The First Supper

“The First Supper”

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Do you enjoy celebrating special days, and occasions with your family? I do; having my family together to celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas is a blessing! Our family celebrates birthdays randomly, we celebrate when we get around to it. We don’t celebrate somethings, like we don’t celebrate Ground hog day, we don’t grill steaks on ground hogs day. But John Taylor’s family celebrates everything, everything is an excuse to eat out; makes us look bad. And we being inspire to step-up our celebrating skills.

Just like we have our days of remembering and celebrating, the Jewish people had a special day, above all other special days that they celebrated.

It is called the Passover, and they celebrated it with a special supper, it took place the first time in . Later Moses instructed the Jewish people to celebrate the Passover every year.

And for hundreds of years, every year the Jewish people celebrated the Passover. The Passover was the time they remembered their deliverance from Egyptian bondage. It was the highlight of the year; everyone came to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. It was like Christmas, Easter and the 4th of July all rolled up into one.

Thousands of people would crowd into the city for this special celebration.

That is the context of what is happening in these verses. Jesus is getting ready to celebrate the Passover with his disciples. He will leave the table after the Passover meal, go to the garden of Gethsemane, where he will be betrayed, arrested, and the next day crucified.

As we get closer to Jesus death in the book of Luke, Luke slows down; four chapters are given to the last week of Jesus life. Luke gives us a close inspection of Jesus during the Passion Week. Just as the Passover lambs were inspected for three days, before they were sacrificed; God allows Jesus the Passover lamb to be inspected by the chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees, Pilate. And we discover that Jesus is indeed the spotless, perfect Lamb of God!

In the preparation for and the eating of the Passover meal we make several discoveries about Jesus.

First of all we discover:

1. The Sovereignty of Jesus.

V:7-13.

What we learn in these verses is that Jesus knows all things, and controls all things. We are reminded as we see Jesus prepare for the Passover, that he was not a victim caught up in a scheme beyond his control.

As if the religious leaders, and the Romans arrested and put Jesus to death, and there was nothing he could do about it. No! We see that Jesus was in total control of all that happened down to the last details!

He is carefully, methodically, sovereignly making his way to the cross to die for the sins of the world!

Everything about the Lord Jesus the day before he is to be crucified, demonstrates that he knew all that was going to happen to him, and he is surrendered to it. There’s no desperation, no fear from the heart of our Savior; he is freely, deliberately following the path to the cross. No man took His life, he freely gave it, He planned it from eternity pasted, and he worked the plan all the way to Calvary.

What Jesus tells Peter and John, reminds us of the instructions he gave to two of his disciples to go get the tied up donkey, before he rode into Jerusalem.

Jesus tells them, V:8-“go prepare the Passover, that we may eat”.

They asked Jesus,V:9-“where, are we to prepare the Passover?

Jesus gives them unusual instructions about where to prepare the Passover. He doesn’t just say, go to Mr. Mark’s house, or go to 123 Passover Blvd.

He tells them, V:10-13-Read. Why did he only send two disciples, the two in his inner circle? Why did he give them such a secretive plan?

Because Jesus knew that Judas had already gone to the chief priest to betray him. He knew that Judas was looking for a secluded place to turn Him over to them. Jesus knowing that, sent only Peter and John to go and prepare the Passover meal, and Jesus and the other disciples would join them later.

Jesus knew that Judas would betray him that night, and that He would die on the cross the next day.

But it would not happen until the day of Passover, not one moment early, so Jesus kept the place he was going to eat the Passover that night secret.

Jesus told them to go into the city and to look for a man carrying a pitcher of water, and follow him. We think; surely there would be a lot of men carrying pictures of water? It’s kind of like me saying, go to the mall and find a guy wearing a baseball hat. There are a lot of guys at the mall wearing baseball hats. But in that culture, it was women that carry the water pitches, not men. Jesus knew that there would be a man doing what men don’t usually do, at the exact time Peter and John would show up on his street. That’s what you call the sovereignty of Jesus! Please don’t miss this; even carrying a water pot, can become a big job! You may feel like your job is unimportant, but if you love Jesus, and are living for him, He can use you no matter what you are doing!

