Luke 22:1-23 - The Lord's Supper
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction:
A shadow is an interesting thing. It takes a similar shape to the object itself but is a fuzzy picture of the object. There is no true definition to a shadow. Sometimes, it can even be hard to even figure out what the object actually looks like if the light is causing the shadow to elongate or shorten.
Take this tree for example. Because of the angle of the light, the tree’s shadow is tiny and almost unrecognizable to how the tree actually appears in reality.
Today we are going to see the fulfillment of a foreshadowing in the Old Testament. We are going to see Christ institute the Lord’s Supper as the clear revealing of the Passover from Exodus 12. Although the Passover was an amazing sign of God’s protection and power, it was only a shadow of the majesty, mercy, and grace that He was going to show through Christ’s death on the cross. This is one of the most beautiful shadows of the Old Testament, though. Although the picture was fuzzy before, Jesus gives us a high definition clarity to it today.
Prayer
If you have been going through the book of Luke with us, we have just finished a pivotal section of the Gospel where Jesus has entered Jerusalem triumphantly, taught in the temple with authority, and has just finished a long sermon regarding the end times. But we mentioned last week that we were at a hinge-point in the Gospel. We have been going through Passion Week - namely the final week of Jesus’s life since Luke 19:28. Now that we enter chapter 22, we will briefly see some interaction between the religious leaders and Judas Iscariot which likely took place on Wednesday, but we will spend much of our time on the Thursday of Passion Week. Thursday will be an eventful day in the life of Jesus and His disciples. One of the most commonly remembered events on that Thursday is something that most of us are very familiar with - namely the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper was instituted to display the atoning sacrifice that Jesus was about to provide on the cross.
As we start going through our Scripture for today, we will see three important facts surrounding Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. The first is…
I. Jesus’s Sacrifice Was Fulfilled by His Persecutors (1-6)
I. Jesus’s Sacrifice Was Fulfilled by His Persecutors (1-6)
Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Passover were often used synonymously. The Passover would begin the Feast of Unleavened bread. We will discuss the Passover a bit more in a few minutes. However, the Feast of Unleavened Bread also pointed back to the same time as the Passover. Because of the hurried nature of the Passover, the people had to make their bread in haste and were not to use leaven. During this feast, all of the people would remove every single speck of leaven from their homes. It was to symbolize spiritual purification. Leaven, or yeast, was often symbolic for impurity (Examples are Luke 12:1, Galatians 5:9, 1 Corinthians 5:6-7).
However, as see in these verses, these religious leaders might have cleaned out their homes, but their hearts were far from pure. Their hearts were full of murderous plots. We are told by Luke that the chief priests and the scribes are seeking how to put Him to death.
We have probably read that many times and aren’t shaken by those words now. We understand the evil of the religious leaders. Luke has been clear throughout the Gospel that the religious leaders are lost and are bent on rebellion against God and against His One and Only Son.
However, if we take a step back, this should shake us a bit. The chief priests were descendants from the priesthood of Levi. They were set apart to minister unto the Lord. The scribes were professional students of the Jewish Law. They knew the Old Testament inside and out. And it is this group of supposedly holy men that are gathering together to plot a murder!
For these religious leaders, the only thing that mattered to them was power. And Jesus was in their way. In a matter of hours, a huge crowd of Jews would be descending upon Jerusalem to prepare for the Passover. Time was short and they needed to act quickly. If they didn’t move soon then Jesus would have an even bigger following and their power would be diminished further.
But there was one big problem keeping them from moving forward…
The biggest obstacle holding them back from carrying out their plan right now is their fear of the common people!
This statement about them fearing the people sets up the next betrayal scene. Because they feared the people, they wanted to get Jesus alone or in a small group. They knew that if they attempted to arrest Jesus in the temple with a great crowd, a riot was likely to ensue. Here is where their planning starts to fall into place though…
Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them.
Satan had been opposing Jesus throughout His ministry. We are actually told that he planned to strike at an opportune time after the Temptation of Jesus in Luke 4:13. And that opportune time seems to be have presented itself.
Here were see that Satan himself enters Judas Iscariot. We have seen demonic possession a few times in Luke’s gospel already, but this is the first time that we see Satan possess someone in the Gospel of Luke. Satan was going to make sure his evil plan came to fruition. So he took matters into his own hands.
Judas was a willing participant in this, however. He had refused to humble himself before Christ. He was a false convert.
We know that true believers cannot be demon or Satan possessed.
Judas, now possessed by Satan, goes and confers with the chief priests and officers about how they might plan to arrest Jesus. Isn’t it interesting how comfortable the religious leaders are conversing with a man possessed by Satan? Sounds a lot like John 8:44.
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
His diagnosis of the Satanic state of the religious leaders was proven true time and time again. Listen to the response of the religious leaders to Judas coming to them…
And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.
