Sunday 15 December 2013

Christians and the Passover Feast

At the last supper, Jesus didn't assume that believers of all time shall continue to keep the annual passover feast. Rather He showed how the Old Covenant practise of keeping the passover was at that moment transitioning into a new experience and a new way of remembering Him - and this is what He envisioned the Church doing.

Jesus took the passover cup and bread, and said that it represented His blood and body and the new covenant. And He told them to drink all of it.

As for Himself, He said that He would not drink of it, and would never participate in another Passsover again, for it (the Passover feast) was about to be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.

He desired to eat this passover with them more than previous passovers. This one was to be different. He didn't keep the previous ones the same way He kept this one with them. This was to be His last. They too were to participate in this one with a new outlook. The Passover feast was about to be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

He wouldn't drink of the fruit of the vine again, until He drank it anew with them in His kingdom. Anew! Not the same. In a new way. It's a new life! Hallelujah!

This Passover was meant to result in a new future practice.

He told them to remember the Lord's death, as often as they drink it. Meaning, He wasn't limiting it to or specifying an annual calendar for it.

Indeed the early church in Jerusalem met daily, breaking bread from house to house.

Later some Gentile churches gathered on the first day of the week to break bread.

Paul gave the churches such instructions.

He understood it to be what the Lord meant.

And he explained that eating and drinking alone does not make it the Lord's table, unless they do it with the right heart. They were to have an attitude of sharing.

So the Lord's table was not so much a ceremonial event, as it was an attitude with which they ate whenever they so happened to meet and share meals together.

Gathering together was inspired by joy and expressed with love.










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