The Lord’s Supper Is God’s Love Letter to Jesus' Followers
- Jack Selcher
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
Jesus is the pattern for being both loved and hated in this world. As the world treated Him, it will treat you if you follow His footsteps.
The self-righteous will hate you (Mark 14:1-2). Generous givers will love you (Mark 14:3-9). “Friends” will betray you (Mark 14:10-11), and your sacrificing Savior will also love you (Mark 14:12-26).
The religious leaders of Judaism were Jesus’s greatest opposition. They claimed to love God but hated God in the flesh because He threatened their positions, authority, traditions, achievements, and self-righteousness.
The greatest enemies of the cause of Christ are religious people without any relationship with Jesus. Do not expect them to love you when you share the gospel of salvation by grace through faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior.
The most negative response I received when I raised financial support for a campus ministry was from a protestant clergyman. To further the Kingdom of God, you must move beyond the desire for everyone to like you. I struggle with that.
While Jesus was in Bethany, Martha’s sister anointed Him with precious perfume worth a year’s wages. She poured all of it on Jesus’s head (glub, glub, glub).
Judas and the other disciples viewed her loving action as a colossal waste. They said they could have sold the perfume and given the money to the poor.
But Jesus commended her beautiful act of love and devotion. Expect generous givers like Mary to touch your life and bless you.
Are you a generous person who makes a positive impact on others? Like Mary, do you do what you can (Mark 14:8)? I have room for improvement.
It is not enough to be in some inner circle of church leadership. Ministering for the Lord is not enough. Judas Iscariot had preached, healed the sick, and cast out demons (Mark 6:7-13).
It is not enough to listen to famous preachers. God blessed Judas with the greatest teacher and preacher of all time.
It is sobering that Judas could perform miracles, but ultimately, be lost. Slow leaks underlie most failures in the Christian life. Maintaining your spiritual health today helps prevent becoming like Judas tomorrow.
Mark 14:1-5 describes preparations for the Lord’s Supper. In Mark 14:17-21, Jesus revealed that He would be betrayed.
The disciples asked, “Surely you don’t mean me?” (Mark 14:19 NIV). In the Middle East, one of the most despicable things a person could do was to betray a friend after they had shared a meal.
Beginning in Mark 14:22, Jesus interpreted the bread and cup of the Passover in terms of Himself. He thanked the Father for the bread, broke it, and distributed it to His disciples.
It represents His ongoing presence with His followers. He promises it whenever the Lord’s Supper is celebrated.
Jesus gave thanks for the third of the four cups of the Passover celebration. He interpreted it in terms of His blood, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many” (Mark 14:24 NIV).
In the new covenant, God establishes a relationship of lordship and obedience, which Jesus’ blood seals. The Lord’s Supper is God’s love letter, and is like having a loved one home for a holiday meal! What is your takeaway? See additional free spiritual growth resources for Christians.
God has empowered me to write His Power for Your Weakness—260 Steps Toward Spiritual Strength. It’s a free, evangelistic, devotional, and discipleship e-book. Pastors have used it in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia to lead 6,671 people to Christ and teach the basics of Christianity to 15,636 people. I invite you to explore and use it in your setting.
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