“Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening He went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, and all the people came early in the morning to hear Him at the temple.” Luke 21:37-38
Every day of the Passion Week, Jesus would walk down the Mount of Olives then up the steps leading to the Temple. It was His own personal death march and the Temple courts were a boiling cauldron of religious and political upheaval. Why did He march on? He did it for you and me because He eagerly desires for us to live eternity in heaven. He came to bridge the gap that separates us from our Creator through our sin and wrongdoings.
As He taught each day in the Temple many believed and many did not. Fear had built a wall between believing in Him and denying Him. Many even among the leaders believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they would not publicly confess. He exited that Wednesday afternoon with one final appeal. “Believe and confess,” and then He left them to decide on their own. He had other preparations that God had designed for Him.
Luke chapter 22, tells of Wednesday evening.
We call it “The Last Supper”
“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
His last meal and He shared it with friends because He eagerly desired to do this. Not too long from now one would betray Him, one would deny Him, and most would flee from Him at His arrest, but for this moment He broke bread with those He called disciples and friends. He knew their names and He knew their actions before they even committed them, even then He served them. He washed each foot as if He were a common house servant.
“You call me teacher and Lord and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” John 13:12-17
Jesus came to serve us. He asks us to serve others. We will be blessed if we do these things.
If I were to write on each of event of that evening and that supper and what transpired afterwards, I’m afraid this post would become a book. Which one day it will become my third book in the 40 day series books. But for now this is where I will stop.
Luke 22
John 14 -17
They are the passionate teachings and prayer of our Savior. He knew the suffering that loomed just a few short hours away. He marched on because He eagerly desires to have an intimate relationship with us. Shouldn’t we put all fear aside and confess our belief in Him.
In the reply section below: What are your meditations as you consider each aspect of the “Last Supper”