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).