Why Do We Keep "The Lord's Supper"
(The difference between the keeping "Passover" and the "Lords Supper")
As the children of the Israelites would ask why they kept the Passover as they did, we may, as the children of God, ask from year to year, why we keep the Lords Supper.
Ex 13: 3 And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.
Ex 13:14 And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:
There is though, a vast difference between the substance of the children’s inquiry and ours. The children’s question was in response to the Israelites following the instructions of Moses concerning the annual observance of passover. Their direction came through the instructions that God gave Moses since the people requested that God not deal with them in a personal manor.
But we have been dealt with by God in a direct and personal way for an awesome purpose. A purpose that is so great that we are continuously growing in an understanding of its glorious destiny. We have been delivered from the bondage of a sin-full “nature”. This is a type of bondage that humanity is simply not aware of. God the father and our Savior are leading the first fruit toward a “completeness” of the understanding of the control that bondage has over mankind through our human nature. And they are giving us the desire and the means and the will to come out from under it.
The result of Gods involvement in our lives is an ever-increasing capacity to love, a type of love that can only be understood through the work of God’s Spirit in us. The children of the Israelites could understand and appreciate the physical deliverance of the original passover event and Israel was instructed to include the children in the passover ceremonies. But the Israelites could not grasp the love and compassion that God had for them in bringing them out of Egypt. And it is impossible for those who have not been called to the "truth" to understand the significance of our deliverance through the acceptance of Christ's death and the wonder of his living presence in us as “children of God”.
Paul did not use the term “passover” in 1 Corinthians 10 and11, as he could have, but used the term “Lords Supper or Lords Table” for good reason. Israel came out of Egypt, Egypt and its influence being a type of sin. We are coming out of our own human nature and the “deadly” influence that nature imposes on us. To do that requires the power of Gods own Spirit working in us. That Spirit was never given to the physical nation of Israel. That power is given to us and that power is embodied in the meaning of the “bread” and the “wine” that we receive at the Lords Table.
We, at this time, have not been "passed over" for our repentant attitude and a newness of life. We will be passed over, at a future time, when our Father sees Himself living in us. The night of the memorial of the Lords Supper is not a passover, or Paul would have called it “passover”. It is though, a serious time without parallel when we may deeply look into the love God has given us. That love that made possible the sacrifice of Christ and the gift of our opportunity to replace our nature with Christ’s own nature. Through the deepening love of God that is growing in us we will not only be able to be a unique, continual blessing to our family, but also to our neighbors, coworkers and eventually to the whole world.
John was the closest to Jesus in Spirit and deeply understood the significance of the symbols of the bread and wine given during Jesus’ last passover. The death of Jesus reconciles us to himself, but it is taking in the literal nature of Jesus Christ and understanding the "new covenant" and accepting that covenant that saves us. The focus on the last passover was the new understanding of how it would be possible for mankind to grow into the love of God. This understanding was fully provided in John chapter 6 and then in John chapters 13,14,15,16 and 17. John 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
For a much more complete thought concerning this subject see "The Lords Supper" paper.