"The Last Supper (Christ's Passion Part 1)" - Pastor Doug Batchelor

we live and we'll be sure to give you the honor the praise and the glory in Jesus name Amen I feel impressed that I wanted to do a series that specifically focused on the greatest days of Jesus life which were encompassed in the last few days I've titled this series it'll probably be about four parts days of destiny we're going to talk about last supper the Garden of Gethsemane betrayal the trial the crucifixion and resurrection and you might think it's strange that we would be having and today's special message is on the Last Supper that's obviously first sequentially our church is having a communion service in about a week it'll be on Friday and two weeks I'm sorry thank you very much I was wondering as I said that in about two weeks and so you might be thinking usually we talk about the Last Supper and then we have a communion service how much better would it be if we talked about the Last Supper and gave us a week or two weeks to pray about it digest it meditate on it and then come together as we participate and so I really like that to be something that we focus on and prepare for also I'll just be very honest with you so often when we have our communion service the Lord's Supper there's a little sermonette that's supposed to encompass what happened during that time and it is never adequate time to really study what was going on during that meal where this covenant was established and so I thought I'm going to give it the full block of time I would normally give a message and we're going to talk about the subject of the communion service and what is often called the Last Supper now it begins with and this is then part one in the series on the days of destiny it begins with picking a place for the time this was a time of the Passover which is what time we have right now in the year and I'm going to take it from Luke after 22 if you turn in your Bibles to Luke 22 we'll refer to this chapter several times as our springboard verse 1 it says now the feast of unleavened bread drew near which is called Passover and then you can go down to verse 7 then came the day of unleavened bread when the Passover must be killed and he sent Peter and John saying go and prepare the Passover for us that we might eat and he said to them all right and they said to him where do you want us to prepare I guess from year to year they didn't have any one place where they went and they chose different places for this and Jesus gave them some interesting two instructions in order to find the Upper Room he said in verse 10 behold when you've entered the city Jerusalem a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water follow him stalk him follow him into the house which he enters then you'll say to the master of the house the the homeowner the teacher says to you where is the guest room in which I might eat the Passover with my disciples then he'll show you a large furnished Upper Room and there make ready that upper room becomes very significant because evidently it's the same place where they met after the resurrection and it may have also been the same upper room where the Holy Spirit was poured out later we're not sure of that it tells us it was the room of John Mark's family but it's amazing how the Lord said God will provide you remember when Jesus needed a donkey to fulfill that prophecy in Zechariah and right into Jerusalem he said to the disciples you're going to go in the city and you're gonna find that there is a Colt tied with it's a full take it if anyone asks any questions say the master has need of it and I've always been a little frightened to try that you know just walk up to somebody and said hop in their limo and what are you doing master has need of it and see what they say but you know it's God's Way of saying that providentially God will provide and he will direct us but it's also significant that they found the upper room by following somebody carrying a pitcher of water keep in mind the gospel begins with baptism that pitcher of water that was taken into that house was probably brought to the Upper Room they didn't all have running water in their houses and that water was probably used later to wash the disciples feet so that water is used for cleansing the first miracle of Jesus had to do with pictures of water that were turned into wine am i right and what happened at that dinner is that this wine the symbolism of the grape juice was shown to be the blood of Christ so there's a great significance there that they followed this man bearing a pitcher and ultimately it's telling us about Jesus who is the living water so they go to the supper room the disciples spend time preparing for the feast then there was preparation involved they were going to have a Passover meal why did Jesus use the Passover to introduce the Last Supper well several things are happening here this dinner was a time of a very very very important announcement not only was he announcing his death what happened there in the upper room was a new covenant was being initiated you can read many times in the Bible when covenants were made they were sealed with a feast so the the New Covenant the New Testament is sealed with this feast furthermore Christ deliberately did it at the time of the Passover because the Old Testament Passover pointed to this event the whole Old Testament Passover was really a symbol of