Thursday, March 28, 2013

What really happened during the Last Supper?


The Last Supper we usually remember as breaking and sharing the bread and  sharing the cup of wine as remembrance of  Jesus body broken and Hid blood shed for forgiveness of sin..We see twelve  apostles sitting at the table with Jesus among them.
What else was taking place at the table when the cup of new covenant in  Jesus' blood  was  passed from hands to hands?
"When the hour came, Jesus and His apostles reclined at the table. And He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you,
I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” Luke 22;14-16


Have you ever thought about what Jesus said at the table before the Passover meal started? He said He 'eagerly desired ' to eat that Passover before He was to suffer.
He had desire to spend the last hours with His disciples. Knowing that the worst was just a few hours away, that the 'pain' was  waiting at the door, He wanted to use that time  for the fellowship with His friends.
Think about it how would you feel knowing you are going to be betrayed and suffer soon? Would you withdraw into yourself and have pity on you and feel too upset to hang out  anybody around?
I can imagine I would definitely feel like that. I would be too stressed up to enjoy any party.
But let's look at Jesus. Of course  He was  feeling stressed up but the main thing   is- He was focusing on the  well-being  and  good spirit of His friends.

He talks about praying for Simon Peter;
"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”Luke 22;31-32

He gives the privilege for His people to ask in prayer for what they need;
"And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." John 14;13-14 
"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." John 15;7 



He is promising the Holy Spirit to come as a Helper and Comforter;    
"And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever." John 14 ;16

He is promising His presence;
 "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live." John 14;18-19

He is encouraging His friends' hearts. He wants them to have joy and peace.;
v.27 " Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
 "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." John 15;.11
“I am coming to you( Father)  now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them."
John 17;13


What an encouragement! He is preparing His disciples to have hope, to have faith. Notice -He is  praying  both  for them and for.... YOU!.
" I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message". John 17;20 
His focus are the people who responded to God and who believe His words. He makes sure they know the way to follow; " You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14;4
“I am the way and the truth and the life(...) v.7


He makes sure they have His promise they are not left abandon that one day He is coming for them;
 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."  John 14;3
He is encouraging them not to give up and to be aware of the hard times to come;
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.
In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16;33


He is washing His disciples' feet, showing them to serve one another, as He served them. He gave them a command for  having love for each other.

Before He leaves to pray for the strength for Himself to endure the cross, His main focus is you!  It is not only those twelve people at the table  but also YOU. If you know Him, He wants to leave you fully equipped in the knowledge you should have, in the things you should understand, in the hope you should hold on, and in the promised return  to look forward to!
All for those whom He loves. But among all these people at the table there is  somebody who  'kills' the joy of fellowship.
There is a betrayer - Judas- whose eyes are too blind to see Jesus' love  and his heart to hardened to understand the need for the Savior!  He chooses what looks good for the eyes. Money for which he will later loose his soul forever. 
After the disciples are all  'set'  there came time to Jesus to pray for His  own strength and  asking  the Father if  it was possible to remove that coming suffering from Him.  Jesus surely knew what He was going to face  so His sweat  ( we read) was like the drops of blood. But He didn't turn back. He didn't give up. He didn't ask  His father for legions  of angels for His protection. ( as He said He could have! Matthew 26;53)
He also might have said, 'that is too much! You guys cost me too much!' But there was  no ' too much' for God. His love is great enough. He wanted our redemption at all costs! That is how much He didn't want  you to die with  eternal death. He doesn't want  you to end up like  Judas with his  soul  lost. He wants you to choose life that will be completely new  with Him and He offers beyond that. Jesus' resurrection was a sign of a triumph over death. From that time on, death  has  no power any more  over those who are safe in  Jesus.
He  promised;  “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die, and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”  John 11;25-26






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