Drinking in Remembrance

Text: Matthew 26:26-30

I. “I WILL NOT DRINK OF THIS FRUIT OF THE VINE FROM NOW ON UNTIL THAT DAY WHEN I DRINK IT NEW WITH YOU IN MY FATHER’S KINGDOM.” (Matthew 26:29//Mark 14:25//Luke 22:16,18)

A. Jesus ate and drink after He rose again from the dead, but probably not the Lord’s Supper (Luke 24:37-42; Acts 10:41).

Unbelievers drink to forget. Christians drink to remember.

B. Jesus will not partake of the Lord’s Supper until the consummation.

C. The word “new” in v.29 refers to the consummation of the New Covenant in the new heavens and new earth (Isa.65:17; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1); the new Jerusalem (Rev.3:12; 21:2); when all things will be made new (Isa.43:19; Rev.21:5; cf. Isaiah 62:2; 65:15; Rev.2:17; 3:12).

D. When we partake of the blood of the New Covenant, we are partaking in a feast that will be had in the New Heavens and the New Earth.

E. Even though Jesus has entered into heaven and rested from His work, He is waiting for the rest of His body, the bride (His church), to join Him in the New Heavens and the New Earth

II. THE LORD’S SUPPER REMINDS US THAT HEAVEN IS A NEVER ENDING BANQUET

A. In Ester 7:8 a banquet hall is called a “house for drinking wine” (see also Song of Solomon 2:4).

B. Feasts are called a “drinking” in several Old Testament passages. The Hebrew word translated “feast” in the following passages is derived from a word for drink (šāṭāh) (Genesis 21:8; Judges 14:10; 1 Samuel 25:36; 2 Samuel 3:20).

C. Wine “gladdens the heart of man” (Judges 9:13; Psalm 104:15; cf. Eccl. 2:3; 9:7; 10:19; Zec. 10:7).

D. Wine is a manifestation of God’s gift, love and blessing (Genesis 27:28; Deuteronomy 7:13; Amos 9:13-15). As such, wine is a sign of covenant blessing upon Israel (Isaiah 53:12 with 54:5 with 55:1-3; Hosea 2:8,21-22; Joel 3:18; 9:13). That wine is used in the Lord’s Supper reminds us of God’s New Covenant blessing upon us in Christ.

E. Wine was prominent in the temple and Israel’s worship (cf. Acts 2:1-13).

1. Wine was used as a libation/drink offering (Genesis 35:14; Leviticus 23:13; Numbers 28:7,14; Deuteronomy 32:38; Hosea 9:4).

2. Wine was brought to the Temple and tithed (Deuteronomy 14:22-26; Nehemiah 10:36-39).

a. Feasting in God’s presence in the place He chose was to teach Israel to fear Yahweh (Deut.14:23).

b. Even the poorest and most disadvantaged Israelites were invited and could afford to go to God’s banquet hall and celebrate (Deut.14:28-29).

F. In God’s kingdom, you can buy wine without money and without cost! (Isaiah 55:1-3)

“There is more grace in God's heart than there is sin in your past.”

Pastor and author, Erwin Lutzer

III. THERE IS NO FEASTING IN HELL, ONLY IN HEAVEN (Isaiah 24:4-12 with 25:6-9; CF. Matthew 22:1-11; 25:8-13)

A. The devil sets his house up next to God’s but all of the devil’s delights and his wine and feasts lead to regret and death and judgment.

NOTE: Too much wine, drunkenness, is a curse! (Genesis 9:20-27; Isaiah 28:7-8; 1 Corinthians 6:10; Galatians 5:21)

B. Isaiah offers hope because the even though we have broken God’s covenant, there is the hope of the New Covenant (Isaiah 25:6-9; cf. Matthew 8:11; 22:1-14; 25:1-13; Luke 13:23-29; 14:15; 22:30; Revelation 19:9,17).

Yahweh of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain; A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow, And refined, aged wine.
And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples, Even the veil which is stretched over all nations.
He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord Yahweh will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For Yahweh has spoken.
And it will be said in that day, “Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is Yahweh for whom we have waited; Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.” (Isaiah 25:6-9)

C. Even though Jesus’ earthly work was finished at the cross and even though He has entered into heaven, He is not removed from your disappointments, from your weaknesses or your struggles. That Jesus is not yet feasting (Matthew 26:29) is another indication that He is with us (Hebrews 2:17-18; 4:15-16).

“Christianity does not so much offer solutions to the problems of suffering, but rather provides the promise of a God who is completely present with us in suffering. Only Christians believe in a God who says, ‘Here I am alongside you. I have experienced the same suffering you have. I know what it is like.’ No other religion even begins to offer that assurance.” (Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan "Preaching Amid Pluralism," Leadership [Winter 2002], pp. 34-35).

“The heaviest end of the cross lies ever on His shoulders. If He bids us carry a burden, He carries it also” (Charles Haddon Spurgeon)

QUESTIONS FOR SABBATH DISCUSSION & MEDITATION

Pray that God would enable you and give you the desire to take a biblical truth from today’s sermon and order your life around it.

What does Jesus mean by, “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom?”

When will Jesus partake of the Lord’s Supper again?

How does the Lord’s Supper remind us of the heavenly banquet yet to come?

Will heaven be a boring place?

Will hell be where all the fun is?