how the angel of judgment was going to pass over or pass by because the blood they had applied the blood of a lamb was applied to their hearts perfect context for Jesus to inaugurate this event because here he is the lamb and it's his blood that makes the angel of judgment passed by us we are seen as innocent because we apply his blood am i right and the the Passover service also represented leaving Egypt leaving Egypt and going to the promised land and it's through applying the blood of Christ that we begin this journey to the promised land or to heaven the purpose for the Old Testament Passover then really is replaced it's eclipsed by the main event there's a quote from the book desire of Ages I wanted to share page 652 as he ate the Passover with his disciples he instituted in its place the service that was to be the memorial of his great sacrifice the National Festival of the Jews was to pass away forever the service which Christ established was to be observed by his followers in all lands and through all ages it became the real focus now there are only two ceremonies that Jesus gives to the church that which is connected with the Lord's Supper he instituted and baptism and so it's a very interesting that the beginning of his ministry is marked by what the first ceremony baptism and the end of his ministry is marked by the second ceremony some people say that we keep a new Sabbath day in honor of the resurrection but you know the Bible really tells us that what we do to remember the death burial and resurrection is baptism never does it say he had a new substitute Sabbath and so these are the two great pillars that marked the Ministry of Jesus and they are the only two ceremonies that Christ established the covenants in the Church of Baptism and the Lord's Supper the Institute's I should say and so there's great significance there something else that was happening in the Upper Room that was very important to Jesus you see they were arguing among themselves which of them was the greatest there was a lot of bitterness among the disciples you know why because Peter no I'm sorry James and John with their mother went to Jesus and said Lord we've got a special request when you're finally enthroned in your kingdom they were thinking that he would be sitting on an earthly thrown and it would happen any day we want to sit on your right and left hand all the disciples began to kind of wonder who is going to get what position and of course the greatest positions of honor would be you know Prime Minister and the chief of staff on the right and the left hand of Jesus and all the disciples knew so for Christ had treated them like equals I mean you know Judas was the treasurer and sometimes they were given different jobs but they didn't really know what their cabinet positions would be and so James and John thought well Jesus always answers whenever you ask he says ask and you'll receive let's ask so they went and they said Lord when you enter into your kingdom James since I'm the older right hand John left hand we want to be right there flanking you and their mother was there to add impetus to it and some believe that Jesus mother Mary was the sister to James and John's mother and so there's some scholarly support for that but you can't prove it so we thought you know we'll even have the the nepotism to reinforce it and Jesus said you don't know what you're asking first of all you think I'm talking about an earthly Kingdom so you don't know about my kingdom secondly you don't know what it means to have those seats of honor to sit next to me you must suffer with me are you able to drink my cup oh yes we can he said well you will drink my cup but you don't know what you're asking I always thought it was significance that of the Twelve Apostles guess who was the first one to die a martyr's death James who is the last one to die and the only one to die of old age John they sort of did go to the right in the left of Jesus and that they were complete opposites in that respect the other disciples heard that James and John had asked to sit on the right in the left hand and they were infuriated by this especially Judas bothered him because he wanted the chief position that's why he was following Jesus that's why Christ said to Judas foxes have their holes the birds have their nests but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head I've got to borrow an upper room to have my dinner if you're following me for earthly position you're following for the wrong reason but it really made Judas mad and the others that they had asked for this why did it make them mad because they beat him to it so here they come to the Lord's Supper they're in the upper room and they're all jostling for position around Christ who's gonna sit at this seat of Honor you know I understand that when you go to a dinner in England if you're invited to the Queen's palace for a dinner that the positioning is a very important sight science those that are the closest to the queen and her family are the greatest honored the most important guests those that are further away less honor you remember what Jesus said about the religious leaders who seek out the cheap seats they wanted the positions of honor and so it would have been interesting to have a video of the jostling and positioning that went on kind of like musical chairs as Jesus sat down somehow John jumped it jumped into place right next