Luke – Wide Open Doors!
When a loved one dies in your family, you immediately look back to the last time you were together. You think about what they said and you reflect on every word. You remember their behaviors in all circumstances of this life. If it was a loving relationship, your heart aches. If you know they are with God because of their admitted salvation in Jesus, then you rejoice in the heartache. It is a strange mix of feelings but that’s how it is.If the relationship was one of betrayal, what do you feel?
Jesus, God and man, knew that Judas would betray him but he served him at the Passover meal along with the rest of the disciples who would soon run from the trouble that Jesus was about to endure…for them….for us.
Luke 22, New Living Translation
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is also called Passover, was approaching. 2 The leading priests and teachers of religious law were plotting how to kill Jesus, but they were afraid of the people’s reaction.
3 Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, 4 and he went to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. 5 They were delighted, and they promised to give him money. 6 So he agreed and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus so they could arrest him when the crowds weren’t around.
The Last Supper7 Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread arrived, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed. 8 Jesus sent Peter and John ahead and said, “Go and prepare the Passover meal, so we can eat it together.”
9 “Where do you want us to prepare it?” they asked him.
10 He replied, “As soon as you enter Jerusalem, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. At the house he enters, 11 say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ 12 He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is where you should prepare our meal.” 13 They went off to the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover meal there.
14 When the time came, Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table. 15 Jesus said, “I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. 16 For I tell you now that I won’t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.”
17 Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. Then he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come.”19 He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
20 After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.
21 “But here at this table, sitting among us as a friend, is the man who will betray me. 22 For it has been determined that the Son of Man must die. But what sorrow awaits the one who betrays him.” 23 The disciples began to ask each other which of them would ever do such a thing.
24 Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. 25 Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ 26 But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. 27 Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.28 “You have stayed with me in my time of trial. 29 And just as my Father has granted me a Kingdom, I now grant you the right 30 to eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
WHAT DO WE LEARN?There are so many lessons to be learned in this passage:
*Jesus loved ALL his disciples but they had free will to make choices in their lives.
*Jesus served as an example for us to serve…even our enemies.
*Jesus prayed for ALL his friends and for his betrayer. Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies.
*Jesus served his friends AND his betrayer. This is a different kind of love.
*Jesus explains how He is different and how we will be different. “I am among you as one who serves”.
*Jesus knows all hearts. He knew where to set up the Passover meal to who would betray Him after the meal. Jesus knows our hearts.
Dear Heavenly Father, Lord and Savior,
Thank you for all you have done to save us from our own sins. Thank you for patience with us as we grow deeper in love with You, learning to live by your example. I have not arrived so I welcome your work of salvation in me, helping me to be more what you created me to be. Yes, forgive us our sins. Deliver us from evil. Keep us focused on you, alert and ready to serve at your command. You are our King of kings and LORD of lords. You are everything I need or want. Thank you, Lord.
In Jesus Name, Amen
