“For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.” 1 Corinthians 11:23-29
As the people of Israel on that first Passover partook of the sacrificial lamb without blemish and were shielded by the blood from the angel of death who struck down the firstborn of the Egyptians, so we believers in the Lord Jesus Christ partake of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, a Lamb without blemish and without spot (cf. John 1:29; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).
“Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Cor. 5:7). And His blood shed upon the cross for us and all mankind “cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). On the Last Day, when God sends forth His angels to separate the wicked from among the just and cast them into the eternal fires of hell, those shielded and covered with the blood of Christ will be spared and will receive instead the everlasting joys of heaven.
How important it is for us to partake of the sacrifice of God’s Messiah, God’s Son, the Lamb of God who was slain and sacrificed on the cross at Golgotha for the sins of the world! It is as Jesus said, “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him” (John 6:53-56). Unless we partake of Christ’s sacrifice through faith, we cannot be saved.
As the people of Israel continued to observe the Passover year after year and to partake of a sacrificial lamb that they might remember how the LORD God delivered them from slavery in Egypt, so we observe the Lord’s Supper “in remembrance” of Jesus and to “shew the Lord’s death till he come.” It is a reminder to us of His sacrifice. But it is so much more, for the risen and victorious Christ offers and gives to us in His supper, not only bread and wine as a token; He gives us to partake of His sacrifice in a unique way, to eat of His body given into death for our sins, and to drink of His blood shed for the remission of all our sins.
When we partake of Christ’s sacrifice in faith, we receive the blessings He won for us by His sacrifice. When we partake of it in unbelief and impenitence, we partake of it to our damnation.
Dearest Lord Jesus, in Your Supper we are reminded of You and of the great sacrifice You made to redeem us from our slavery in sin and win for us forgiveness and life everlasting. And in Your Supper, You offer and give to us Your body and blood which were given and shed for us upon the cross for the remission of all our sins. Grant that we partake of Your sacrifice in faith and not to our condemnation. Amen.