to him on the right side and Judas was not gonna let James get the left side and he squeezed in and sat down plopped down next to Jesus on the left side the Bible only tells us where four individuals were Christ Judas on the left John and then Peter next to John we're not exactly sure where the others were seated but that comes into play later so Christ hits it head-on what was going on in their minds Luke 22 verse 24 and there was also a strife among them which of them should be accounted the greatest and he said to them the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them and those who exercised authority over them are called benefactors but it shall not be so among you on the contrary it's the opposite of the world he who is greatest among you let him be as the younger usually it was the older who got a double inheritance in the Bible who ended up getting the inheritance among God's leaders the younger or the older but who ended up getting it I'm saying biblically it was supposed to be the firstborn according to the law but now look at how God did it was it esau who got the birthright or jacob the younger was it Miriam the oldest or Moses the youngest was it reuben the oldest or joseph who led egypt see what it was you just go through a lot of the leaders in the Bible you'll find out that Gideon the youngest Jephthah the youngest god always seemed to say I'm gonna choose the least isn't that right Mary was the youngest of Martha and Lazarus Mary the youngest and so you find this pattern in the Bible he said that's not how it's supposed to be among you I came among you to serve Jesus it's interesting does he know what's about to happen that night how restless would you be would your hands sweat if you knew you are about to be betrayed by your friends you are going to be placed into the hands of a demon-possessed mob that would do everything they could to humiliate you to extract all of the maximum degree of emotional and physical suffering that you could can you imagine going to the dentist and saying I'm out of novocaine we wouldn't even want that right you're gonna go have your teeth drilled and filled and there's no novocaine today just grin and bear it I've got a friend of mine who's made a pretty tough stuff and he doesn't take an aspirin he doesn't take anything for anything and he went to the dentist one day and he said you know I need to drill that tooth and he said but no novocaine and the dentist said no I won't do that he said you can do it I'll be all right and you don't know what you're saying he said trust me and this friend of mine he sat there without any kind of anesthetic drilled into his teeth and he just sat there perspired running down his forehead but he didn't flinch tough character I wouldn't want to do that let alone face what Jesus faced but in spite of what he knew was immediately before him was Jesus worried about what was gonna happen to him or was he more worried about the spiritual state of his disciples that to me just goes I can't comprehend that kind of love that he was so selfless his final thoughts were the attitudes of his disciples I mean if I was about to go through that I'd get all my friends together and say let's all cry for me let's all pray for me right but Jesus was more concerned about them and that's why he began by saying with desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you now some of the other Passover as Jesus had Lazarus could have been there and some of the other friends and disciples but only thirteen in the upper room which created a problem as he's talking to them about service they're looking around and they see there's a basin before you have the Passover meal usually there's foot washing oh by the way some people have been confused because in John chapter 13 before the foot washing he begins by saying and supper being ended and people thought that means the Passover meal was over that's not what that means it means preparation for the supper was completed they had not eaten the Passover meal yet a lot of people think that it was after the Passover they did the foot washing no it means Passover preparation was completed they were ended with the supper preparation it's just how it comes through when you translated into that language and they see there's a base in there there's a picture there's a towel there's everything needed for a servant to wash their feet other occasions they may have had a servant there now because what he's going to tell him is the most intimate and most personal information he's about to say that one of them will be betrayer he wants no outside ears nobody's there to serve the disciples have all been jostling for position around Jesus and they see that the the basin and the water are there and they think well I'm not getting up to wash anybody's feet I'm not losing my place here someone will squeeze in next to Jesus I got my spot I'm parking right here and the others who were further out say well I didn't get a cold place close enough to Jesus I'm too far away if I start washing their feet then I'm gonna be branded the servant forever and all these thoughts are going through their minds Jesus had just talked to him about service he pauses for a long time everyone knows that dinner can't begin until the foot washing nothing happens he gives him an opportunity so what happens he rises turning your Bibles to John chapter 13 verse two and supper being