Today’s Scripture

Psalm 116                                Jeremiah 31:31-34       

Hebrews 10:15-25                   Luke 22:7-20

 

            We can fill in the blank, “Something old, something _____ (new).  Think for a moment about something in your house that is old. ---  Now about something that is new.  Now think about something in your life that is old. --- Now about something that is new.  Now think about something about you that is old and you wish it would go away and you want to replace that with something that is new.

 

• This is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me. [v. 19]
• This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.       [v. 20]

 

            Today and each day we celebrate the Last Supper, the Lord’s Supper, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Eucharist (which means thanksgiving), Communion, Breaking Bread.  It is all about something old and something new.

 

            The wages of sin is death is something old.  It has been around since the Garden of Eden.  Sin gets old.  Death gets old.  …but the gift of God is eternal life.  A gift is something new.  Eternity from God never gets old but is new every moment.

 

            To condemn is old.

                        To save is new.

            To be weary and burdened is old.

                        To have rest and a yoke that is easy is new.

            To deceive ourselves is old.

                        To receive forgiveness and cleansing is new.

 

 

            The Passover in Egypt was both old and new.  It was by death that was the way out of Egypt, the death of others as the angel of death passed over those who were saved.  Death to others is an old concept, such as winning in a war by killing off the enemy.  But saving by a miracle?  That is new.  Shedding the blood of others is as old as Cain and Abel.  But shedding one’s own blood to save all others is something new.

 

            As we read in Jeremiah, the old covenant that did not work is now replaced with something new.  We people could not and cannot keep that old covenant.  God replaces it with a new covenant, one that he keeps as he “…will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more,” [Jeremiah 31:34].  God makes a great promise, “…because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” [v. 34]. 

 

            God wants all to be saved.  That in itself is something new in contrast to man’s old way of thinking that with three strikes, and many times less than that, and you are “out.”  God wants you to know how much he loves you that he can and does forgive all sins.  Those who believe and are baptized are saved.

 

            The disciples knew the Old Testament prophecies and promises.

            The disciples knew the Old Testament Psalms.

            The disciples knew what Jesus had been teaching.

            But, the disciples did not understand yet what the New Testament is.

 

            In the next three days these disciples would experience; wonderment, shock, disillusionment, fear, questioning, hiding, denial, forsakenness, loneliness.

 

            On the 3^rd day and following they would be; overjoyed, living in unbelief and new belief, bold in witness, going out to new places with a new message.  They would know the strength and miracle given in:

            Simple bread – something that is made new and fresh every day

            Simple wine – something that once there never gets old as other beverages do.

            In that simple bread is our Lord’s body that is new and fresh to you every day.

           

            In that simple wine is our Lord’s blood, something that never gets old as it cleanses each spot and stain of sin every day. 

 

            That body and blood was given and shed in an old death so that you, today have new life, life everlasting as that body and blood are given to you, making you one with him too.  Everything Jesus did is now yours.  He kept the old covenant.  He gives you the new covenant.  The body and blood were sacrificed to take away your old sin and old death.  That body rose from the grave so that you now believe the unbelievable, what this body and blood bring to you as you remember that price paid for you on the cross.

 

            Something old – yourself and your sins.

            Something new – washed and nourished.

            Something old – dead in sins.

            Something new – alive in Christ.

           

            And this peace that transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Amen.