Matt.26-28 – While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.

It’s funny the things that we stumble over and that get in our way of discovering Jesus for ourselves. The most obvious roadblock is our sins, we just don’t like to admit that we may just be the problem. The problem that this brings to us is that we cannot even get started until we deal with the sin problem. It’s really quite simple, Christ died to save sinners. There it is, that’s the obstacle. Until we include ourselves in that sinner category we can’t even get started. It’s easy to see other’s faults and sins but not so much when it comes to us. This is why communion is so powerful, we may take communion most often with others but it is extremely personal. It brings us face to face with our own sin and our own need for forgiveness. Here is how Matthew Henry describes these verses.

“It is shed for the remission (forgiveness) of sins, that is, to buy remission of sins for us. The new covenant that is obtained and confirmed by the blood of Christ is a charter of pardon and forgiveness, an act of indemnity, in order to bring about a reconciliation between God and human beings. The pardon of sin is the great blessing that is given to all true believers in the LORD’s Supper; it is the foundation of all other blessings and the spring of eternal comfort. A farewell was now said to the fruit of the vine. How good it was to be here! There never was such a heaven on earth as at this table, but it was not intended to last forever.”

I know this was my big obstacle that kept me from coming to Christ. I recognized the faults in others but I was blind to my own sin. That’s where the Holy Spirit comes in to play. He awakens us to our need for a Savior and then makes forgiveness very real to us. It is very simple but it is like climbing a mountain, there is no other way to meet with God.