May 24: Our atonement

Focal Passage: Matthew 26:17-30

As we sat around eating with one another, I thought to myself, “This is a meal I will never forget.” It wasn’t because of the food. It was because of the circumstances around the food. It was a great celebration. Similarly, this meal Matthew writes about is a meal they would never forget. In fact, it becomes the most meaningful meal in history because Jesus would explain what His death is about to accomplish. 

When we read this story we see a few things. First, we are reminded that sin requires a sacrifice. The setting of this meal is Passover which is the annual meal for Jews to remember how God delivered Israel from Egypt through the blood of a lamb (Exodus 12). This meal reminded Israel that sin and judgment required sacrifice. But Passover was never just about looking backward; it pointed forward. 

Every lamb sacrifice was a reminder that forgiveness is costly. It’s a reminder for us to take sin seriously and not grow casual about it. Sin is like a warning light on a dashboard. The problem may be hidden for a while, but eventually it must be addressed. Have I forgotten the true cost of forgiveness?

This story also reminds us that Jesus became our substitute. In verses 26-28, Jesus identifies himself as the true Passover Lamb. His body would be broken. His blood would be poured out. And He would stand in our place. Atonement means substitution. The innocent one bears the penalty of the guilty. It’s like someone stepping forward to pay a debt they did not owe because the debtor could never pay it themselves. This is the beauty of the gospel. 

This story gives us an invitation. This gift of atonement is a gift of grace and grace invites us to respond. Jesus points beyond the cross to the coming Kingdom, where He will drink the cup anew with his people. You see, the cross is not the end of the story. His sacrifice opens the door to forgiveness, fellowship, and future hope. The disciples leave the meal singing hymns. Even with suffering ahead, worship rises because redemption is near. When someone realizes a burden has finally been lifted, gratitude naturally follows. For us, does the cross still move my heart to worship? Is my life marked by gratitude?

At the table, Jesus explained the cross before the nails were ever driven. Our forgiveness was not free. It was purchased though the broken body and spilled blood of Jesus. The Lamb we needed willingly gave himself for us so that our sin could be forgiven and our relationship with God restored. That is our atonement. B&R