Breaking Bread: Understanding Communion

You're listening to the Bible guys, a podcast where a couple of friends talk

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better than ever. We never actually went anywhere, well we did. I

went home after the last year. Year. Yeah, wrap exactly. But

we're back now, back in the studio, in the studio, excited talk

about the Bible with you guys, and then also to do this segment.

That's right. So this is is we're talking about today the last supper you

know, in the in the scripture. That's right. So Desiree says,

my question for you both is this what would you want to have as your

last meal? Oh? I gotta tell you that's a tough one. First

of all, that's like a death row question. Well, that's exactly it.

When if you read somebody on death row, you always go last meal.

Yeah, what would you like to order? I don't know. She

is like from anywhere anything. I mean, I mean, I guess if

it's a death row question, you're allowed to request anything, allowed to request

anything. Okay, So my default is something with mashed potatoes. That's my

that's usually. But if it was my very last meal, I think I

would want Connie's pizza from Chicago, so of all the Chicago style pizzas,

Conniess is my favorite, and everybody else says that Connie's isn't the best,

it's just dumb. And then I would want to add to that a Ricabines

bread and steak sandwich. And they're rayed across, like just down the street

from each other, so you could get them both for me. Wow.

Yeah, it's amazing. The bread and steak sandwiches. They take an Italian

roll, they slice it. They take a pounded piece of steak that's really

good, and they bred it and then fry it, roll it. Yeah,

and then they put sauteed onions and peppers in a mozzarella melt on top.

It's so good, and then they throw it under the broilery real quick,

put it back out. But oh and the breaded steak is dipped in

marinara. It's unbelievable sandwich. Wow. Yeah, as a matter of fact,

you be an Italian. It's all the things you like, right,

it's just not in the meatball, that's right, right. Wow, it's

fantastic. So that's me. So I would imagine that if I was on

if I were on death row, that the most significant meal for me would

be a meal that brought me back to my childhood, just my favorite meal

as a child. So if my wife were alive, I would request her

to make it homemade. But if that situation wasn't possible, and I would

imagine if I'm on death row, maybe it wouldn't be accommodating. But if

she were willing to make it my last meal, I would request homemade wedding

soup for my wife. Yeah, that's good soup. Who's who makes my

moms? Who makes my grandma's? Uh? And then also home made ravioli

with some homemade met bolls. You've mentioned ravioli a bunch of times. Yep,

yeah, soul it was it was the it was the meal of our

youth. And so Christmas Christmas meal or Thanksgiving Christmas meal. Yeah so uh

so I would you know, spaghetti more oftentimes than that. But but I

would say, and then also if if my wife weren't available because I was

on death row, because I perhaps maybe you know, murdered her, brilliant

that's why you're on death row. Maybe I don't know. So if she's

not, you can't just be an old man in the hospital. Note,

you're on death row because he killed your wife. That may be indicative,

That may be indicative of what's going on inside of scenario. And you said,

yes, it's a death this is going to turn into a true crime

podcast is going to do? Uh? If my wife was not available for

my last meal, I would do it from Anton's from Youngstown, Ohio,

who has phenomenal items that I've just described. Okay, all right, which,

by the way, Antone's would be the place that I went the day

I was saved. Oh well, so the start of my start of my

well, I just want to go on the record to say, because I

know Liz listens to this show, I think Liz is more likely to kill

you than you are to kill this Yeah, that's a good call. That's

a good call. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't go home today

if that's so funny. What do you mean today's Valentie. I got to

go home, not for our listeners. Vale great fun So watch out,

Liz, I guess. So yeah. Wow. The good news is I'm

not going to spoil Valentine later. Yeah, that's right. You're gonna get

in trouble later. Still be fine. That's that's right. She won't know.

I won't. I won't tell her. That's hysterical, that's funny.

Hey, listen, if you're watching YouTube, would you do us a favor?

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very much. Well, we are going to be reading today talking about what

we call the Last Supper, and this is where the idea of communion comes

from these passages, and there's also betraying here. So there's a lot to

cover, that's right. So we're going to get ready to it. There's

a lot of verses to read. Yep. But I think everybody understand why

because it's Matthew, Mark Luke, and John we cover all these things.

Yeah, and rightfully. So it was a pretty important event. When it

was evening, Jesus sat down at the table with the twelve disciples and while

they were eating, he said, I tell you the truth. One of

you will betray me. Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, am

I the One? Lord? He replied, one of you who has just

eaten from this bowl with me will betray me? For the son of man

must die, as the scriptures declared, long go, how terrible it'll be

for the one who betrays him. It'll be far better for that man if

he had never been born. Judas, the one who would betray him,

also asked, rab i, am I the One? And Jesus told him,

you've said it. As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and

blessed it, and then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the

disciples, saying, take this and eat it, for this is my body.

