Luke 22:7-30

Turn to Luke 22, verses 7-32.

Luke 22:7–32

So, there are three, I suppose, great, all-time great statements about Jesus as the Son of Man.

! And they're really good memory verses if you don't know them.

The first one is that the Son of Man came to be served,

came not to be served, but to serve and give His rights to run some of many.

The second one is that the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

And the third great one I want to argue is the Son of Man came eating and drinking.

The Son of Man came eating and drinking.

And you might think, well, that's just because we're at the Lord's Sabbath tonight.

But one of the great themes of Luke's Gospel is Jesus' love to eat and drink.

So, in Luke's Gospel, there are about 16 occasions in Luke where you find Jesus eating and drinking in someone's house

or talking at a feast of some sort.

And tonight, this is the most famous meal of all time, isn't it?

We call it the Last Supper.

And it's here in Luke 22.

Luke tells us, can you sit down verse 14.

He took a cup and when he'd given thanks, he said,

when he'd given thanks, he brought up, sorry, verse 14, isn't it?

And when the hour came, he reclined at table and the apostles with him.

And he said to them, I earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.

For I tell you that I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

So the time has come.

The hour has arrived and the apostles are with him.

Now, as you read this, immediately, probably, a picture will come into your mind.

Probably, I think it will.

And it is that very, very famous scene of the Last Supper.

It's a well-known piece of art, isn't it?

The Lord's Supper is inspired great works of art,

but one particular in the Lord's Supper by Leonardo da Vinci.

Where Jesus is sitting in the middle of the table

and he's got his disciples on either side of him.

If you can see it, Google it when you get home.

And you might know that when that was first painted,

it was painted on the room of a monastery dining room.

Unfortunately, the wall began to crumble because it was only made of some kind of dirt.

And very soon, after the painting had been done, the wall began to crumble.

Worse was to come.

Some of the early friars cut a door through the wall where Jesus' feet were.

And then later on, after that, he gave a storage chamber,

then a stable, then a prison, and a barracks.

And at one stage, there was restoration work that was done very, very carelessly.

One artist in particular was so casual about the task that he gave James six fingers on one of his hands.

It's a famous work of art,

and yet it's been treated terribly down through the centuries.

And not only has this scene in the upper room inspired that great painting,

but this scene of the Lord's Supper has inspired a great intrigue.

At least that painting has been the source of conspiracy theories.

I don't want to spoil it for you, but if you've not yet read Dan Brown's book,

you know, the Da Vinci Code,

in fact, I will spoil it for you because it's not worth reading anyway.

But in that book, Dan Brown argues that there is a conspiracy.

And the clues to that conspiracy are found in Da Vinci's painting of the Last Supper.

And the conspiracy is the search for the Holy Grail.

The Holy Grail is not the cup,

it's not the relic, it's not the cup that Jesus had in the upper room that he poured wine into.

The Holy Grail is the bloodline of Jesus.

So Jesus got married, according to Dan Brown.

That is the conspiracy that the Catholic Church has been covering up, according to Dan Brown.

There's absolutely no factual basis for it whatsoever.

But he says Jesus married Mary Magdalene,

and he actually has descendants in the world today,

and there's a secret society.

There's a secret society called the Priory of Zion,

and it's their job in life to protect the descendants of Jesus in the world today.

That is the conspiracy.

So what is the reality tonight?

What is the reality behind all that?

What is the reality behind this famous work of ours?

About the Last Supper?

What does the Last Supper have to say to us tonight?

Is there a conspiracy?

Does Jesus have living descendants in the world today?

And what is the secret of the Holy Grail?

Well, we're going to look at the passage,

and I want you to notice there is a conspiracy.

Can you see it in verses 7 to 13?

There is a conspiracy.

If you don't think there's a conspiracy,

you haven't read many detective novels, have you?

Jesus tells his disciples from verse 7 onwards,

go into the city, look out for a man carrying a water jug on his head.

