This past Sunday we finished our BRANDED series with Mark 14:12-26 looking at the Lord’s Supper.  Jesus celebrated with his disciples this annual Jewish meal of deliverance.  Every year the Israelites would celebrate Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 

“Then Moses summoned the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go at once and select an animals for the families and slaughter the Passover lamb.  Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe.  Not one of you shall go out of the door of the house until morning.  When the Lord goes down through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway…” Exodus 12:21-23

“You must not sacrifice the Passover in any town the Lord your God gives you except in the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name.  There you must sacrifice the Passover in the evening, when the sun goes down, on the anniversary of your departure from Egypt.  Roast it and eat it at the place the Lord will choose.  Then in the morning return to your tents.  For six days eat unleavened bread and on the seventh day hold an assembly to the Lord your God and do no work.”  Deuteronomy 16:5-8

At Thanksgiving moments remind us of previous moments.  When I hear the electric knife, I remember my step dad and my grandpa cutting the turkey.  One of our home group families brought a chocolate pie.  When I saw her walk in, it flooded my mind with memories of my Nanny’s pies.  In my family Nanny made chocolate, coconut, pumpkin, and pecan pies.  Her merrainge as tall as a tower.  As I made the dressing, I left a loaf of white bread and corn bread out for one day to get a little stale before I started.  As I was mixing the dressing together, I remembered watching my Nanny mix hers in a huge pan on Thanksgiving.  We all have triggers that call us back into the story.

The disciples now have not just a past memory.  They now have a present one along with a future one.  Jesus takes a familiar celebration, and gave them a new one with vibrant color. 

While they were eating, Jesus took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”  Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it.  ‘This is the blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.” Mark 14:22-24

BREAD = BODY

CUP = BLOOD

Jesus takes this meal of deliverance and converts it into a meal of redemption.  When they sit down to meal in the days to come, would it trigger this moment all over again. 

The Lord’s Supper (Communion) puts us into a spiritual crossroad:

• Are you a Christian?
• Are you in a right relationshipwith Jesus?
• Are you marked by the blood of Jesus? 
• Are you Branded?