ended you'll see some notes there that explained that verse the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot Simon's son to betray him Jesus knowing that the father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going to God he rose from supper laid aside his garments took a towel and girded himself Jesus laid aside his righteousness his garments that he might wash us there's great significance there he also did it for practical reasons because it helped him to be unimpeded as he got down on his knees and washed their feet and the disciples are watching kind of horrified and shocked and also embarrassed that they had not offered themselves to do this he poured water and a basin and began to wash their feet and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded and he came to Simon Peter and Peter said to him Lord are you washing my feet now evidently he's made his way around the circle he started at the left he goes around to the right oh by the way unlike any of the pictures I have sometimes I do the best I can with these artist concepts they sat in a reclining position you notice it says John leaned upon the breast of Jesus part of the reason for that when they ate the first Passover meal they were to eat it standing shoes on staff in hand ready to begin a journey once they entered the promised land when they ate the Passover they did it in a reclining resting position because now they were in the promised land they were entered into the rest and so it was a custom that they were eating they were leaning on couches and pillows with their feet going outward and so and it was a it was eating in a casual that way now you know when Jews eat the Seder today they usually sit at a conventional table but in Christ's time they weren't at the Leonardo da Vinci kind of table their feet were aimed outward and that's how Mary could wash Jesus feet at that supper and dry them with her hair because of the posture of how they were seated he begins with Judas and you know I think when Jesus began to wash you to speed he's the one that needed it the most his mind and heart were overwhelmed with a desire to confess what he had done it was not too late at that point for Jesus to repent Ibis to repent thank you because Jesus was washing his feet it broke his heart he wanted to tell him but when he resists that last impulse of the Holy Spirit to turn the Holy Spirit was withdrawn he thought if Jesus was really the king he wanted to be down here doing this menial job and he became more resolved and hardened in his desire to betray him Jesus made his way around the circle he's washing everybody's feet and eventually he comes to Peter Peter feels the same emotions of shame that the master the king is washing their feet and he says Lord you're never gonna wash my feet matter of fact let me read it to you right out of the Bible he came to Peter and Peter said Lord verse 8 John 13 you shall never wash my feet Peter so adamant never a few moments later he says not only my feet but my hands on my head jesus said if I do not wash you you have no part with me how important is it for Jesus to wash us if you are not washed he says you have no part with me you cannot just call yourself a Christian and be a follower of Christ you must be washed the other thing that's very important about this dinner is everybody in this room that is being washed is a believer this is at the end of three and a half years after the baptism it reminds us that Jesus must continue to wash the church it is not just the washing we receive with justification when we come to Christ but doesn't the Lord's Supper tell us that we ongoing cleansing in sanctification in in the statement where Jesus said unless I wash you you have no part with me it is a continual washing Christ must always be washing us and we like Peter sometimes don't want to let him do it we've got to say Lord not only my feet but my hands in my head wash all of me and he said what I'm doing now you don't understand but you'll know after this and then he said if I don't wash you you have no part with me Peter said Lord not my feet only but my hands and my head and Jesus said he who is bathed needs only to wash his feet but is completely clean and you are clean but not all of you who was it that was not completely clean next verse said tells us that Jesus knew about Judas that's why he said you are not all clean so when he had washed their feet he took his garments again he sat down and he said to them do you know what I've done to you you call me your teacher in your Lord and you say well for so I am if I then your Lord and teacher have washed your feet you also ought to wash one another's feet for I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you now in the seventh-day Adventist Church we are one of several denominations that still practices the foot washing ordinance along with the Lord's Supper Mennonites Primitive Baptist a lot of churches still practice this it's interesting that some do and some don't because there is no clear command given in the Bible where he tells them that it's a ceremonial washing he had washed his feet but he said you're still not clean obviously it's a ceremonial washing and he said I've given you an example that you should do as I have done to you he says it just as emphatically as he says it regarding the bread and the wine and yet some churches don't practice this aspect I think