The Memorial Feast of the Cross

This is the second time the scripture says Jesus prayed at the First Memorial Feast of the Cross.  This is the last Jewish Passover Feast Jesus is to celebrate and He is promising his disciples he would not eat with them again until they could feast together in the Kingdom of God.  Jesus told them to no longer celebrate the Passover remembering how their people were delivered out of the land of Egypt through the Red Sea but to eat the feast now in remembrance of Him and their deliverance from sin through His crucified body!  

While the high priest was sacrificing the lamb without spot or blemish in the temple, Jesus took up the bread and wine from the Passover table and began to explain what the elements of the supper really meant!  "He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.'" (Luke 22:19)

I always get shivers of glad thanksgiving reading these words because of their special meaning to me personally.  You see there was a time when I really did not understand them as I do now.  I was helping my parents move and got caught holding the end of Mom's piano when moving it into their house.  I felt my back pop and at that moment I knew I had hurt myself.  The pain was intense as I drove the 350 miles home.  There I went straight to bed feeling sorry for myself.  Was this how I was to be treated after all I had done for the Lord?  I was sure I deserved something better than this.  But God was seeking to teach me to be thankful for all things and I wasn't.  "In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you," He said to me.  And I would not.  I flashed this challenge at God, "Show me that Jesus was thankful for the cross..." And just as quickly the thought came into my mind that Jesus broke the bread saying, "This is my body and gave thanks!"  I surrendered!

Back in the upper room: Jesus took up the pitcher of wine, poured it out for the disciples to drink saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you."  By His shed blood I am cleansed from all sin.  The Lord's Last Passover became the believer's first Lord's Table of communion with God, the Eucharist meal of thanksgiving for the grace of new life through faith in the New Covenant of Jesus Christ.  As we partake of these elements so may the healing stripes of Christ heal your broken body and the cleansing blood of Jesus wash you clean from all sin!  "I praise and thank you Lord.  I know that all things do work together for my very best interest as only you know.  Today, I eat the bread and drink the wine thanking you deeply for the soul searching truth that my life is daily new in Christ.  Amen."