They were glad to Judas came to them. This Greek word means to rejoice! In their overflowing excitement, they even offer to give Judas money. Matthew 26:15 lets us know that they agree to give him 30 pieces of silver in order to betray Jesus.
The Apostle John in His Gospel lets us know that Judas is all about the money. He was actually the carrier of the money bag. And in John 12:4-6 we are told that he would help himself to what was put into it. He had been stealing from the ministry of Jesus the entire time. His heart was never for Jesus. He was in it for himself. And when Jesus let the disciples clearly know that He was not coming to rule and reign and take charge during His first coming, he was ready to abandon ship.
True faith is shown true by persevering under trial. True believers continue pursuing Christ even when the fiery trials of this life come their way (1 Peter 4:12).
True believers respond to fiery trials not by rejecting Christ but instead with refined and renewed faith in Christ.
How do you respond to trials, my friends? Do they drive you to your knees in prayer? Do you turn to Christ when life gets difficult? Or do you avoid the church fellowship, avoid your Christian friends, and avoid reading the Word when things are getting tough?
If your response to trials is not to press into Christ more, you need to seek godly counsel and be sure that you are truly saved.
True believers run toward their Savior and not away from their Savior in times of difficulty.
Like a child who fears danger or gets hurt, we should run into the arms of our Abba, Father when things get difficult.
If you do not run toward Christ and instead run from Him in times of trials, your understanding of Who Christ is may be incorrect. We are doing a book study in April and May on a book by Dane Ortlund called Deeper. This book will be helpful for all of us to have a deeper relationship with Christ. However, it will be even more helpful for those who don’t have a complete understanding of the truth of Who Christ truly is. I hope to have all of you involved in that study coming up.
Before moving forward, it is interesting to see that Jesus was betrayed for only 30 pieces of silver. This was actually equivalent to the price of a slave (Exodus 21:32). It showed the disdain that the religious leaders had for Jesus and also the desperate position for Judas.
Although time would keep us from getting into the detail it deserves, we see yet another fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy in regard to this money amount in Zechariah 11:4-14. This prophecy points to the destruction of Israel for rejecting the Messiah (which was seen in AD 70). The amazing detail of this prophecy is shown even more clearly by Judas, overcome with guilt after betraying the Messiah, throwing the money back into the temple in Matthew 27:3-5 paralleling Zechariah throwing the 30 pieces of silver back into the hands of the potter who was in the house of the Lord in his prophecy.
Although it appears that Jesus is outnumbered and outmatched, we see that He was sovereignly even guiding the hands of His persecutors! They ended up fulfilling what was prophesied to happen!
Next we see that…
Scripture References: Luke 12:1, Galatians 5:9, 1 Corinthians 5:6-7, Exodus 12, Luke 19:28, Luke 4:13, John 8:44, Matthew 26:15, John 12:4-6, 1 Peter 4:12, Exodus 21:32, Zechariah 11:4-14, Matthew 27:3-5
II. Jesus’s Sacrifice Was Foreseen in the Passover (7-13)
II. Jesus’s Sacrifice Was Foreseen in the Passover (7-13)
Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.
Now we are introduced to The Passover itself. We are told that this is the day in which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.
But what was the Passover anyway?
The Passover was instituted in Exodus 12:1-19 (although there is further clarification in Numbers 28:16-25, Leviticus 23:5, Deuteronomy 16:1-8).
This festival began on the eve of the Escape from Egypt for Israel. If you have read through Genesis and Exodus (the first two books of the Bible), we are told at the end of the book of Genesis that Jacob (renamed Israel) and his 12 sons settled in the land Egypt after a terrible famine. Joseph, one of Jacob’s sons, after a series of trials was blessed by God to rise up as second in command in Egypt after interpreting Pharaoh's dream of the coming famine in order to prepare the land for it.
This favor did not last, however. Only a few generations later, the people of Egypt turned on Israel. They abused them and turned them into slaves. God raised up Moses to deliver them and after a series of Ten Plagues found in Exodus 7-12, the people are finally set free.
The Tenth Plague was, by far, the worst. It was a plague that would kill all of the firstborn throughout the land of Egypt.
In order to avoid, or be passed over by, this Tenth Plague, the Jews were commanded to sacrifice a spotless lamb and spread the blood of the animal over the doorposts of their house. The blood of the spotless lamb was placed on the doorposts of all of the houses of Israel so that the Lord would pass over their houses and not kill their firstborn.
Do you see the foreshadowing of Christ in this command?
I am sure that you can see the beautiful parallel of the Passover and the sacrifice of Jesus. In fact, listen to John the Baptist describe Christ:
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
How amazingly consistent is the Bible?
