January 14 - New in Heaven

January 14 – New in Heaven

“I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26:29, Mark 14:25)

While this moment marks the last time Jesus is able to share a meal with his disciples before the crucifixion, He points them towards heaven and the wedding supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9).

When I was a kid, I really didn’t find much to like about communion on Sunday mornings.  Once a month we would be stuck in a longer church service, singing song after song while everyone paraded to the front.  In Dad’s church, the communion cups and bread were already at the altar rails (they were pretty cool altar rails) and people could take their time in prayer. Looking back, it was an extraordinary time, but during those moments when I sat in the back of church with all my friends – we couldn’t talk and chatter or do anything but sing hymns until it was our turn to go down front – I was bored out of my mind.

Believe it or not, church attendance actually dropped on communion Sundays because of any number of reasons … I was always there.  Even after I committed my life to Jesus, I couldn’t get into the passion of the moment.  There I was … up front … wondering what my backside looked like, who was staring at me … wishing I would get up already so that the morning could progress.  Nope, I couldn’t just relax and go with the moment.

I could go on and on and continue to list reasons why I have a hard time concentrating during communion.  For a girl that keeps her eyes on everything, that’s way too much activity on a Sunday morning for me to settle down.  I have a lot of entertaining communion stories … I’ll save them for another day.

The Lord’s Supper was something quite different for the twelve disciples and Jesus.  They were together as a family, sharing an intimate moment.  It may not have been a glorious, rousing feast, but this was a banquet where they were offered a matchless gift.  The wine … the blood of the new covenant shed for the forgiveness of the sins of mankind. 

Jesus knew that the next day His blood would be poured out and the next time He would share in this meal with the twelve disciples and all who follow Him would be at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb.