Passover/Lord's Supper 2009

by Jim Josephsen

Opening remarks and Foot Washing Comments

Good Evening, brethren! Tonight, we are gathered together in observance of and remembrance of a most solemn and humbling occasion. On this night, as we do, once every year, we do show the Lord’s death until He comes.

Exactly 1978 years ago on this very night, this beginning of the 14^th day of the first month of God’s sacred calendar, throughout the cities of Judea and in the city of Jerusalem, the children of Judah were anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Passover - the Days of Unleavened Bread. The Temple was in final preparation for the highly esteemed sacrifice of the Passover Lamb, which would take place some 20 hours later that day – at the 9^th hour of the day. The children of Judah were awaiting the Passover meal, the night to be remembered meal which would follow shortly after the sacrifice.

As we brethren, are now gathered at the beginning of the 14^th, we are reminded that on this very night, the disciples of Jesus Christ were gathered together with Christ in an upper room. Jesus and His disciples were soon to experience something new, something which never before had ever occurred in all of history. As Christ was want to do, He once again took the disciples down a road, a never traveled strait path, into a new awareness of what one must do to truly show ones discipleship and obedience toward God. Jesus Christ revealed a new dimension toward the Kingdom of God and salvation, and introduced a new covenant.

Among so many of the wise and thought provoking words and lessons Christ spoke during His 3-1/2 ministry were two that were striking and revealing. As recorded for us to read today, Jesus Christ told His disciples, “It is the spirit that makes alive; the flesh profits nothing. The words I speak unto you are spirit and they are life.”  Likewise Jesus told His disciples, “If you continue in my words then you are my disciples indeed.”

It is with these two expressions, words from our Master himself that I would like for us to consider and keep within our minds, as we participate in this ceremony, this memorial service tonight.

Each one of us here tonight, as baptized members of the Church of God, the very body of the Living Jesus Christ, have all gone under the waters of baptism. Each one of us has at one time in our lives’ history made that very important decision. Each one of us made a very personal and private decision to repent and enter into a life-long agreement, a covenant, the New Covenant with God.

Each one of us realized and understood, as the Father allowed us to learn –it is the goodness of God that led us to repentance. God is the one who calls, just as Christ said no man can come to me unless the Father draws him. What is most thought-provoking is the fact that at the time when our Father called us, we were worthy of death. We were at one time, without God in the world; we were alienated from him, cut off, with no hope. We were gone astray, lacking understanding, ignorant of God and guilty before God.

We came to understand that our lifestyle, our behavior, our way of thinking, the totality of our life was accounted as filthy rags before God. Our sinful lifestyle, our petty behavior, our self-centeredness, our disobedience to God’s righteous and His perfect law required a penalty to be paid. That penalty was and is death. The wages of sin is death and it will always be that way. The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. Blood is required to nullify the wages of sin, and without the shedding of blood there is no remission.

And so we realized that unless we repented and accepted Jesus Christ as our personal savior and our personal sacrifice, acceptable to the Father, we would not nor could not be given the gift of Eternal Life. We would ultimately die for eternity having for ourselves paid for our own sins.

Each one of us decided to repent, to accept Christ’s sacrifice and death in place of own death. We went under the waters of baptism for we knew just as Paul taught, “Know ye not brethren that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life.” And so we as Christ’s servants and disciples walk in newness of life.

Our life has taken on new meaning. The old man is dead. We realize our roots in the old ways are behind us now and we are not afraid to live a life, following the examples of Jesus Christ. We are able to say, “I once did that but I don’t anymore. I’m not that way anymore.”

You are blessed to know a new way of life that is guided and directed by the Father and Christ, as they live in you. Jesus Christ said the disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

All that Jesus Christ taught, all that He spoke was spiritually oriented and revealed preparation for the Kingdom of God. His words direct one’s thoughts to God and to an understanding of what God is doing for His creation; for you. Christ’s teachings are always intended to inspire within an individual the quality of right living and Godly character.

Jesus Christ, our redeemer and savior is He who we are to honor and serve. Doing so glorifies the Father. We owe Him our lives. We have been purchased by the precious blood of our savior and we are now His. We are His servants. Yet, Christ said I am among you as one who serves. Peter wrote that “for even hereunto are you called: because Christ also suffered leaving us an example that you should follow in his steps.” And with that in mind, let us turn to John 13:1-17.

On this very night, the last night of Christ’s human existence, Christ revealed the necessity of a servant’s attitude. Jesus Christ was God in the flesh, respected and admired for who He was and what He said. Yet as a man, a bold and powerful leader, assertive and direct when he needed to be, compassionate and gentle when the situation called for it, Christ dropped down to his knees, humbling himself and without pretense or embarrassment, he washed the disciples feet.

