When I was in college, one of my professors led an activity that has stayed with me ever since. He said the word “apple” and asked us to write down as many descriptive words as we could. We wrote things like fruit and tree. Then he showed us a picture of an apple, and our list grew with words like red, round, and leaf. Next, he brought out a fake apple, giving us even more details to describe. Finally, he passed around a real apple. Now we could write about its weight, texture, smell, the sound of a bite crunching, and other characteristics that were impossible to experience through the previous examples.

The purpose of the exercise was to demonstrate how much more we learn when multiple senses are engaged. The professor encouraged us to involve as many senses as possible when teaching because it increases the likelihood that people will understand and remember what is being communicated. Hearing alone has its limits, but understanding grows when we add sight, touch, and even taste.

I often think about that lesson when I consider why Jesus commanded us to eat and drink in remembrance of His sacrifice. We are not called only to listen or to watch. We are invited to taste and touch as we remember what Christ has done and worship Him.

This Sunday we will continue our study in Matthew by reading chapter 26, verses 17 through 30. In this passage, we will see the Last Supper, where Jesus transforms the Passover meal into a reminder of the New Covenant established through His sacrifice. What stands out to you about Jesus’ words and actions?

If you would like to study more of the context ahead of time, The Bible Project has excellent resources on Passover and the biblical covenants that provide helpful context for this week’s passage. We hope you will take a few minutes to explore them, and we invite you to join us this Sunday as we study God’s Word together.