The New Covenant in My Blood

by LA UBF   07/16/2016     0 reads

Question

The New Covenant in My Blood

Luke 22:14-23

Key verse 20

“In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you””

1. Read verses 14-16. Why did Jesus eagerly want to share Passover with his disciples before his suffering? (14-15) When and where would He eat with them again? (16)

2. Read verses 17-18. What did Jesus do with the cup? (17) What did it mean to take the drink and divide it among themselves after Jesus drank? What did Jesus promise them? (18)

3. Read verses 19-20. What did Jesus do with the bread? (19a) What was the meaning behind this broken bread? (19b) How did Jesus relate the cup with his blood? (20) What can we learn about Jesus who poured out his blood for us?

4. Read verses 21-23. On what basis did Jesus give a solemn warning in regard to Judas Iscariot? (21-22) How did the disciples respond? (23)

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Message

My blood which is poured out for you

Luke 22:14-23

Key Verse 22:20

“In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

Today’s message is Jesus Passover dinner with his disciples. It teaches us two things the most. First, the last Passover meal lays the foundation of the coming kingdom of God. Second, Jesus’ shedding of his blood is very personal for his disciples. So today we would like to know how his last Passover lays the foundation of the coming kingdom of God, and how his pouring out his blood is personal one for us.

My message has two parts.

Part I. Until the kingdom of God comes (v.14-18)

Part II. Do this in remembrance of me (v.19-23)

Part I. Until the kingdom of God comes (v.14-18)

Look at verses 14-18.

14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

These verses clearly says ‘Jesus’ last Passover meal’ has a close relationship with the kingdom of God. First, Jesus mentioned ‘I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” Secondly he said, “I will not drink again until the kingdom of God comes.” So Jesus was revealing that there will be special meal in the kingdom of God with his apostles. It will be a special meal and that special meal will come as the fulfillment on what Jesus did in today’s message.

The meaning of the coming of the kingdom of God or the fulfillment of the Passover meal in the kingdom of God all refers to the final stage of God’s will to be accomplished. When the kingdom of God comes with Jesus’ second coming all things will be restored and the God’s rule will be established completely.

So Jesus’ eating the Passover meal with his apostles becomes the foundation of the coming kingdom of God. So his eating the Passover meal does not mean only his death but it may also includes his resurrection, ascension and second coming. When the 1 Corinthians declare that the last enemy to be destroyed is death and all things will be restored to God’s control.

1Co 15:24-28

24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.

The expression ‘God may be all in all’ probably refers the coming of the kingdom of God.

To eat the Passover meal together with his disciples means to be ready to suffer and crucified for Jesus. But Jesus was talking about the fulfillment of the meal in the kingdom of God. He is talking about eating together with his disciples in the kingdom of God. He is talking about the coming kingdom of God. It means he was not just seeing his pain and suffering but rather the glorious coming of the kingdom of God through his suffering and death.

Jesus also shared his vision and glorious coming kingdom of God when he was tried.

Mt 26:63-65

63 But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” 64 “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.

When Jesus was unjustly tried and accused for his death, he was talking about the his coming at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.

So when Jesus had Passover dinner with his disciples, he was talking about the kingdom of God. He was talking about the fulfillment of the meaning of his Passover meal with his disciples and eat again in the kingdom of God with his disciples. When he was pressured to face his death penalty he was talking about his glorious second coming at the right hand of he Mighty One.

So when we face troubles and difficulties in our life, especially about taking up our own cross, to have vision from the pain and suffering is what we can learn from Jesus.

We may face many challenges in the course of having one to one bible studies and raising up disciples. But we need to think about what our effort will bring eventually. It is none other than bringing the kingdom of God in other’s lives.

Then we can take heart. Then we can escape our despair and work for the Lord all the more as apostle Paul said, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors who loved us.” We are more than conquerors through Jesus’ vision and his promise in our lives.

To have vision and hope is so important. The founder of logo therapy, Frank Victor (?) was able to survive concentration camp because he was thinking about how he could use his enemies’ abuse upon his as the subject of his class when he returned to colleges again. Even in the concentration camp, people die within a few days when they gave up their hope. Then nothing worked for them. They just sit there or lie there and die according to witnesses who survived concentration camp.

Part II. Do this in remembrance of me (v.19-23)

Look at verses 19-23.

