28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Have you ever poured yourself out for another person? I remember when I was a teenager I worked for a farm that grew trees. My job was to dig out the trees and ball up the roots. You might think this was not too difficult a job, but the soil makes all the difference. This soil was filled with rocks, and it was clay and dry as a bone. It was like digging in concrete. And every tree had to have a circle dug around it the same size as the outer branches and at least two foot deep. Then you had to dig down even deeper below the root ball. Then you had to cut any roots that crossed your newly dug ditch and wiggle the tree loose from its position. Then you had to lift this ball of dirt and tree and place it on the burlap and then you could wrap the rootball for transport. It was a lot of work for a teenager. I worked my tail into the ground to dig out those trees. I felt like a dirty dishrag at the end of the day. I was spent. I had to drag myself home, shower and crawl into bed. And then it started all over again the next morning. I poured myself out. This passage is part of the institution of communion, or the Last Supper. It was part of the Passover meal celebrated by the Jews as they remember the journey from Egypt. The Passover Lamb’s blood was poured out as a symbol of the pouring out of its life in order to protect the inhabitants of the household. Its life was given so that their life could be spared. Jesus’ life was poured out for you. For whom are you pouring your life out?
The Arnold Journey 