By Micah Bennett
Read Luke 22:14-23 and 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
What do Anzac Day, Remembrance Day and Dinner have in common? During the dawn service and the minute silence we reflect on sacrifices made by thousands of soldiers for our country. What about at dinner? Dinner is an occasion for reflection on the greatest sacrifice made by one Man, at greater cost, with greater implications and worthy of far greater remembrance than these annual events.
In Forgiven Forever, Rory Shiner spends a chapter unpacking Jesus’ actions during the last supper. He concludes Jesus is claiming that His sacrifice fulfils the whole Passover meal, based on the bible-times colloquialism of “breaking bread” meaning “meeting to share a meal”
It’s likely that the bread represents the whole Passover meal and therefore Jesus death is the ultimate fulfilment of the festival, then we are also left to consider the fulfilment of Jesus’ instructions to His disciples while they ate the last supper. Namely, how Jesus seems to invite (dare I say, commands?) us to reflect on his work of salvation as often as we meet together for any meal, or even as often as we drink.
- Why mealtimes? What is their benefit over any other religious “ceremony” or “ritual” activity?
- Meditate on what the passages say about when, where, and how often we should be “[sharing a meal] in remembrance of [Jesus].”
- How can the last supper aid your daily remembrance of Jesus?