Luke 22:1-34: The New You

Introduction

Tradition of last meals? Humane before something inhumane… A way to celebrate life before facing death. Because of Lawrence Brewer - Texas no longer gives last meals… https://www.fodmapeveryday.com/22-meals-to-die-for-death-row-last-meals-and-our-fascination-with-them/#:~:text=The%20tradition%20of%20the%20last,life%20before%20inevitably%20facing%20death.

Last meal of Jesus - a celebration of life - new life. The most significant meal in human history.

Luke 22 - sometimes referred to as the “Last Supper.” Maybe better “The First Supper.” This meal Jesus shared with His disciples changed the course of human history.

Luke 22 - Thursday of Holy Week - the night before Jesus died. The day of His death - chaotic as the disciples would see Jesus sentenced to death.

Jesus uses ancient the Passover meal to interpret His death. The Passover meal an annual meal used to remember the most important event in the Jews ancient history - the Exodus.

But, takes this ancient meal and gives it new meaning - because Jesus was doing something new. Going to the cross to make you new.

Two truths to remember every time we share the Lord’s Supper together. A longing in all of us for new and better - that’s what Jesus gives us.

Remember that Jesus has made you new.

Passover/Festival of Unleavened Bread - Most significant Jewish holiday that remembered the Passover in Exodus 12. Pilgrimage festival - take your family to Jerusalem. Josephus - 2.5 million people in Jerusalem during Passover! As many as 255,000 lambs slaughtered. A crowded city!

A different Passover - chief priests and scribes want Jesus dead. They fear the support Jesus is getting from the people.

A plot - Judas paid off to betray Jesus - to escort the religious leaders to Jesus when the crowds were not around so they could have Jesus arrested.

vs. 3 - Satan entered Judas. Judas followed, but he did not believe (John 6:64). His heart already hard to Jesus. We don’t know why - but his heart fertile ground for Satan to work.

Not only had the religious leaders been looking for an opportune time to end Jesus’ ministry, Satan also looking for an opportune time (Luke 6:13).

Jesus sent Peter and John to prepare for the Passover. “Go into city man carrying a jar of water…” Men didn’t carry water jars! Women did! “He’ll stick out to you...” (Residents of Jerusalem expected to offer guests rooms to pilgrims for Passover celebrations.)

vs. 13 - “just as He had told them…” From the disciples perspective, the unfolding events on Friday would seem chaotic. An arrest, a trial, a crucifixion. It would seem Jesus had lost control - vs. 13 - a reminder that Jesus is in control of every detail leading up to His crucifixion.

Then the most significant meal in human history. vs. 15 - Jesus desired to eat with the disciples - about to make everything new. vs. 16 - A meal that Jesus would not eat again but eat with us all at His return (Matt. 26:29).

Ancient Passover meal - Every element of feast had meaning. Four courses - each course ends with glass of wine representing four promises of God to the Hebrews in Ex. 6:6-7. 1. To bring out of affliction. 2. To deliver from slavery 3. To redeem them 4. To make them his own people.

Green vegetables - reminder of life

bitter herbs - reminder of slavery in Egypt

Motzah - unleavened bread - leaven symbolic of sin - reminder of need to be holy before God. Also, reminder of first passover - eat in haste - no time to let bread rise

A mixture of fruit, nuts, and honey - reminder of mortar of bricks - harsh work in Egypt

Roasted lamb - Reminder of the blood of the lamb placed on doorposts.

Traditional passover - a time of teaching - the father would preside and every year the children instructed to ask 4 questions: First: Why is this night different from all other nights?

Father would tell story of First Passover in Ex 12 - Pharaoh didn’t let God’s people go - 9 horrific plagues - but final plague the worst.

Angel of death in Egypt - Hebrews escaped death of firstborn if blood of lamb applied to doorpost. Lamb was a substitute - lamb’s life instead of a child’s life.

After final plague - Pharaoh freed the Hebrews.

Father took unleavened bread - hold it up - bless it and say (Based on Deut. 16:3): This is the bread of affliction which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. Let everyone who hungers come and eat; let everyone who is needy come and eat the Passover meal.

Jesus does something NEW. Holds up bread - “This is my body...” He would experience ULTIMATE affliction. Yes, the Hebrew people suffered. However, the suffering of Jesus far outweighed the suffering of the Hebrews. He was afflicted for our sins (Is. 53:4-8).

Bread = God became a man to experience affliction for us. The bread is an invitation to come and and find our nourishment in Christ’s affliction. He died taking our sin and giving us the benefits of His perfect life. We are clothed in His righteousness. On the cross, Jesus was treated as if He had done everything that we did so we might be treated as if we had done everything He did.

Took the cup. 2 cups in Luke’s Gospel? Regardless, takes a cup, possibly the third cup, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” Redemption found in the shedding of my blood. Bought out of sin only as I die for your sin.

