Luke 22:20

I was asking myself the following question.  “Do I really know what the covenant is that Jesus wants me to remember?”  The King James Version of the Bible I remember translates this phrase in verse 20 as, “This cup is the new testament in my blood.”  Well since a little boy in Sunday School I could tell you that the Bible is divided into to sections.  The Old Testament and the New Testament.  “Testament” and “Covenant” are two words that mean the same thing.  A Testament or Covenant was an agreement.  We could also call it a contract or a pledge.  In the old days two people made an agreement (covenant) with each other and sealed it with a handshake.  Now it takes a Notary and signatures on 50 legal documents to make a “deal”. 

Hebrews 10:1-18 describes the wonders of this new covenant compared to the old.   It is summed up in verse 17 & 18. I like the way the Message Paraphrase says it, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.  Now when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.”

So then with the Old Covenant people lived day-by-day “sitting in their own filth (sin)” until the next animal sacrifice.  With the New Covenant people live day by day forgiven (clean) by a single sacrifice (Christ's death) in the past.  No waiting!  What does this make possible?  A very close walk with God, continually, no intermediary, no priests needed, no acts of contrition to get you in the door, no resumes, no special permission to approach.  I think that is what Jesus wanted us to remember with the cup.  The cup was to represent this New Covenant made possible by his self sacrifice. 

Many of us want to live under the old system.  We feel the need to do something to atone for our foolish acts and thoughts.  We spend years trying to undo things we are ashamed of.  Offering a sacrifice of good “Christian” deeds to earn some kind of forgiveness.  What a waste of time.