The 1st Last Supper

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.” 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.” Luke 22:19-20

Amazement, awe, and wonder fill my heart when I read the above words. As Jesus broke the bread and drank from the cup, and as He passed these elements to His disciples, something new began in that moment. A new covenant. A new relationship. A new hope. There was such significance in this moment, and I’m not quite sure the disciples fully grasped it.

My over-active imagination desperately wants to see every detail of this night as it played out, but I’m left with the few verses that we do have, and I can’t help but wonder – why didn’t the disciples get it? After having spent three years walking, eating, sleeping, and ministering with Jesus, you’d think that one’s ability to know and understand the heart of Jesus would have been sufficient. But just moments after they had participated in the world’s 1st communion, you’ll find the disciples arguing with one another as to who is the greatest among them. Epic fail.

But then, wait. How often do you and I experience Jesus in our lives, and walk away unchanged and still not getting it? How many times do we also have those intimate, life-changing encounters with him, and immediately find ourselves quarreling just the same with our families and friends just moments after interacting with the divine?

Don’t miss this, friends. Jesus is calling us into something grand, something thrilling, something world-changing when He asks us to “do this in remembrance of Him.” When you eat, remember Him in that. When you gather together, remember Him in that. When you work, when you play, remember Him in that. The 1st Last Supper has always seemed to me a new beginning as one chapter comes to an end. As Holy Week continues, now just days away from Resurrection Sunday, what will you do today to remember Him in the moments? How will commune with Jesus today? In what ways will you determine to be changed by experiencing His presence? And to whom will you pass the bread and the wine, inviting them into the life-changing journey that you are on?