The upper room is prepared and Jesus shares the Passover meal with His disciples. What a fitting time for Jesus to prepare to go to the cross, during the time when the Jews reflect on how awesome God was when He brought them out of their bondage in Egypt. He was about to bring ALL mankind out their bondage, FOREVERMORE, when He takes our place of punishment on the cross.
Two very important things take place when Jesus shares communion with the disciples. He teaches them that the bread represents His body. That it will be freely broken for them in order for them to receive wholeness of body. In the same manner He took the cup of wine and told them that it represents His blood which would be shed for them in order to cover every sin forever! It will be poured out as a NEW covenant!
God is always speaking covenant talk! Covenants were a very important part of life in Jesus' day and talk of them is not fully understood nowadays. Even marriage, which was once understood to be the most important covenant of our lives, is no longer entered into with the seriousness it should be. A covenant was considered a binding, formal agreement between two parties. We have signed contracts, signed by two parties, when we enter into an agreement today. But our covenant with God was signed with Jesus' own blood!
It is no longer necessary for the blood of lambs and goats to be shed on God's people's behalf.
Jesus shed His blood, once and for all, to cover all mankind's sins. We need to truly understand that Jesus was trying to teach; that there is so much power in partaking of communion. We should never take that act of receiving it lightly or out of habit. That when we do it, we are proclaiming His death, and all it meant, until He comes again. When symptoms try to hinder our bodies, where they have no right to be, the very act of breaking of bread and drinking of the juice shows remembrance of the great covenant that our Lord made with us and is faithful to uphold! It shows that we understand and walk in the authority that was provided for us. The enemy recognizes authority and has to flee!
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