The Passover Lamb

Holy Monday Service

Luke 22:7–23 ESV

7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.” 9 They said to him, “Where will you have us prepare it?” 10 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 11 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?’ 12 And he will show you a large upper room furnished; prepare it there.” 13 And they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. 14 And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. 15 And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 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.” 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. 21 But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. 22 For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” 23 And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to do this.

Luke 22 is were we start our journey for Holy Week. Our text contains the 7th meal scene we witness throughout Luke’s gospel account. This meal, The Lord Jesus final earthly meal with His disciple happens during Passover. This is a meal like no other meal. The preparation involved was more detailed than other meals. The place and people involved was significant. And the one leading this meal, or hosting had to be knowledgeable enough to teach the importance of this meal.

We see Jesus, the Passover lamb selected in eternity pass, hosts the passover meal with His disciples which describes His earthly mission. I want us to focus on a few things today as we build continuously to the glorious celebration of our Risen savior Sunday. The preparation and people and the Supper.

The Preparation (place and people) Passover (7-13)

Jesus being fully God and Fully man could not withhold His character and nature from being on full display. The day of unleavened bread was upon them and Jesus sent Peter and John to make preparations for the Passover Meal. There is a problem, they have been transient for three years and never had permanent housing so: they need a place. And they needed to gather all the necessary items for the meal.

Jesus being Jesus already had a plan. The foreknowledge of Jesus is seen here as He makes the plan easy for His disciples to follow. First he says: when you go into the city you will find a man carrying a jar of water; and he will lead you to the house we will dine at tonight. Peter and John were thinking this can’t be right. It was customary for women to carry jars of water and not men. Jesus did this for a few reasons, mainly to ensure Peter and John to trust His plans but also to keep Judas from knowing ahead of time the place in which the meal would take place.

Scholars have speculated whether or not Jesus would have had and opportunity to share this meal, teach about the elements of this meal and give the Words of institution if Judas knew beforehand the exact location.

The man with jar of water leads them to the house and the room was prepared with seating arrangements and other things necessary to have this meal.

Peter and john would get the food and the wine needed to have everything in place for the evening

The Last Supper (14-20)

All is in place, everyone is seated around the table and Jesus our Passover lamb shares how eager he was to share in this meal. Jesus is the leader of the meal and will give the lecture explaining what all of the elements mean. After the passover meal, they would sing the Hallel psalms found in Psalms 111-117. . . at the end of the meal, the youngest person would ask the question what makes this night different from any other night.

The host would then tell the Exodus account. This story consists of God remembering His covenant with his people, the people’s deliverance from Egyptian slavery, the blood of the passover lamb, and the continual celebration of the passover.

Jesus passes the bread around and says this is my body given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. The unleavened bread symbolized the bread of affliction and reminded them of the persecution in Egypt. This bread now has new meaning for it represented Christ’s affliction on the cross. His body would be sacrificed for all who would believe. He said given, not taken which suggests to you and I that He willingly gave His life because of His love for us and the covenant made to His people.

The cup contrasting his atoning work with the sea of blood we see throughout the Old testament. His blood that would be shed for the remission for sin. Everything of significance was doused with blood in the old testament. The alter and the people would have blood all over them when sacrifices would be made. For two reasons: to emphasize the seriousness of sin and to teach payment for sin is death. Jesus was willing to shed His blood to cover our sin.

This is the new covenant in His blood. Jeremiah 31:31-34

Jeremiah 31:31–34 ESV

31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

This new covenant provided for the regeneration and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to all who would believe.

The Passover Lamb

Jesus spoke of His death throughout the Gospel, letting his disciples know that his time was at hand. And as he entered the final phase of his earthly ministry; He was faithful to God the father and to the mission of redemption. With Judas the betrayer in His presence.. Jesus set his gaze on the joy set before Him of enduring the cross and scorning its shame. The center of that Joy is that the redeemed will sit with Him at the table in the Kingdom!

Jesus is our passover Lamb, he willingly gave his life so we could have abundant life.

pray

Benediction

“Now to Him who is able to strengthen you with His Gospel. May the remembrance of his sacrifice, strengthen you, sustain you and spur you on to good works.”