And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it.

He gave it to them and said, each of you drink from it,

for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his

people. It's poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.

Mark my words. I will not drink wine again until the day I drink

it new with you in my father's kingdom. Then they sang hymn and went

out to the Mount of olives. That was Matthew chapter twenty six, verses

twenty through thirty. Mark chapter fourteen, verse seventeen says in the evening,

Jesus arrived with the twelve disciples, and as they were at the table eating,

Jesus said, I tell you the truth. One of you eating with

me here will betray me. Greatly distressed, each one asked him in turn,

am I the one? And replied, it is one of you twelve

who is eating from this bowl with me. For the son of man must

die, as the scriptures declared long ago. By how terrible it will be

for the one who betrays him, would be far better for that man if

he'd never been born. As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and

blessed it, and then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the

disciples, saying, take it, for this is my body. And he

took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it, and he

gave it to them, and they all drank from it, and he said

to them, this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and

his people. It's poured out as a sacrifice for many. I tell you

the truth. I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it

new in the Kingdom of God. And then they sang a hymn and went

out to the Mount of Olives. Luke chapter twenty two, verse fourteen says

when the time came, Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table,

and Jesus said, I have been very eager to eat this passover meal

with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won't

eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.

Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it.

Then he said, take this and share it among you, for I will

not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come. He took some

bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces

and gave it to the disciples, saying, this is my body which is

given for you do this to remember me. After supper, he took another

cup of wine and said, this cup is the new covenant between God and

his people, an agreement confirmed with my blood, which has poured out as

a sacrifice for you. But here at this table, sitting among us as

a friend is the man who will betray me. For it has been determined

that the son of man must die. But what sorrow awaits the one who

betrays him. The disciples began to ask each other which of them would ever

do such a thing. Then they began to argue among themselves who would be

the greatest among them. And Jesus told them, in this world the kings

and great men lorded over their people, yet they are called friends of the

people. But among you it'll be different. Those who are the greatest among

you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant,

who is more important the one who sits at the table, or the

one who serves the one who sits at the table. Of course, but

not here, for I am among you as one who serves. You have

stayed with me in my time of trial. And just as my father has

granted me a kingdom, I now grant you the right to eat and drink

at my table. In my kingdom, you will sit on thrones judging the

twelve tribes of Israel. And then in John thirteen, verse twenty one,

it says, now Jesus was deeply troubled and he exclaimed, I tell you

the truth, one of you will betray me. The disciples looked at each

other, wondering whom he could mean. And the disciples the disciple Jesus loved

was sitting next to Jesus at the table. Simon Peter motioned to him and

asked, who's he talking about? So that disciple leaned over to Jesus and

asked, Lord, who is it. Jesus responded, it is the one

to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl. And then when

he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon,

his carriot. When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him,

and then Jesus told him, hurry and do what you're going to do.

None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant, since Judas was

their treasurer. Some thought Jesus was time him to go and pay for the

food or to give some money to the poor. So Judas left at once,

going out into the night. Wow. Yeah, that was a lot.

Yeah, and so a lot of significant moments here. And where do

you want to start? Man? We should start with explaining what this passover

is perhaps, yeah, because all the other elements are built around this passover.

Yeah, sure, well g is so, I mean it comes from

Exodus chapter what was it, I don't know, fifteen or so. I

don't know when the tank commandments are given in chapter twenty, So it's before

that where the children of Israel were delivered out of Egypt. And it was

really a symbol of the last plague. The last plague was God said he's

going to come down and he's gonna take the first born unless you put the

lamb over the door. So they basically kill everybody, killed a lamb who

believed and actually put it on the posts on the side and across the top.

And then when I don't know, it was God who actually went through

that, and actually when he saw the lamb, he would pass over them.

When he saw the blood of the lamb spilt, he would pass over

them. And so that was a picture of Jesus, right, So the

picture of Jesus is blood on the posts of the cross. When his blood

is shed and sacrificed, just like the sacrificial lamps, then the judgment for

sin will be passed over us because it's paid for and sacrificed for by the

blood of the lamb. So here they are celebrating this, I mean,

just thousands of years later, and still it carries the significance. And so

imagine that. So this thing gets put into place thousands of years earlier,

but for God, who exists out of time, for him, it's a

blip, right. But yet his children, you know, his children,

the children of Israel, they've celebrated this for thousands of years. And then

appropriately Jesus has come about to give his life and he's pouring out communion and

only he realizes the significance of this moment. That's right, that's right.

It's crazy. Yeah, So that lamb had to be the perfect lamb,

right, had to be without blemish. And then this idea was when the

death Angel came, that he would pass over the homes to whom you know

on the door posts and on the mantle above which kind of forms a cross

by the way, which is an interesting thing, and he would pass over

those homes. But the homes that were not covered in the blood, then

the firstborn would die and that was the judgment of God. And then this

symbolized their freedom because this was when Pharaoh finally surrendered and said, okay,

God's people can go. And he now instead of just letting them go,

he demands they leave. And so then freedom comes because of what happened here.

