Preparing for the Passover

Setting the Scene

(Icebreaker) Tell me something that you prepare for? A special gathering or event. Maybe a wedding, birth of a child, a family gathering. There’s anticipation, details, and sometimes stress that comes with it. What made the preparation meaningful or challenging? - - - In our passage this morning, a passage you may be familiar with we see preparation plays a key part, down to every small detail, a man carrying a jar of water - - - This all has divine meaning. God is not improvising; He is orchestrating.

Maybe should talk about the Passover for a minute since that is what is coming and will see that in (v.1) - - - it was not just another festival, it was the heartbeat of Israel’s story. It reminded them every year of God’s deliverance from Egypt through the blood of the lamb. To us, we remember weekly when we celebrate the Lord’s supper our deliverance by the Jesus death, burial and resurrection until He comes again. What His blood did for us, His blood was the perfect atoning sacrifice for us.

Big Idea: God prepares and orchestrates our lives for His divine purposes, even through challenges and betrayals, call us to be fully surrendered to Him and to trust in His greater plan, even if we do not fully understand it.

Summary: This passage narrates the events leading to the Last Supper, the betrayal of Judas, the scheming of the religious leaders, and the meticulous preparation for the salvation, the redemption of mankind.

Simple application: As Christians we need to recognize the importance of being prepared for God’s divine appointments, and be ready to act on them with purpose when they present themselves even if we do not fully understand them at the time.

Our Preparing Passage

Luke 22:1–2 NASB95

1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching. 2 The chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might put Him to death; for they were afraid of the people.

Luke 22:3–4 NASB95

3 And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. 4 And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them.

Luke 22:5–6 NASB95

5 They were glad and agreed to give him money. 6 So he consented, and began seeking a good opportunity to betray Him to them apart from the crowd.

Luke 22:7–8 NASB95

7 Then came the first day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 And Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, so that we may eat it.”

Luke 22:9–10 NASB95

9 They said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare it?” 10 And He said to them, “When you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house that he enters.

Luke 22:11–12 NASB95

11 “And you shall say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” ’ 12 “And he will show you a large, furnished upper room; prepare it there.”

Luke 22:13 NASB95

13 And they left and found everything just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.

What did you notice in this passage, is there anything that stood out to you?

What festival was approaching, and why was it significant in the Jewish context (v.1)?

Feast of unleavened Bread, also known as the Passover. This was a celebration of when they were delivered out of Egypt.

Why were the chief priests and the teachers of the law afraid of the people when plotting against Jesus (v.2)?

The verse does not directly say, so it is an assumed, or conjecture answer, they were afraid of an uprising by the people, a problem by the people that may make problems with the Roman’s.

Who enters Judas, and what action does Judas take immediately after (vv.3-4)?

Satan entered into Judas. He went and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Jesus to them.

How do the religious leaders respond to Judas’s offer, and what does this reveal about their motives (v.5)?

They were glad, they were willing to do anything to try to get Jesus out of the way

What specific instructions does Jesus give Peter and John for preparing the Passover (vv.8-12)?

Told them to go so they may eat

Told them where to go, what to look for, what to say and what would be shown to them, and what to do.

How do Peter and John respond to Jesus’ instructions, and what is the outcome (v.13)?

They left and everything was just as Jesus said, and they did just what Jesus told them to do.

The Plot of Men

The religious men scheme and Judas agrees to betray Jesus, illustrating human sin and betrayal. Even though we do not see it, God is working out all things for the good, for the salvation of man, for the redemption of man, for His purpose through these trials.

(Below is on two slides)

The Passover festival is nearing (v.1), but the religious leaders are motivated by fear of the people (v.2)

Judas seeks opportunity to betray Jesus for money (v.3-5)

Maybe I should mention that (v.3) Satan enters Judas. Where we know that the Holy Spirit enters and empowers us, Christians to serve God, Satan fills Judas to serve his own dark agenda. Judas was not forced, he opened the door through his own greed and disillusionment. Sin always begins with a small compromise that becomes an open invitation to evil.

Evil plans start taking place away from the crowd.

Application points: Are we ever tempted to preserve our image or influence at the cost of truth? We need to be careful to guard our hearts against subtle compromise that can lead to other compromise.

A quick reflection: What is amazing here, what catches me is that while the plot of men we see, that the religious leaders were plotting how to kill Jesus, Judas is scheming how to betray Jesus, and God is preparing the way for Jesus to bring salvation to man. Even what the enemy means for evil, God can use for good.

Divine Preparation for the Passover

Jesus instructs His disciples to make ready for the Passover, to prepare their hearts for God’s divine appointments. They may not have understood it, but they believed Him and followed His instructions. Spiritual preparation paves the way for participating in God’s plan.

You know maybe this is where some of us are right now, waiting for clarity, or trying to understand why things are unfolding the way they are. But this passage reminds us: obedience brings revelation. As they obeyed, they found everything exactly as Jesus said.

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Jesus declares the exact time has arrived (v.7)

Jesus’ had foreknowledge and authority; He gives specific directions that will unfold just as spoken (vv.8-10)

Stop and look at (v.10) - a man, carrying a pitcher of water; that is out of the ordinary, normally that is a women’s job to do that, so this would stand out to Peter and John as strange, confirming to them, this detail, that Jesus had foreknowledge.

You see pure obedience of Peter and John (v.13)

God is still preparing the way ahead of us. He is still orchestrating divine appointments— conversations, relationships, opportunities we cannot yet see.

Application: God prepares the path for obedience before we ever walk in it. Our job is not to understand all details but to follow the voice of Jesus. So, in other words, trust God’s instructions even when the outcome isn’t clear.

(Take the part below off of the outline)

How about some discussion questions?

What does fear of people do to our spiritual discernment (v.1-2)?

How can spiritual vulnerability open doors to destructive choices (vv.3-6)?

What does this passage teach us about following God’s lead without full visibility or understanding (vv.7-13)?

Where have you seen God prepare something in your life ahead of time — something you only understood later?

Takeaway

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Major Takeaway: God is sovereign over every detail —even betrayal and logistics — and invites us to trust and obey Him in the unfolding of His redemptive plan.

As you have seen in this passage it has been a collision of human sin and divine sovereignty. Judas thinks he is in control, the Religious leaders think they are in control. But Jesus is preparing where the Old Covenant meal will be transformed into the New Covenant blood.

Just as we started today talking about things we prepare for, especially those important things, days in our lives. God prepared for the most important moment in history, the Cross. God was not reacting, God was orchestrating. We need to trust His preparation, walk in His instructions, and be ready for His return for He has already gone on before us.

One final thought. God is not reacting to your life; He is orchestrating it. He is preparing moments for your growth, your witness, your redemption. The question is: are we preparing our hearts to follow His lead?

(Prayer) (Exit)