In the kingdom

IN THE KINGDOM

1. One of the passages that used to really perplex me is Mt. 26:29.

2. Jesus said He would drink the “fruit of the vine” in the kingdom.

3. What did Jesus mean when He spoke these words?

4. If we know what He meant, can we prove the correct explanation to someone else?

BY NOW YOU SHOULD HAVE IN YOUR HANDS A SHEET WITH FOUR COLUMNS. EACH COLUMN CONTAINS AN ACCOUNT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER.

a) You have probably already noticed that your sheet is divided into two sections.

b) In the top section of your paper is the entire text concerning the Lord’s Supper.

c) Beneath that I have broken down the Lord’s Supper into smaller sections.

d) Tonight we want to look at the information on the lower part of the sheet.

2) We want to start at the far right column (1 Cor. 11) because this provides us with a time frame.

3) Jesus was betrayed. On this night of treachery Jesus instituted what we call the Lord’s Supper.

4) If you were present last Sunday night we saw examined the word kingdom in the New Testament.

5) John the Baptist preached about the kingdom in 29 AD.

6) Jesus began to speak about it in 30 AD. This teaching continued in 31, 32, and 33 AD.

7) By the time described in 1 Cor. 11 it is 33 AD, the year Jesus died.

8) The gospel writers tell us what was in Jesus’ heart the night before He died.

9) Moving from right to left on your page, there is information from Lk. 22:15.

10) Jesus and His disciples came together for a Passover meal.

11) Jesus told them, “I have wanted to eat this meal with you; I have an intense desire to do that.”

12) The meal was eaten because the next column to the left says, “as they were eating.”

13) Eating a Passover meal would not have been a new experience for Jesus’ special helpers.

14) The disciples were Jews and they had eaten this meal several times before.

a) This Passover, however, was special.

b) Notice the next line on the chart (starting again with the one to the far right).

c) Bread was taken. Jesus “gave thanks” or “blessed it” (Mark’s account).

d) In addition to expressing appreciation, this bread was broken and distributed (Mt, Mk, Lk).

15) All four accounts, if you will look at the text, repeat something about the Passover meal.

16) Jesus gave bread and said it “was his body.”

17) Some have taken these words literally, but this interpretation misses the point.

18) How many have us have said to someone, “Can I give you a hand?”

19) I have said that to some people, but I have never intended to chop off the lower half of my arm.

20) We use figurative speech, and this type of speech is known as a metonymy.

21) We say a word but that term is not to be understood literally.

22) Quite often we will use a metonymy that is based upon a body part.

a) “He has lost his head.”

b) “She is out of her mind.”

c) “They want an arm and leg for that thing.”

d) “I have a leg up on them.”

e) “I would give my right eye/left arm for that.”

f) “They must think I am blind.”

g) “I have a heartache.”

23) Jesus used bread to symbolically represent His body that would be given on the cross.

24) This is what Jesus said in one of the accounts of the Lord’s Supper.

25) According to Luke’s record, Jesus said, “this is my body which is given for you.”

26) Jesus was going to offer Himself as a sacrifice for sin.

27) That act was so monumental it needed to be remembered.

28) Thus, we also find this in Luke’s account: this do in remembrance of me.

29) In the ASV these same words are found in in 1 Cor. 11:24.

30) We are halfway through our chart; let’s now drop down to the third line.

31) After the bread had been distributed Jesus “took a cup.”

32) Luke says this was done “in like manner.”

33) Mt. 26:27 records Jesus telling the disciples that everyone had to drink from it.

34) If we are a disciple of Christ, God wants us to remember the death of His son.

35) All who are children of God need to partake of the Lord’s Supper.

36) This is a Christian duty.

37) Mark tells us that those present obeyed; “and they all drank of it” (verse 23).

a) What was this cup?

b) When we look at the bread we concluded it symbolized something—Jesus’ body.

c) Is there also a symbol when we look at the cup?

d) Mt. 26:28 contains the word “blood” and says it was “poured out” (“shed,” KJV).

38) At the time these words were spoken these words were not literally true.

39) Jesus blood had not been poured out; such would, however, did happen shortly after this time.

40) I have not seen the passion movie about Jesus, but some who have seen it have given me their take.

41) Violence, blood, and brutality.

42) Jesus predicated that.

43) He also stated why He would was going to pay that horrible price.

a) He said it would allow for people to have “remission of sins” (Mt. 26:27).

b) It would also be means of instituting a new covenant (same verse).

c) A new covenant had been promised by Old Testament writers; Jesus said that time had come.

d) This fact should have raised the curiosity of those at the table.

44) A new covenant suggests new rules.

