Sermon on Matthew's account of the 'Last Supper'. The sermon can be heard via the blog - thoughtsfromeb.wordpress.com

1. Matthew 26:17-30
The Last Supper

2. Intimacy
• Eating together was significant in the east
• Much of the narrative of the Gospels takes
place around meals
• Two meals remembered
Eating in the presence of God
(Exodus 24:9-11)
The Passover meal (Exodus 12)
• “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with
you before I suffer.” (Luke 22:15)

3. Betrayal
• “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.”
• A truly shocking statement
• Jesus had often spoken of his betrayal and
death
• “Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who
shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against
me.” (Psalm 41:9)

4. Betrayal
• The response of the eleven is moving; “They
were very sad and began to say to him one after
the other, “Surely not I, Lord?”
• The response of Judas is bewildering since he
had already agreed to betray Jesus. “Surely not
I, Rabbi?”

5. Regeneration
• A new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34)
• “For I will forgive their wickedness and will
remember their sins no more” - the death of
Jesus brings forgiveness
• “I will put my law in their minds and write it
on their hearts” - we walk by the Spirit
• “they will all know me, from the least of them
to the greatest”- through Jesus we can have a
relationship with the Father

6. Redemption
• There is no mention of a lamb
• The meal probably took place a day early
(John 18:28)
• The Passover lamb was there (John 1:29, 1
Corinthians 5:7)
• This is my body
• This is my blood
• At the Passover a nation was formed
• At the cross a new nation was created

7. Redemption
• His blood was poured out for many
• “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If
anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I
will come in and eat with him, and he with
me.” (Revelation 3:20)
• “I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the
vine from now on until that day when I drink it
anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
(Isaiah 25:6, Revelation 19:9)

8. Worship
• “If, beloved, you knew that at- say, ten o’clock
tonight, you would be led away to be mocked, and
despised, and scourged, and that tomorrow’s sun
would see you falsely accused, hanging, a convicted
criminal, to die upon a cross, do you think that you
could sing tonight, after your last meal?”
(Spurgeon)
• Of all of the things that he could have done, he
sang
• He would have sung the Great Hallel
(Psalms 116-118)

9. Worship
• He sang – “The cords of death entangled me,
the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was
overcome by trouble and sorrow.” (Psalm 116:3)
• He sang – “The LORD is with me; I will not be
afraid. What can man do to me? (Psalm 118:6)
• He sang – “The LORD is God, and He has given
us light; Bind the festival sacrifice with cords to
the horns of the altar.” (Psalm 118:27 NASV)
• For the joy set before him (Hebrews 12:2)