“Blood of the covenant.” Blood used to seal covenant - (Gen. 15, Exod. 24:3-8) What can wash away our sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Not our works, not a sacrifice, but THE sacrifice. (Hebrews 10:4)

New Covenant - Life not found in OT sacrifices but in shedding of Jesus’ blood. You have no hope without the crucifixion! Jesus had just predicted the fall of the temple (Luke 21). The old is gone - the need to come to a priest with your sacrifices - done away with. Why? The Lamb of God is sitting at the table with His disciples willing to be our sacrifice.

Lord’s Supper is a vivid reminder that Jesus has come to give you new life. (Fulfillment of Ezekiel 36:24-28) As we come to the table - you need to come asking two questions:

In what ways are you settling for the old life? If you are convinced that Jesus died to give you a new life, why would you settle for the old? BUT… we settle for the old all the time. Lord’s supper a time of reflection and repentance (1 Corinthians 11:27-28). You need to get personal this morning. Selfish pursuits rather than missional living? Giving into sinful desires rather than pursuing holiness? Puffed up in pride? Lack of trusting God? Dishonesty and deception? Eph. 4:20-24 - Put off the old/put on the new.

In what ways do you need to put on the new? Growth in the fruit of the Spirit? Forgive someone of how they have hurt you? A Godward perspective on your current circumstances? Pursue someone with the Gospel?

A simple prayer as we gather around the table to remember: “Help me to live out the new life you have given me. Help me to run from the old and run to the new.”

Remember that Jesus has made us new.

Jesus completely changing the meaning of the Passover. Disciples heads are spinning from what they are experiencing, then Jesus shocks everyone at the table: “But look, the hand of the one betraying me is at the table with me.”

The most significant meal in human history followed by a fight. Disciples offended that someone at the table would betray Jesus. After all, they had given three years of their lives to follow Him.

An understandable argument: Who’s the greatest? Which one sacrificed the most? Which one worked the hardest for Jesus? Which one did Jesus like the most? The disciples sound so much like us… “Who’s the best? Where do we rank?” We are all about personal glory.

Jesus had just told His disciples that He was going to be their sacrificial Lamb, and now they are fighting about which one of them is the most glorious. They’re boneheaded.

Jesus should have scolded His disciples. Instead, He simply reminds them that they are not like the rest of the world. The cross and resurrection would make them new - a new community/people.

In God’s Kingdom, the greatest are those who serve like Jesus. The greatest are those who endure with Jesus (vs. 28). God will exalt those who humble themselves for the sake of Jesus. Salvation is for those who see that they’re not that great. Salvation is for those who see their need for a Great Savior - a Savior willing to sacrifice Himself for us.

Then Jesus turns to Simon Peter - the Apostle that Jesus said to, “On your confession of faith I will build my church.” The Apostle that would be so significant in the early days of the church. Peter, a disciple who was tempted to think he was great. “Peter, you’re going to deny me three times before the rooster crows. Your lack of greatness will be laid bare for everyone to see.”

A clear reminder: when you realize the greatness of Jesus - that He is the One who has changed human history through His death and resurrection.

The Lord’s Supper - a reminder of who is really great. A reminder that our great King has made you new and made us new. A reminder that Jesus not only saved you from your sins, He also saved you for a family.

Made us new - In Christ, we’re not fighting to assert our individual greatness. Instead, we’re unified in purpose to point people to the greatness of Jesus.

Who are you engaging? People to help you get ahead in life or people who will help you get to Jesus? Are you isolating yourself from the body, or are you actually pursuing relationships within the church? The greatest relationships you will ever build are in the body of Christ.

Who are you edifying? Edify - To help someone improve - NOT self-improvement - but point to Jesus. “Let me teach you…” Teach others to look to Jesus not to our own greatness (Romans 14:19) To edify requires you to grow yourself so you have something to pass on.

Who are you encouraging? - NOT you’re great BUT “I see God at work in you…” No one ever says, “I’ve been encouraged enough.” Encouragement is a powerful way to help someone continue in their pursuit of Jesus.

Next few weeks, we move from the table to the cross. On the way to the cross, the disciples who argued about who was the greatest will fail Jesus.

Jesus knows they will fail. Yet Jesus will go to the cross as the sacrificial lamb so that we might sit at the table with Jesus and feast with Him in eternity (Luke 22:16).

None of us deserve a seat at the great banqueting table, but by faith, all of us can have a seat at the table.

Peter failed Jesus, but he will have a seat at the banqueting table because of his faith; not his failures. The other disciples who failed Jesus leading up to His death, but they will have a seat at the banqueting table because of their faith.

If you trust Jesus, you will have a seat at the banqueting table even though you don’t deserve it. Jesus went to the cross and drank the cup of God’s wrath for you and then rose from the dead so that if you turn from your sins and turn to Him by faith, you will have a seat with Him for eternity.

This table is a picture of a greater table - gathered with all God’s children enjoying fellowship with Christ forever because of His body and His blood.