Find Yourself at the Table

Luke 22: 7-13 “Then the Day of Unleavened Bread came when the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.” “Where do you want us to prepare it?” they asked him. “Listen,” he said to them, “when you’ve entered the city, a man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him into the house he enters. Tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover with my disciples?” ’ Then he will show you a large, furnished room upstairs. Make the preparations there.” So they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.”

Once Jesus and the disciples gathered in the room, Jesus did a strange thing. He washed the feet of His men (even Judas). The meal progressed as usual until Jesus introduced a new element that exists to this very day. After the supper three things happened exactly as Jesus said they would. Judas betrayed Him. The disciples ran away from Him. Peter denied Him. At some times in our lives we fall into at least one of these categories.

Examination: (Why?)

1. Participation

Luke 22:14-22 “When the hour came, he reclined at the table, and the apostles with him. Then he said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (Bless and partake of the bread)

In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. (Bless and partake of the cup)

But look, the hand of the one betraying me is at the table with me. For the Son of Man will go away as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!”” This was the first of three prophesies that Jesus made at the Last Supper.

2. Missing the Point

Luke 22:23-30 “So they began to argue among themselves which of them it could be who was going to do it. Then a dispute also arose among them about who should be considered the greatest. But he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who have authority over them have themselves called ‘Benefactors.’ It is not to be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever is greatest among you should become like the youngest, and whoever leads, like the one serving. For who is greater, the one at the table or the one serving? Isn’t it the one at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves. You are those who stood by me in my trials. I bestow on you a kingdom, just as my Father bestowed one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. And you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

One would think that the disciples would at least be pondering the statements of Jesus regarding the bread and the wine. However, their heads were somewhere else altogether. It is like many worship services where the truth of God is preached, there is a moment of conviction or call that is experienced, but we immediately push that to the back of our minds and return to whatever else we have been thinking about like, “I hope we get to the restaurant before it gets too busy.” or “I hope the roast isn’t burning in the oven.” or “I hope we get home in time for the start of the game.”

Jesus did what many pastors are afraid to do. He called their hand and redirected their attention. He said, “Guys, listen up! Haven’t you noticed that I never asked to be served? Didn’t you pay attention with I washed your feet today? You’ve got this all wrong. You are here to emulate me and to serve others in My Name. Besides, didn’t you get it when I explained about the bread and the wine? Sheesh!”

One thing that you MUST remember is that God will hold you accountable for every bit of TRUTH to which you have been exposed, whether you see it or hear it, you will be held responsible for what you do with it.

3. Prophesy and Fulfillment

Matt 26:31 “Then Jesus said to them, “Tonight all of you will fall away because of me, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.”

This was the second prophesy that Jesus made at the Last Supper. Sure enough, just a few hours later that prophesy was fulfilled as the disciples fled into the dark when Jesus was arrested.

Luke 22: 31-34 ““Simon, Simon, look out. Satan has asked to sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” “Lord,” he told him, “I’m ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” “I tell you, Peter,” he said, “the rooster will not crow today until you deny three times that you know me.””

The third prophecy of Jesus that night regarded Peter who vehemently denied that he would ever desert Jesus. The phrase that Peter should have noticed is when Jesus said, “But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.” Can I tell you that He has prayed the same prayer for every believer? That should give you great comfort. The next passage shows the fulfillment of Jesus’s third prophecy.

Luke 22:54-62 “They seized him, led him away, and brought him into the high priest’s house. Meanwhile Peter was following at a distance. They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, and Peter sat among them. When a servant saw him sitting in the light, and looked closely at him, she said, “This man was with him too.” But he denied it: “Woman, I don’t know him.” After a little while, someone else saw him and said, “You’re one of them too.” “Man, I am not!” Peter said. About an hour later, another kept insisting, “This man was certainly with him, since he’s also a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter. So Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.”

The reason that Peter was devastated when he realized that he had done exactly what Jesus said he would do is that Jesus had prayed that his faith would not fail. At that moment Peter knew that the only recourse open to him was repentance.

Application (How do I fit into this picture?)

Are you a betrayer of Jesus? Do you swap Him for the riches this world offers? Or can you sing with Bev Shea “I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold?” If not, you need to repent.

Do you deny Jesus by refusing to identify with Him in conversations about religion? Do you change the subject or just keep silence instead of telling your story of salvation? If so, you need to repent.

Do you leave the premises when religion is mentioned and run into the night like the disciples did? If so, you need to repent.

Or maybe this message made no sense to you because you have never surrendered your life to Christ. You can change that right now. Just pray, “Jesus, I give you my life.”

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