Jesus knows everything that’s happening in your life! Jesus is in control of everything that comes into my life and your life. Jesus does not cause the bad things that come into your life; but Jesus can take those bad things and turn them around and use them for your good and his glory.

Peter and John do as they’re told, they find the man carrying the water pitcher, they follow him to the house, and they meet the owner of the house.

Church history says this was John Mark’s father’s house. They ask him, where the master can eat the Passover with his disciples.

And he shows them a large furnished room they could use to celebrate the Passover.

In that room Peter and John were to,

V:12-“get everything ready”.

That meant that Peter and John, where to get a sacrificial lamb, take it to the Temple, offer the blood as a sacrifice for sin. They were to bring the body of the Lamb back to this house, roast the lamb on an open fire. They were also to get other items, including unleavened bread, diluted wine,

Bitter-herbs, apples, dates, pomegranates and nuts, which was to be mixed up to dip the bread in.

Every one of those items had a special meaning to the Jewish people; in connection to their deliverance from Egypt the first Passover.

Little did Peter and John know that a greater preparation was unfolding as Jesus prepared Himself to be sacrificed as our Passover Lamb!

John the Baptist had declared when he saw Jesus, -“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”.

Jesus is in complete control of the events leading to His death. The cross was no surprise, it was a divine appointment that was scheduled as Peter would later write, -“before the foundation of the world”. Jesus knew down to the last detail what was happening and He joyfully embraced it.

Such confidence in God’s will should encourage us to trust Him even when the road of life may be difficult, painful, and even deadly.

Our God is in control!

Second of all we discover:

2. The Love of Jesus.

V:14-16-Read.

A condemned man on death row is given a final meal of his choice. One last request before he is put to death. Here we learn Jesus last request, and last meal. Jesus was a condemned man, in just a few hours he would be arrested, accused and abused; and the next day crucified. This was the last night of our Savior’s life on earth; and what does he desire to do?

He desires to share this last meal, the Passover meal with his disciples.

Jesus is not panicking, he is planning the Passover meal that he will enjoy with his disciples.

-“Jesus Knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of the world to the father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them to the end”.

This is the last night of Jesus earthly life, and he wants to share his last meal with these guys. Jesus loved these guys! If we were within hours of our death, would we be thinking about our friends, are want we were going to eat? Jesus was!

V:15-“Jesus said to them, with earnest desire, I have longed to eat this Passover with you before I suffer”

Jesus knew he was going to suffer on the cross, and he kept moving toward it. Jesus loved these men, and had been longing to eat this Passover meal with them. He wanted to fellowship with them, and then transform this last supper into the First supper. The Passover meal would be turned into the Lord’s Supper. That meal would be transformed forever. Its celebration would become an acted out parable of Jesus life and death.

Think about it… the son of God, the Lord of glory, who had calmed the raging sea, opened blinded eyes, raised Lazarus from the dead…wanted to eat with these guys! He wanted to spend the last hours before His death with them.

, when Jesus called his disciples he called them to be with Him.

Jesus does not want to enter into a business deal with you. Jesus wants to have a relationship with you!

He wants you to know Him and fellowship with him! Jesus desires to be your savior, and friend; that is incredible to me. That somebody like Jesus Christ the Lord of glory, wants to spend time with me!

This was the last Passover that Jesus would eat; it was the last true Passover that anyone would ever eat, and he wanted to share it with his disciples.

At this table Jesus would wash his disciples feet, including Judas’s feet. He would pass bread to Judas as a sign of love and fellowship. It was Judas who would betray Jesus while Jesus was reaching out to reconcile him.

Passover time, was a time when you gathered with your family; the Lord’s Supper is the time when we gather with the family of God.

Jesus had told them that he wanted to eat this meal with them before he suffered; and then he tells them this in V:16-Read.

Jesus looks beyond the cross, to the joy that was set before him… Souls being saved because of his death and resurrection.

Jesus looked all the way into heaven, to the table that we will sit at with him in eternity.

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb:

-“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage supper of the Lamb is come.

When we come to the Lord’s Table, Paul instructs us to eat this bread and drink this cup, until Jesus comes.

Today, the Lord Jesus stands at the door of your heart, and the door of this church and longs to fellowship with us.

-“Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me”.