Moving forward we see the preparation for the Passover…
So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.” They said to him, “Where will you have us prepare it?” He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters
and tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ And he will show you a large upper room furnished; prepare it there.” And they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
In these verses we see, again, the beauty of Christ’s sovereignty. Jesus sends Peter and John to prepare the Passover for them to eat together. Christ had already arranged the location He had chosen, and they found everything as He had said it would be.
Why was this done with just two of the disciples? Both Peter and John were in the inner circle of His disciples. They were among His most trusted. Jesus already knew that Judas was set to betray Him. This final Passover that would institute the Lord’s Supper needed to happen. Jesus arranged this without Judas to ensure that all would be fulfilled in due time.
Not one detail escaped the mind of Christ. He had everything planned out. He even mentioned a man carrying a jar of water who would be there to meet them. Although we might not understand the uniqueness of this, men did not carry jars of water. Women were the ones who went and did this during Biblical times. So He made the signs clear for Peter and John to follow in order to get everything arranged and set up. They had everything they needed in order to do what He asked them to do.
We can learn a lot from this little interchange between Jesus and Peter and John. There are times in our lives where we might doubt that things are going to work out. Where are we going to get the daily supplies that we need? How are we going to make it financially? How is our situation going to work out logistically?
God will give us all that we need to accomplish what He purposes.
We learned a similar lesson during our study through the new movie The Forge. One of the men in the movie talked about having faith in the gaps. He asserted that God leaves gaps in our lives so that our faith can be tested and so that He can grow us in our trust of Him. Not everything He calls us to do will make sense. Not every situation is going to be smooth and easy.
“God is a God of the gaps.” (From the movie, The Forge)
Hold fast to Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
We have seen that Jesus’s sacrifice was was fulfilled by His persecutors, foreseen in the Passover, and finally, we see that…
Scripture References: Exodus 7-12, John 1:29, Proverbs 3:5-6
III. Jesus’s Sacrifice Will Always Faithfully Provide Peace (14-23)
III. Jesus’s Sacrifice Will Always Faithfully Provide Peace (14-23)
And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him.
We started off today’s message talking about the foreshadowing of things to come. We talked about how the shadows can resemble what is to come but that sometimes they are a bit fuzzy.
The Old Testament gives us many fuzzy pictures of what was to come with Jesus Christ. We have mentioned these foreshadowings of Christ’s sacrifice a few times before.
Consider Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:1-14). God tells Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac – a foreshadowing of what God would do with Jesus. Yet, God provides a sacrificial ram in the thicket that is given as a sacrifice in place of Isaac – again pointing to the substitutionary death that Jesus would die on our behalf.
Next, we see the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16. Also called Yom Kipper, this day was a day in which the high priest would sacrifice a bull and a goat and sprinkle their blood on the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies. This sacrifice pointed to Christ who, as the Great High Priest, enters the heavenly sanctuary once for all, offering His own blood for our atonement and redemption (Hebrews 9:11-12).
In Numbers 24:4-9 we see a bronze serpent that is erected. Those that gaze upon the serpent on a pole are healed from the plague of venomous snakes that had been sent on the land due to their sinful rebellion. Jesus, in John 3:14-16, speaks of the fact that He will be lifted up and everyone who looks to Him and believes in Him shall have eternal life. This foreshadowing points to the crucifixion in which Christ is lifted up on the cross to bring true spiritual healing, namely salvation, to those who would believe.
One can also look at Isaiah 53 where we see the suffering servant who would bear the sins of the world as well as Jeremiah 31:31-34 where we see the promise of the New Covenant.
With all of this said, the Passover is one of the most beautiful pictures of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It is during this Last Passover - also called the Last Supper - that the shadow becomes more defined and recognizable and takes shape - especially as Jesus turns the Passover into the Lord’s Supper (also called Communion).
And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
Jesus expresses His longing that He has had to have this meal with them. Before the foundation of the world, this was planned. His journey to the cross was almost complete. He alludes to this by letting them know that He will not eat another Passover with them again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. This means that He would not celebrate another Passover with them until He had been crucified on the cross. In fact, He is likely alluding to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb found in Revelation 19:6-9 which will be a time of joyous celebration at His Second Coming!
And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
This first cup is thought to be a part of the actual Passover meal before He brings out the bread and starts a new tradition - namely the Lord’s Supper.
There were four different cups that were used during the Passover meal. This may have been the first one as thanks was given after the first cup.