it's interesting not that it's our example but even in the Catholic Church traditionally the Pope once a year I think it's once a year he washes the feet of the Cardinals and kisses him I've got pictures of it so you know to illustrate this point it is very clear teaching in the Bible in the seventh-day Adventist Church we practice what is known as the ordinance of humility where we serve each other and it is really the perfect preparation for the Lord's Supper because we should not be participating in the Lord's Supper until our hearts are right and sometimes there's strife among us just as there was a among the twelve disciples which of us was is the greatest or there could be strife regarding gossip that's typically how it happens in the church or someone got voted or nominated into a position and someone else was displaced by that and there's anger and you know the Lord is saying the same thing to us as a church not just here at Central but those who are watching that if we're going to take advantage of Christ's body his blood his sacrifice we need to first humble ourselves put aside our differences be reconciled be content to be servants and not be clamoring for who's better than Who right and when we have that mind of Christ where we are willing to come and to serve then the cleansing of the Lord's Supper really takes effect it really takes root that's why it's so important not to subtract the foot washing from the the communion service and from the Lord's Supper back to back to our study so then they did this and then after they were clean they began to have the meal now the whole purpose of the Lord's Supper is designed to help us remember what Jesus was about to do you notice when he washed their feet he says right now you don't know what this means but you will know they still did not comprehend he said I've got many things to say to you but you can't bear it he told them several times I'm on my way to Jerusalem I'll be betrayed into the hands of the Gentiles who are into the chief priests who will turn me over to the Gentiles they'll crucify me I'll rise the third day and it just kept going in one ear and out the other they just didn't get it so now at the dinner he's wanting to tell them in more detail what's going to happen they just can't handle and what he did tell them fill them with sorrow they could see a great burden a solemn nasaan him that was crushing him that he did not have before he said this service is to help you remember this dinner was to help consecrate it was a great announcement that he was going to sacrifice for them and would rise again you know sometimes young men when they're going to propose to a young lady will wait for an opportune time and he may do the proposal personally but the amount announcement is often made at the dinner weddings are often associated with a reception a dinner and so these covenants were in the context of this dinner why do we continue to celebrate the Lord's Supper because we are prone to forget does it hurt when you're forgotten what depends on who it is that forgets you I heard about some grandchildren that went to visit grandpa grandpa was getting pretty old and he was struggling with his memory and it got very severe and they went knocking at his door one day and he opened he looked through at the screen door and said go away I don't know who you are and they they tried to identify himself but you just didn't recognize him and he shut the door and those little grandkids went home devastated because they'd been to Grandpa's house many many times don't you think that hurt how do you think the soldier feels when he has to go off to war he's got this two-year-old it's calling him daddy comes back child runs afraid doesn't know who he is to be forgotten by your own child wouldn't that hurt sometimes it hurts if your spouse forgets your birthday or anniversary knowing you think the Lord is hurt when we forget that he's our Creator for one thing that he made us I mean that we forget the one who made us how can you forget the one who creates you I mean that's why you're here every day and you forget the one who sustains you he provides for all your needs and then to forget the one who died to save you your Redeemer and yet in spite of the fact that God is our Creator our sustainer our Redeemer we tend to forget him all day long and it hurts him the purpose of the Lord's Supper is to remind us humans have this chronic problem with forgetting that's why the Sabbath is so important every week remember the Sabbath why cuz we forget we come together to worship God and remember he is our Creator doesn't the Sabbath involve that and for six days he created he is our sustainer and he recreates us he is our Redeemer and so part of this was all about remembering someone said that memory is synonymous with intelligence those that cannot remember usually are not very bright because you learn based on memory those who don't remember God spiritually sometimes have a spiritual low IQ we need to learn to remember God Tennessee Williams said life all of life is memory except for one present moment that goes by so quickly you can hardly catch it going everything else is the past and that's why it's so important that we remember the Lord I remember hearing a touching story that after how many of you remember an entertainer named Jack Benny the ultimate cheapskate this half this generation here doesn't know who