Sermon #64                                               Mark Sermons

 

          Title:            LESSONS FROM THE LAST SUPPER

          Text:            Mark 14:17-25

          Subject:       The Institution of The Lord’s Supper

          Date:            Sunday Morning - November 1, 1998

          Tape #         U-91a

          Reading:      Psalm 69:1-36

          Introduction:

 

          In the verses before us today we have Mark’s inspired account of the last supper our Savior ate with his disciples the night before he as crucified. Of course, we have all seen the idolatrous painting of the supper. No doubt, we have all wondered what that last meal must have been like.

 

·        What solemnity, what anxiety, what fears must have filled the disciples’ hearts!

 

·        What love, what grace, what compassion dropped from the Savior’s every word and gesture!

 

·        What demonic hypocrisy, what cold hatred, what religious hardness possessed the betrayer!

 

          As we read this brief description of the last supper, let us do so with the reverence it demands, asking God the Holy Spirit to teach us the things here revealed. The title of my message is - Lessons From The Last Supper. Our text is Mark 14:17-25.

 

Mark 14:17-25  "And in the evening he cometh with the twelve. {18} And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me. {19} And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I? {20} And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish. {21} The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born. {22} And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. {23} And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. {24} And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. {25} Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God."

 

Divisions: I want to direct your thoughts to four things in this paragraph

 

1.    A Question To Face - (vv. 17-20)

2.    A Conflict To Resolve - (v. 21)

3.    A Picture Of Redemption - (vv. 22-24)

4.    An Ordinance To Keep - (vv. 22-25)

 

I.     A Question To Face - (vv. 17-20)

 

Mark 14:17-20  "And in the evening he cometh with the twelve. 18 And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me. 19 And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I? 20 And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish."

 

Matthew 26:21-25  "And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. 22 And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? 23 And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. 24 The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. 25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said."

 

A.  We must never forget Judas.

 

          Judas was a man whose heart was as hard as it was hypocritical, as stony as it was sinful, and as proud as it was base. His religion had given him a cloak for his wickedness. His barren familiarity with the things of God had made him twofold more the child of hell than he was before. But do not forget, this hellish man appeared most pious to all who observed him. Even after he had agreed to betray the Son of God with a kiss, he kept up the appearances of sincerity. I do not doubt that Judas managed to convince himself, as well as others, to the very end that he was all right. He knew he had done wrong. But he did not know he was a lost man, a child of hell, the son of perdition. Listen to what the Scripture says, “Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said."

 

B.  Let us each examine ourselves continually and honestly.

 

          I don’t know how to deal with the matters of examination and assurance as they ought to be dealt with; but I do know this…

 

·        Faith in Christ is neither proud presumption nor dread despair.

·        Assurance is neither a fleshly familiarity with God nor a slavish fear of God.

·        The believer’s hope lies somewhere between that carnal security that says, “Once saved always saved,” and that blind, stoic fatalism that says “If I’m one of the elect I’ll be saved, if not I won’t.”

 

          In the Word of God, we are constantly hedged in on two sides. On the one side, we have the many promises of God, lest we despair. But on the other side are countless warnings, lest we presume. On the one side, we see sinful men and women kept by the power of grace, assuring us of immutable grace. Then, on the other side, we see apostate after apostate, warning us that we must endure to the end if we would be saved.

 

          We would, therefore, be wise to ask ourselves, “Lord, Is it I?” Let us examine ourselves and make our calling and election sure.

 

2 Corinthians 13:5  "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"

 

2 Peter 1:2-11  "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

 

II.  A CONFLICT RESOLVED (v. 21)

 

Mark 14:21  "The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born."

 

Matthew 26:24  "The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born."

 

Luke 22:22  "And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!"

 

          The question is often asked, “Did Judas have a choice in this matter?” The Scriptures clearly state that our Lord Jesus died according to the purpose an decree of God. The Scriptures manifestly prophesied Judas’ betrayal of the Lord Jesus. Surely, then, he cannot be blamed and held accountable for what he did.

