Matthew 26:26-29 Drinking the Fruit of the Vine
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: August 28, 2019 Matthew 26:26-29
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
(Understanding the Text) They were eating the Passover lamb when Jesus instituted this ceremony. It’s interesting that the ceremony of the Passover and many other pre-resurrection ceremonies involved eating an animal while this new ceremony was about eating and drinking plant food. Death is abhorrent to God, I think, so He only uses it when it is necessary. Once Jesus had died, there was no more need for animal death, so the ceremony that commemorates Jesus’ death has flour, oil, and grapes.
(Understanding the Text / Prayer) The bread was not significant until it was blessed. Before giving the bread to others, it needs to be blessed. The drink must first be given thanks for and then distributed. I need to start thanking You for my food. I’m terrible at that. Anyway, the extension is that my efforts to serve you need to be prayed over before I actually do them. The blessing is necessary to make the efforts holy and useful. Otherwise, I am just doing an activity like any other activity. I need to give my efforts to You to bless. Please be with me this day and bless the activities that I do.
(Revelation of God) Jesus gave a promise that I think is more significant than I can conceive right now. He promised not to drink anything made from grapes until we could all drink it together in heaven. It was a promise of fellowship. It was also a promise that the disciples would make it to the kingdom of heaven. Their Master had said so, and they would eventually believe this was true. But why does Jesus not drink grape juice until then? What is the significance of this?