How does this verse connect with Jesus' command in Luke 22:19? Setting the Scene Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper on the night before the cross (Luke 22). Decades later, Paul wrote to Corinth, affirming and explaining that same meal. Notice how closely Paul’s words mirror the Lord’s original command, revealing a single, Spirit-inspired thread weaving the Gospels and Epistles together. The Original Command “ ‘This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.’ ” (Luke 22:19) Paul’s Inspired Echo “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26) Key Connections • Same action, same elements – Luke: “take…bread…do this.” – 1 Corinthians: “eat this bread…drink this cup.” Paul affirms that believers are still to handle real bread and a real cup in obedience to the literal command. • Same purpose: remembrance – Luke: “in remembrance of Me.” – 1 Corinthians: “you proclaim the Lord’s death.” Remembering and proclaiming are two sides of one coin: inward recollection and outward declaration. • Ongoing practice – Luke implies repetition (“do this”). – Paul makes it explicit: “as often as you eat…drink.” The Supper wasn’t a one-time farewell meal; it is a continuing ordinance for the church age. • Christ-centered focus – Luke: body “given for you.” – Paul: “the Lord’s death.” Both passages spotlight substitutionary atonement—Jesus died “for you,” so each celebration retells the gospel. • Forward look – Luke ends with “until the kingdom of God comes” (v. 18). – Paul: “until He comes.” Every observance stretches believers’ hope from Calvary to Christ’s return. Supporting Scriptures • Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25—parallel Gospel accounts reinforce the same words and actions. • Acts 2:42,46—early church “broke bread” continually, showing immediate obedience. • John 6:53-58—Jesus teaches that His flesh and blood are true food and drink, laying theological groundwork. • Exodus 12; 1 Corinthians 5:7—Passover backdrop: the Lamb’s sacrifice remembered annually; the Lord’s Supper fulfills and surpasses it. • Revelation 19:9—future “marriage supper of the Lamb,” the consummation anticipated by every Communion. Why It Matters Today • Guards the gospel—each gathering re-centers the church on Christ’s finished work. • Fosters unity—believers share “one loaf” (1 Corinthians 10:17). • Fuels hope—every cup lifted is a pledge that Jesus is coming again. • Cultivates gratitude—tangible bread and cup remind hearts of tangible nails and a real resurrection. Living It Out • Approach the Table with reverence, remembering the cross. • Partake regularly, not as empty ritual but as joyful obedience. • Let the Supper preach—use it to share the gospel with those watching. • Hold the elements as a promise: the Savior who died is the Savior who will soon appear. |
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