine again until that day when we are together in my Father's kingdom and the wine is new. Then I will drink it again with you." All the followers sang a song. Then they went out to the Mount of Olives. Jesus told the followers,"Tonight you will lose your faith because of me. It is written {in the Scriptures }: 'I will kill the shepherd, and the sheep will run away.' But {after I die}, I will rise from death. Then I will go into Galilee. I will be there before you go there." Peter answered, "All the other followers may lose their faith because of you. But I will never lose my faith." Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth. Tonight you will say you don't know me. You will say this three times before the rooster crows." But Peter answered, "I will never say that I don't know you! I will even die with you!" And all the other followers said the same thing.-- Matthew 26:17-35 (ERV)
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