Anchored, “The Heart of Jesus in Communion”
The following content can be used as a guide for TFH Groups.
You don’t have to follow the guide like a script! Use discernment from the Holy Spirit as you lead your group discussion. If you notice that someone in your group needs additional care or support that’s beyond your capacity, please let a pastor know.
ICEBREAKER QUESTION OPTION:
If you could instantly become an expert at something, what would it be?
SERIES: Anchored: Anchored in Remembrance
TITLE: Part 4: With Desire I Have Desired: The Heart of Jesus in Communion
SPEAKER: Pastor Jeremy Boehlke
Scriptures—
Luke 22:7–20; 1 Corinthians 11; 1 John 2:12–13; Ephesians 6:10–17; Hebrews 9:15; John 13:34–35.
Summary—
At the heart of this message is one of the most intimate moments in Scripture: the Last Supper, where Jesus shares communion with His disciples. What stands out is the intensity of His desire—using the strongest language of longing to express how deeply He wanted to be with them. This was no casual gathering but a passionate declaration of love. Jesus doesn’t merely tolerate our presence; He eagerly desires intimacy with us. Pastor Jeremy deepens this picture: rather than a formal Western table, the meal was shared reclining together, marked by warmth and closeness. Seen this way, communion becomes more than ritual—it becomes a love language between Christ and His bride. The bread signifies His body given for us, the cup the new covenant sealed in His blood. And this moment looks forward, not just back: Jesus promises a future wedding supper when the kingdom is fully revealed. For now, we live in the engagement period, sealed by the Spirit, awaiting that reunion. The question left with us is whether we truly grasp how deeply God desires us—even those the world overlooks.
Key Takeaways—
Jesus’ passionate longing: At the Last Supper, Jesus used double-emphatic language (“with desire I have desired”) to express His deep yearning to be with His disciples.
An intimate setting: This meal took place in a reclining, close Middle Eastern context, not a distant or formal Western table, emphasizing relational closeness.
God’s ravishing love: Jesus demonstrates God’s devotion to the unwanted, weak, and overlooked—loving those others fail to notice.
Salvation and the new covenant: Salvation comes through faith in Jesus alone, the spotless Lamb whose sacrifice and blood establish the new covenant, freeing us from sin and death.
Spiritual growth in believers: Scripture describes stages of maturity—children forgiven, young men and women overcoming, and fathers and mothers investing in others.
Communion and love: Communion is intimate fellowship with Christ, remembering His broken body and shed blood, and it culminates in His command to love one another as He has loved us.
Discussion Questions—
How does understanding the intimate, reclining cultural context of the Last Supper reshape your view of communion and fellowship with Jesus?
When Jesus said, “with desire I have desired” to eat the Passover with His disciples, what does that intensity reveal about God’s heart toward you personally?
In what ways might Western, linear views of faith or church limit our experience of the relational intimacy Jesus modeled?
How does the picture of engagement and waiting with purity reflect the relationship between Christ and the Church, and what does it teach us about covenant faithfulness?
What does it mean that Jesus is “ravished” with those others overlook, and how should this transform how we see ourselves and the marginalized around us?
Scripture describes spiritual stages—children forgiven, young men and women overcoming, fathers and mothers investing in others; where do you see yourself, and what is God inviting you into next?
Practical Application—
Set aside 15 minutes daily to simply be present with Jesus. Use the phrase "with desire I have desired" as a meditation, remembering His passionate love for you.
If you're struggling with a persistent sin or challenge, share it with one trusted person in this group and ask them to check in with you weekly.
Pray daily for one person who doesn't know Jesus. Ask God for an opportunity to share your story or invite them to church/small group
Closing Prayer—
Close your session by praying together. Pray for anyone who does not yet know Jesus to encounter Him as Savior; lift up those who are struggling with specific challenges and ask for strength and victory; ask God to raise up spiritual fathers and mothers who will invest intentionally in others; and thank Jesus for His passionate, pursuing love that calls each of us into deeper intimacy with Him.