Time would fail us to go into the incredible detail of the Passover meal. There is some debate on the tradition of exactly how the Passover was celebrated during the time of Jesus, but we know a few beautiful pictures that point to Christ. The meal had eventually been called the Passover Seder and other traditions were added to the ones that we see in the Scriptures. I hope to be able to go into more detail during a service coming up before Resurrection Sunday, but a couple of quick examples that we see is that one of the three pieces of bread is broken and covered in a cloth - pointing to the death and burial of Jesus Christ. The bitter herbs that are eaten point toward the bitter death Jesus endured on the cross and the suffering that He underwent throughout His life. We have already discussed the spotless lamb that pointed to Jesus as well. There are many others that we will hopefully cover in the near future.
Getting back to our Scripture, we also need to note that Christ again points to His imminent death. He speaks of this in verse 16, verse 18, and will speak of His betrayal in verses 21-23. Jesus sovereignly knew what was to come. As He has already stated - no one will take His life. He is going to willingly lay it down (John 10:17-18).
When looking at the parallel accounts in Matthew and Mark (Matthew 26:20-28 and Mark 14:17-25), it seems likely that the Passover meal continued to take place for a while before verses 19-20 came. Eventually, He changes gears and turns the meaningful Passover celebration into something much more meaningful…
And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.
For many of you, these words are likely very familiar. We read these verses every time that we partake of the Lord’s Supper. Today, I want us to unpack them and really consider the implications for this amazing ordinance called Communion.
He starts with the bread, gives thanks, and breaks it and distributes it. He then tells us that His body is given for His followers.
What does He mean by this?
His body would be broken on the cross for all who would trust in Him for salvation. The wrath of God was placed upon Him in our place. He bore our punishment on the cross. As Isaiah 53:5 prophesied, by His wounds we are healed.
Christ’s death on the cross is referred to as the substitutionary atonement.
Substitutionary atonement is understood by addressing each word independently. The first word refers to Christ dying in our place (as our substitute). The word atonement refers to the reconciliation and repairing of our relationship with God. Through Christ’s death we are reconciled to God, cleansed by Christ, and made right before God (ie. declared righteous).
Looking back at verse 20, we see the bread eaten and then the cup is brought forth…
And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.
The atoning sacrifice of Jesus brought forth a new covenant. Obviously, Jesus is clear that the cup symbolizes His blood. I find it unnecessary to go into a detailed discussion about why transubstantiation is a false teaching, but it bears a small mention. The Catholic church’s belief in the elements becoming the actual body and blood of Jesus is outlandish and goes against the teachings of Scripture including the countless times the Old Testament forbids the drinking or eating of anything with blood in it. His statement of saying this is my body is no different than Him claiming to the be the door. It is obviously symbolic and metaphorical.
Moving forward, we see that Christ’s blood would be poured out on the cross and would offer a new covenant. This new covenant provided salvation by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Christ fulfilled the Law that we could not accomplish. He lived the perfect and sinless life that we could not.
And in verse 19 we see that we are to repeat this celebration in remembrance of what Christ did on the cross. This is why we partake of Communion or the Lord’s Supper on a regular basis. This ordinance is often called communion because there is an element of unity that we have as a body of believers all being one in Christ. As we partake of communion in a few minutes, remember the unity that we have with Christ through His death on the cross as well as the unity that Christ’s sacrifice provides us with one another as well.
After this beautiful display of the Gospel through the Lord’s Supper, Luke ends this section with a few difficult verses. When combining the parallel Gospel accounts, it has been debated on whether Judas left after the Passover and before the Lord’s Supper or after the Lord’s Supper. The timing isn’t as important as seeing the sovereign plan of Jesus here in the midst of it all.
But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to do this.
Luke ends this section with how he started it. The betrayal of Jesus is around the corner. We have already seen Judas and the religious leaders conspiring against Jesus. And now Jesus, in His omniscience – meaning He knows all – calls it out.
In a slithering serpent kind of way, listen to what Satan-infused Judas says in Matthew 26:25
Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”
And John’s Gospel gives us even more detail in this interchange as Jesus tells Judas to go and do what he is going to do and tells him to do it quickly (John 13:27)!
Again, we come full circle and see that Christ’s persecutors and enemies fulfill the plan of God.
Even Satan is used as a pawn in the overarching plan of God.
Scripture References: Genesis 22:1-14, Leviticus 16, Hebrews 9:11-12, Numbers 24:4-9, John 3:14-16, Isaiah 53, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Revelation 19:6-9, John 10:17-18, Matthew 26:20-28, Mark 14:17-25, Isaiah 53:5, Ephesians 2:8-9, Matthew 26:25, John 13:27
Conclusion:
As we come to a close, I hope that you have seen more clearly the sovereign hand of God working even in the midst of the enemies of Christ. He is in control.
We also have seen the beauty of the Passover and how it pointed to the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cross which provides peace with God for all who place their faith and trust in Him.
I pray that everyone here has peace with God through Jesus Christ. If not, make today the day that you repent of your sins and place your faith and trust in the Savior of the World - namely, Jesus Christ.
