Scripture Texts are Jeremiah 33.14-22 and Matthew 26.21-35.
Subject is “A Commemoration of Salvation.”

We may be tempted to turn our backs on those who have offended us. Betrayal is painful and ugly. Who wants to embrace those who have betrayed? Similarly, being abandoned is not much better. Think about having two close friends who perhaps grew up with you or you went to school together or played on the same sports team, or worked together, or worshiped together. These two people were close friends. And you trusted them.

On the same day, one betrays you and the other one forsakes you. One sets you up to be seriously hurt. And the other one abandons you when you them the most. Two people you should be able to depend on when times are hard have turned against and from you. After that, how could you care for either of them?

In our text, Jesus institutes Holy Communion as He prepares to become our Passover Lamb. Sandwiched between this act is betrayal by Judas and being forsaken by Peter. Even today, we have Christians behaving like Judas and Peter. Yet, Christ still died for each and every one of us. Today we commemorate His sacrifice. We commemorate His death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and future return for us, the body of Christ who has accepted Jesus the Christ as LORD and Savior.

Conclusion: Jesus loves us so much, that no matter what we have done in the past, forgiveness is available to us. Salvation is available to whomever would accept Jesus as LORD and Savior. If you do not reject Jesus, He will not reject you. Amen.