Pastor Andy and the rest of the campers that attended FUEL (our national camp) this Friday and had a great trip. This Sunday Pastor Andy spoke on what occurred in the upper room.

The events that occurred in the “upper room,” also known as the “Cenacle,” are described in all four gospels. During these last hours that Jesus spent with his friends, he ate with them, instituted the New Covenant in his blood, gave them last-minute instructions and encouragement, and prayed his “high priestly prayer” over them. Then he went out to face the sorrow, betrayal, rejection, and death for which he had come into the world.

This important last meeting with his disciples, whom he loved, begins with an object lesson from Jesus. The disciples had been arguing about who among them was the greatest (Luke 22:24), displaying a very ungodly perspective. Jesus gets up and begins to wash their feet. Something normally done by a slave. By this simple act, Jesus reminded them that his followers are those who serve one another, not those who expect to be served. He went on to explain that, unless the Lamb of God cleanses a person’s sin, that person will never be clean: “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me” (John 13:8).  After the message we had communion explaining the bread, “and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of me’” (1 Corinthians 11:24). Jesus’ comparison of his body to bread is also recorded in the Gospels: “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body’” (Matthew 26:26). Likewise, the blood of Christ was shed through his suffering and death on the cross. He bled as he was flogged and when a crown of thorns was put on his head (John 19:1–2). When soldiers nailed spikes through his hands and feet (Psalm 22:16; John 20:25) and speared his side, the blood of Jesus flowed (John 19:34). This shed blood was the price our Savior paid to cover the debt we owed to God for our sins: “He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins, and not only our sins but the sins of all the world” (1 John 2:2). Once we took communion together, we headed over to Hurricane creek where we baptized Ansley Fricks. It was a great day of remembrance and celebration!

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