EXPLORE THE TEXT
We find forgiveness by accepting Jesus’s death as the payment for our sins.
26 As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; this is my body.” 27 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 But 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.” 30 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Summarize this content from pages 118-119 of the PSG to highlight how Jesus redefined the Passover in light of His sacrifice:
“At this point in history, the Passover had been celebrated for over 1,500 years. Now Jesus was going to change everything. .
The Passover meal included prayers, blessings, and sharing a variety of dishes with different meanings. One of those dishes was the matzah bread, a flat, unleavened piece of bread that represented the bread eaten in haste in Egypt as the Israelites prepared to flee. Jesus broke and gave this bread to each disciple with the instructions to take and eat. With this action, Jesus changed the meaning of this bread. The breaking of the bread pointed to His death. No longer was this a reminder of the exodus event; now it would serve as a reminder of Christ’s atoning death. Four cups of wine were used in the Passover ceremony. The sharing of each cup was accompanied by prayers and blessing. .
Jesus called this cup ‘my blood of the covenant.’ A covenant is a binding agreement or an oath-bound promise between two parties. God’s covenants in the Old Testament were ratified through blood sacrifices. In the death of Jesus, a new covenant was instituted through His blood, giving a new pathway to a right relationship with God.”
Review these points from Apply the Text on page 121 of the Personal Study Guide:
As a group, consider why it is important for all believers to regularly remember Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross. Remind adults that regularly celebrating Jesus’s death through the Lord’s Supper should challenge them to reflect on their sin and His atonement.
Direct adults to the first set of questions on page 121 of the PSG. Guide the group to consider how they personally prepare for the Lord’s Supper and how they might encourage one another the next time the ordinance is observed. Point out the second set of questions on page 121 of the PSG during the week. Urge adults to reflect on these questions and to ask for God’s help in eliminating false steps that could lead them to deny or betray Jesus.
Encourage adults to continue using Pack Item 9 (Handout: Praying Scripture in Matthew’s Gospel) to pray Scripture back to God during the week ahead. Close the session in prayer, thanking Christ Jesus for offering His body and blood so we can find forgiveness and avoid the wrath we deserve.
Text or email your group this week with a phrase, verse, or thought from this week’s lesson. Challenge them to complete the Bible Skill activity on page 120 of the PSG. Enlist a few volunteers to be ready to share what they learned when you gather for Bible study next week. Remind adults that the coming session will be the last in the study of Matthew’s Gospel.
The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming. (See 1 Corinthians 10:16; 11:23-29.)
Compare multiples passages to get a better understanding of a biblical truth.
Compare Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:17-20; and 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. Consider what each passage teaches about the Lord’s Supper. What makes the passages unique? What elements did each writer seem to emphasize in their description? How did the writers encourage us to reflect on the past and look to the future? Which Gospel writer did Paul follow more closely?