What If You Don’t Feel Qualified to Be a Christian?

A Few Thoughts to Consider

Have you ever felt unqualified to be a Christian?

Maybe you feel embarrassed over all your mistakes or the times you’ve “let God down.” Gradually, the more you obsess over your failures, the harder you find it to spend time with God. You convince yourself he wouldn’t want to be close to someone like you. If this is your story, Matthew 26 is for you.

In this passage, Matthew gives the account of the first Lord’s Supper. This scene occurs just four days after Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Excitement fills the city, and emotions are high. The Passover meal followed a specific order, beginning with drinking a cup of red wine mixed with water, followed by the ceremonial washing of hands, symbolizing the need for spiritual and moral cleansing.

Bitter herbs were then eaten to represent the bondage in Egypt. After this, the second cup of wine was served, during which the head of the household explained the significance of Passover. They would then sing the first two psalms of the Hallel (Psalms 113-118). The lamb was brought out next, with the head of the household distributing pieces of it along with unleavened bread, and finally, the meal concluded with the drinking of the third cup of wine.

“Matthew’s words suggest that, as Western art has generally assumed, only thirteen people were at the table, which would be a typical size for a Passover meal.”^[1] As they ate, Matthew 26:26-30 says,

²⁶ Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; this is my body.” ²⁷ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. ²⁸ For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. ²⁹ But I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” ³⁰ After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

This moment marks a new covenant between God and humanity. Among those present at the table are four significant figures: John, Peter, Thomas, and Judas. Each was very different and had differing levels of closeness to Jesus. John, known as the “beloved disciple,” experienced three pivotal moments of closeness with Jesus. He was one of the few chosen to witness the raising of Jairus’ daughter, the Transfiguration, and Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Peter, always bold and passionate, had moments of both great faith and profound failure. Though he promised never to deny Jesus, fear would overtake him, causing him to deny Jesus three times. But Jesus, in his grace, would restore Peter, giving him the chance to reaffirm his love. Thomas was a doubter who would one day need to see the nail prints in Jesus’ hands to believe he had risen from the dead. Judas would betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.

Jesus invited these four very different people to sit at the table, eat of his body, and drink of his blood.