Breaking Ground
What’s the biggest sacrifice you’ve ever made? Who was it for & why did you make it?
The Dig
This Sunday, we continued our series Jesus the Christ by exploring the Sacrament of Communion through the story of the Last Supper.
Read Matthew Mark 14:12-26. In this scene, Jesus takes the Passover meal (the symbolic meal celebrated every year by the Jewish people that retold the Exodus story) & reorients it around his coming death.
Why do you think Jesus uses the Passover meal, not a lecture, to walk his disciples through what’d coming & why it matters?
Crucially, this scene breaks into three sections. First, Jesus predicts the coming betrayal of his disciples. Though Judas betrays him uniquely, all of them would’ve dipped their hands in the bowl at this point & would eventually abandon him in the next few hours.
How does that impact this scene? What tone does it set for what’s about to come?
Next, Jesus takes the Unleavened Bread (a symbol for the bread God told the Israelites to make before being liberated) & connects it to his body.
Why does Jesus use this metaphor of bread for himself & what’s coming? How does the unleavened bread’s backstory impact the role it plays in Jesus’ retelling of the Exodus story?
Finally, the last important element of the meal would’ve been the Passover Lamb (symbolizing the sacrifice that liberated the Israelites & defeated evil Pharaoh). However, the lamb isn’t at Jesus’ dinner. Instead, in calling this cup of wine his blood, he places himself in the position of the Passover Lamb.
What does this reveal about how Jesus understands his own looming death & what it will accomplish?
Close by reflecting on your own life in this season.
Where are you struggling to hold onto the belief that the victory over evil can only come through self-sacrificial love? How can this story & sacrament encourage you in that area?
Where do you feel like you need to experience liberation in your life? How can this story & sacrament help point you towards where you can find it?
Getting Out of the Hole
In this series, take time each week to reflect upon the story from the story & how you can find yourself within it during this season of your life.
- Read Mark 14:12-26. First, break this story or teaching down into pieces. What is Jesus doing or saying? How are people responding to him? What changes by the end of the story?
- Next, close your eyes & reflect upon the story. Imagine yourself in it. Put yourself into the space of the various characters & imagine what it would be like to encounter Jesus in the story.
- What images, teachings, or ideas speak to you the most in this story? What intrigues or confuses you? What feelings arose as you thought about being in the story? How can this story impact your life & your relationship with Jesus in this next season?
Additional Resources*
TheBibleProject.com
Simply Jesus by NT Wright
The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
Coming Up This Week:*
Sunday, March 16th: Join us next Sunday as we continue our series Jesus the Christ! * Please see mye3.org for details.