One Day
Luke 22:14-30 (NIV)
14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!” 23 They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.
24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. 28 You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29 And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Lyrics
VERSE 1
The hour has finally come
The sun sets behind the mountain
Work of the day has been done
A table has been set so I can
Tell them why we’re here
Explain the truth of what’s in store
Comfort where I can
Fulfill the task I came here for
CHORUS
Thank You for this cup I give today, to break the laws of old
Thank You for the bread I give so they may know the way I’ve told
I have eagerly desired to eat and feast before I go
Giving thanks, I bless Your name and give to them through blood atoned
I pray until the Kingdom comes
Remember all I’ve said and done
Until we meet again one day
VERSE 2
Each of them different from trade
Yet all gather ‘round to the table
Once in a while they’re afraid
While this is true I still know they are able
To help in what’s begun
Continue the work in which we have started
Fishers of daughters and sons
Fulfilling the task even when we have parted
CHORUS
Thank You for this cup I give today, to break the laws of old
Thank You for the bread I give so they may know the way I’ve told
I have eagerly desired to eat and feast before I go
Giving thanks, I bless Your name and give to them through blood atoned
I pray until the Kingdom comes
Remember all I’ve said and done
Until we meet again one day
BRIDGE
“One of you will betray Me,” I say, “his hand is with Mine on this table
Remember you are no better than those who aren’t here, for great are the serving and able
Soon I’ll go as decreed in the past, thank you for standing by Me in trial
Finally eat of the bread drink the cup I have poured out for you, My child”
CHORUS
Thank You for this cup I give today, to break the laws of old
Thank You for the bread I give so they may know the way I’ve told
I have eagerly desired to eat and feast before I go
Giving thanks, I bless Your name and give to them through blood atoned
I pray until the Kingdom comes
Remember all I’ve said and done
Until we meet again one day
Dive Deeper
The end of a season in life can cause many feelings to surface. One can feel anywhere from joyful to sorrowful as he/she look back at all the experiences and milestones which took place up until this point. There is joy in reminiscing and good in the remembering, but these moments never happen the same way twice. One event may recur in life, but the feelings felt during it can vary from event to event. Take a moment and think of one of the most joyful experiences you have ever experienced. What made it so joyful? Have you been able to repeat this event in the same way? What if someone promised you that you would experience the immensity of this joy again one day, but in even greater ways?
Luke 22: 14-30 is a moment like one of these. This group of disciples had been living day to day life with Jesus for 3 years. During their time together they saw some of the most miraculous events to ever take place on this earth. Then one day, Jesus told them the hour had come for him to leave; this season of life was coming to a close. However, Jesus did not leave them empty handed but gave them two promises as He passed bread and a cup of wine around the table for each of them to partake of. Verses 19-20 read,
19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.[a]
This covenant is replacing the old covenant between God and His people where God required annual animal sacrifices for the forgiveness of people’s sins. This new covenant still requires a sacrifice, but Jesus lovingly becomes the sacrifice once and for all so no other animal sacrifices must be made. Jesus gives this new covenant to His disciples so they may experience and teach others as they have been taught. So, they will remember all Jesus has done during their time together and tell others so they may come to know Jesus as well.
Thus, this time was a time of remembrance. Jesus was telling them to remember all that happened and to continue to remember it through the partaking of bread and drinking of the cup. Some may wonder, why must they continue to partake of these elements? What is its purpose and significance? Remember back to the beginning where you thought about your most joyful memory. Though this memory may not have been spoken about for quite some time, if it was talked about once a month, would you not remember it better and experience the joy of reliving it as you do? Jesus thus tells people to partake of these elements regularly so they can remember how He sacrificed His life so they may have an eternal salvation. The apostle Paul also tells us in 1 Corinthians 11:23-28,
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.
Paul wrote these verses years after Jesus had left earth in the flesh. They (Paul and others) were still remembering this sacrifice and encouraged people to partake of these elements reverently due to what they represent.
Though the season of Christ’s first coming came to an end, His season of His spirit is upon us, and the season of His second return will come one day… in this we have hope and the joy of knowing the greatest joys we have experienced will be even greater one day when we are with Christ in eternity.
Questions for Reflection
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Know that this sacrifice was not only made for them but also for You. If you have not accepted Christ as your savior, you can pray and do so today. In your heart and with your mouth believe and confess Jesus is Lord and ask Him to come and be your Savior (Romans 10:9-10).
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How do you think the disciples felt when Christ told them the hour was coming close for Him to leave them? How would you respond? God answers prayers so the next time you are faced with a change in season Pray and ask God to give you wisdom to know how to handle the transition as you are approaching it.
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What is the first covenant God established with His people? What is Christ’s new covenant with His people?
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Read the Diving Deeper section on Now and Forever and Always to learn about how Christ is still with us today in Spirit and working!
Hiddens Features
Biblical Point of View:
Jesus
Musical Explanation:
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The song begins with a cello to represent the fact it is sung from
the point of view of Jesus.
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This song is told from the last supper. As the song progresses into
the chorus you hear the piano begin to roll and flow. This is similar to theme of Like a River With No Bed this instrumental theme is played because Jesus is speaking about the words of God. In this section He is explaining how the old covenant is being replaced by the new and this new covenant told of by Him will never go void for He has spoken it. Therefore, the words of Christ are told both vocally and instrumentally and will flow endlessly like a river with no bed.
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The last section of the Chorus is meant to symbolize the Kingdom of God. As the piano rolls it takes on the same theme as that in Like a River with No Bed to purposely show Jesus singing about this great reunion between us and Him as we pass from this life to eternity one day. The weight in this section is on the words "one day" to show the promise of Jesus to be reunited with His people again eventually, and to remind them this covenant is not a means to an end but a promise until He returns.
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This song flows into Beyond the Stars as the scene changes from Him being surrounded by the disciples at the last supper to Him going off to pray alone in the Garden of Gethsemane.
How to sing:
This song is to be sung with a sense of nostalgia as one reminisces on moments with friends. Imagine a season of your life has come to an end. As you look back you remember the difficultly in preparing for this moment but also the laughter, wild adventures, and meaningful conversations you had with others during your adventures together. Even though there is a sense of sadness as the season the season ends and you part ways, there is thanksgiving in the time given to be together. As you listen to/sing this song, reflect on your previous season of life and remember the many blessings provided for you throughout.
