New Covenant Memorial Celebration Before Jesus Christ was crucified He celebrated the Jewish Passover with His disciples.
As He did, Jesus indicated that He was the fulfillment of that ancient rite. He also told us that as often as we observed this, we were remembering Him and His sacrificial death.
LUKE 22:19 NKJ
19 And 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."Called Many Names Today, this remembrance of Christ's death is called many names, such as: Communion, New Covenant Memorial Meal, the Lord's Supper, and the Eucharist. Through the years many different traditions have evolved around this celebration.
Jesus Is Central What must be kept central is the Lord Jesus Christ -- and remembering what He did as our substitute sacrifice -- suffering and dying in our place. Going through certain religious, traditional motions will produce no life or power in you -- but Jesus will.
As we remember Jesus' suffering we are to rejoice and celebrate because He paid the price to set us free. Although we are not glad that He had to suffer, we do rejoice that He loved us enough to do it, and it already has been finished!
1 CORINTHIANS 11:24-26 NKJ
24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.As Often Notice in verses 25 and 26 above, that the words "as often" are used. Some wrongly think Scripture tells us how often to celebrate this memorial.
The Passover Feast itself, which was the shadow of the reality to come, was cele-brated only once a year. The New Testament imposes no minimum or maximum number of times we are to do this.
Nor are there any restrictions in the New Testament as to time, place, or who is to be involved. So, do not let religious tradition rob you of the joy of celebrating Jesus' death as your substitute sacrifice!
Observing this is to remind us that we are in covenant with God through our sacrifice, Jesus Christ. That is why we can rejoice and celebrate, even though Christ's death was a horrible thing.
Matthew's Account MATTHEW 26:19-20,26-29 NKJ
19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.
20 Now when evening had come, He sat down with the twelve.
26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."
27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.
28 "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
29 "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."Luke's Account LUKE 22:14-20 NKJ
14 And when the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.
15 Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;
16 "for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God."
17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves;
18 "for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."
19 And 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."
20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.Paul's Instructions 1 CORINTHIANS 11:20-34 NKJ
20 Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper.
21 For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk.
22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.
23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;
24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.
27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.
29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
33 Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.
34 But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.
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