It's like saying, go to King's Cross railway station,

look out for a man with the Times newspaper rolled up under one arm,

and a carnation of his lapel.

It's got that sort of feel.

Look at verse 10.

Look at verse 10.

It's intriguing, isn't it?

He says to him,

Behold, when you've entered the city,

a man carrying a jar of water will meet you.

Follow him into the house that he enters.

Tell the master of the house,

and the teacher says to you,

where is the guest room?

Where I meet the Passover with my disciples.

He will show you a large upper room furnished.

Prepare it there.

It's intriguing, isn't it?

It's mysterious.

Do you know what's the surprise?

Look out for a man carrying a water jug.

But in those days, you didn't see men carrying water jugs, did you?

They still don't do that in that culture.

That was a woman's job, they would say.

I'm not saying it never happens,

but it is an unusual sight

to see a man carrying the water jug.

It feels like, doesn't it, when you read that,

it's got the sense of being a pre-arranged signal.

Why?

Why the secrecy?

Why doesn't he just go to 25 King Solomon Street

in the upstairs flat there,

I booked a room for us.

Why the secrecy?

Well, because it's a security issue, isn't it?

Jesus is a wanted man, we saw this morning.

We saw.

I've come in.

There's a conspiracy.

There's a conspiracy between the religious authorities

and Judas Iscariot.

We're told that in the opening verses we saw this morning.

In fact, it's worse than that, isn't it?

This conspiracy has its origins in hell.

We're told there in verse 2

that Satan entered into Judas,

who was numbered among the twelve,

and he went away with the chief priests

and the temple police

to see how he could hand them over to him.

There is a conspiracy.

There's a conspiracy to get rid of Jesus,

and Jesus is having none of it.

It's not that he's going to die,

but he's not having Judas Iscariot

and the chief priests calling the tomb

and setting the time and the date

of his death.

Hell is conspiring to get rid of the Messiah.

There's a conspiracy here.

In fact, I want to argue

that there are two conspiracies.

You might want to talk to me about this afterwards

if you think I've got it wrong.

But I think there's a conspiracy of evil

and there's a conspiracy of kindness.

And there's a kindness to Judas.

Jesus is protecting Judas.

He is protecting Judas from himself

right up to the last minute.

Did you notice how later on in the evening,

how Jesus refers in verse 22

to the hand of the one who is betraying

and who is at this table?

He doesn't name and shame him.

It is obvious as you read on

that the disciples don't know

who he's talking about.

They begin to argue.

They don't realize it's Judas.

They begin to argue amongst themselves

which of them it could be.

Verse 23.

Who is going to do this thing?

No one is pointing the finger at Judas

saying, well, I knew it was him.

He always looked shifty.

And it's almost as if Jesus

is giving Judas time to think.

He's giving Judas time

to have second thoughts about this.

He's giving him space for repentance

right until the last minute.

So there's two things happening.

There is a conspiracy of evil

which is sort of fueled from hell

to get rid of Jesus.

And yet there is a conspiracy of kindness,

I think.

And yet, woe to that man

by whom he is betrayed.

So there are two plans here.

That is what I'm saying.

There is Satan's plan and God's plan.

There's a plan of destruction.

And a plan of salvation.

And Satan's schemes

are in a mysterious way

woven into God's plan

and they are made to serve God's plan.

Do you see that in verse 23?

The Son of Man

will go as it has been determined.

Verse 22.

So Jesus is going to die.

It has been decided.

It has been decided in the councils of eternity

before the foundation of the world.

The Lamb that was slain

before the foundation of the world.

It has been decided.

The Son of Man will go

as it has been determined.

But woe to that man

by whom he is betrayed.

Now do you see those two things

go together, don't they?

Again, we saw this a couple of weeks ago

in Proverbs.

But think of the book of Job.

Think of Satan

wanting to destroy Job

and question God

and at the same time

what you have in Job

you have God working out his plans

and actually using Satan.

We don't live in a dualistic universe

where good is versus evil

and we don't know

what is going to happen

and who is going to win.

