The New Covenant

(Here is another communion meditation from a few years ago... Hope it helps us to remember the reason we gather together on Sundays...)

Jesus was supposed to remind his followers of the exodus. He was supposed to tell the story about how the Jews had been enslaved in Egypt and how God had brought them out of slavery with a mighty hand. He was supposed to talk about the angel killing the firstborn of those not protected by lamb’s blood and about the Israelites leaving Egypt in a hurry and about crossing the sea on dry ground and about manna from heaven.
But he didn’t.
Instead, Jesus took the unleavened bread and defined it as his body. Then he took the cup and instructed all of his disciples to drink from it explaining, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:26)
The disciples were expecting to hear the exodus story from long ago, the story that they knew so well. Instead they heard a new exodus story. The story Jesus tells is not a story about God demonstrating his powerful mighty arm through plagues and death. This exodus story is not about placing the blood of a lamb on the exterior of a house. This story is not about leaving in a hurry and having to eat unleavened bread. It is not a story of crossing the sea on dry ground. The story Jesus has for those who will follow him is not a story about the past – it is the story of a new covenant established with his blood.
The new exodus story is the story of God displaying his power through unending love, unimaginable grace, and unmerited favor to all those who will follow him. It is the story of being immersed in Jesus’ blood so that our entire lives are covered by his blood. The story is about leaving slavery to sin and accepting the life that he offers.
This morning we take part in the new story of the exodus. We pause to remember how God worked to bring us to where we are today. We pause to remember the love of Christ and his sacrifice. We pause to look forward to the day when he returns and we are taken home with him. We pause to be thankful.
This is our story. We were slaves to sin, but God chose to bring us out of sin. He sent his son to rescue us from those sins. He offers us forgiveness through the blood of his son which was shed as he died on a cross. He offers us new life through the same power that raised Jesus from the grave.
Let us remember this story as we eat this meal with thankfulness and as we live our lives in a way that brings glory and honor to him.