Title: This is My Blood

Focus: When we partake of the Lord's Supper, we remember that Jesus gave up his life for us to save us, and that he has instituted a system of grace so that we can look forward to the ultimate supper with him in Heaven.

Function: To help the hearers understand that the Lords Supper is both a communion with the Lord and communion with one another as his one forgiven body.


Intro:
	1.  Knew a guy that thought we should act at Communion same as funeral
	2.  This shows that sometimes we need re-align or re-focus
	3.  Review:  This is my body
		a.  Man not live on bread alone - but by every word
		b.  Jesus is the word we live on
		c.  The church is the body of Christ we belong to
	4.  Second part of the institution - This is my blood
		a.  Has been misunderstood
		b.  Used to hear the we have to “contact” his blood
		c.  Some think the contact is through communion
	5.   What is all this business about his blood?  (Mt 26:26-29)


I.  Which is being poured out for you (present tense)
	A.  Almost a cliche - “Saved by the blood of Jesus”
		1.  Most not know what that means
		2.  I’m not sure we have always understood -have to contact  blood
	B.  What is significant about his blood?
		1.  Questions:
			a.  If Romans got blood on them from flogging, they saved?
			b.  Could Jesus donate a pint so others could be saved?
			c.  If we found blood stained burial garment, we saved?
		2.  Goes back to concept of atonement
			a.  Kapar-cover,smear, wipe, atone, appease, make amends
			b.  Kapporet - “Mercy Seat” or the “Cover” “Atoning place”
			c.  Eng: - Atonement = “At - one - ment”
		3.  Atonement and sacrifice:
			a.  Lev 4 - Sin Offering - Sprinkle at veil, pour out at altar
			b.  Lev 16 - Yom Kippur - High Preist perform for all
		4.  Why all this emphasis on blood?  (Lev 17:10-13)
			a.  Life of flesh in blood
			b.  NOT just the red stuff, but the fact Jesus gave his LIFE
	C.  Elaboration:  (Heb 9:11-12) Jesus is a High Priest
		1.  He offered his own blood to God
		2.  He is our atoning sacrifice
	D.  This a humble reminder of the basis of our salvation
		1.  Early Christians called it the “thanksgiving” (not a funeral)
		2.  Titus 3:5 - He saved us not on the basis of deeds which we have done in 
			righteousness, but according to his mercy
		3.  1 Pet 1:18-29 - you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or 
		        gold..., but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood 
		        of Christ.


II.  Another significane of his blood:  Blood of the Covenant
	A.  In the Old Testament, blood and covenant go together
	B.  What is a covenant? (one type involves superior to inferior)
		1.  Some parts of a suzerain treaty include
			a.  Historical prologue - account of deliverance by suzerein
			b.  Stipulations - To secure loyalty of Vassal
				- Pledge of faithfulness to one another
				- Command to love (shepherd terminology for kings)
				- Cannot enter into other treaties
			c.  List of witnesses, then curses and blessings
			d.  There was usually a sacrifice
		2.  Heb:  “Karat Berit” -Make a covenant ;  Lit:  To “cut” a covenant
			a.  One practice =walking between animal halves (Jer 34:18)
			b.  So a covenant was never entered into lightly
		3.  The Sinai Covenant (Exod 24:3-8)
			a.  Behold the “blood of the covenant”
			b.  People not make the covenant, the Lord does!
		4.  Followed by covenant meal (v.9-11)
			a. They common in Ancient Near East
			b.  Eg: Gen 26:26ff-Issac&Abimelech; Gen 31-Jacob&Laban
	C.  But we not live under Mosaic covenant!
		1.  God at times renew covenant, sometimes adding to it
			a.  On plains of Moab,     Davidic,     Post exilic
			b.  Jer 31:31 - Promise of a new covenant of forgiveness
		2.  This says God is faithful - 
			a.  (Gen 15:12-17) - God himself walks between the halves
			b.  (Heb 6:13-14) - Called this covenant a “promise”
			c.  God swore by himself (v.16-20) Jesus forerunner
		3.  (Heb 9:13-15) - God keeps his promises!!!
	D.  Is there an application to all of this?
		1.  Obviously remembering the one who initiated covenant and how
		2.  Context:  (Heb 10:19-25) - Hope AND one another
		3.  Eph 2:13 - Brought near by blood into one body


III.  Future expectation of communion with Christ
	A.  Mt 26:29- I not drink of ths fruit of the vine from now on until I drink it new with you in my Fathers kingdom
	B.  What does he mean by this?
		1.  1 Cor 10:16 - Cup of blessing, Fellowship in his blood?
		2.  Back to idea of fellowship meal in Exod 24:9 - Forshadowed
		3.  (Isaiah 25:6-8) - Messianic Banquet
		4.  Mt 22 - Jesus speaks of a wedding feast for those on hiways
		5.  (Rev 19:7-9) - Fulfillment of Messianic Banquet
	C.  1 Cor 11 - We proclaim Lord’s Death until he comes
		1.  Not just looking back to cross, but forward to heavenly kingdom
		2.  There will worship the Father and the lamb
		3.  We will be at the Wedding SUpper of the lamb
	D.  NOT like a funeral
		1.  We are not remembering a dead person, but a live one
		2.  We are waiting for him to come back

	
Concl:
1.  This is my blood:  Three things to remember
	a.  Jesus offered his own blood as HIgh Priest to isntitute new covenant
	b.  He offered his blood (life) as atonement for our sins
	c.  He will invite us to his Marriage Supper in Heaven
2.  What he did, does, and will do for us.  It is an expression of our hope
3.  Friend once told me - Lord’s Supper brought everything back into perspective
	God, the world, and one another
4.  We hold in common that we are all forgiven by the same blood, therefore we live as
    humble brothers and sisters.