God is sovereign.

He can make

He can make the wrath of men serve Him.

He can bring the greatest good

out of the most unimaginable evil.

And they want to rid themselves

of the Son of God.

They want to crucify Jesus.

And God is going to allow that to happen.

And out of that

out of the most unimaginable evil

where the creatures kill the Creator.

This is day sight.

Out of the most unimaginable evil

God is going to bring about the greatest good.

To see.

It's like the story of Joseph

all over again, isn't it?

His brothers sell him into slavery

and eventually they're brought to Egypt

because of the famine

and they appear before Mice and Joseph.

And they recognize who he is

and they're scared stiff.

And do you remember what Joseph says?

He says you meant it for evil.

They wanted to kill him.

They wanted to get rid of him.

They were jealous of him.

They hated him.

They thought they had got rid of him.

And God says to them

you meant it for evil

but God meant it for good.

To save many people.

So while you were plotting

and you were planning for others

to get rid of me

and you thought you'd got rid of me

and throw me in the ditch

all those things happened.

I was falsely accused.

I was thrown into prison.

All those bad and evil things.

God is not the author of them.

But he takes them

and he uses them.

To carry out his purpose.

It's the same in Acts 2, isn't it?

Speaking of the same crowd

that crucified Jesus

50 days later.

The crowd that cried out

in hysteria.

Crucify him.

Crucify him.

Speaking to those same people.

Peter says,

Men of Israel,

Jesus of Nazareth,

the man of chastity to you

by God

with mighty works

and wonders and signs.

But God did through him

in your midst

as you yourselves know.

That Jesus was delivered up

according to the scriptures.

According to the

determinate counsel

and foreknowledge of God.

And you crucify him

with lawless hands.

See those two things?

You killed him.

God foreordained it.

So here it is.

Look at verse 53 of Luke 22.

Jesus says to you,

This is your hour.

The power of darkness.

There is this conspiracy of evil

but in the midst of it

there is God's glorious plan

of salvation.

So there is conspiracy

but there is also

community as well.

Conspiracy and community.

And it is something

that struck me

more than I have ever

seen it before.

It is not a secret society

is it?

It is not

the Priory of Zion.

It is not the physical

descendants of Jesus

through the line

of Mary Magdalene

as Dan Brown

ludicrously suggests.

It is the church.

But do you see

this community?

Do you see

how the church

is pictured

in the upper room?

Sometimes we

miss the obvious

don't we?

What is

happening

at the start

of chapter 22?

It is the Passover.

What was the Passover?

What happened

at the Passover?

It is a family

occasion.

It is a family

occasion

more than anything

else

was it?

The Passover

for the Jewish

people was more

of a family

occasion than

Christmas was

for us.

It is hard

for many of us

isn't it?

We are away

from our families

on Christmas

day.

I like speaking

to my parents

apart from

one day

a year.

I do not

particularly

speaking to

them on

Christmas

day.

Because you

feel so far

from them.

And most of

you try very

hard to be

with your

family on

Christmas

day.

And if that

can't happen

you are sad

about it.

Because Christmas

lunch is a

family occasion

isn't it?

That is our

tradition.

That is our

culture.

But even more

so with the

Passover.

The whole

family was

gathered and

the youngest

member of

the family

would ask

the questions.

Why is

this night

more important

than any

other night

dad?

What happened

to the

lamb?

Tell me

about what

happened in

Israel.

Why is

the blood

on the

doors?

What is

it all

about?

And the

family would

be round

the table

passing

dishes

having a

meal.

And that

is the

interesting

thing here

isn't it?

Jesus has

the audacity

to pull

every single

one of his

disciples away

from their

families on

Passover night.

Doesn't he?

And he is

the one who

is the head

of this

Passover meal

and he's

wanting them

to celebrate

this Passover

with him.

You see

when he

says I

have eagerly

desires to

eat this

Passover

with you.

