Dear Christian friends:

Today is Palm Sunday, the day when Jesus rode on the ass over palm strewn streets into the Holy City to suffer and die. Many important things happened during the week. During these Sundays of Lent we have heard about them and learned how we are joined with these events, although they happened 2,000 years ago.

This morning we wish to look at another important happening of that week, the giving of the Lord's Supper. Twelve men and their Master are gathered to keep the Jewish Church feast called the Passover. In thousand of Jewish homes they were eating the same Passover feast.

God commanded that feast when the Jews led by Moses marched out of Egypt free after four hundred years of slavery. Following God's instructions each family killed a lamb with out spot or blemish. Painted the door post with the blood and then roasted the flesh. That night the avenging angel of God swept over the land of Egypt killing the first-born of man and beast, but passing over the homes of the Jews where blood was painted on the door-posts.

Quickly the broken Pharaoh commanded Moses to leave his land and never trouble him again.

God commanded the Jews to remember this wonderful salvation annually by eating the passover lamb.

And that is exactly what Jesus and His twelve disciples were now doing that first Maunday Thursday. And during this Passover meal Jesus instituted the Holy Supper. Why during this feast? Because the Holy Supper was the "new testament which replaced the "old." The Lord's Supper should now replace the Passover. Jesus the true Lamb of God replaces the animal lambs of the Passover. In the Old Testament they ate the flesh of the lamb: in the new testament we eat the body of the Son of God, Lamb of God, and drink His blood.

Now His disciples could really understand and feel strongly joined to their Lord. Truly a wonderful blessing for those who were there. Who were they? You see Peter, James, John and the other nine, twelve in all. But Jesus saw many more. He saw all the believers since that day, many millions. What about you?

Yes, Jesus in His mind saw you in that room. This act, like the others of His Passion, was for you. He saw you there.

Here is a great mystery. During the Passover eatings Jesus takes bread, gives thanks, and gives it to His disciples, saying, "This is My body, which is given for you: this do in remembrance of Me." Then He takes the cup and gives it to them, saying, "This cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you." Wonderful, with the Bread He gives His Body and with the wine He gives His blood. This is the same body which will hang on the cross and the same blood which will flow from His wounded hands and feet for them.

You do not understand how that can be? Never mind! It is true! Jesus says so. He can do as He says and He does not lie. Let us believe even though we do not understand.

Jesus gave the twelve to eat and to drink, but did He mean also you? Yes, He said: "this do in remembrance of Me" We should remember His death and the shedding of His blood. How long? Until He comes again on the last day. Paul says, "As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup ye do show the Lord's death till He come" (1 Corinthians 11:26) You need this holy eating as much as the twelve disciples. It is for you. Jesus saw you when He instituted the Holy Supper.

And Jesus has a very special reason for seeing you there. He has wonderful blessings for you in the Holy Supper. Jesus said: This is my body which is given for you: this is my blood which is shed for you, for the remission of sins." As the blood of the Lamb painted on the door posts save the Jews from God's anger in Egypt, so the blood of Jesus saves us today. John the Baptist said: "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." And again John writes: "The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sins.

True, you can receive the forgiveness of sins without eating and drinking, merely by hearing the Gospel and believing it. But here in the Lord's Supper Jesus adds one thing. That is a visible pledge or token of His forgiving love.

The wedding ring is a "pledge or token of wedded love and faithfulness. So the body and blood of our Lord in the bread and wine are Jesus' pledges and tokens of His forgiving love to you.

Another blessing in the Holy Supper is that by the eating and drinking Jesus impresses forgiveness "for you", for each one, because each one, alone, eats and drinks. The Gospel says "God is love" and God loves all and forgives all. But perhaps you think does that mean me? Same when the minister announces to all come work next Thursday not all will think he means them. Maybe three out of twelve will come. But if the minister meets each one and asks and tells individually more will come. So in the Lords Supper Jesus meets each one and forgives each one.

Another extra blessing in the Holy Supper is that by eating and drinking there is a very blessed communion between you and your Lord. The Lord of heaven is joined with you in the eating and drinking. Paul shows this, "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ? (1 Corinthians 10:16) By this communion Jesus impresses on your mind that you are not alone here in the world as He said, "I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. (Matthew 28:20)

Not only are you joined with Christ but also with your brother and sister in the Church. We all drink of one cup and eat of one bread and show our communion with one another and our love for one another. This encourages us and strengthens our faith.

So feast with your Lord again this day and receive these blessings anew. Many years have passed since that first Maunday Thursday, when the twelve disciples ate of the Holy Supper with their Lord. Since that time many millions of Christians have eaten and received comfort and strength of this Holy Communion with their Lord and with each other in their own day.

When Leonardo da Vinci painted the Last Supper, he did not paint Jewish faces and Jewish clothes on the twelve, but he painted Italian faces, Italian clothes and showed an Italian dining hall and table. He made the Italian Christians of his day feel joined with the holy supper.

Today, as we are gathered here to eat and to drink with Him, this modern church is our "Upper Room". The same Host is here. Disciples are here. You among them, You hear His words, "This is My body with is given for you ... My blood, which is shed for you."

"For you!" These words are precious to us. They encourage us to honestly confess our sins and be sorry for them. You know your sins better than anyone else as a parent, worker, and steward of God. "For you!" these words assure us that God forgives our sins. You may feel that the just and holy God will not accept you. But can you doubt and fear Him who gave His body and blood to make all things right between you and your God? You too can say with Paul, "Being justified by faith we have peace with God." (Romans 5:1) We are God's own now.

One of the bitter experiences of life is rejection by man. We all want others to like us. Often a rejected person commits suicide - lovers. But much more important it is that God accepts you and loves you. When God rejects man that is the worst anguish. That is hell.

Jesus experienced both man and God forsaking Him on the cross. But by His rejection you are made acceptable to God. The Lord's Supper proves it to you.

Amen.