Luke 22:17-20     Those Unforgettable Words
 

           Your words, so revolutionary, have become a vein of golden truth to be mined for 2,000 years.  “This is my body,” and “This is the blood of the new covenant poured out . . . my blood .”  Jesus, master teacher, you captured the meaning of your sacrifice in so few words.  And you gave us a simple and unforgettable act, a simple holy meal, we can celebrate to remember what you did and who you are.  

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         Thank you Jesus, for giving us an action, a practice, something we can do with such ordinary elements, bread and wine - or juice  - to affirm our faith and our fellowship, to remember you, your profound suffering and death, and your mysterious presence, because this is unforgettable.  

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(Comment:) Some modernist scholars say these words were not really spoken by Jesus, but developed later by “the church” as believers wanted to create an act symbolizing their fellowship with Jesus.  But who would have the audacity to compose a story where Jesus, a Jew, tells his disciples who were Jews, that they should drink from a cup which is his “blood of the new covenant”?  The Old Testament law forbids consuming of blood. Only pagans would even think of drinking blood.  Eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking some wine symbolizing his blood would be so mind bending, no one would dare say this, except Jesus himself. 

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