19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!” 23 They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.

In verse 19 Jesus asked his apostles to remember his body given for them and do that in remembrance of me. This is replacement of Passover festival in the old testament. In the new testament Jesus set up a new Passover festival, that is, to eat his body in remembrance of him. To eat his body means to be united with him. It means Jesus’ body substitutes our bodies.

20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 

Jesus is talking about new covenant in his blood. The old covenant in the old testament was based on animals’ blood. When Moses sprinkled animals blood the covenant was formed. So the old covenant is based on the blood of animals and it was temporary. The old covenant was also based on the law. If anyone keeps all the laws continually he will live.

But the new covenant is based on Jesus’ blood which was shed once for all, and its effect is permanent. It is also covenant of grace and love. The new covenant does not depend on what we do but depend on what Jesus did. So the new covenant is based on the covenant of grace and mercy and love.

Most importantly Jesus was teaching the new covenant in his blood personally to them. He said, “in my blood which is poured out for you.”

Here Jesus was replacing old Passover with the new Passover when he said, “Do this im remembrance of me.” God asked Israel people to remember his deliverance and observe old Passover every year. Now Jesus wants his people to remember him and share his body and blood.

To believe and know Jesus’ shed his blood for us personally for each one of us is important. It is important because it will free us from all condemnation because Jesus’ blood brings God’s forgiveness for all our sins.

We cannot live under condemnation. So Jesus was condemned in our place and shed his blood for us. So there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

The shedding of Jesus’ blood for each one of is important.

Personally I can be free from any and all condemnation based on Jesus’ blood for my sins. Otherwise I will be very unstable and I will depend on others whether they forgive me or not or whether they are kind to me or not. When Jesus shed his blood for our sins it means all of our sins. Nothing can hinder us to receive God’s forgiveness of our sins.

In my life I also had troubles when I could not forgive others. But what helped me is God’s promise of forgive my sins if I forgive others. God and I know the amount of my sins which was million times greater than the sin of my brother. So I was very happy to know that God forgives my sins if I forgive other’s sins. So I forgave others.

But I had a trouble in forgiving one person who demanded of forgiveness from me. He sinned against me. But he demanded my forgiveness, saying, “Are you a believer? If you claim, look the bible says you must forgive me. Why can’t you forgive me?” I was more offended because his demand was another abuse and his demand shows he did not know how much he hurt me. It took several years for me to forgive him and finally I was freed from hatred and anger against him. Mother Barry helped me in this process saying, “Not to forgive someone is like you take poison and wait for others to die.”

Someone cried out to me, “God forces me to forgive others who sinned against me although I cannot do it because he said, “If you do not forgive your brother who sinned against you your heavenly Father will not forgive you.” God indeed said it but that does not mean God does not understand our limitation. There is time issue. God did not demand to forgive that person who sinned against them right away.

When Jesus taught his disciples to forgive their brothers who sinned seven times a day they all cried out, “Increase our faith”. Jesus accepted their limitation of faith and did not demand them, saying, “You fool, don’t you know you have to do it now?”

God knows our limitation of faith and our limitation in many things. We are all weak here and there, and no one is perfect. It means who hurt each other intentionally and unintentionally. It means we condemn each other. We accuse others.

But when we accept Jesus shedding of his blood for us, we can be free from all condemnation. If God does not condemn us who can condemn us? If God is for us who can be against us? Jesus Christ who offered his body and blood for us was condemned in our place. So there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

So it is even for our best interest for us to forgive everyone who sins against us. But if we need more time because our limitation God accepts it as well.

If we do not believe Jesus’ body and blood for us personally, we will suffer from condemnation from each other and we will demand blood from each other because the bible says there is no forgiveness without shedding blood.

But we should never lose heart or in despair even if someone condemn us because Jesus was condemned in our place and there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Most of all, we need to remember we will not be like this forever. There will be times in the kingdom of God where we will eat and drink again with Jesus. At that time we will not have any limitation in our faith and no limitation because of our sinful nature or the devil or the power of death. We will all be completely restored in the image of Jesus Christ, and God’s glorious creation order will be completely restored.

We will all forgive each other completely and we will be happy together, eating and drinking in the kingdom of God.

So let us not despair even if we are condemned by others or even if we cannot forgive others completely because of our limitation. But rather let us look at what Jesus did for us and be free from all condemnation, believing that we will again eat and drink in the kingdom of God together with Jesus and all of our brothers and sisters.