In other

words what I'm

trying to

say is that

there's a

new family

being brought

into existence

here at

this table

because the

cross of

Jesus,

that's why,

we say

blood is

thicker than

water.

Well the

blood of

Jesus brings

into being a

new family

but grace

is even

stronger than

blood.

And so

here is the

family of

Jesus.

The beginning

of this new

family.

But you

notice what

happens around

the table

because only

Luke,

the account of

the last

supper is in

all four

Gospels,

but Luke is

the only one

who makes it

clear to us

that there's

this dispute.

There's this

bickering

that breaks

out.

It's just like

Christmas

lunch,

isn't it?

You know

it's like

Christmas

lunch in

the family

is marvellous

isn't it

for the first

course?

And then

somebody says

something and

a dispute

breaks out.

It happens

every Christmas

lunch with

the extended

family in

verse 24.

Luke makes

it clear.

And this

dispute did

not happen

outside the

room.

It didn't

happen a

couple of

days later.

It actually

happened around

the table at

the Passover

meal.

This dispute

about who

would be the

greatest.

And what

Jesus says is

very, very

significant because

it actually

defines for us

what kind of

community he is

bringing into

existence.

notice what he

says in

verse 25.

He says

the kings

of the Gentiles

exercise lordship

over them

and those in

authority over

them are

called benefactors.

They dominate

but verse 26

not so with

you.

It shall not

be amongst

you.

You are not

to have

benefactors.

You are to

be benefactors.

Let me explain

what I mean by

that.

The kings of

the Gentiles

they dominate

they lord it

over.

They are

called

benefactors.

There is this

stark contrast

between the

way the things

are done in

our society

and the way

things are done

in the world

and the way

that Jesus

wants them to

be.

How does the

world organise

itself?

How does your

office organise

itself?

There is a

pecking order.

Isn't that?

That is what

Jesus is referring

to.

When he talks

benefactors it

is this

Greek or

Roman

patronage

culture.

So those

higher up

in the

socio-economic

order they

would give

to help

those lower

down.

And so if

you wanted

to live

and survive

in society

you would

look for

a benefactor.

And you

would look

for a

patron who

will champion

your cause

to look out

for you.

That is the

way it

works.

That is how

you survived.

That is how

society operated.

And then you

owed them for

the rest of

your life.

And Jesus

says that is

not how you

should be.

That is not

the way I

want my

society to

be organised.

It is not

the way my

world works.

It is not

scratch my

back and I

will scratch

yours.

It is not so

much what you

know as who

you know.

That is how the

world works.

And Jesus

says it shall

not be so

among you.

people.

But it is

still like that.

We want to

be seen with

the rich and

the powerful,

with the bold

and the

beautiful,

with the

popular and

the gorgeous.

And Jesus

says it will

not be like

that in my

kingdom.

That way of

thinking goes

out of the

window when

you come to

the cross.

Isn't that

what Paul

says in

2 Corinthians?

Where he

says we

used to view

human beings,

we used to

view one

another in that

kind of way.

We even used

to think of

Jesus in that

kind of way,

but not

anymore.

Now there is

a new

creation.

There is a

new way of

relating.

Everything

is new now.

The old

has passed.

The new

has come.

That's what

Jesus says in

verse 29,

doesn't he?

And I

assign to

you as

my father

assigned to

me a

kingdom.

He is

conferring a

kingdom on

these people.

He is

conferring a

kingdom that

is not about

power or

about

recognition.

And

status and

money is

about dying

to serve.

It's about

laying down

your life

for others.

It's the

people of

the cross.

And so

do you see

there's

community here

isn't there

around this

table?

Radically

new community

appearing.

And just

one other

thing,

there's

something else

which Luke

does which

is quite

striking.

And you

see it in

the context

of this

meal.

Look at

verse 31.

It's still

in the

upper room.

It's part

of the

same meal.

It's part

of the

same event.

We'll

look at it

next Sunday

morning.

He says,

Simon,

Simon,

behold,

Satan has

demanded

to have

you.

