Friday, December 22, 2006

Friday's Yearning for the Infinite: The Lord’s Supper - Remembrance and the Neglected Element of Hope

Of all my years of faithful church attendance, I have never once heard a pastor incorporate the element of hope into the Lord’s Supper. Yes, we are to remember the body and blood of the Lord Christ in his suffering and death, but do we stop there?

During the so-called "Last Supper," Jesus refrained from drinking wine and said, “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" (Matthew 26:29). Can we really neglect Jesus’ words when we celebrate the Supper? Would Jesus have us to simply remember His death and not look forward to that which his death purchased? Is the designation "Last Supper" a misnomer?

It is my persuasion that the Lord’s Supper should not be only a remembrance of Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross, but also a foretaste of the Messianic banquet. Thanks be to God for giving us hope through his death.

2 comments:

Jonathan Moorhead said...

Please pray for Jared and I as we will both be traveling with our families for the next two days. Merry Christmas!

Donald Kirby said...

Hope is an amazing concept for all Christians who anticipate the return of our Lord. Good insight.

Great time meeting your folks and having one last hoorah before you head to WI. Be sure to keep us posted on how you are doing. Merry Christmas!