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The Last Supper
17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”
18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.
20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”
22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”
23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”
Jesus answered, “You have said so.”
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Matthew 26:17-30 NKJV
THIS NIGHT
This night is the night that changed the history of the world forever.
It is the beginning of the climax that leads to the cross.
Nothing before or since will ever impact you or me as much.
It begins here, in this room, with these men.
Jesus knows what will unfold.
He knows of Judas.
He is aware of the thoughts of each man there.
Christ alone knows what the day ahead will cost Him.
BREAD AND WINE
He offers them bread and wine.
The Passover Feast is changed this night as Christ offers Himself in this first Holy Communion.
He will be sacrificing His Body on tomorrow’s cross and symbolizes it now with the bread.
Jesus breaks it and gives it to each man.
He is going to the cross in hours and will be pouring out His blood, symbolized by the wine He gives them this night.
Then as now, the participants will only partially grasp at the magnitude.
Like tiny children barely out of babyhood, we will take these gifts with no recognition of their worth.
UNAWARE
Humankind, then and now, has no inkling of their cost to Christ and to God the Father.
We, along with the men in that room, are forever unable to understand fully the greatness of this gift given.
This is the night it begins and we who partake of Him and His Sacrifice for us on the Cross will be forever saved by it.
CHANGE
Eternity with God will open to us.
Our sins will be forgiven.
Heaven itself will be ours.
The walls will be down.
We can run into God’s Arms.
It begins here.
This night changes everything.
Easter Links:
Palm Sunday; Monday, Jesus Knew; Tuesday, What Authority; Wednesday, Jesus Betrayed; Thursday Early, This Night; Thursday Late, He Prays Before The Arrest; Friday, Seven Sayings From The Cross; Saturday, Silent Saturday; Sunday, Resurrection Sunday