When I use the title "First Communion" for the passage before us, please be advised that I am willing to concede that the Old Covenant Congregation's celebration of the Passover meal was part and parcel of generations of preparation for this particular meal which is given its full and real significance in the New Administration of Christ. Like little children who only have to show up for meal time to participate, little did the Old Covenant elect fully appreciate the true material and spiritual costs of the event. In that context, young families who make ready to celebrate their first Thanksgiving together suddenly realize the expense in time and treasure to which their parents did annually participate more fully than they ever realized.

Of course, my own and all too human typing of this central meal in the great spiritual economy of our God and Father must always fall short of expressing the great love and mercy being poured out in the sacrifice of the perfect Lamb of God.

As a faithful Jewish Rabbi, the Lord has made preparations for this fellowship of the Twelve. Notice that the audience here may be somewhat restricted to the immediate twelve, although the phrasing in verse twenty may allow a more extensive group. The upper room could not have been too large, fourteen foot wide being something of an engineering limit to open spaces in the private homes of that time, especially if the beams were going to support an upstairs where a dozen or more people could gather.

Much has been said about the details and the prophetic knowledge that Jesus possessed of what must come about. However, it is not my intention to engage the minutiae of the preparations like the wedding reports in the weekly newspapers. I can well remember the little local paper in my area that was affectionately called the "Squeak", where regular reports were made about receptions and company being entertained. But never a word was said about what was discussed or agreed upon. And so goes the normal wedding reports in the local scandal sheets. Wouldn't it be hilarious if a reporter noted that the groom was late, that his shoes were untied and that his socks didn't match, or that the bride's father stepped on her train ripping it into three pieces. Or perhaps that the Pastor was allergic to candles and sneezed the entire time? No indeed, the whole focus moves on beyond the normal "party" preparations for the high feast of Judaism - the Passover Meal. In itself, the ceremony gravely reminded the participants and especially the little children of what God Himself had done for their ancestors so many centuries before. Each group of families which joined together to share the lamb that was specially slain, understood the significance of this Old Covenant Sacrament. And the Lamb's blood was still symbolic of the death by which they gained salvation.

We move on from the preparations to the astonishing evening report. In the context of this high holy experience, Jesus stuns the fellowship with the announcement that one of the group is about to betray Him. Notice the immediate reaction, "Is it I." we see in their panic reaction. I well remember my early theological associations where I was made to feel like the odd Judas out, the scape goat, the once who would embarrass the whole liberal Presbytery by insisting upon the literal truths of Scripture and the scandalous insistence on the blood sacrifice of God's only Son to cover over our minimal misunderstandings. It was heady stuff for the self-righteous and it took lots of prayer and perseverance to hang on and insist that the Lord did indeed have a place and a plan for my ministry.

And yet, in such soul-searching moments as the one before the disciples, the half awake, the least dedicated -may have wondered if they had been found out. At least, in their sincerity, they wanted to know if they had somehow failed to grasp the truth of what they were about and with whom they were following. Always and anew, we are called to examine our own selves before the Lord whenever we come to His table and in this reaction we see that nothing has changed in the Lord's challenge to all of those who gather around His table in our day and time. Do we take this admonishment as we ought to? Lord, is it conceivable that I could be an embarrassment to your, is it conceivable that I have come into your church for all the wrong reasons and have not perceived Your purpose?

"Poor old Judas," the modern scholars lament - the man they reason really got a raw deal. Not so, we have hints that in his management of the treasury - he had personally profited. His activity in this regard reminded me of a Chaplain's Assistant that I was sent in to replace. He always counted the money and told me what to do. One Sunday morning I overheard him counting the offering. Two dollars for thee, one for me as he divided the spoils of the day's take. His last two weeks in the Army were far less than glamorous once that scandal was taken care of. But that was only two weeks - Judas would have been better off "if he had never been born."

Having fenced the table in this manner, Jesus goes on to celebrate the Passover by giving it a new administration and a new meaning which forever changed the world! "This is my body", He says of the bread that is torn apart. "This is my blood," He says of the fruit of the vine that is passed around the table.

Dr Cole tells us that three lines of thought converge in this momentous event. "Christ's death is thus seen as a Passover; as the inauguration of a new covenant; and as a sacrifice ... All three are distinct, though all three are sealed by bloodshed; but while it may be academically possible to isolate one concept from another for the purpose of study, yet to gain a clear picture of the work of Christ, we must combine all three into a stereoscopic picture." What this means to us is that the blood of Christ, like that of the Passover Lamb - protects us from the Angel of death and destruction like the animal sacrifices which instituted the Old Covenant meal. Second, Jesus will indeed institute a new ordering of the sacrament and focus that sacrament upon Himself and His broken body and shed blood on our behalf. This is why we continue to celebrate the new covenant in this meal. Third, the sacrifice of the Lamb of God atones for the sins of those who are invited to the table. and who trouble themselves to carefully consider the theological details and implications.

Do you understand that the wrath of God due to you for your sins, has passed you by because Jesus is your Passover Lamb? Do you understand that Jesus is doing something new under the sun in transforming the old economy of the Covenant into something much greater and of enough substance to atone finally for our sins? Do you sense the sacrificial nature of the whole life of Christ in His laying aside His glory to come to earth, to die, to go to the place of the dead and from their to rise again to earth and finally to the highest heavens? You do well if the Lord God Creator of heaven and earth has given you this perception. This is why we sing to Him week by week and give Him the glory due His Name for this great thing that He has done for you and for me. As we continue to grow in grace and glory - may we gain a greater appreciation of what Christ has done for us. And knowing the cost of our salvation, let us remember to regularly give Him thanks and hold His Name up high before the world - so thereby He may be glorified now and forever and ever. Amen.