And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. (Luke 22:14-20)

When the hour that directly led to His crucifixion had come, Jesus had the Passover meal with His disciples and said, I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. In those genuine and tender words, we glimpse the deep longing of our Savior’s heart—not just to share the Passover meal, but to share Himself. That moment was not only leading to the final moments of Jesus’ life, it was unveiling of a new covenant that would forever change the way we relate to God.

The Passover meal celebrated Israel’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt. But Jesus, the true Passover Lamb of God, knew that He was about to accomplish a far greater deliverance—freedom from the bondage of sin. As Jesus took the bread and the cup, He established a new covenant. The bread, representing His body given for us, and the cup, His blood poured out. These were tangible signs for us to have as we remember His love and the salvation He secured through His sacrifice on the cross.

Jesus’ words in verse 16 are striking: I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. This points us forward to a feast yet to come—the marriage supper of the Lamb described in Revelation 19:9. One day, we will sit at a table in the kingdom with Jesus Himself as our bridegroom, no longer remembering His sacrifice in shadow or looking forward to the day of our redemption, but in celebrating its fullness in glory with Him.

Until that day in heaven, He calls us to remember. Not out of ritual, but out of relationship. Jesus said, Do this in remembrance of Me. Communion is more than bread and juice—it is an invitation to come to the foot of the cross with our hearts fully surrendered with thanksgiving, and to behold the One who gave everything so that we might have life.

Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 11:28 to examine ourselves before we partake. It’s easy to let communion become routine, something we merely do rather than something we experience in Christ. But Jesus did not go through the motions on His way to Calvary. He suffered, He bled, and He died with deliberate love. So we, too, are to come to the table with deliberate reverence, gratitude, and self-reflection. We must be fully present and aware of the cost of our salvation and the grace that now covers us.

As many of us get ready for Seder dinners, communion on Good Friday services, and Easter Sunday, let us not partake of this gift lightly. Jesus earnestly desired to eat that final Passover because He earnestly desires communion with us. May our hearts mirror His longing, and may every moment we partake be a fresh encounter with His mercy and a deeper commitment to walk in the freedom He purchased for us.