In conclusion, in the last Passover meal with his disciples Jesus showed his vision instead of his pain and suffering, and he wanted to make sure that each of his apostles understand and accept his shedding of his blood as for each one of them personally.

One word: new covenant in my blood which is poured out for you.

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Biblenote

The New Covenant in My Blood

Luke 22:14-23

Key verse 20

“In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you””

Introduction

In this passage Jesus had His last supper with His disciples for celebrating the Passover feast. Jesus must have known that the words, "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities:...for He shall bear their iniquities" prophesied of Himself. This prophecy laid out God’s clear plan for Jesus’ earthly life as the Son of Man as well as for all those who have faith in Jesus. He was to be the One by which the new covenant would be made firm; that covenant would be dedicated, inaugurated, ratified, put into effect as a result of His sacrifice. The blessing of sonship and fellowship with God was about to be realized for many others. Jesus would have all believers acknowledge and remember His sacrifice, its purpose, and the new arrangement through which their new life and spiritual relationship with God become a reality. So this passage began with the phrase, “When the hour came.” What a time! He then gave them the bread and cup of wine and made a new covenant through His blood. May the Lord help us to see the meaning of Jesus’ sacrifice and live a life of great joy and peace.

1.Read verses 14-16. Why did Jesus eagerly want to share Passover with his disciples before his suffering? (14-15) When and where would He eat with them again? (16)

1-1. Read verses 14-16.

When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

1-2. Why did Jesus eagerly want to share Passover with his disciples before his suffering? (14-15)

“I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.”

  • It was the greatest moment of establishing a new Passover and a new covenant.

When the hour came

  • It wasn't so much that He was saying "goodbye" to His disciples, rather He arrived at the central reason why He came as the Son of Man.

  • This is not the beginning of the end; it is the beginning of the beginning.

  • Jesus really wanted to eat with them to establish the new covenant with his disciples who believed in him.

  • He knew the Passover was to be the prologue to his sufferings,

  • Jesus had eagerly desired to establish the new Passover to save people from the slavery to sin and the moment was approaching.

  • Jesus had waited for the moment even though he would die on the cross.

  • He wanted to teach the meaning of new Passover that he was about to establish.

  • It was last gathering with his disciples. Jesus wanted to give them the last words with important teaching that he wanted his disciple to keep all the time.

1-3 When and where would He eat with them again? (16)

I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.

  • Jesus will eat Passover in heaven after fulfilling his redemptive work through his death and resurrection.

  • Jesus has not yet celebrated a Passover in heaven. He is waiting for all His people to be gathered to Him, then there will be a great supper, known as the marriage supper of the Lamb. This is the fulfillment in the kingdom of God Jesus longs for.

  • Believers will enjoy a heavenly banquet together with Jesus, being set free from sin and death.

Revelation 19:6-9 reads,

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) 9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

2. Read verses 17-18. What did Jesus do with the cup? (17) What did it mean to take the drink and divide it among themselves after Jesus drank? What did Jesus promise them? (18)

2-1. Read verses 17-18.

After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

2-2. What did Jesus do with the cup? (17)

  • After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you.

  • According to the custom, as the master of the feast Jesus took the cup and gave thanks for the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt, and the preservation of their first-born

  • Jesus gave thanks to God with the cup for the work that God would do through his death and resurrection.

  • He gave thanks to God for establishing a new covenant through his blood and sacrifice.

  • His heart was filled with thanks seeing God’s salvation work through his death.

2-3. What did it mean to take the drink and divide it among themselves after Jesus drank?

  • It meant to be united with Jesus, to participate in His suffering, and to share victory together with him.

  • Jesus wanted them to be united with him together and to build up and have unity among themselves.

  • Jesus wanted them to be one body by sharing His suffering and victory together.

  • Jesus wanted to build up His church among His disciples - those who believed in His death and resurrection.

2-4. What did Jesus promise them? (18)

“For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

  • Jesus expressed his firm decision and will to fulfil his mission which was to bring the kingdom of God to the world through his death and resurrection.

  • Jesus will celebrate his fulfillment of God’s salvation work, eating together with his disciples in heaven.

  • The disciples will eat at the Lord's supper with a much more glorious redemption than that of the deliverance of God’s people out of Egypt .

