I found myself drawn to verse 26: For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. As many times as I have celebrated the Lord’s Supper and as many times as I have officiated the celebration of the Lord’s Table, it is this phrase that makes me think.
Why is it that the Table proclaims Jesus death rather than His resurrection? Am I the only person that wonders about this?
Today I entertained that thought. And the more I pondered, the more I came to realize that it was Jesus’ death that accomplished the work of salvation. “It is finished,” Jesus sighed from the cross as he breathed his last (John 19:30). The work of salvation was done. The penalty for human sin was paid. The perfect Lamb of God was sacrificed.
Jesus’ death is the defining moment of the faith. Jesus predicted it and Jesus went through with it so that we could be ransomed.
At the Table we remember His body and His blood. “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me” (24-25).
The Table points to His death… so the Table itself proclaims His death.
After I mused on all this, I switched gears and thought about what Jesus did for me. He died for me, so that I could be forgiven, ransomed and welcomed back into the family of God!
My heart grew more and more grateful to Jesus for all He did to save me.
I am and will be forever grateful to Jesus and His saving grace and atoning death. I delight in proclaiming His death until He comes. There is nothing better to proclaim!
Great God, Thank You for Jesus. Lord Jesus, thank You for saving me, for dying for me and offering Your perfect life for my decrepit life. Holy Spirit, thank You for working in me so that I might believe in Jesus and so be saved. Glory to my God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
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