The Lord's Supper
Living Hope Presbyterian Church
Matthew 26, explores Jesus’ final week, focusing on the Last Supper during Passover, where He instituted the Lord’s Supper, symbolizing His body and blood for the forgiveness of sins. It highlights His ministry, the new covenant, Judas’ betrayal, and the promise of His second coming. Jesus faced opposition, predicted His death, and offered redemption, urging confession over denial. The sermon emphasizes Christian identity and hope in Christ’s return, surpassing the Passover’s significance with a universal call to faith.
Expand here for the scripture passage
Matthew 26:17-28 17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’” 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover. 20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. 21 And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” 23 He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” 25 Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.” 26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
ESV: The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ©2011 Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
Living Hope PCA Sermons: Matthew 26: 17-28 - The Lord’s Supper
An Essay about this Sermon
The Master of the Feast
Jesus knew exactly what He was doing. That’s the part I keep coming back to. He knew. While everyone else at the table was planning a meal, He was planning a death.
If you read Matthew’s account of the Last Supper, what you see is a kind of collision: between joy and betrayal, celebration and sorrow, past and future. It starts with a feast and ends with a warning. And somehow, both are part of the plan.
The disciples didn’t see it. That’s understandable. If you’d walked with Jesus for three years, seen Him raise the dead, calm storms, and argue circles around the smartest people in the room, the idea of Him being betrayed wouldn’t fit. They still thought this was the moment when He’d finally kick out the Romans and set everything right. But instead, Jesus says, “One of you will betray Me.”
That’s not how feasts are supposed to start.
You’d think that line would break the mood. And it does, but it also reveals something: that Jesus isn’t surprised by the betrayal. He knows who it is, just like He knows where the meal will happen, and what’s going to happen after. Judas isn’t tricking Him. Jesus isn’t walking into a trap. He’s walking into a plan.
There’s a strange thing about plans. When you look back at a good one, it seems obvious. But it didn’t feel that way when it was happening. And the plan Jesus was following is like that. In the moment, it looked like chaos. But later, the disciples would remember all the pieces: the bread, the cup, the words—and realize it was all there.
When Jesus breaks the bread and passes the cup, He’s not just adding a new ritual to replace the Passover. He’s rewriting it. The old meal was about remembering the day Israel escaped from Egypt. The new one is about remembering the day death itself started to die.
And the way He does it is almost shockingly ordinary. Bread and wine. No special effects. Just a meal. But it’s what He says that changes everything: “This is My body… this is My blood.” It’s hard to imagine what the disciples were thinking. No one had ever said that at a Passover meal before.
But Jesus wasn’t trying to fit their expectations. He was showing them something new: that the rescue from Egypt wasn’t the end of the story. It was just a shadow. The real deliverance would come through Him, and it would be personal. Not just for a nation. For many. Not just from Pharaoh. From sin.
What He’s doing here is subtle but enormous. He’s giving meaning to His death before it happens. That’s rare. Most people are remembered for what they did in life. Jesus is remembered for what He did in death.
It’s also revealing that He doesn’t just give them an explanation. He gives them something to do: “Take, eat.” “Drink.” He wants them to remember not with thoughts, but with their bodies. Eating and drinking. Participating.
That’s a theme with Jesus. He doesn’t just tell people things. He feeds them. He heals them. He washes their feet. He breaks bread. When He wants you to remember something, He gives you something to do with your hands.
And that makes sense. The gospel is not just a message to believe. It’s a meal to receive. A life to live. A death to die. A resurrection to hope for.
But Judas didn’t want that. He wanted something else—money, maybe. Or power. Or just out. We don’t really know. But we know he wouldn’t say, “It is I.” He only asked, “Is it I?” And that’s the difference.
That moment is the split in the road. When you’re caught—when the guilt surfaces—what do you say? “Is it I?” Or “It is I”? That’s the whole difference between Peter and Judas. Both failed. One repented.
The supper ends with a promise. “I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” It’s almost easy to miss. But it’s huge. It means the story isn’t over. There’s another meal coming. A bigger one. A better one.
The early Christians called it the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. The idea was that history wasn’t just winding down. It was winding up—to something. To a feast where death is dead and joy is full. And Jesus, again, is the master of the feast.
That’s what the Lord’s Supper is for. It’s not just about remembering the past. It’s about tasting the future. Every time we eat this bread and drink this cup, we’re not just looking back at the cross. We’re looking forward to the table.
So maybe it’s not surprising that Jesus started it in the middle of betrayal. Because that’s when we need the promise most. When things are breaking. When people fail us. When we fail ourselves.
The world is full of broken tables—meals that end in argument, isolation, silence. But this table—His table—is different. It ends in joy. Because the master of the feast is also the lamb. And the lamb has already been slain. And the work is already done.
All that’s left is to come hungry.
The Last Supper - Sermon Expert
Sermon Summary
The sermon delves into the final week of Jesus’ life as depicted in Matthew 26, focusing on the events leading up to His arrest and crucifixion. It explores the significance of the Last Supper, where Jesus shares a meal with His disciples, foretells His betrayal, and institutes the Lord’s Supper. The sermon emphasizes themes of betrayal, forgiveness, sacrifice, and the establishment of a new covenant through Christ’s body and blood.
Key Points
- Jesus’ ministry transitions from teaching and miracles to the final week of His life in Jerusalem.
- The Passover feast sets the stage for Jesus’ last meal with His disciples.
- Jesus predicts His betrayal, highlighting the seriousness of the impending events.
- The institution of the Lord’s Supper symbolizes forgiveness, sacrifice, and the new covenant in Christ.
Bible Verses Mentioned
- Matthew 26:17-29
Humor and Anecdotes
- No specific humor or anecdotes were shared in the sermon.
Key Quotes
- “Take, eat. This is My body.”
- “Drink of it, all of you, for this is My blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
- “One day Jesus will drink this wine again with them in His Father’s kingdom.”
Themes
- Betrayal and Forgiveness: The theme of betrayal by Judas and the subsequent forgiveness through Christ’s sacrifice.
- Sacrifice and New Covenant: Jesus’ offering of His body and blood symbolizes the sacrificial nature of His death and the establishment of a new covenant.
- Anticipation of Christ’s Return: The anticipation of sharing in the Lord’s Supper with Jesus in His Father’s kingdom underscores the hope and expectation of Christ’s return.
Discussion Questions
- How does the concept of betrayal, as seen in Judas’ actions, resonate with our own struggles with sin and temptation?
- In what ways does the symbolism of Christ’s body and blood in the Lord’s Supper deepen our understanding of forgiveness and redemption?
- How does the anticipation of sharing in the Lord’s Supper with Jesus in His Father’s kingdom impact your perspective on Christ’s return and eternal life?
Metaphors and Stories
- The Last Supper: Symbolizes the sacrificial nature of Christ’s death and the establishment of a new covenant with His followers.
- Betrayal by Judas: Reflects the theme of human sinfulness and the need for forgiveness through Christ’s sacrifice.