Sermon Tone Analysis

Matthew 26:17-29 "The Lord's Supper"

Marc Transparenti / General

The King's Cross | Matthew 26-27

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Please turn in your Bibles to Matthew 26.

We are covering verses 17-29 today.

Last time, we looked at a contrast between Judas and Mary of Bethany.

Judas was centered what he could gain in his relationship with Christ, whereas Mary was focused on how she could give.

• Mary did what she could... she didn't fight Jesus going to the cross... she embraced God's plan and sacrificed a very expensive oil... perhaps even her life savings... to anoint and prepare Jesus' body for burial.

• And, as Mary anointed Jesus' head with her hands and His feet with her hair, she and the whole household shared... they took on the same fragrance as Christ... a beautiful application as to what happens to us as we sit at Jesus' feet, as we sacrifice in worship to Him.

• Judas complained that this sacrifice was a waste... deceitfully... he wanted to sell the oil so he could steal some of the money.

• A selfish heart vs a servant heart.

Judas remains in infamy, whereas Jesus said of Mary, "what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her."

Judas then went to the chief priest and was paid 30 pieces of silver, which fulfilled a prophecy in Zech 11, that Messiah would be betrayed for this exact sum.

Starting in V17, where we pick up today, it is now Thursday... the 14th of the Jewish month Nisan... a day prior to Friday... what we call Good Friday... Friday was the day Jesus was put on trial and crucified.

But, prior to that, Jesus would share in one final Passover meal with His disciples.

The teachings Jesus gave during this meal gives us the basis for the ordinance of "communion,"

• ... and this meal is often called "The Lord's Supper" which will be our sermon title for today.

Let's pray, and then we will pick up in V17.

Matthew 26:17-19 "Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread [Mark states this is "when they killed the Passover lamb"] the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?"

18 And He said, "Go into the city [Jerusalem] to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples."

' " 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover."

1.

During the Passover, there was another feast... the Feast of Unleavened Bread as well.

a.

We often call the week prior to Passover, Passover week, but it is technically a one day feast that overlaps with an eight-day long festival called the Feast of Unleavened Bread... which begins the day prior to Passover, so both of these feast are pictured here.

b. Lambs were sacrificed and prepared on Thursday.

c. Thursday after sunset (so Friday) the family would gather for the Passover meal.

i.

After sunset was the beginning of the next day for a Jew... based on Rabbinic interpretation of Genesis 1:5 "So the evening and the morning were the first day."

ii.

I highly recommend attending a Passover Dinner or Pesach Seder if you ever have a chance.

Truly, I hope a door will open for us to have a Passover Seder as a church family.

It's amazing how the traditions and elements of this dinner go all the way back to Exodus and points to Christ.

iii.

Jesus and His Jewish disciples would have been celebrating this traditional Seder dinner...

1.

We see elements of the Seder in these passages... unleavened bread, wine, a meal, hallel psalms...

iv.

But, Jesus very much changes this highly ordered meal... adding meaning and instituting new ordinances for the church... this is no longer a traditional Seder... it's "The Lord's Supper."

2. In preparation for this meal, Jesus gives specific instructions... some believe prophetic instructions... others think Jesus may have just met a man earlier in the week who would host them.

a. Tradition even holds the host home was Mark's home and the owner was Mark's father.

But, scripture does not specify...

b.

Mark 14:13-16 states, "And He sent out two of His disciples [Arguably His closest two disciples... Peter and John... according to Luke] and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him.

14 Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?"

' 15 Then he will show you a large upper room [typically the second story of a Jewish home], furnished and prepared; there make ready for us."

16 So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover."

c.

Some scholars believe this detail about a man carrying a pitcher of water was a prearranged signal since women typically labored over carrying and filling the water jars.

i.

Additionally, the disciples describe Jesus as "the Teacher"... whom this man presumably knows.

d.

But, I have no problem thinking this whole scene is prophetic.

If Jesus can make the heavens and earth and predict His death and resurrection... what is it to Him to predict a man carrying a pitcher of water who would offer his upper room?

3. Continuing to V20...

Matthew 26:20-25 "When evening had come [So, now Friday], He sat down with the twelve."

1. Don't you love that?

"He sat down with the twelve."

Man... those guys had a blessed privilege.

Sitting down with Jesus.

a. Don't downplay the significance of spending time and sitting down with Jesus right now... you sit down with Him when in His word, in prayer, in serving... all preparation for life and heaven.

b.

Paul said in 1 Cor 13:12 "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.

Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known."

i. Presently, our understanding of spiritual things and God is like looking in a mirror dimly... like looking in a first century brass mirror.

Not a perfect reflection.

ii.

However, right now God knows us completely and intimately.

We only know Him in part, but in heaven... we will see and know God to our full extent... as clear as looking at Him face to face.

iii.

God has amazing things in store for us in heaven.

Beautiful promises!

2. Back in Matthew... V21, Jesus predicts His betrayal... an important account highlighted by the fact that this account is recorded in all four Gospels...

V21 "Now as they were eating, He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me." 22 And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, ["It's Judas isn't it?"... NO... they had no idea... in fact they all held a healthy skepticism of their own flesh saying... ] "Lord, is it I?"

1. John 13:22 records, "Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke."

a. John also records... Peter leaned over to John... to play the telephone game... and passed a message through John to Jesus, "Lord, who is it?"

i.

I wonder if there was a little pride in Peter's heart here?

As, he points at others... "Lord, who is it?"

b.

But, the other disciples asked one by one, "Lord, is it I?"

2. That is the correct... humble attitude.

"Lord, is it I?" And, I want to chew on this for a moment.

a.

As we go through these passages in Matthew 26-27, we will repeatedly encounter moments of pride and humility of the people around Jesus... friend and foe alike.

3. And, this "Lord, is it I?" moment is a good reminder and application for us today... not to become prideful... not to trust in our flesh...

a. Jer 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?"

b.

We all have an internal battle... our flesh desires to betray the Lord... and our spirit is loyal to God.

i. Paul describes this internal warfare in Gal 5:16-17 "I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish."

c.

We will soon see this in Peter who will say he would never deny the Lord, and I think he meant it.

After all, he drew a sword and cut off Malchus' ear while facing droves of soldiers.

Wrong method, but I think he meant it.