Matthew 26v26-35 Last Supper

Preparation       26:17-19

This last meal with his disciples was very important to Jesus

Luke 22:15

15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.                                   NIV

John 13:1

1 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.                                   NIV

Divine preparation had been made. Mark explains in some detail. This like the Palm Sunday donkey seems a supernatural rather than a natural arrangement. Jesus was too seldom away from his disciples to make such arrangements without their knowledge.

Mark 14:13-15

13 So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him.14 Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’15 He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.” NIV

!! Teaching by example        John 13:1-17

Jesus takes the servants place and does the most menial of tasks.

He sets forever the pattern of Christian leadership.

He teaches a great spiritual truth

&         His followers are unclean and need to be washed.

&         After this “washing” they will still get dirtied but will never        again need that once for all total washing.

&         Sinners need to come to Christ for salvation

&         Saints need to come to Christ for cleansing

Judas removed                   John 13:18-30

&         Jesus predicts his betrayal 18

&         He quotes Psalm 41:9

&         None know to whom he refers v22

&         Simon Peter hears and presses John to ask the identity of the        traitor v23-25

&         Judas is handed the morsel

This was a sign of favour by the master of the feast

And that final act of love becomes, with a terrible immediacy, the decisive movement of judgment. At this moment we are witnessing the climax of that action of sifting, of separation, of judgment which has been the central theme in John's account of the public ministry of Jesus ... (3:16-19). So the final gesture of affection precipitates the final surrender of Judas to the power of darkness. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has neither understood it nor mastered it.                                                (Newbigin, p. 173)

The final gesture of love is met with the final rejection and surrender to the power of Satan.

Judas was always a false disciple; he was a thief  (John 12:6).

Satan entered into him.

He departed into the night 13:30

He leaves before the New Covenant Meal, which is for Christians only.

He does not here the teaching that is to follow that to is for God’s people alone.

The Communion Meal

&         Was part of a “proper meal”.

&         It was deeply symbolic but only symbolic. His flesh was not       consumed and his blood still flowed in his veins.

&         All were commanded to drink, RC doctrine keeps the cup           from the laity. It is essential to the symbol of all being         

            cleansed.

&         It was a Covenant Meal a New Covenant was being    

            instituted.

There had been many others.

&   With Noah that the earth would never again perish by flood.

&   With Abraham that his seed would fill the earth.

&   With David that he would never lack a son on his throne

&   With Israel that he who kept the Law would live.

This Covenant was made by God with Jesus

&   Who offered himself as the representative man as a ransom for many.

&   The Father promised to give him a people for his glory.

&   He promised to keep them and one day present them to his Father

It was a meal that overshadowed a former one – The Passover

It also prefigured a far greater one

Revelation 19:6-9

6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

“Hallelujah!

For our Lord God Almighty reigns.

7 Let us rejoice and be glad

and give him glory!

For the wedding of the Lamb has come,

and his bride has made herself ready.

8 Fine linen, bright and clean,

was given her to wear.”

(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)

9 Then the angel said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”                                              NIV