That he

might

sit you

like wheat.

But I

have prayed

for you

that your

faith may

not fail.

Now why

does he

bother to

tell you

that?

Why does

Luke put

that there?

At this

table,

around this

meal?

Well I

think it's

because of

this.

I think

Simon Peter

is going

to be the

new leader

of the

community.

Jesus has

already

appointed him

if you

like as

the chief

apostle.

He's going

to become

the new

leader of

that

community.

And

leadership in

the church

is not

the same

as

leadership

in the

world.

And

Jesus

doesn't

choose

Simon Peter

to lead

his

church

because

he's

strong

and

powerful

and

bold

and

beautiful

and

rich

and

influential.

He's as

weak as

water.

He's

weak.

In

my

kingdom,

who are

the

leaders?

Says

Jesus.

What are

they like?

They're

people like

Peter who

repent.

There are

people like

Peter who

are conscious

most of

their weakness

and their

failing and

their utter

need of

divine

grace and

that is

the

community

of the

cross.

And

it's

brought

into

being

in

the

upper

room

around

the

Lord's

table.

Do you

remember what

Jesus said

as he took

the cup?

He said

this is

the new

covenant.

Just as

in the

Old

Testament

when God

brought the

Israelites

out of

Egypt

on that

Passover

night

when God

brought the

Hebrews

out of

Egypt

what did

he do?

He

brought

them to

Mount

Sinai

where the

Ten

Commandments

were given

and God

entered into

a formal

relationship

with Israel.

Mount Sinai

is like

the giving

of the

constitution

to Israel.

Before they

were a bunch

of slaves

who had been

ransomed from

Egypt and

God gathered

them together

at the foot of

Mount Sinai

and he said

he entered into

a covenant

with them

and said

from now on

you are a

holy nation.

You are my

treasured

possession.

You are my

chosen people.

And that was the

old covenant

with Israel.

Israel.

And now

Jesus

in this

upper room

gathers

this

rag tag

and bob

tail group

of followers.

People like

Simon Peter

who is not

a strong

man at

all.

He gathers

around him

these people

he takes

the cup

and he

says now

this is

the new

covenant

in my

blood

shed

for you

shed

for many.

Peter

picks up

on his

letter

and he

says

once you

were not

a people

but now

you are

the people

of God

and you

are a

holy nation

and a

royal priesthood

and you

are God's

chosen people

so there

is a

conspiracy

isn't there?

Satan

Judas

chief

priest

Pontius

Pilate

and unbeknown

to them

they are

doing God's

perfect way

and they are

fulfilling the

scriptures

that's not to

excuse them

they are not

pawns in a

chess scheme

it was unfortunate

wasn't it

on that great

evening we had

Richard Borgen

on it

talking about

John's gospel

he kept referring

himself to

I'm just a

pawn in

God's

game

I wanted

to shout

to him

but you're

not

you're

not

you're

not

pawn

the bible

never ever

talks about

human beings

that way

and we

must never

do that

they're

responsible

for their

actions

and yet

through God

God is

conspiring

with them

to save

the world

and yes

there's a

bloodline

it's a

society

but it's not

a secret

society

it's a

community

but it's not

a secret

community

it's not

the priory

of Zion

to the

physical

descendants

of Jesus

no it's

to the

church

the new

covenant

community

it's those

who've been

redeemed

by the blood

of the lamb

and that leads

me to the

last thing

there's symbolism

here isn't

there

symbolism

you don't

have to make

it up

because it's

here

you don't

have to

write a

novel about

it

because it's

here

and there

is real

suspense

and there

is real

mystery

here at

the last

supper

and there

is profound

symbolism

Jesus took

bread

and he took

a cup

he said

this is my

body

this is my

blood

the bread and

wine are

symbols

they are

powerful

symbols

I don't

know if you've

ever been to

an auction

you've done

that

but you need

to know if you

go to an auction

there are pre-arranged

gestures aren't there

at an auction

the raising of an eyebrow

the scratching of your nose

then you might find yourself going home with a heap of junk

right

you do it

or going home with something more than you bargained for

because if the auctioneer sees your sign

your pre-arranged signal

he will accept your bid

and the hammer will come down

and wonder

going going

gone

to the man with the nervous twitch at the back

and you become the proud owner of something that you didn't really want

your signal

in that auction

in that context

binds you to pay the price

do you understand that?