So the instructions from God it passed over was that they were supposed to

sacrifice this lamb, use the blood, you know, use a branch to

put the blood on the door posts, and then they were to roast the

lamb, and then they were to make this very specific meal. They made

the bread without any leavin in it. They didn't have time to let it

rise, right, so you're not going to take hours and hours to make

it. You're gonna make a flat bread essentially, And so they made a

flat bread, and then they had these different bitterers essentially, these different kinds

of herbs and things in the meal. And so it was a very precise

meal that for thousands of years, that passover style meal was exactly the same

without and they still do it today, right, and so it was very

very precise. So this meal for them would be similar. It would be

the celebration of the fact that they were free, freed by God. It

was a celebration of the fact that the lamb paid the price so that the

people didn't have to die all those things, and it was celebrated as enthusiastically

as we might celebrate Thanksgiving right, right, and you would look forward to

it. So every family has their traditions as to the foods you have at

Thanksgiving, and you look forward to those same foods. You know, you

know what the meal is going to be. When I go to my mom

and Dad's, I know what we're having. I can already tell you before

you go, and I get excited about it. I look forward to it.

Because so the passover meal for every family was basically exactly the same.

So when he takes this bread and he breaks the bread and then he passes

it to everybody, this would have been like a flatbread or maybe even closer

to a cracker, right, But a flat bread and no leaven in it.

Well, Jesus has already given other illustrations where the leaven represents sin.

Right. That's why he's saying, this bread represents my body. I'm sin

less, right, So when you eat this bread, you're remembering that I

gave my body for you. My body was sinless, which meant I could

pay the price for your sin because I never did sin. Right, and

then the same thing the blood, the wine pours out that represents my blood.

I'm paying the price for you, just like that last passover, Lamb

paid the price, which is consistent with what John had said earlier at the

very beginning of jesus ministry, and he said, behold the lamb of God,

who takes away the sin of the world. It's pretty amazing this picture

that God has been creating. He created it thousands of years prior, and

all this time they were reminding themselves of what it was, but they didn't

understand it. And then finally Jesus shows up and fulfills every element of the

picture that God was trying to tell the people all along. So when I

was in Bible College, I wrote one of my last, you know,

thesis papers on this idea of communion and so, and we don't normally tackle

what different denominations believe, but communion is generally the one thing that is practiced

by almost all churches as an ordinance, and some people are pretty confused by

it. So I just want to make a quick reference. So there's a

fancy word called transubstantiation that or priests would believe or maybe another religious leader might

believe that they have the power to turn the literal bread and and and uh

and cup into flesh and wine or flesh and blood, which is a very

different belief than what I believe. And so literal flesh of God, I

mean, I mean, I don't want to be too lighthearted about it,

but that that's sort of like we're all vampires, right, So so but

that was what I sort of grew up believing and practicing and things like that,

uh and and And it's based on the fact that Jesus says, this

is my body, this is my blood. But you know, Jesus was

speaking in metaphors of course, because you know, he literally refers to it

as wine. Even after he says that he says, I want to drink

of this wine again, right, I will not drink of wine again.

He doesn't say blood again, right right, So so that argument falls apart.

But you know, just remember this that Jesus spoke in metaphors all the

time, and so I always I always say that's when I teach communion.

But I always say, Jesus said I am the door. But Jesus was

not a physical door that you cannot open him and close in with a doorknob.

Right, Jesus said, I am the gate. He was not a

gate. Jesus said, I am the rock. Jesus was not a rock,

right, And so it's just all those different kinds of kinds of things.

So when Jesus said, you know, this is my blood, he

was referring to the cup representing the symbolism of what the blood means, in

the same way that the rock had representation and sort of the gate and sort

of the door. So so anyway, all that to say, you know,

when we observe communion, what we do the purpose of communion is to

reflect on because he says, as often as you do this, do this

in remembrance of me. And what he's saying is the purpose of communion is

to remember the sacrifice that has made you know for you, his blood was

shed for you, right, like there's a price for your sin, right,

and it's been paid. You know, there's there's a price that was

paid for your sin by his flesh, you know, being torn up and

and being ripped apart, just as he's ripping this bread. And so Jesus

sacrificed for you. And then my last thing to teach communion would be frequency

because he says, as often as you do this, which means it is

left up to you, as as a body of believers, how often you

wish to observe it. Because he doesn't give frequency, he says, as

often as you do this. Yeah, his assumption would be because he's talking

to Jewish Men, his assumption would be it would be every passover, every

passover. So there's some people say, oh, no, you have to

do it every Sunday. Some people say you have to do it once a

month, right, Some people say you have to do it every quarter.

