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The night is heavy with meaning. Jesus and His disciples gather in an upper room, the flickering light of oil lamps casting shadows on the walls. The air smells of roasted lamb and freshly baked bread—it’s the Passover meal, a sacred remembrance of how God rescued His people from slavery in Egypt. But tonight, Jesus does something unexpected.
He picks up the bread, breaks it, and hands it to His disciples. “This is my body,” He says. He lifts the cup, gives thanks, and offers it to them. “This is my blood, poured out for you.”
It’s the first Lord’s Supper, the beginning of what we now call Communion. And it’s a moment that holds incredible hope—hope that carries us through suffering, through doubt, through every moment of life.
Hope That Stoops to Serve
Before this meal, Jesus did something shocking—He washed His disciples’ feet (John 13:3-5).
Think about that for a second. The Son of God, the King of Kings, kneeling down, touching the dust-covered feet of His followers, including Judas—the one who would betray Him.
Peter resisted at first, saying, “Lord, you shall never wash my feet!” (John 13:8). But Jesus gently corrected him: “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
This wasn’t just about dirty feet. It was about the kind of kingdom Jesus was building. A kingdom not of pride, but of humility. Not of self-seeking power, but of self-giving love.
And here’s the hope in that moment: If Jesus humbled Himself to serve, He will also meet us in our lowest places. No sin, no failure, no moment of brokenness is beyond His reach. He bends down, washes us clean, and calls us to do the same for others.
Hope That Feasts in the Face of Suffering
As Jesus shared the bread and the cup, He knew what was coming. In just hours, He would be arrested. He would be mocked, beaten, abandoned. And yet, He still sat at the table.
Think about that. Jesus knew Judas would betray Him, but He still offered him bread.
He knew Peter would deny Him, but He still shared the cup.
He knew the cross was ahead, but He still gave thanks.
That’s the kind of hope we have in Jesus—a hope that endures even in suffering. When life feels uncertain, when we’re carrying grief or pain, this table reminds us: Jesus is with us. Even in the hardest moments, He invites us to sit with Him, to receive His grace, to remember His love.
Hope That Seals a New Covenant
For centuries, the Jewish people had celebrated Passover to remember how God spared them from death in Egypt. The blood of a lamb painted on their doorposts had marked them as safe.
And now, Jesus was saying: I am the Lamb.
His blood, not the blood of animals, would bring the final and perfect rescue. His body, broken like the bread, would make a way for us to be made whole.
This wasn’t just a meal—it was a new covenant, a new way to be in relationship with God. No more sacrifices. No more striving. Just grace, freely given.
Walking in Hope Today
Tonight, as we remember this Last Supper, let’s sit at the table with Jesus. Let’s receive His grace. Let’s hold onto the unshakable hope found in His broken body and poured-out blood.
Because this table leads to a cross. And the cross leads to an empty tomb.
Thanks for reading.
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