and so here we are

the night

he was betrayed

Jesus took bread

and took wine

that is exactly what Jesus is doing

he is not saying

hey Presco

this bread

has now become

my physical body

that is nonsense

it is superstitious nonsense

it is still bread

it is still wine

they are powerful

powerful symbols

they are tokens

of what Christ

is about to do

this is the night

he was betrayed

this is the day

before he went to the cross

and Jesus takes the bread

and the wine

this is my body

broken for you

and this is my blood

poured out

for you

do you see Jesus

is symbolically

laying down

his life there

as he pours

the wine

into the cup

he is pouring

out his life

in the upper room

and what the bread

and wine

symbolise

Jesus is going to

actualise

the next day

and that becomes

even more powerful

when you realise

what is missing

from the table

what is missing

from the table

it is the Passover meal

all four Gospels

draw attention to this

and again it is so obvious

that you and I miss it

what is missing

from the Passover table

the lamb

by its absence

it is conspicuous

isn't it

there is no lamb

so imagine

you come to my house

for Christmas day

and I say

we are going to have

a great Christmas lunch

a traditional Christmas lunch

and you arrive

and there is no turkey

it is unthinkable

but what about

Passover without a lamb

the truth is this

there is no lamb

that is on the table

because the lamb

of God

is at the table

this is my body

this is my blood

he says

why does Jesus

have to die

why does

there have to be a lamb

why does there have to be

a sacrifice

well think about it

is it possible

to forgive

without suffering

is it possible

to forgive

without suffering

so imagine

you have been hurt

some of you have been

you have been

harmed in some way

somebody has really

wronged you

somebody has betrayed you

there is only

two things you can do

you can be hurt

and you can retaliate

you can resent

that person

who has wronged you

and what they have done to you

and if you do that

you suffer don't you

you lose

you allow that person

to hurt you

over and over

and over again

and the evil

that has been done to you

actually enters into you

and it leads away

at you

and you lose

evil times

before you can choose

to forgive

sounds so easy

doesn't it

but it's far easier

to say than done

isn't it

to forgive

we all know that

so somebody has said

that the currency

of words

is not

the currency

of forgiveness

it's quite helpful

the currency of words

is not the currency

of forgiveness

actions are

and if you've been hurt

really hurt

to forgive that person

it's a costly thing

isn't it

you can choose

to forgive

you can choose

to allow

the good

to overcome

the evil

but you still suffer

in doing that

because it's not

it's not as easy

as it just to say

I forgive you

and if it's like that

for us

how hard it is

for us to forgive

and we say

well why doesn't God

just forgive

why does he need

to send

Jesus

his son

whom he loved

into the world

to die

why does there

need to be

a sacrifice

why does

Jesus

need to

eat

if I can put it

in Passover

terms

why does

Jesus need

to eat

the bread

of suffering

drink

the cup

of God's

wrath

why does

he say

I really

I have really

eagerly

desired

to eat

this Passover

with you

before I suffer

why does he

have to suffer

at all

why can't it

just be a little

sacrament

why can't it

just be an

object lesson

in bread

and wine

why does he

have to go

through with it

because the

currency of

forgiveness

is actions

not words

and actions

speak louder

than words

Jesus is

Passover

lamb

that is how

he sees

himself

and that is

why there is

all this

cloak and

dagger stuff

at the

beginning

remember what

he says

in John's

gospel

he says

no one

takes my

life from

me

I have

the power

to lay

it down

and the

power to

take it

up again

but no

one can

take it

from me

and that's

the unique

thing about

the Lord

Jesus

isn't it

for us

in the end

death will

lay hold

of you

it will