  • The kingdom of God was now so near that the disciple would not need to eat or drink anymore until it came.

  • The disciples would eat the victorious eternal feast in the kingdom of God.

3. Read verses 19-20. What did Jesus do with the bread? (19a) What was the meaning behind this broken bread? (19b) How did Jesus relate the cup with his blood? (20) What can we learn about Jesus who poured out his blood for us?

3-1. Read verses 19-20.

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you

3-2. What did Jesus do with the bread? (19a)

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them

3-3. What was the meaning behind this broken bread? (19b)

This is my body given for you

  • The breaking of bread referred to the breaking of Christ's body as a sacrifice for us

  • He gave us his body. When we apply it to ourselves, we can take comfort in it and receive its benefits.

  • This bread that was given for us as food for our souls. Nothing can be more satisfying to our souls than the gospel of Christ's atonement for our sin.

  • Jesus’ broken body and flesh would be the true bread that gives eternal life.

  • He gave the bread to each of us who believe and accept him.

Do this in remembrance of me

  • Jesus commanded His disciples to partake in this communion in remembrance of him.

  • We do this in remembrance of what Jesus did for us, in making ourselves partakers of His body, joining ourselves to Him in an everlasting covenant.

  • Remembering Jesus’ sacrifice is critical to maintaining a close relationship with him.

3-4. How did Jesus relate the cup with his blood? (20)

  • In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

  • The wine in the cup refers to Jesus’ blood that he shed to make atonement for our sin.

  • The cup of wine is a sign and token of the new covenant made with us.

  • The covenant was established by the blood of Christ and the blood confirms the promises of the covenant.

  • Jesus’ blood revives and refreshes our souls, as wine that makes glad to our heart.

  • We have to believe that Jesus shed his blood for each of us. We needed it, we take hold of it, we hope to have benefit through it

3-5. What can we learn about Jesus who poured out his blood for us?

  • He shed his blood because of his love for us. The blood he poured is the proof of his absolute love for us.

  • He sacrificed himself fully by pouring out his blood. He poured out his blood with great willingness, not saving anything for himself.

  • If Jesus had not shed his blood, we would never have had the new covenant.

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you

  • It is all about an inner transformation, that cleanses us from all sin.

Jeremiah 31:31-34 says,

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord.

33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Hebrew 9:16-28 reads,

In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18 This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19 When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20 He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.” 21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 23 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

  • Because of what Jesus did on the cross, we can have a new covenant relationship with God.

  • But many of us live as if there is no inner transformation, as if there is no cleansing from sin, as if there is no word and will of God in our hearts, and as if there is no new and close relationship with God.

  • Nothing is more important than this new covenant relationship in our generation where people are detached from the source of life, Jesus.

  • May the Lord help us to share Jesus’ covenant in His blood without despair.

4. Read verses 21-23. On what basis did Jesus give a solemn warning in regard to Judas Iscariot? (21-22) How did the disciples respond? (23)

4-1. Read verses 21-23.

But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!” 23 They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.

4-2. On what basis did Jesus give a solemn warning in regard to Judas Iscariot? (21-22)

But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!

  • Jesus would die according to God’s divine plan and sovereignty

Psalm 41:9 reads,

Even my close friend,

someone I trusted,

one who shared my bread,

has turned against me.

  • Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for money. He would be judged with the heavy charge of betraying the Messiah.

  • Though God had already determined that the Christ would be betrayed, yet this doesn’t minimize the gravity of Judas's sin or punishment.

4-4. How did the disciples respond? (23)

They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.

  • It must have been shocking for the disciples to hear Jesus’ words to them.

  • They might wondered how any of them could betray their master.

  • The disciples might have suspected that it was one of themselves, by saying that it was one of them.

Conclusion

Jesus established a new covenant through his blood. He broke his body to make atonement for our sins. The Passover and the deliverance out of Egypt were signs of Christ to come. He would deliver us from Satan’s hand and from the power of sin and death. He would do this through the power of His death and resurrection. His deliverance is much greater than the deliverance of God’s people from Egypt. We are assured of this, seeing his broken body and the blood that he shed. Those who believe in the power of his blood and sacrifice will participate in the Lord’s supper in the kingdom of God. It reminds us of Galatians 6:14-15, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation.”

One word: Do this in remembrance of me!

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