“I promise”
“Let’s shake on it”
“I swear, man”
“You can count on me”
“I guarantee it!”
“You can bet your life on it”
“I’ll always be there for you”
“You’ve got my word on it!”
Jesus simply held up the loaf of bread, ripped it in half and in so many words said, “Friends, tomorrow they’re going to do this to my body.” He poured out the “oinos” from the grapevine and said, “My blood will pour out for you until my heart bleeds to death. Proof positive. I love you. I came for this purpose.
But this leader’s sacrificial death was even more difficult still. He, being man, cut a blood covenant promise with God on behalf of all men. And He, being God, the Creator of all men, was able to represent all people that He created when He took the nails in his wrist and cut that historical covenant so that you and God could be bonded forever.
We break our word like egg shells on scrambled egg breakfast morning in the kitchen. Guarantees in business and oaths in the courtroom have become jokes for the press to tell.
The term “covenant” means a promise and biblical blood covenants are never broken, ever. Period. When two parties made a blood covenant in history past, they’d first exchange their only coat. Then they’d switch their belts with personal sword attached. Next, they’d slit their wrists, shake hands and mix their blood. With ceremonial finality, they would then split an animal in half and walk between the halves saying, “If I ever break this covenant, may God do this to me and worse.” Finally, the two forever committed friends would break the bread, drink the juice and called each other “friends forever”.
On the day of the cross, Jesus sealed forever in a vault that Satan himself cannot touch, a friendship between God’s kids and Himself that makes “communion” the most important banquet you’ll ever attend. The Bible calls it a convenant meal. Discover now in your family discussion the full impact of this “commitment feast” between you and God.