death will

lay hold

of you

one way

or another

but Jesus

lays hold

of death

in the upper

room and

that is what

he's doing

in the upper

room

Judas

chief priest

it's not

your timetable

no one

takes my

life

I unlike

any other

human being

I have the

authority to

lay down

my life

and I have

the authority

to take it

up again

and of course

that's what he

does

isn't it

one of the

Puritans

talks about

a warrior

with a

sword

here's the

sword

here's the

sword

and the

warrior goes

into fight

with his

sword

in his

scabbard

doesn't he

he runs

with his

sword

in the

scabbard

and as he

comes near

into conflict

what does

he do

he pulls

the sword

out of

his scabbard

and after

he finishes

after he

puts the

person to

death

he puts

the sword

back

in the

scabbard

and the

illustration

is this

it's a

brilliant

illustration

the sword

and the

scabbard

are united

in the

person

of this

warrior

and Jesus

goes to

the cross

like that

what is

death

death

is a

separation

of soul

and body

Jesus

says

no one

can take

my life

from me

I have

the authority

to lay

it down

and that

is what

he does

he goes

into the

cross

and he

draws the

sword

from the

scabbard

he separates

body and

soul

for three

days he

holds his

body and

soul

separate

and on the

third day

he puts the

sword back

on the

scabbard

and he

rises from

the dead

and he

says

I have

fervently

desired

to eat

this

Passover

with you

because I

want you

to understand

what my

suffering is

about

and do you

notice this

the writer

of the

Hebrew says

it was for

the joy

that was

set before

him

he

did

the

cross

and now

he's

going to

the cross

and it

is going

to be

traumatic

for his

disciples

and even

though he's

trying to

warn them

again and

again

isn't it

even though

in the

upper room

he is

explaining to

them what

he's

doing

that he

is the

Passover

lamb

you should

be glad

about this

because when

the angel

of death

passes over

he will

see the

blood

not daubed

on a

wooden

doorpost

but on

the cross

and you

find that

when the

angel of

death

passes

over us

he sees

you

and me

and our

lives

and the

way we

have

treated

God

and treated

one another

and he

will pass

over

because of

the blood

of the

lamb

and Jesus

is preparing

for them

for that

do you

notice

what he

says

he not

only talks

about this

being fulfilled

in his

death

the next

day

but look

verse 15

he said to

them

I earnestly

desire to

eat this

Passover

with you

before I

suffer

for I

tell you

that I

will not

eat it

until it

is fulfilled

in the

kingdom

of God

and then

verse 18

for I

tell you

that from

now on

I will

not drink

of the

fruit

of the

vine

until the

kingdom

of God

comes

he's

pointing

them

beyond

what is

going to

happen

in the

next 24

hours

and he's

setting

before his

disciples

that joy

that joy

of the

coming

kingdom

and he's

really saying

listen boys

I can't

wait

I cannot

wait until

all the

ransomed

church of

God are

saved to

sin no

more

he can't

wait

and who

is he

talking to

have you

thought about

that

it's not

so now

so now

is it

what God

has

who are

these

people

they are

not heroes

are they

they are

deserters

they would

have been

shot

if they

had been

in the

army

Peter denied

him three

times

all the

other

disciples

ran away

when he

was crucified

and he

says

I

eagerly

desire

to eat

this

Passover

with you

you

treaters

you

betrayers

who

hasn't

betrayed

the

Lord

here

who

hasn't

let him

down

we are

here

tonight

at this

table

and I

have

let him

down

so often

and so

badly

but we

don't follow

King Arthur

do we

this isn't

the round

table

and this

is the

table

of the

Lord

Jesus

Christ

and we

follow

King

Jesus

and this

table

tonight

is not

for heroes

because there's

none here

it is for

sinners

it's not for

Sir Lancelot

and Galahad

it's for

Peter

and James

and John

and Sarah

and Terry

and Mark

and Betty

and Jean