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Joined

Prologue

Today, we’re looking through the New Testament to see what we call the participatory implications of the sacraments; the Lord’s supper and baptism.

The Lord’s Supper

Passover undertones

It is no coincidence that Jesus chose to explain His death while eating a Passover meal.

Too long, please open your Bible Luke 22: 7-13

Jesus isolates two elements from the Passover - wine and the unleavened bread - as links them to his murder as a way of memoralizing the new Exodus; the salvation His death & resurrection will obtain.

Covenant inauguration undertones

Jesus Himself says that He is inaugurating the promised renewed covenant in explaining His death

And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. Luke 22:20

It is also interesting to note that from the phrase “new covenant in my blood”, Jesus alludes to the covenant inauguration ceremony in Exodus

And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.” Exodus 24:8

Participatory implication of the Lord’s supper

Too long, please open your Bible 1 Corinthians 5: 6-13

Apostle Paul admonishes believers to put away sin, as the Israelites put away leaven to celebrate the Passover. This is a call to a life of holiness, purity and corporate accountability.

Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread. Look at the nation Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices sharers in the altar? 1 Corinthians 10: 16-18

Apostle Paul relies on the participatory nature of well-being sacrifices to establish another point; partaking in the Lord’s supper brings us in union with Christ. The reality of this union is expressed in different ways

That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3: 10-11
The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Romans 8: 16-18
For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings that we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that as you share in the sufferings, so you will also share in the comfort. 2 Corinthians 1: 5-7 (CSB)
This saying is trustworthy: For if we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us 2 Timothy 2: 11-12 (CSB)
Too long, please open your Bible Hebrews 13: 11-16

Jesus’ death is a pattern for the kind of life we are to live as a community of Jesus followers.

Baptism

Too long, please open your Bible 1 Peter 3: 18-21
For those of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ. There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female; since you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise. Galatians 2: 27-19
Too long, please open your Bible Romans 6: 1-14
Too long, please open your Bible Colossians 2: 11-15