A Feast To Remember His Deliverance From Death

A Feast to Remember His Deliverance from Death

When God gave Moses the instructions for the Passover meal, he made it clear that this was a feast they would celebrate annually to remember how God delivered them from their slavery in Egypt:

This is a day to remember. Each year, from generation to generation, you must celebrate it as a special festival to the LORD. . . . When you enter the land the LORD has promised to give you, you will continue to observe this ceremony. Then your children will ask, “What does this ceremony mean?” And you will reply, “It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt. And though he struck the Egyptians, he spared our families.” (Exodus 12:14, 25-27)

Just as God gave his people a feast to remember his deliverance from death in the Passover, so Jesus instituted a feast to help us remember his deliverance from death through the Cross. He gave us this gospel feast when he celebrated Passover with his disciples for the last time and turned this Old Covenant celebration that looked back to the Exodus into a New Covenant celebration that would look back to the Cross:

When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. . . .”

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 22:14-15, 19-20, NIV)

In the Last Supper, Jesus endowed the Feast of the Passover with new meaning. Instead of celebrating God’s past redemption, these elements now symbolized the redemption of Jesus Christ. He is the Lamb without defect. He is the broken Bread. He is the Cup of redemption. He is the One who has delivered us from the slavery of sin.

As I eat the bread and drink the cup of your supper, I do remember, Lord. I remember the beauty and perfection of your sacrifice. I remember the sufficiency of your blood. I remember that I am no longer a slave to sin. You have delivered me from its death.