The Upper Room
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
As we continue on drawing ever closer to the crucifixion of Jesus we saw last week that he was symbolically anointed for burial and the stage is now set for him to betrayed by one of the 12. This week we will encounter a similar swing of emotions where we will go from betrayal to the last supper that Jesus will eat to the foretelling of denial.
It is this night that Jesus will arrested and led before the authorities. This is the night before he will be crucified. This is the night where we see the calm before the storm.
The most amazing part of all of this though is that in it we can see Jesus’s knowledge of what is going on and even more than that, his control over it. This control highlights Jesus’s path towards the cross because he is doing it willingly, it is not catching him off guard. More than just willingly, he is guiding himself towards it because he knows that it is time.
Lets start tonight with reading the account of the upper room and all that surrounds it.
And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
And when it was evening, he came with the twelve. And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?” He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”
And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.
So in preparation for Passover Jesus sends two disciples into the city and tells them all of the details for how to find the place that they are to celebrate the passover. If you remember back to the triumphal entry you will see how the two situations are not all that different. After these two go into town they find everything just as Jesus said they would and they get everything prepared there. This is the first thing that highlights the total control that Jesus has. That evening they begin to take part in the celebration of passover which commemorates the events that happened in Exodus when the people of Israel were freed from Egypt. During this celebration Jesus says that there will be a betrayal, he knows exactly what is going on. They then take part in what we call the Lord’s Supper. In this there is the symbolic items of the meal that represent Christ body and blood. After taking part in the supper they sing a hymn and leave to go to the mount of olives. Here Jesus quotes Old Testament prophecy as he foretells more than just a betrayal but a denial by all of the 12. Peter quickly says that he would never do that but Jesus assures him that he will do it multiple times.
This section leading to the crucifixion gives us a lot of details that help us see all that is going on in a deeper light but it also gives us a lot to think about. We learn of some things to expect as we move forward and we know why they have to happen.
This section also gives us the institution of the Lord’s Supper which we are told in other places that we to are to partake in it. We are to partake in two things as a church the first is baptism and the second is the Lord’s Supper. This shows us how important this event is.
Tonight we are going to look at the three parts of this passage and see something that we call the sovereignty of Jesus in each of them. What this word sovereignty means is his all knowing power and control over everything. People often say that Jesus was giving up the things that make him God as he gets closer to the cross but I want to show you that that is far from the truth. Jesus is just as much fully God here as he was in the beginning of Mark and it is on display just as much.
So let’s pray then we will start out by looking at the preparation for Passover.
The Preparation
The Preparation
The first thing that is in this section is two of the disciples preparing for the passover. This holiday was a big deal at this time, think about Christmas level big. People would travel from all around on foot to take part. It was a huge religious celebration and the whole region would have been packed.
I am sure the disciples were wondering if he had a plan for them to celebrate the Passover or not and he sure did, notice what he says starting in Mark 14.13-15
And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.”
Jesus had more than just a plan he had it all prepared. The even crazier part is Mark 14.16
And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
Everything was just as Jesus had said. Some scholars say he might have had this planned ahead of time with the master of that house. I lean towards the side that believes that this was an act of divine orchestration. In other words Jesus through his God powers had it all worked out. The control that Jesus had over all of the events that are going on was perfect.
When it comes to these final moments of Jesus’s life we need to know that he did not lose control, he was working out everything for our good.
The Supper
The Supper
And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
After the preparations take place they begin to partake in the meal and other events that revolve around Passover. One thing about the things that they do though is that they are all slightly different from traditional, they are changed towards the celebration and remembrance of Christ.
One thing about the Lords Supper that we need to be clear on is that the parts of it are not literally his body and blood but are rather symbolic. There are many that try to say that they change what they are as they enter into the body but that is not true. Many of the prophets spoke symbolically in the same way that Jesus does here. What these things are symbolizing are that we partake in the body and the blood of Jesus, we partake in what he goes through. It also points towards the new covenant that we have in Christ.
Throughout the Bible God has interacted with his people in different ways. This is all based on covenants. A covenant is a promise and there is often blood involved with them. This blood goes towards the new covenant established in Christ.
I think that Dr. Hamilton explains it best when he wrote about this passage where he said “As Jesus celebrates the Passover with his disciples, he shifts the focus of remembrance from the liberation from Egyptian slavery to its climactic fulfillment in the liberating redemption from Satan, sin, and death.”
This once again shows us his all knowing, all powerful control over everything, even what is going on right now. He knew that the time was shifting. He was also guiding his life towards it.
The Future Denial
The Future Denial
And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.
The last part we have surrounding the upper room is right after they left Jesus told them that they would deny him. In this he quoted Zechariah 13:7 ““Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me,” declares the Lord of hosts. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones.” Jesus is the Shepherd and as he is stricken those who follow him are scattered.
Peter emphatically tells Jesus that though everyone else denies him that he will never. Jesus’ response is that he will actually deny him even more. All of this is a sad reality surrounding the death of Jesus, it is all necessary though to fulfill the prophecies about his coming.
As I am sure you have caught on to by now Jesus knew all of this and was in control and let it happen. What a wonderful powerful savior that would take on all of this for us.
Conclusion
Conclusion
After this time in the upper room we will see Jesus begin to pray in great distress in the Garden of Gethsemane until he is arrested there. Jesus knows that this is about to happen and he has the power to stop it yet he doesn’t. He doesn’t stop it because this is what is necessary to accomplish salvation.
That is in fact the goal of all of this, salvation. Jesus is going through all of this so that you might be saved. He tells us to be saved we must repent and believe in the gospel. Through turning away from your sinful ways and putting your faith in Jesus alone for salvation you can be saved.
Through this passage I am encouraged to see the great knowledge and control that Jesus has. If he has this much knowledge and control here how much more does he have my life in his hands. I have no fears because I know who my God is, I see what he has done. This is what gives me confidence as I go through life and it can be the same for you too.
