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…. Eating In The Shadow. Of The Cross. Biblical Reflections On The Lord’s Supper. When The 12 Ate With Jesus… They did so literally Lk 22:15 The shadow of the cross loomed large that evening…it was very near All Jesus had talked about was at hand They ate 12-15 hours before His death.
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Eating In The Shadow Of The Cross Biblical Reflections On The Lord’s Supper
When The 12 Ate With Jesus… • They did so literallyLk 22:15 • The shadow of the cross loomed large that evening…it was very near • All Jesus had talked about was at hand • They ate 12-15 hours before His death
When The 12 Ate With Jesus… • It was Thursday night Mt 26:20 • Jesus words were “disturbing” • There was “trouble” at the table Mk 14:18-21 Lk 22:21 • There was a real element of sorrow
When The 12 Ate With Jesus… • This meal was emblematic of “true sacrifice” Lk 22:19-20 cp. Jn 15:13 • How dark this night must have seemed • How keenly they must have felt the “shadow of the cross”
As We Eat With Jesus… • We do so virtuallyMt 26:29 • We eat with a resurrected Lord • We eat with others who also believe in His death & resurrection 1 Cor 11:33
As We Eat With Jesus… • It is something to be “taught” and “received” and “done” 1 Cor 11:23-25 • It is both a proclamation of what He did as well as an anticipation of His eventual return 1 Cor 11:26
As We Eat With Jesus… • It is to be faithfully observed to avoid falling into judgment 1 Cor 11:27-29 • To us, the cross and its “shadow” may seem distant • Far removed…much time has passed by
As We Eat With Jesus… • The cross needs to seem near for us • We need to be aware of its “shadow” • The Supper Jesus instituted and the inspired accounts detailing it are meant to make Calvary real to us
As We Eat With Jesus… • Whether we see the “shadow of the cross” or not…it still lingers to this day • We need to sense it every time we gather around the Lord’s table & eat His Supper • To eat wrongfully = to “despise the church of God” 1 Cor 11:22
As We Eat With Jesus… • Passages that can help us eat well… Phil 2:7-8 • Emphasizes the type of death He died • The extent He was willing to go to for man to be redeemed back to God
As We Eat With Jesus… • Passages that can help us eat well… Heb 12:2 • Something He “endured” because of the “…joy set before Him” Exaltation again at God’s right hand Phil 2:9-11 Eph 1:19-23
As We Eat With Jesus… • Passages that can help us eat well… Heb 12:2 • A shame He “despised” (thought little of) • Usually disgrace (shame) of something undesirable is enough incentive to avoid it
As We Eat With Jesus… • Passages that can help us eat well… Heb 12:2 • Not so re: Christ is His death • He “thought little” of the shame & disgrace of being crucified so that we might be saved
Conclusion… • There is no more serious moment in our worship assembly than when we gather around our “family table” • It is the “Lord’s Supper” 1 Cor 11:20 • It is not our “own supper” 1 Cor 11:21
Conclusion… • There is no more serious moment in our worship assembly than when we gather around our “family table” • It is for His purpose, not ours • It is to memorialize Him, not please us
Conclusion… • As we prepare to eat this morning… • …can you see the hill where they nailed Him to His cross? • …can you envision the “shadow” of that cross as they lifted Him up to die?
Conclusion… • We eat in that “shadow” every Lord’s Day • We remember the most important thing… He died that death to set us all free