1. The Privilege of Serving Luke 22:14-30

2. Call to Worship(Psalm 118, Luke 19) Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the one who comes for us all! Peace in heaven. Peace on earth.And glory in the highest heaven! Glory always to Jesus! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

3. Questions for ThoughtWhat are some distractions that you have to personally fight off when taking Communion?

4. As Luke 22 opens the Lord JesusChrist is facing the coming hours and death for which He came to this earth

5. John 12:27 (NIV)27 "Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour?No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.

6. In a little more than twenty-fourhours from the events described in our text, Jesus would stand beforethe rulers of the temple who woulddemand He renounce His messianic claims or face certain death.

7. In addition to the hatred andrejection of men Jesus was about toface, He also was about to suffer the wrath of God for the sins of all humanity.

8. Despite the intense pressure and uncertainty of each passing moment, He found time tostrengthen His disciples and eat the Passover with them before He suffered and died.

9. Every time Israel celebrates Passover and Unleavened Bread it is for the purpose or remembering how God set them free from the land of bondage. (Deuteronomy 16:1, 3).

10. In Jesus day, Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (two feasts celebrated at the same time), were observed for seven days from the15th through the 21st of Nisan which is our months of March and April (Leviticus 23:6).

11. Jesus sent Peter and John to locate aroom and set everything in order for the final Passover meal (Luke 22:8). A lamb would be slain, bitter herbssecured, unleavened bread and wine prepared.

12. Luke 22:14 (NIV)14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table.

13. It was in Jesus heart to be alone withhis disciples at this last Passover meal. He wanted to teach them from that meal some of the most wonderful truths ever revealed.Beginning at this hour things would forever be different.

14. Luke 22:15 (NIV)15 And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.

15. Before the evening is over Jesus will change the Passover to the LordsSupper. Desire means craving intenselonging. The word desire was used inthe Greek culture to refer to something essential.

16. Jesus is saying, This night must happen. Because what Jesus is doing here isessential to Gods plan and the future of Christs church.

17. With you reflects the love and intimacy involved in all that is happening.

18. Luke 22:16 (NIV)16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God."

19. This is the last Passover meal Jesus will eat with His disciples. He ate the lamb with them and then became the Lamb for them.Things will forever be different after this night.

20. We should understand that the language of the verse before us indicates a transition: Jesus and His followers are moving from one era into another.

21. This Passover meal He and his apostles were celebrating would not be celebrated again until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. It may refer to the redemption ofIsrael celebrated by the Passover meal.

22. But until then, there will be no celebration of Passover.From now on Christ is our Passover .

23. 1 Corinthians 5:7 (NIV)7 Get rid of the old yeast that you may bea new batch without yeast--as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

24. Luke 22:17 (NIV) 17 After taking the cup, he gave thanksand said, "Take this and divide it among you.

25. In the Passover four cups of wine were served. The first cup was taken up by Jesusand then he gave thanks to the Father for His faithfulness to Israel in the exodus from Egypt.

26. But, instead of drinking the cup, Hegave it to His disciples and said, Takethis and divide it among yourselves.He then made another announcement in verse 18.

27. Luke 22:18 (NIV) 18 For I tell you I will not drink again ofthe fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."

28. This is twice Jesus had said I will not to stress the fact that the Old Testament Passover is finished. Its over until Jesus reinstitutes it in His kingdom.

29. Luke 22:19 (NIV) 19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying,"This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."

30. It was a custom in Jesus day for the head of the household to hold up thebread as representative of the bread of affliction suffered by the Jews in bondage. But Jesus identified the bread as a symbol of His broken body.

31. With these words Jesus begins replacing the Passover with the Lords Supper.

32. This do in remembrance of me is alsoa command, not unlike Gods order for the Israelites to observe the Passover regularly.

33. Luke 22:20 (NIV)20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

34. Likewise means in the same or, hedid the same with the cup shows thatsome time must have elapsed between the taking of the bread and the drinking of the cup.

35. By using the words cup, newtestaments, blood and shed, Jesus is contrasting all of the Old Testamentblood sacrifices with what He is about to sacrifice on the cross.

36. In the Old Testament, God sealed covenants with the blood of a sacrifice (Exodus 24:8; Leviticus 17:11-14); sohere, Jesus used the cup or the juice to represent the blood He would soon shed on behalf of His followers.

37. Luke 22:21-22 (NIV) 21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table.22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him."

38. Luke 22:23 (NIV) 23 They began to question amongthemselves which of them it might be who would do this.

39. Jesus had already hinted to His disciples that one of their number was not truly with Him (John 6:66-71), but now He openly spoke about a traitor in their midst.However, He did not do this just for the sake of the disciples, but more for the sake of Judas.

40. Jesus had kissed Judas and washed his feet and now He was giving Judasanother opportunity to repent. It is most significant that Jesus did not openly identify Judas as the traitor but protected him until the very end.

41. Began to inquire suggests that there isthe atmosphere of chaotic discussion in the room as each disciple tried to convince the other of his loyalty to Jesus.

42. How could one who was on such close terms with the Savior of the world betray his friend and teacher? We do not understand this fully, butLuke records that Judas is motivated bythe presence of Satan in his heart (Luke 22:3) and the lure of money (Luke 22:5).

43. Luke 22:24 (NIV)24 Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.

44. This is truly amazing. These men hadbeen our Lords constant companions for over three years.

45. Could it be possible that in the disciples attempts to identify the worst among them, that they began to exaggerate their own importance?In fact, none of the disciples figured out that it was Judas.

46. Strife is the Greek word philoneikiawhich means eagerness to contend.These disciples didnt mind this debate over who was the greatest.

47. Luke 22:25 (NIV)25 Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors.

48. Jesus interrupted their debate to correct their view of the coming kingdom. Christs kingdom operates completely different from this present world.

49. The kings of the Gentiles exerciselordship over them means the kings and rulers exercise their power over people in a self-serving manner while thinking only of how it benefits them.

50. Luke 22:26 (NIV) 26 But you are not to be like that.Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.

51. Having established the pattern of self- serving rulers, Jesus gives two other examples of social priority to make his point. Younger men of the first century are considered social inferiors to theirelders. Slaves or servants are always in a lesser position than their masters.

52. Jesus turns this leadership model inside out by proclaiming the greatest one isnot the person ordering others around, but the one who serves others

53. Luke 22:27 (NIV) 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is itnot the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

54. How sad this must have made Jesus at this sacred and critical moment in history, to have to address suchselfishness in the lives of his disciples.

55. Luke 22:28 (NIV)28 You are those who have stood by me in my trials.

56. These final words of our Lord are simplyamazing. Jesus was far more gracious to these slow to get it disciples. Instead of giving them a sternauthoritative rebuke he reminds them of the authority that awaited them in His kingdom.

57. Luke 22:29-30 (NIV)29 And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at mytable in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

58. In spite of their overestimation of self- worth and slowness to learn, Jesusdisciple would, indeed, sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

59. BLESSINGS

60. May the Lord raise you from the dust and may He liftyou from the ash heap; may He seat you with princes and may you inherit a throne of honor (1 Sam. 2:8 NIV).

61. May the good Lord provide atonement for everyonewho prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers (2 Chron. 30:18-19, NKJV).