Some people would say just whenever you want to do it. Jesus assumption for

these guys would be next passover, just remember passovers all about me, and

then your next passover, just remember passovers all about me. It was it

was an annual event for them, right, which is once a year,

certainly, and so and so, Yeah, there's no so if you do

it more than once a year, that's it's not what Jesus was thinking at

the moment, right, But it happens to fit inside of the statement as

often right whenever, whenever you do it? Yeah, And for and for

people who grew up with a tradition of once a week. They'll come to

and since our church and they'll be like, we don't do it often enough.

And by the way, just as a side note, if you do

attend Heritage our church. The last couple of years, we've been doing it

six times a year, so every other month on the average. There's no

exactness to that, but we do it when we feel like we can really

utilize and really teach on it and actually plan around the moment. So the

Last Supper or the Lord's Supper or Communion is all built on the Passover.

Right, So it was an event. It would be like Thanksgiving dinner.

It would be like fourth of July, it would be like Christmas, right,

and so you don't celebrate Thanksgiving dinner in February, right, right,

So for these guys, these guys, these twelve, they would not have

thought of it as anything other than next year when we do Passover, we'll

get it. The bread represents Jesus body, right, and the wine represents

Jesus blood. Yeah, because because even today if and we're about to do

this with the elders, right, when you have a person for instance,

it was always for us the Jews for Jesus where they come and they lay

out a perfect passover meal, and then you begin to understand the significance of

the rituals that everything laid God or God laid out in that in that meal

now has representation. They're connected to they're connected the prophecies, and they're connected

to everything that Jesus fulfilled and represents. And then you know not to make

light of it, but it does mention that Jesus says, hey, one

of you is going to betray me? How devastating is this? Right?

Oh yeah, And they're all whispering, is it me? Is it?

Me? Is me? And I love John right? So of all of

them. So, so all four books, Matthew is writing from Matthew's perspective.

Mark is writing from Peter's perspective. Right we we've already established that he

was probably Peter's secretary. Luke is writing from an investigative reporters perspective, so

he he's followed up and interviewed people to be able to write this story.

John's writing from his perspective, and he goes in the disciple Jesus loves right

right, which is him? It is so funny, is right, right,

He can't say and I right because and he tends to do this when

Peter is also mentioned, which is so funny. So John is the youngest

and Peter is the oldest of the disciples. Yes, and so it's so

funny. Here he goes, so the disciple Jesus loved was sitting next to

him at the table. As a matter of fact. In the original Greek

it says he was reclining on Jesus boosom, right, So he was leaning

up against Jesus, right, right, They would have been sitting on the

floor, that's right. So they're sitting on the floor, and he's leaning

up against Jesus, you know, and whatever. And Peter goes, hey,

what was he talking about? You mean John? Yeah? No,

no, no, Peter, Peter, Simon. Peter motion to him,

who's he talking about? And Peter John goes, I got I got this

right, Yeah, Hey, Jesus, who is it? So? And

then Jesus answers him. Jesus is like, okay, I'll give you a

hand, the one who I dip the bread and give it to, right,

And then it's Simon. It's Judas is Scariot. And another version tells

us that it was called sop, right, which is where you basically it's

like it's like a dip. It's like something that it's like being at Carabas

and they put the little spices in with a little bit of oil and you

take it and you dip it in. Well, this probably would have been

more with like a bitters is what they had, So it would have been

oily and like an oil with a bidder to it. Hey that sounds Italian,

yeah yeah, and so yeah. So then he dips it and he

gives it to Judas and then he says it would be far better for them

not to be born. So there's a heavy statement, and it says that

Satan entered into him in that moment. Right. So it's interesting everything that

Judas has done up to this point, while Satan might have been tempting him,

he was choosing to do it himself. This is his own choice.

And then at this point the Bible says he's possessed. Well, I almost

what you're gonna do, go do quickly, and I almost you know,

my mind goes to the spiritual realm, you know, in the battles where

it's like it's like Satan's observing maybe perhaps, and then all of a sudden

he finds out Jesus knows right, and he's like, I'm not going to

let this opportunity pass. So Satan takes over and says, this is happening.

Yep, right, yep, So yeah, I mean, I don't

I don't know. I just I'm supposing obviously. And now we're kind of

racing through these stories. So tomorrow Jesus is going to predict Peter's denial,

and yeah, we're going to hitdle all these stories that you know about the

end of jesus life here on Earth before his resurrection. Yeah, well that

looks like our time, And so we covered a whole heck of a lot,

didn't we We did. Yeah, just we kind of really just kind

of skimmed it is what we did. Yeah, we did. But we'll

see you next time on the Bible, guys,