45) Rules go hand and hand with new governments and new systems.

46) Jews were familiar with the Old Testament promises that said a kingdom would one day come.

47) A lot of kingdom preaching had been done—even by those at this Passover meal.

48) Now Jesus implies some new rules will soon be coming as well as a new covenant.

49) A perceptive person would might have been thinking, “This sounds a lot like a kingdom.”

50) Whether this was on the minds of people or not, Jesus turned their attention to this point.

51) Notice the final line on the chart; Mt. 26:29.

52) Jesus said He would “drink of the fruit of the vine.”

53) It would not be the Passover cup; it would be something new.

a) What does the fruit of the vine (the cup—verse 27) represent?

b) Jesus’ horrible death on the cross.

c) Jesus said a day would partake of this with these disciples in the kingdom.

d) In Mark 14:25 we again find these almost exact words.

54) When would Jesus drink this cup in the kingdom?

55) Many believe Jesus promise is still sometime in the future—He will do this in heaven.

56) We know the Lord would not drink of this on the earth because He died shortly after this meal.

57) He had no time for another meal like the Passover, but other events soon happened.

58) Jesus died, was buried, and was raised from the dead.

59) He built the church described in Mt. 16 (which is also often known as the kingdom).

60) In this kingdom (church), spokesmen for God said certain things occur.

61) One of these spokesmen who helps us in regard to Jesus promise is Paul.

a) The church at Corinth had lots of problems.

b) In some respects we can be grateful that this church was so plagued with difficulties.

c) We can learn much from their mistakes and from the inspired correction given by an apostle.

62) In the 10^th chapter of this book we read about the Lord's Supper.

63) The verse to be introduced is 1 Cor. 10:16 – READ.

a) Communion is another Biblical description of and for the Lord's Supper.

b) When we partake of the Lord’s Supper Paul said have fellowship with the Lord.

c) Follow with me some of the other places where we find this word translated “communion.”

64) It is used in Acts 2:42; Christians had fellowship one with another.

65) 2 Cor. 13:14 says we have fellowship (same word) with the Holy Spirit.

66) Gal. 2:9 – the “right hand of fellowship” (same word).

67) 1 Jn. 1:6 uses this word as well as several other verses in the New Testament.

68) Jesus said He would partake of the supper in the kingdom.

69) 1 Cor. 10:16 says Christians have fellowship with Christ as they partake of the Lord’s Supper.

70) When Jesus spoke about the supper in the kingdom He meant the church.

71) In life we can remember someone in many different ways.

72) We may keep a picture or visit a certain place to “remember” one or more people.

73) We may also meet someone face to face and “remember” certain events.

74) Neither one of these ideas are the kind of remembrance in Mt. 26 and 1 Cor. 10.

75) We remember Christ in the church (kingdom) when we partake of the Lord’s Supper.

76) I know that some look at Mt. 26 and Mk. 14 and see something like Jesus at a table in heaven.

77) The Lord will be gathered with all the saved and some see a big dinner party.

78) Jesus linked His remembrance with things in this life: His death, a new covenant, sins, and a kingdom.

79) That kingdom has come, and there we now “eat the supper” with Jesus in the sense of 1 Cor. 10.

80) When we come together to worship, God is present.

81) When we participate in the Lord’s Supper, Jesus is not off somewhere else.

82) Verse 21 of 1 Cor. 10 says Jesus has a “table” we can be at; that opportunity is worship.

83) Is it not a thrill to know that Jesus is present when we come together on the first day of the week?

Matthew 26:26-29:

26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it; and he gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

27 And he took a cup, and gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, Drink Ye all of it;

28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many unto remission of sins.

29 But I say unto you, I shall not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

Mark 14:22-25:

22 And as they were eating, he took bread, and when he had blessed, he brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take Ye: this is my body.

23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave to them: and they all drank of it.

24 And he said unto them, This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.

25 Verily I say unto you, I shall no more drink of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.

Luke 22:15-20:

15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:

16 for I say unto you, I shall not eat it, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

17 And he received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:

18 for I say unto you, I shall not drink from henceforth of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave to them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

20 And the cup in like manner after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood, (even) that which is poured out for you.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26:

23 For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was betrayed took bread;

24 and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, This is my body, which is for you: this do in remembrance of me.

25 In like manner also the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood: this do, as often as Ye drink (it), in remembrance of me.

26 For as often as Ye eat this bread, and drink the cup, Ye proclaim the Lord's death till he come.

And as they were eating

And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:

the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was betrayed

Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it; and he gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

he took bread, and when he had blessed, he brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take Ye: this is my body.

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave to them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

took bread;