Sermons

What’s up with Communion? Week 76 – Matthew 26:26-29 – 8/17/25

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Sermon Series: We are currently going through a sermon series in the Gospel of Matthew. Today, we’re talking about a passage of Scripture where Jesus tells of Judas’ betrayal. 

Institution of the Lord’s Supper

26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the[a] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Have you ever wondered about Communion and why we do it? In this part of God’s Word we see a famous scene in the life of Jesus: the Last Supper. By taking a look at what Jesus teaches His disciples, we can learn the importance of Communion. 

Communion serves as a tangible reminder:

  1. Of what Jesus has done for us

Matt. 26:26-27, 1 Pet. 3:18, Is. 53:5, 1 Cor. 15:3, Rom. 5:8

  1. Of the New Covenant

Matt. 26:28, Jer. 31:31-34, Heb. 8:6-13, 9:15, Rom. 7:6

  1. To examine ourselves

Matt. 26:28, 2 Cor. 13:5, 1 Cor. 11:27-32, Ps. 139:23-24

  1. To be unified as the church

Matt. 26:28, 1 Cor. 10:17, John 17:20-23, 1 Cor. 1:10, Eph. 4:3

  1. To look towards eternity with Christ

Matt. 26:29, Rev. 19:6-10, Rom. 6:23, Ps. 16:11

 

Reflecting on God’s Word

Getting Started

  • Take some time to read over Matthew 26:26-29 and pray. 
  • Have you ever read or heard about this before? What stood out to you as we were talking about it? 
  • What surprised you as we talked about it?
  • As you reflect on the Last Supper, what did you learn, and how does that affect your relationship with the Lord?

Diving In 

  1. Communion helps us to tangibly remember Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for our sins. How could you better remember this outside of partaking in communion? 
  2. Communion also helps to remind us of the new covenant, or promise, that God has with us, to forgive us of our sins. Are there any sins in your life that you need to repent of? Spend some time examining your heart, and asking the Lord to do the same. Read 1 John 1:9. 
  3. Read 1 Cor. 10:17. How does this passage help us to understand the importance of unity within the church and among believers? What role can you personally play in order to have more unity within the church? 
  4. Read Revelation 19:6-10. Communion also helps us to look forward to eternity with Christ. How can you better remember that, and how would that help you to manage this season of your life in a way that would honor God as much as possible?   

Applying the Scripture

What are your biggest takeaways from this passage of God’s Word? 

  • What practical step(s) do you need to implement in your life to apply what God has taught you in this passage of Scripture? 
  • How would applying this affect your life and your relationship with the Lord? 
  • Who can you ask to keep you accountable to applying this to your life?

 

Small Group Guide:

Open with prayer.

Go around and give everyone a chance to share about how the past week has been. What’s one highlight? What’s one lowlight?

If your small group has talked about it before, feel free to use this time to hold people accountable to what they’ve asked to be held accountable for previously, and go through the “missional” part of this discussion guide.

Prayer Time:

Pray for each other in your small group to be faithful take the step(s) that you shared above. Pray for each other and the interactions that they have with those who don’t know Jesus. Pray that God would soften the people’s hearts to what He has for them. Pray that God would give everyone opportunities to share the Gospel.

Staying Missional:

Share spiritual/missional conversations you’ve had where you live, work, and play:

Who did you have a conversation with that took a spiritual/missional turn this week?
What questions did you ask to discover where God is at work in their life, even if they are not aware?
How were you able to share your story of life change or how you have experienced Jesus?
How can you be intentional this week with people where you live, work, and play to have spiritual/missional conversations if the opportunity arises?
Who in your life do you think could be discipleable or open to spiritual/missional conversations?

What’s next?

Discuss the next step for your small group. When will we gather again and what purpose will it fulfill?