Jesus loves you and wants to spend time with you every day of your life. Take time, to open your Bible and allow Jesus to speak to you; take time every day to talk to him in prayer.

Regularly gather with this body of believers to worship, praise and thank the Lord Jesus for all he has done for you. We all have a built-in desire to meet, or hang out with a famous, important person. But even better than desiring to hang out with an important person; is if that important person wants to hang out with you. We would be like… Yeah… I’m going backstage to hang out with… Look whose private jet I’m flying on this week. Here’s a picture of me on the set with… So and so text me and asked me if I want to go to dinner with him. We would be so excited, and move heaven and earth to make sure we didn’t miss that dinner, that person is famous, and important. Guess what… Jesus Christ, the son of God, loves you and wants to spend time with you! Who could be more important, or famous than him? Jesus loves you!

3rd in the Passover supper we discover:

3. The Sacrifice of Jesus.

V:19-20.

Jesus is celebrating the Passover with his disciples in this upper room. The Passover was the time that the nation of Israel celebrated God’s deliverance from Egypt’s bondage. God spoke to Moses at the burning bush, and told him to go and stand before the Pharaoh of Egypt and say to him, let my people Israel go. But the Pharaoh said, not happening!

So God sent plagues on the land of Egypt:

· Water to blood.

· Frogs.

· Lice.

· Swarms of Flies.

· Death of the animals.

· Boils.

· Pestilence.

· Hail, thunder and lightning.

· Locust.

Through all those plagues the Pharaoh hardened his heart against God, and then God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.

Until the last plague, the plague out the death of the firstborn. God told Moses to tell the children of Israel to a selected a lamb without blemish, then the lamb was to be slain and the blood caught in a bowl, and the blood was to be put on the door-post and side-posts of their homes. It did not matter if you were a rich man, or a poor man, every family must select a lamb, and apply the blood on the doorpost of their home.

All kinds of objections and arguments could have been raised. One person might say, I am related to Moses, that’s good enough for me.

Another might argue, I am a decent, moral, religious person, I’m a good husband and father; that should be sufficient.

Someone else might say, I am from the priest family, I have offered many sacrifices in my lifetime that should be good enough for me.

But God’s instructions were clear, every home must select a lamb, sacrifice a lamb, and apply the blood to the door of their home.

That lamb was a type of Jesus, the true Passover lamb. Jesus was inspected, scrutinized, questioned, and he was found to be perfect, and without sin. We have the testimony of God the father, his friends and his enemies that he was sinless.

God said, this is my beloved son in whom I’m well pleased.

Pilate said, I find no fault in him.

Peter said, that Jesus did no sin.

On the night of the Passover, the death Angel would pass through the land of Egypt, and the death Angel would take the life of every firstborn in all the land that did not have the blood applied to the door-post and side-posts of their homes.

Either the Lamb dies as a substitute for the firstborn; are the firstborn in your house will die.

God’s word was when the death Angel sees the blood, he will Pass-over you.

So that night the children of Israel killed a lamb, caught the blood and applied it to the doorpost of their homes; they took the lamb and roasted it and ate the Passover meal, and that night they departed out of Egypt.

God gave instructions to his people that every year they were to celebrate the Passover, by shedding the blood of a lamb, roasting it, and having a meal together.

God did not want them to ever forget that night when they were saved by the blood of a substitute, and that God by his grace and power had delivered them from the bondage, slavery of Egypt!

That Passover lamb in the Old Testament, was a picture of the substitutionary death of the Lord Jesus Christ for us on the cross. Jesus Christ was God’s lamb, giving his body for us, and shedding his blood to provide cleansing of sin.

The message of Passover is that God delivers from judgment by the death of an innocent substitute

The Passover was looking back and celebrating God’s deliverance from Egypt bondage.

Jesus takes that supper, and turns it into the Lord’s Supper, looking forward to the next day when his body would be offered as a sacrifice on the cross, and his blood would be shed to make atonement for sin.

Jesus is saying, Years ago, they ate a meal before God delivered them from Egypt, but tonight we eat a meal before God redeems us from sin and death itself. All other sacrifices, were pointing to me.

This is the ultimate Exodus. Jesus says, in the middle of Passover, it’s about me. My death, is the climax to which all of history has been moving. Jesus death on the cross is the Center of History!

a. Jesus Body was Broken for us.

