Powerful Lessons from the Passion of the Passover

Luke 22: 7-16

April 13, 2025

Luke 22: 7-16 (NRSVUE)

Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. So, Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it.” They asked him, “Where do you want us to make preparations for it?” “Listen,” he said to them, “when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters and say to the owner of the house, ‘The teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” ’ He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there.” So, they went and found everything as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover meal. When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. He said to them, “I have eagerly 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.”

Introduction: The Gospels all begin their account of Jesus’ last week with the story of his triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the Sunday of that week recognized as Palm Sunday. It originated from the palm branches waved by the crowd to greet and honor Jesus Christ as he entered Jerusalem. They have heard Jesus’s teaching about God’s kingdom and had been beneficiaries of his miracles. Many believed that He came to usher in the new kingdom promised in the Old Testament. Hosanna! Hosanna! Blessed he that comes in the name of the Lord. Palm Sunday marks the first day of Holy Week.  The Passion of Jesus is final events in the life of our savior. The word passion is derived from Latin passio meaning “suffering” or “enduring”. Jesus suffered and endured conflict with scribes and Pharisees; betrayed by Judas, forsaken by his  disciples, Peter denied ever knowing him three times, Jesus was arrested, guilty of no crimes and led away to be tried. He suffered and he endured. He was mocked, beaten, whipped, Jesus’ death came by crucifixion, a cruel and painful method of dying. Before this...

Scriptural Text: Jesus gathered the Twelve Apostles for the Last Supper. It took place within the framework of a Jewish Passover meal where Jesus sought to prepare the disciples for what was to come. During the Passover all lodging in Jerusalem was free. giving up a room was place where a rabbi met with his disciples to talk things over to open their hearts to them. Jesus has taken steps to procure such a room. he sent Peter and John into the city to look for a man carrying a jar of water would had been unusual, typically this was a task for a woman. Suggest, Jesus’ foreknowledge a man carrying a jar of water was a prearrangement. Since the Passover meal had to be eaten within the walled city of Jerusalem, Jesus prepared to eat the meal within the city. Peter and John are told to go and make preparations. This involved overseeing the sacrifice of the lambs in the temple, seeing that the lamb was roasted, preparing the place, and preparing all the side dishes and wine. The owner supplied the place and furniture for the celebration of the Passover, the two disciples were to prepare what was needed for the eating of Passover. Jesus had looked forward to sharing the joy of eating the Passover with the disciples, to teach them of the new covenant in his blood and to bring his work to a conclusion before he suffers.

What Powerful Lessons from the Passion of the Passover can we learn?

Everything requires preparation. In life we prepare, preparing our children for school or college, we prepare for dinner, for worship, work, school, new baby, new home, new job, prepare for bed, etc.  The Passover required preparation. This passage is about our house, our vessel—if they are not prepared then our hearts are not prepared for Christ or the Holy Spirit to dwell within us. Prepare with prayer, Prepare with worship, prepare by separating ourselves from ungodly things, prepare our minds to be transformed by studying and living out the word of God.

(1) The Passover reminds us we must remember what the Lord has caused to Passover our lives.  During the passover the Jewish people remember how the Lord when he saw the blood on the door post of the Hebrew people he passed over their home and did not let their first born sons die. But the oppresssor first born did not live  and we should remember when the lord cause things to Passover you. A accident could have killed you but Jesus our lord caused it to Passover   You had a bad doctors report like cancer but jeuss cause it to Passover Enemies all around you but Jesus’ blood it pass over. Somebody lied, fasley accused you, but Jesus’ blood it pass over You had sinned had fell terribly but Jesus blood caused it to pass over. And you can say by faith. What can wash away my sins. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again, nothing but the blood of Jesus! Yes! The Passover remembers what and where the Lord has brought us. We have to stop and remember what has passed over you, i.e., destruction passed us over, deliverance from bondage, sickness, death, God spared your life and your children’s lives, when we are covered by the blood of Jesus what the enemy set up for you, it passed you over, no weapon formed shall prosper. He prepares a table in the presence of my enemies. Shout it pass over!!

(2) God always positions people to open up a way for you someone in our lives to fulfill His purposes. So, we never have to worry about where God sends you. Jesus will prepare you for what is to come. He will send a word or a song a messenger dreams and or visions. We saw it the other day the country need a senator to stand up for 25 hours speak truth and God already had somebody Sen Cory Booker ready in position.   When God needed to defeat Goliath and bring him down, He already had David in place. When a narcissistic king wanted to destroy the people, God already had Esther in place. When Fredrick Douglass escaped from slavery but couldn’t read God already had some people in new London to teach him how to read and become the one of the greatest orators for freedom God has ever produced If you serve God, he will always have somebody to open doors and make ways and help you do God work even when you don’t see it. (3) Then the passion of Passover teaches us if we walk with Jesus, things will be just as He told you. We can believe and trust God’s directions. He know the plans He has for your future. If the bible say that God is faithful…it’s just as He told us. Of the bible say that God will supply all your needs according to His riches in heaven, it’s just as He said. It may not look like it, feel like it

(4) Finally, the passion of the Passover is it shows us how much God desires to be with us. God desires to be with us...can you image. God desires you. For God so love the  world that he gave His only begotten son.

God desire to be with us and in us. If God desire to be with us church this passage teaches us that we are to have time to be intentional to be in community, in constant mode like Jesus. He first loved us. When we don’t feel like it God chase after us. He care about us, we can cast all our cares on Him because he cares.

a. God desire to see His people free, live in harmony, live in peace

b. God desire to see you heal, whole, and delivered

c. God desire that you have life and have it more abundantly.

He desires that all might be saved and come into the knowledge of His love.

He desires us so much he became obedient unto death even death on a cross. 

It’s time to recognize how greatly God desires to fellowship with us. We are saved because God came to us. He wants relationship, fellowship, communion. He want to use us, desires to make us like himself, he will pursue us, His grace and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. Jesus died for us, for you! While we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

Why did Jesus come down through 42 generation? There would be no calvary without the desire from God.

God desire to be with us when we are broken, to fix us up Hurting to heal is up Sad to lift us up Messed up to straighten us up God desires to be with us And passion of Passover teaches us • Jesus was prepared as the Lamb of God to be the sacrifice for the sins of humanity. God prepare me a body and I will go down and dwell among them. • In Garden of Gethsemane , Jesus prepared himself for the coming ordeal by praying and submitting his will to that of his Father.  • Going to the cross, he promised He was going to prepare a place for you, that where I am there you may be also. And because God was prepared. We should sing, Lord prepare me To be a sanctuary, Pure and holy Tried and true, And with thanksgiving I'll be a living, Sanctuary, oh for You! Amen