Living the Saved Life

Luke 24:14-16 from The Message (MSG):  When it was time, he sat down, all the apostles with him, and said, "You've no idea how much I have looked forward to eating this Passover meal with you before I enter my time of suffering. It's the last one I'll eat until we all eat it together in the kingdom of God." 

I close my eyes and the face of Jesus flashes before me.  Jesus, the God-Man with his own termination date known to Him as he eagerly dines with the disciples.  Jesus, the God-Man who came to save me, to save all captives and set them free from sin; free from self inflicted prisons of fear, guilt, depression, and sadness.   As his disciples quarreled among themselves who was most important, I consider again, with an expiration of less than twelve hours, what did Jesus count as most important?

I consider the Passover scene instituting New Covenant symbolism beginning with the foot washing as Jesus transformed the truest meaning of servant hood...

John 13:12-14:  Jesus said, said, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as 'Teacher' and 'Master,' and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet. I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do. I'm only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn't give orders to the employer. If you understand what I'm telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life.

Then Jesus gave thanks for the body and blood He was going to sacrifice for us.  He gave thanks!  And he blessed it – to bless me, and all mankind who calls Him Savior, Our Portion and Deliverer! 

1 Corinthians 10:16 (NIV), “Is it not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? 
And is this not the bread that we break, also a participation in the body of Christ we come to His table in remembrance? 

Luke 22:17-18 -Taking the cup, he blessed it, and then said, "Take this and pass it among you.”This cup is the new covenant written in my blood, blood poured out for you.

Thanksgiving – giving thanks in everything – prepares the way that God might show you and I – salvation in Christ – the fullest salvation in Christ.  You and I can experience the fullness of our salvation, in the fullness of thanksgiving every day, every meal and we remember Jesus Christ as elemental to living the saved life.

Communion or Eucharist, Eucharisteo is the meal that prepares the way for God to show us His fullest salvation from all that estranged us from Him.  Christ broke His heart to heal mine and yours.  Christ, the complete accomplishment of salvation.  The miracle of Eucharisteo, the Passover, instituted in the Old Testament and New Testament never ends.  Personal thanksgiving is what precedes the miracle of that salvation being fully worked out in our lives.  Thanksgiving – giving thanks in everything – is what prepares the way for salvation’s whole restoration.  May this season of holiness and remembrance be poignant for the fullness of understanding the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, the Christ.