The ‘Yu Sheng’ ( 鱼生 ) Meal! An important celebration during the Chinese New Year family reunion dinner which symbolizes the celebration & desire for blessing of ‘life’.

Likewise as we learn the origin, meaning of the ‘Lord’s Supper’, we will thus learn about how it symbolizes the ‘life giving’ work of Jesus.

The ‘Lord’s Supper’ or ‘Passover meal’ as it was originally known began as an act commanded by God to the Israelites while they were in slavery in Egypt.

Exodus 12:8 8 That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs and bread made without yeast. They were to celebrate this meal by sacrificing a lamb and roasting it over fire. They were to eat the lamb together with unleavened bread & bitter herbs.

Exodus 12:7 7 Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.

Exodus 12:13 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are & when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. The act of ‘passing over’ by God to destroy the firstborn of Egypt while His people who have applied the blood of the lamb were spared this destruction.

The Passover had already evolved into a very complex and orderly meal during the time of Jesus.

He instructed His disciples to prepare the Passover meal but Jesus had made prior arrangements. Luke 22: And Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, so that we may eat it.” 9 They said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare it?” 10 And He said to them, “When you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house that he enters.

Luke 22:15 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. (Read also verses 16 & 18)

He proceeds to give a new divine meaning to the symbolic acts of this meal.

2.1 His Broken Body Jesus takes the unleavened bread, breaks it and gives it to His disciples. Luke 22:19 19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

2.2 His Shed Blood Jesus then takes the cup of wine & announces the initiation of the new covenant. Luke 22:20 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

Jesus taught His disciples & us to commemorate His death until He returns again.

As we partake in the Lord’s Supper let us remember His suffering & sacrifice for us.

Discuss the Following Reflective Questions: How can we ensure that our participation in the Lord’s Supper is truly meaningful?