Happy Resurection day to you !! when we mark “Good Friday” and “Easter” its a worldly ritual that we remember to celebrate the risen king, be assured that Jesus died for our sins only ones and he is a risen king , so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Hebrews 9:28 NIV
'For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. ' Romans 6:9-10, he is a risen king who has conquered death and “death no longer has mastery over him”
Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Passover
'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?” ' Matthew 26:17
As we read in Matthew 26, Jesus had the last supper with his disciples before he was crucified , Before we understand the last supper let’s understand what was the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Passover?
The Feast of Unleavened Bread, which included the Passover, was the central feast of the Jewish Year. These two feasts made for an eight-day celebration that began with the Passover on the point of reference. In 2022 the Jewish Passover is April 15, three days before we observe Easter April 17th, it concludes on 23rd April. These two feasts celebrated the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread was named after the type of bread the Israelites ate at their final dinner before they hurried out of Egypt. Most bread is made with yeast which when added to the flour makes the bread rise, and makes the bread soft. But since it takes several hours for bread to rise, they made bread without yeast, which could be baked and eaten as soon as it was cool.
Like the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Passover also reminded the Israelites of their deliverance from Egypt. Initial instruction regarding the Passover is recorded in Exodus 12.
What was involved in preparing for the Passover?, A lamb would have to be selected several days earlier, but there were many other preparations to make
The selected lamb would need to be slaughtered by a priest at the temple.
Unleavened bread, wine, bitter herbs, and the dip for the Passover meal would need to be purchased.
Each of the articles of food had special meaning of remembrance of God’s actions on their behalf
The Lamb – Its blood on the doorposts of homes in Egypt had saved them from the angel of death. The lamb is roasted whole and eaten.
The Unleavened bread – signified the hurried manner in which the meal was eaten.
Four cups of wine – reminded them of the four promises God made to them just before they left Egypt.
Jesus and Last Supper
'So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?” Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 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.” Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.” 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.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 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.” ' Matthew 26:19-29
There were three things that happened in Last Supper
Jesus preditcing the Betrayal
The Passover of Old tradition to new covenant
Blood of Lamb to Blood of the Covenant
Jesus Predicting the betrayal
'When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?” Matthew 26:20-22
The reaction of eleven of these men is given in verse 22. “They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?” In making this observation Matthew chooses words that indicate a very strong, almost vehement, heaviness of heart.
Lessons from Judas Betrayal - “A spirit of greed and materialism is very often the first step toward betrayal.” Jesus knew the heart of Judas.
Judas was one of the chosen Twelve, who walked with Jesus for 3 1⁄2 years, he saw him perform mighty deeds of miracles and has seen his mighty things upclose. Still he would betray Him! The lesson in this for us is, one may be very close to the Lord and all other, yet far away spiritually from God’s calling. Its like we are present in all the happenings of church but our spiritual calling is far away from Jesus
The Passover of Old tradition to new covenant
'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.” ' Matthew 26:26
In this one meal Jesus did away with the old and brought in the new. It was a meal of transition. In this meal with his disciples Christ instituted A NEW MEMORIAL MEAL TO HIMSELF.
It would not focus on the lamb slain in Egypt but on the Lamb of God “Jesus” slain on Calvary
The bread he took was the unleavened bread, and after giving thanks, he broke it. Those actions were typical for a Passover meal. But then Christ said something new; "Take and eat; this is my body." In the Passover meal the unleavened bread reminded the Jews of their deliverance from Egypt. Now Jesus says the bread is His body, promising that true deliverance will come through Him.
We were born with a sin nature, which we demonstrate early and often, The Scriptures tell us that we are slaves to sin and that we cannot get free.
Only God can set us free. He made our freedom possible through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross. 'Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ' Romans 5:7-8
When we eat the bread we are telling him that he is our deliverer and we trust him as the source of all. we need to sustain our spiritual lives. By eating the bread we say that we are sharing in or benefiting from what happened on the cross. We are enjoying forgiveness and restored fellowship with God.
Blood of Lamb to Blood of the Covenant
'Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 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.” ' Matthew 26:27-29
The old tradition of Wine and Blood of lamb is gone when he said “Drink from it, all of you.” its not only for the Jews, it's for all of us.
Old tradition of the blood sprinkled on doorposts so that firstborn sons were spared is gone in the new covenant with the blood of Jesus.
A covenant is the agreement by which two parties enter into and maintain a relationship. In here “This is my blood of the covenant” Jesus announces a new covenant, one in which blood is involved; but it is HIS BLOOD! It’s no longer the blood of animals but “MY BLOOD.”
On the cross the blood of Jesus Christ has been shed; it was “poured out.” as 'It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. ' Hebrews 10:4
The blood of Jesus helps us “cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! “ 'How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.' Hebrews 9:14,28
What does this Passover meal mean to us today ?
Jesus said “Take and eat; this is my body” “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant”
The meal and blood is given only to those who have faith in Jesus, This is why they don’t offer the holy communian in Church (”the bread and wine”) to non believers when they go to Church.
Every time we partake in the passover meal of the Lord, we need to know these things, else this will become ceremonial and not have the real meaning like how Jesus asked us to follow
Eat; this is my body
All of us want to know the taste of food and eat only if it’s Good. Similarly when Jesus says eat my body, he is asking us to read the word (eat) and asking us to lean on his body (Holy Spirit) each and every day. Without this we will not taste Jesus.
All of us eat the food by chewing in our mouth so that we enjoy taste of food, same way the word of God should be mediated before it goes into our heart and mind. We taste the word thru the spirit of God, he will convict us of the sins and make us flee from the sins of the world and turn away from the old self of us to a new person 'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! ' 2 Corinthians 5:17
We eat medicine only when we are sick and stop taking that after its prescribed. The command for us is “Take and eat; this is my body”, we have not been asked to consume the body (word of God) as a Medicine, it has to be taken daily. You cannot come and eat it only when your sick / full of troubles. Jesus word is not a “motivational quotes for the day” for us. Jesus says eat, He did not say taste. Eating and tasting are two different thing. Many of us use the word of God as a medicine only when we have a need or taste the word of God as motivational quotes for our daily life. He says eat, he is a generous God he lavishes himself to us that we have to partake with him every day and night.
Blood of the covenant
What a blessing to have a covenant from God himself to us that too with his blood. There is no one on earth who makes covenant using the blood only.Jesus has told “This is my blood of the covenant”
Remember when we eat the body of Christ, the blood of Jesus saves us from the sins we have committed knowingly and unknowingly. He uses his blood to clean our consciousness which condems us to death due to the sin we commit. 'How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! ' Hebrews 9:14
As we walk with the lord, there will be struggles and hardships in the world due to satan. 'For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ' Ephesians 6:12 The blood of Christ protects us from all the struggles and hardships coming from satan.
We receive grace by blood of Jesus, eventhough our standards may be lower than God’s standards, but his grace makes us walk with him and perfects us day by day 'For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. ' Romans 6:14,18
Because of this relationship to partake his Body and his new covenant, we are his heirs and children who have the privilege to call him “Father” “abba” “appa” “daddy” 'For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “ Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ' Romans 8:14-16
Remember if you come to Lord and live a double life , one for the world and one for the Lord you invite God’s wrath as Paul explains 'You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he? ‘ 1 Corinthians 10:21-22
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