I'm talking about for those of you who remember Jack Benny he was always dressed very nice when he had his shows and was claimed to be a penny pincher but he wasn't that way at all when he died the day after his death his wife Mary his widow someone knocked at the door and presented her with a single perfect long-stem red rose she didn't know what it meant no card she said thank you and he walked away I said I've been asked to deliver this it happened again the next day and then the next day finally she went down to the florists and she said what's all this about and she said well jack told us one day after coming in to buy you flowers for some occasion he said I may not always be around but I want to tell you that after I'm gone I want you to bring one perfect rose to Mary every day for the rest of her life he actually made a provision in his will that account was established to give her a perfect rose every day for the rest of her life to let her know that he never forgot about her isn't that nice hello way as some of you girls are going oh but think about it Jesus is doing that for us isn't he he's wanting us to daily remember his sacrifice for us now as they began to eat the meal there are several things there first of all there's a lamb and I'm gonna go through these quickly because I think you understand that in the Passover meal there's the lamb they sacrifice the lamb doesn't often mention it specifically but it says they're preparing the Passover the centerpiece of the Passover meal was a lamb that they shared together as the meal that lamb was roasted none of its bones were broken it was a type of Christ that lamb that had died to take away the sin of the world of course John chapter 1 verse 29 Jesus is the lamb John pointed and said behold the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world John chapter 13 verse 2 this was after supper after the preparation was complete then they ate the supper in the context of the Passover supper there was also bread unleavened bread that they ate during the whole time of the Passover the week of unleavened bread and so this was done after the foot washing first corinthians 5:7 purge out therefore the old leaven that you might be a new lump as you are unleavened leaven was a symbol for sin for even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us so who is our Passover lamb Jesus is the lamb then what else did they have there as an emblem at the dinner they had the bread next now there are some churches that celebrate communion every week I remember when I used to visit the Church of Christ I've actually preached in the Church of Christ before they would have their communion service every week in the Catholic Church when they have the mass it's different the priest the whole Protestant Reformation actually broke the Protestant Reformation the split was largely based on transubstantiation the understanding of what happens is the bread and the grape juice are they simply symbols or does the priest actually have the power to convert these this matter into the actual body and blood of Jesus the Catholic Church said yes the priest is converting it into the actual body and blood of Jesus and the Protestants said absolutely not first of all man doesn't have the power to create God secondly we know it's only a symbol because when the first Passover first Lord's Supper took place Jesus was sitting right there 100% of him how could it be that when he said this is my body and this is my blood his blood was still in his body and his body was still there it was obviously a symbol so understanding the purpose of the Lord's Supper if you ever think it's just a ceremony it doesn't matter you have no idea how many people died because of this service to defend it and yet I can't believe it I heard one of my favorite radio preachers say it doesn't matter whether it's hamburgers and coca-cola just the symbol I was shocked that people don't understand how important this event was I think we ought to defend the the ceremony of baptism as something sacred the meaning of it the the way it's done must be protected and defended likewise the Lord's Supper then you have the bread what does that represent the Word of God the body of Christ Jesus said Matthew for man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God when Jesus said except you eat my flesh and drink my blood that means in not telling us about cannibalism but we need Christ in us amen and furthermore Jesus said I am the bread that came down from heaven I am the bread of life he who comes to me will never hunger he who believes in Me will never thirst I always thought it was significant that Jesus was born Jesus the bread of life was born in Bethlehem which means House of bread and then he was placed in a manger which is place where grain was put I mean everything about it is he is the bread of life the living manna Luke 24 how did they recognize Jesus after the resurrection they didn't know him going down the road to Emmaus until he broke bread it says he was known to them in the breaking of bread Christ is that bread say Amen if this makes sense to you then the next symbol you've got the lamb you've got the bread you got what's next the wine or the grape juice it was new wine unfermented very important I've seen some services where the pastor or the priest get tipsy because they're they're drinking this stuff a couple times for a few services