While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’ Matthew 26:26-29 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/mat.26.26-29.NIVUK
In November 1998 I finally arrived in Romania after three months of missionary training. I was seated in a little conservative Brethren church in Pitesti, Romania. The adults sat at the back of the church. The young people sat on opposite sides of the pulpit at the front, girls on one side, boys on the other (I often wondered if this was a ploy to match-make them with each other). Then they handed round the bread and wine. The bread was fine. Romania has lots of nice fresh-baked breads (this had nothing at all with my later decision to rent an apartment above a bakery). The wine arrived in a single large glass. I was well used to Communion so I took quite a big sip. Which I immediately regretted. It hit the back of my throat and set it on fire. They were not using grape cordial. They were using real wine from the nearby village of Stefanesti. I really wasn't expecting it at all. I can't remember what I preached on that Sunday at all. I'm sure it has more to do with the passing of time than it has to my first experience of real wine in Communion. This is where we must understand the culture and situation of the Last Supper. This should never be seen as Jesus sponsoring binge drinking or drunkenness. The Bible expressly forbids these (Ephesians 5:18; Proverbs 20:1, 21:17, 23:19-21, 23:29-35, 31:4-6). In the Bible, wine is not just seen as an example of being richly supplied with all we need. It is also seen as something which induces drunken stupor. In fact, due to the process where the grapes are trampled and crushed to make the juices flow, it is seen as a symbol of God's wrath towards sinners and sin (Isaiah 63:1-6; Jeremiah 25:15; Joel 3:13; Revelation 14:10, 14:19-20, 16:19). If the bread speaks of the violence with which Jesus is crucified, the wine not only reminds us of this, but also the reason why. God is, quite rightly, furious at our sinful rebellion. However, His fury is directed at His Son, not us. Jesus bears our sin, and God's wrath towards our sin, on our behalf (Isaiah 53:5-6). The wine is a powerful reminder that none of us deserve our salvation, that the blood of God's only begotten Son had to be spilled for us to be saved. The story is told of communion being served in a small church when one elderly member refused to take it. The minister watched as everyone else was served, then picked up the bread and wine and took them back to the old lady. "Is everything okay?" he asked her. "I just feel so unworthy." she replied. "Take, eat and drink." the minister reassured her. "This meal's for sinners such as you and I." And that's just it: being at communion and taking the elements is not an expression of perfection. No, it's a confession of guilt. It's admission that we need the blood of Christ because we are sinners. There can be no place for self-righteousness around the Table. There would be no need for the bread and wine if we were perfect. They are an enduring reminder of our failure, wandering and sin. But there is more. Much more. In Matthew and Mark we see Jesus being given a different wine to drink before He wad crucified (Matthew 27:34; Mark 15:23). This wine was bitter, being mixed with a myrrh as a mild narcotic to take away the pain. But Jesus refused to drink it. He refused bitterness! Instead we see this: Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ Luke 23:34 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/luk.23.34.NIVUK Even more: He faced the incalculable pain necessary to save our souls with a clear head, unimpeded by any form of intoxicating substance. He stared it cold. All our guilt. All our shame. All our lack of trust. All our rebellion. He felt every last bit of it. But there is even more! He was given cheap wine vinegar to drink on the cross (Matthew 27:48; Mark 15:36; Luke 22:36; John 19:29-30). And Jesus drank it! This was the cheap and nasty beverage, drunk only by soldiers and common slaves. The low alcohol content would have been enough to kill the bugs and viruses in the water, but not enough give it any pleasant taste. And Jesus drank it! This, to me is highly symbolic. Our life compared to heaven is like a cheap and nasty, heavily diluted wine vinegar compared to the finest wine money can buy. Jesus came to our world and He tasted our life, with all its problems and issues and trouble and strife. He knows everything about us and what it takes to be us. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to feel sympathy for our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/heb.4.14-16.NIVUK He took that human nature, with all its troubles and stresses and strains, and He bore it all the way to the cross... for us. If we ever lose the wonder of that then Easter will become meaningless to us. So the bread speaks of the awfulness of sin which demanded a violent solution. The wine speaks of Jesus bearing the wrath of God on our behalf. The other two wines speak of Jesus' willingness to bear the pain and suffering of our life and the death that we deserve, so that we might have the life that He deserves. It strikes me as important that Jesus used two basic staple foods of ancient Jewish life as symbols of His death. Jesus wanted the facts of His suffering and the reasons behind it to be an essential for our lives, just as essential as bread and wine were for the ancient Jews. Today is Good Friday. However, we have the opportunity to make it good for us. We have the chance to see the awful price Jesus paid for us, to realise that our sin made this necessary, to confess it, to turn away from it and repent, to live our lives for Him in the light of all He has done for us. That is far too good an opportunity to miss. I urge you to take it today. I urge you to examine yourself before the bread and wine, to partake as a sinner, and to rise with a life cleansed in every way because of what Jesus has done for you. This is one of those times when 'thank you' is not enough. Only a changed life will do. And by God's grace, I pray that all of us will experience this today.
Comments