 

          Such reasoning may suit our peanut brains; but such reasoning is entirely wrong. Whether we can understand it or not, we must bow to the Word of God. These are facts plainly revealed in Holy Scripture.

 

A.  God almighty is totally sovereign and always does exactly what he will.

 

Isaiah 14:26-27  "This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. 27 For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?"

 

Isaiah 46:9-10  "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure."

 

Ephesians 1:11  "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will."

 

B.  Every man is totally responsible for his own sin.

 

          While the actions of wicked men and women never thwart, but only fulfill the purposes of God, God does not compel, coerce, entice, or tempt any man to evil.

 

James 1:13-18  "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures."

 

1.    Reprobation and judgment are always presented to us in the Word of God as God’s response to man’s sin.

 

2.    Salvation, grace, and eternal life are always presented as the sovereign prerogative and gift of God.

 

Romans 6:23  "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

 

C.  The Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to will, decree, and Word of God.

 

1 Corinthians 15:1-3  "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures."

 

·        According To The Purpose Of God Revealed In The Word.

·        According To The Promises Of God Throughout The Word.

·        According To The Prophecies Of God In The Word.

·        According To The Pictures Of Grace In The Word.

 

1.    A Voluntary Death

2.    A Violent Death

3.    A Vicarious Death

4.    A Victorious Death

 

III. A Picture Of Redemption - (vv. 22-24)

 

Mark 14:22-24  "22 And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. 23 And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. 24 And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many."

 

          The Lord Jesus did not bless the bread and wine in the sense of consecrating them, making them holy, or changing their substance. He blessed them in exactly the same way we bless them, or bless a meal, in the sense of giving thanks to God for them.

 

A.  The bread represented our Redeemer’s holy humanity, his body, which was especially prepared by God the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin Mary to put away our sins.

 

Hebrews 10:1-5  "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. 5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me."

 

·        A Body Without Sin.

·        A Body In Which Righteousness Was Established.

·        A Body Sacrificed For Us!

 

B.  The cup of wine represented the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ by which we are redeemed.

 

Hebrews 9:22  "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission."

 

·        New Covenant Blood.

·        Justly Shed Blood.

·        Infinitely Meritorious Blood.

·        Precious Blood.

·        Blood Shed For Many.

·        Effectual, Sin-remitting Blood!

 

C.  Eating the bread and drinking the wine is a picture of that God given faith by which we personally receive Christ for ourselves.

 

John 6:51-58  "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever."

 

          Come, eat and drink the flesh and blood of the Son of God, and live forever! “Believe n the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved!”

 

IV. An Ordinance To Keep (vv. 22-25)

 

Mark 14:22-25  "And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. 23 And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. 24 And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. 25 Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God."

 

          We are not left to guess about this. The apostle Paul, writing by divine inspiration, tells us that our Savior here established the blessed ordinance of the Lord’s Supper.

 

          The Lord’s Supper is not a sacrament, a means by which we obtain grace. It is an ordinance by which we celebrate grace bestowed upon us through the precious blood of Christ.

 

1 Corinthians 11:23-29  "For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. 27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body."

 

          As often as we come together to observe the Lord’s Supper, let every believer examine himself, and then eat the bread and drink the wine…

 

A.  In Faith - Discerning the Lord’s body!

B.  In Humility

C.  In Gratitude

D.  In Love

E.   In Hope - (v. 25).

 

          There is a day coming when we shall drink new wine with our Savior in the kingdom of God.

 

Mark 14:25  "Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God."

 

Application:

 

1.    Examine yourself.

2.    Let us ever declare with equal force both the total sovereignty of our God and the responsibility of every man for his own sin.

3.    Rejoice in the redemption accomplished for us by the Son of God.

4.    Bless God for the ordinances of divine worship by which he draws us to himself and reveals himself to us.

 

AMEN.