during the day and that's it was unleavened bread leavening was a sign of fermentation it was representing the perfect life of Christ in the same way the grape juice was to be new wine unfermented don't forget Jesus said I will not drink of this again until I do it with you new in the father's kingdom I'm gonna drink new wine the Gospels compared to what the old wine or new wine new wine now I personally think that it is blasphemous and sacrilegious to suggest that the grape juice used at the Lord's Supper should be alcoholic it's the antithesis of what it's supposed to represent by the way that's why we'll just came into business they were developing a new method for preserving the grape juice somebody said one time if you cut the Bible anywhere it will bleed the Bible is filled with the subject of blood from Genesis to Revelation talks about blood it's because it represents the blood of Christ that washes away the sin of the world over 427 times the Bible talks about blood because it is through the blood the power of the blood that we are cleansed from our sins now there's another point that I don't want to miss when we talk about this many churches when they participate in the communion service the Lord's Supper they read these words in first Corinthians 11 you might turn there where for whoever eats this bread and drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner we'll be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord but let a man examine himself and let him so eat the bread and drink the cup for he who treats drinks hoo hoo for he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself not discerning the Lord's body for this reason many are sick among you and many sleep it is so serious when he said sleep there he means they're dead it is so serious did not understand the sacredness of this service that's why I'm giving you a whole two weeks to think about it that it can be lethal if nothing else make you sick why is that can you find a time in the Bible when two priests did not understand the sacredness of the altar and fire came down from heaven and burn them up when they brought common fire into the altar hophni and Phinehas were killed by it was a good man also was a good man but he forgot the sacredness of the ark he reached out and touched it what happened to him died and for us to participate in the Lord's Supper and be indifferent or lackadaisical and don't to not respect how important it is is a very serious matter with God it can bring illness and death and conversely to understand it can invigorate a church a church that really understands this ceremony can pave the way for the baptism of the Spirit in their lives to eat or drink in an unworthy manner also means to participate and not be willing to really ask God to cleanse you from your sins to do it is just a ritual to satisfy those around you don't do it do it because you really want to experience his sacrifice and his cleansing that he offers and be willing to forgive others say men thank you very much for at least a couple of payments then Jesus said some things that were very disturbing mark 14 verse 27 he talked about being forsaken and then later betrayed first let's talk about the Forsaken this is why there were no other guests there all of you will be made to stumble because of me this night for it's written I'll strike the Shepherd and the sheep will be scattered of course verse 29 you jump down Peter says to him what us be offended forsake you never even if all are made to stumble I'll not stumble jesus said Peter surely I say to you even this night before the rooster crows twice you'll deny me three times but he spoke more vehemently I will die with you I'll not deny you any minute but he didn't know his own heart and he did not spend the time in prayer that he should have he was sleeping not just Peter it says likewise they all said the same thing jesus said you'll all forsake me tonight that broke their hearts but then it got a little more severe Luke 22 verse 31 speaking about this forsaking Jesus said Simon Simon indeed Satan has asked you has asked for you that he might sift you as wheat Satan asks for you do you know there's a battle over your soul between Christ and Satan have you read the book of Job God is speaking up for job and Satan is speaking against him and they are wrestling over his soul the devil is trying to make Jobe one of his agents to curse God and die and God a sustaining job to bless him no matter what happens in the same way Satan wanted to do that with Peter and Satan and his minions want to do that with each person here there's a battle for your soul the good news is Jesus said I've prayed for you that your faith should not fail how does the devil get a hold of us if our faith fails and when you've returned to me you know what that means jesus knew that Peter would backslide he'd deny him but he repented when you've returned to me strengthen your brethren encourage that he's the Lord I'm ready to go with you both to prison and death he meant it he just didn't know his own heart he said Peter the rooster won't quote crow this day before you deny me three times that you know me and then it got more severe still betrayal John 13 18 jesus said I speak not of all of you for I know whom I've chosen but that the scripture might be fulfilled he that eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me at that very evening during