V:19, Jesus takes the bread, and gave thanks and break it and gave to his disciples saying, this is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me”.

The bread in the Passover meal was known as the bread of affliction, it was eaten to remember the suffering endured in Egypt, and how they left Egypt in haste. Jesus now gives the unleavened bread a greater significance, it represents Jesus body and the affliction, suffering he would endure on the cross for our sins.

Jesus says this unleavened bread, represents my sinless body. Jesus was not saying that the bread was his literal body; this is symbolic language that Jesus is using. One time Jesus said, I am the door that did not mean that Jesus was a piece of wood; Jesus was saying I am like a door, in that I am the one that gives you access to God.

Jesus says this bread is my body which is given for you. Jesus body, like bread would go through the meal and the heat of God’s Judgment on the cross to provide eternal life.

As Jesus gave his disciples that bread that night, the next day He would give his body as a sacrifice for our sins.

Don’t miss these words, V:19-“this is my body which is given… For you…

Jesus died for you, on your behalf, in your place,

as your substitute. This is the essence of Jesus death on the cross; Jesus died as a substitute.

-“Christ our Passover a sacrificed for us”.

As Jesus broke the bread and gave it to his disciples he was looking ahead to his death on the cross, where he would die as our substitute, taking our place, paying the penalty for our sins!

For years and years, Passover lambs died every Passover; but Jesus Christ would be the final, perfect lamb that would die to take away the sins of the world.

He would offer himself a sacrifice one time, and he would completely satisfy the wrath of God, be raised from the grave, ascend back to heaven and sit down at the right hand of God.

-“Jesus offered one sacrifice for sins forever, and set down the right hand of God…

, Jesus would die, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.

When we take the bread at the Lord’s Supper we are remembering Jesus body that was beaten, bruised, pierced, and nailed to a cross for our sins!

Jesus says we are to remember what he did for us in giving his body on the cross to die in our place.

-“Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures”.

b. Jesus Blood was shed for us.

V:20-Read.

Like the bread, the cup is a symbol of Jesus Christ blood shed for us on the cross. Just as the old covenant was ratified by blood, the new covenant is ratified by the blood of Jesus Christ.

The old covenant, could never provide permanent salvation, because a perfect sacrifice was never given.

That was about to change! Jesus would give his body, and shed his blood, as the perfect, holy son of God. And because he was both God and man; he could bear the sins of the whole world, and satisfy the righteous demands of a holy God.

Jesus made a once and for all atonement for sin through the sacrifice of his blood.

On the night before he dies on the Cross he makes the announcement that the new covenant would be through his blood.

It is Jesus blood that makes atonement for sin!

It is Jesus blood that provides forgiveness, and salvation! What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Jesus, the sovereign God in human flesh made all the arrangements to give his life on the cross for you and me.

Jesus, the perfect son of God who was worshiped by angels, entered into a relationship with these men and loved them to the very end, giving his life for them and for us on the cross.

Jesus sacrificed himself, as the Passover lamb; and invites you to repent of your sin, and receive him as your personal Savior, by faith applying his blood to your heart, that you might be delivered from the slavery of sin and death.

Have you applied the blood of Jesus Christ to the door of your heart by faith? When Jesus looks at your heart, will the death Angel pass over you because you have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus?

You say, I am an agnostic, and I’ve nailed to the door of my heart a note that reads, I don’t believe a word of it. The eternal death Angel, will not pass over your eternal soul when you die.

You say, I’m a good person, I have nailed to the door of my heart I know that reads, have never done anything bad enough to need to be saved.

The eternal death Angel, will not pass over your soul when you die, but will take you to the place of eternal death, separation from God in hell.

The only thing, that will stop eternal death, and give you eternal life, is the blood of Jesus Christ applied to the door of your heart!

Come today and receive Jesus!

Child of God, we are reminded that Jesus Christ is more than capable of directing the steps of our life.

No one has ever loved you like Jesus! Jesus, the son of God loves you, and want to spend time with you.

Tonight let’s come together to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, we don’t come because it’s a duty, we come because Jesus invites us to come and celebrate his death on the cross and his resurrection for us.

Jesus loves you, and wants to spend time with you, let that truth seek in… don’t miss it.