On this unique night, never before in all history, Christ opened an understanding that His disciples must be servants, humble and compassionate, affectionate to one another. As Paul taught the church in Colossi, we can read Colossians 3:12 -13.

“Put on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering. Forbearing one another and forgiving one another. If any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, forgive one another.”

If you were one of the disciples there with Jesus Christ on this night some 1978 years ago, Christ would have washed your feet. His love, His compassion, His tenderness, mercy, sincerity and humility would have been laid open before you as he touched your feet.

Jesus Christ set the example for you to follow. You are his servants and as he commanded, you are to wash one another’s feet. When we wash one another’s feet, we are witnessing a reality. We are showing one another and most importantly, we are showing Our Father in Heaven and our Elder Brother Jesus Christ, our desire to serve, to be humble and to be like our Lord and Master. We are living our faith. We are living our calling.

When you wash your brother or sister’s feet, you should have no less the tenderness, mercy, and forgiveness; no less the sincerity that Jesus Christ possesses, which He showed when He washed his disciples’ feet.  With that in mind, let us now do that which Christ commands us to do.

The Bread

I Corinthians 11:23-24. Matthew 26:26

As this night in which Jesus Christ was betrayed progressed, the disciples were witness to even more unique, first time ever words and activity which Jesus Christ revealed.

First washing their feet, now talking about bread – which was symbolic, as though a substitute for his body – and broken for you.

Just what did this all mean?  While listening to His words, could the disciples have called to mind, having remembered the teaching which Christ presented some 2 years earlier?

John 6:32-35, 48-53. Luke 22:19. This is my body which is given for you. Jesus Christ personalized the meaning.

Christ’s body, his flesh is symbolized by the bread which he required each of his disciples to take a part of and eat.

Christ’s body was sinless, pure, unleavened and righteous. It is His Body; symbolized by a piece of unleavened bread that we are to ingest and digest, making it a part of us, part of our body, allowing Christ to become a part of us. We become at one with Him; bound together. He lives in us. The lesson continues. His body is broken for us, is given for us. And to eat of it allows us to receive His promise of eternal life.

Isaiah 53:1-5 and I Peter 2:24. The penalty and punishment that was due to us, Christ took upon himself and in our place, Christ died for us. His body was broken, His flesh given in sacrifice – for us. For you and for me, personally and individually.

Although not a bone of him was broken, for His body was a perfect sacrifice; yet at His death, His flesh was broken, His skin was ripped, wounded, pierced, given for you.  Let us now eat of that bread, the Bread of Life, broken and given for you personally, and in so doing taking into us the unleavened bread of Christ’s righteousness.

The Cup

I Corinthians 11:25.  Matthew 26:27-28

Once again as the disciples heard these words, they wondered just what did this mean. This cup of the fruit of the vine symbolizing His blood and a new testament.  Did their thought s go back again some two years earlier?

John 6:53-56.  What could it mean to drink the blood of the Son of Man? Many, who heard this saying, were offended. They could only think on a physical level. They so much as told Christ, this is way too hard for us to understand. Who do you think you are? You want us to do what? And from that time, many of the disciples went back and walked no more with Christ.

But for us brethren in this room, we cannot walk away? Unless you drink of the cup, drink of the blood of Jesus Christ, you have no life in you.

And on this night, this first time ever, unique night, the disciples were only beginning to understand the truth and the meaning and the necessity of the blood of the New Covenant. Tonight we are reaffirming our commitment to a covenant, the new covenant, with God, through His son Jesus Christ. The New Covenant is a covenant to life, eternal life, with better promises.

Notice Exodus 24:7-8. The old covenant was ratified in blood which was sprinkled on the people. It was outward, external. The Blood of the New Covenant, Christ’s blood, is symbolized by the cup, is internalized, and becomes a part of you, once you drink of it, once you take it in.

Colossians 1:12-14, I Peter 1:15-19, Roman 5:6-11, Hebrews 10:9-22

You have been washed in the waters of baptism. You are clean and the blood of your savior, Jesus Christ has cleansed you from your sins. His one perfect sacrifice covers all your sins. As you continue is this new way of life, never forget to seek God’s guidance and direction; God’s mercy and compassion. As we walk forward through another year, still in the faith, let us remember that as part of the New Covenant responsibilities, we are to pursue a sinless life, to become perfect as our Father in Heaven is perfect, to imitate Christ and to seek His forgiveness always.

back to top       Sermons        Chicago Home

Intercontinental Church of God - Chicago Church
Affiliated with the Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association