the Passover meal Judas who ate bread with Jesus as a prophecy said in the Old Testament was going to betray him not just forsake him I mean it's one thing if a husband neglects his wife or abandons his wife it hurts even more if he commits adultery what the disciples did hurt what Judas did hurt more Matthew 26 verse 21 and as they ate he said verily I say to you one of you will betray me tonight and they were exceedingly sorrowful and began every one of them to say Lord is it I I mean now you notice that their hearts have been humbled a little bit and they think maybe I am capable of this Jesus prophesies never fail and so they go around the circle starting with John who loves the Lord he's not only at Jesus side because he wants the position John really loved Jesus and the Lord knew that he wanted to be with him and John says Lord is it I and I don't know how Christ responded but as they made their way around the circle they said Lord is it I is it I said I and you'll see a lot of the paintings matter of fact I think they've got one that's up there right now yeah where you can see by their posture they're all going as high as in eyes and I and they were they were absolutely amazed mystified by this statement that they would betray him to the enemies they knew that Jesus had enemies that wanted to kill him in Jerusalem matter of fact that's why Thomas said after Lazarus was healed is when they went up to the Passover Tom ER said well we may as well go with him and die they knew they were gunning for him they had a they had what he called a contract out for Jesus and so he said one of you is gonna turn me over to them they knew what would happen and gradually everyone says is it I accept Judas pretty soon they all start looking to Judas like aren't you gonna ask the question and Judas says the Lord is a tie and Jesus said thou has said in our language it would be like you said it out of your own mouth and then after this event John leans over and he just wants to know if he understands and he says to Jesus pop perhaps why other conversations are taking place he said who is it Lord and Jesus were revealed to John they had a close relationship he said it's the one to whom I give this piece of bread after I have dipped it in the sauce they used to have a sauce with bitter herbs during the Passover he dips he unliving bread and he hands it to Judas Judas now realizing he's been exposed at least to John he gets up and Jesus says what you do do quickly and I think it's significant that the Bible says he went out and it was night Satan entered him he went out and it was night you notice there are two groups here in this story one goes into outer darkness without the Spirit of God having betrayed Christ the others surrender to Christ they are cleansed and they are with him in the feast this describes ultimately the two groups there will be there are only two kinds of people when Jesus comes back those who will ultimately deny Christ forsake Christ and end up in outer darkness and then there are those who are cleansed by Christ they take advantage of the lamb the blood and the body isn't that right and after he Institute's this covenant with them I believe they sealed it with prayer and then they sang a hymn together this is always interesting to me because the only time of the Bible where it says Jesus saying I'd like to have heard his voice weren't you how many do you think that Jesus had a beautiful voice I do I think Jesus had a beautiful voice and I think it probably was Mary's delight to listen to him sing as a little child as he grew up I would like to know what some they say we don't know there was a variety they could choose from during the Passover but one of the Psalms of David that they sang together and then they went out towards the Garden of Gethsemane which will be our study next week let's pray father in heaven thank you it seems so insignificant just to say thank you the human language is not adequate for us to express the gratitude that we feel and that which we should feel for what you've been willing to do for us what you've done already Lord your incredible patience is incomprehensible how you bear with us so long we asked Lord for forgiveness again we would like to we'd like to take advantage of the sacrifice you yearn to have us exploit your sacrifice and lord help us to do that today to apply Jesus as our lamb to eat his flesh and drink his blood to accept his forgiveness helped us to be a church that will be willing to in a worthy manner embrace salvation to recognize how sacred it is Lord were asking for the baptism of your spirit in our lives and on this church this is a month where we are we're taking you at your word we're wanting to see miracles in our midst as a result of prayer and even now at the conclusion of this service we're going to linger many of us with special requests for prayer answer these prayers Lord you've promised if we humble ourselves and seek your face and turn from our wicked ways that you will hear in heaven do it again Lord I pray that you'll pour out your spirit and this church might be a light in this community and around the world of what you want to do in your people as individuals make us holy through Christ empower us to work we pray in Jesus name

Channel: Aaron

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Id: PEtf0Nkw1Cw

Length: 49min 16sec (2956 seconds)

Published: Sun Apr 01 2018