The Feast

Who is looking forward to Thanksgiving? What are some of your favorite special family dishes? Stuffed dates is one our traditions. The food will be delicious; we will say there’s too much, but what we are really looking forward to is the people who will share the meal with us. And we often long for and remember those who are no longer with us. Pray especially for those with empty chairs this year.

In Luke 22:15-16 Jesus sat down with his disciples and said, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.

This was the last time they would all be together before his death. And he had been looking forward to a special time of fellowship with these twelve men. He loved them and they were deeply devoted to Him. His last meal was not spent with his earthly family but with his disciples. These were the men who would carry out his great commission to share the Gospel with the world.

Have you ever moved out of town or out of state? You knew that you would see these people for a long time. Sharing a meal with the people we care about becomes so much more important when time is running out. This morning we come to the Last Supper in Mark’s Gospel.

Series

We are continuing our series The Crown & The Cross. Mark has shown us Jesus as a man with a clear message and mission, and the reader is called to actively response to the message. Jesus’ life on earth helped us all better understand God’s heart and what His kingdom is like.

In the first half of Mark the emphasis was on seeing Jesus revealed as Messiah - the King who deserved the crown. The second half’s focus is on Jesus in Jerusalem fulfilling His life’s mission to suffer and die on the cross - and to rise from the dead.

As we continue in chapter 14 Jesus knows he is about to be betrayed, arrested, falsely accused and executed on a cross. He chooses his last meal as a time to show love to his disciples and prepare them for what’s coming. A single theme runs through each scene: Jesus’ foreknowledge of events. None of these things surprised Jesus. God’s redemption plan was unfolding just as he pre-ordained.

Our parallel passages are in Matthew 26, Luke 22, and John 13. If you missed anything you can watch or listen on our website or YouTube page.

PRAY

READ Mark 14:12-25

Preparation

I’m sorry, but I couldn’t help but alliterate today’s key points. Two of the main themes are right there in the first verse: Prepare the Passover. And we also have a Prophecy from Jesus.

Mark tells us that it’s now the first day of Unleavened Bread or the Feast of Passover and the disciples are wondering where they will celebrate the Feast.

V. 13 says Jesus sent two of his disciples into the city of Jerusalem ahead of the rest to make preparations. Luke 22 tells us it was Peter and John two of his closest friends.

You will find a man carrying a jar of water. Follow him. If you recall from our earlier messages, the city of Jerusalem may have a million plus people during the Passover. How will the find the right man? The man will be more easily identified, since water jars were normally filled at a public well and carried home by women. This was not typically a man’s work.

v 14 When he enters a house, go in and say to the owner, “The Teacher says “Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples? The man will show you a larger upper room already furnished for our dinner and you can prepare the meal for us.

Some tradition and history suggests that this home belongs to the family of John Mark - the author of our Gospel of Mark. It was certainly someone who knew Jesus as “The Teacher” and was it was someone ready and willing to share his home. Perhaps John Mark had been the one carrying the water jug and the maybe he was the also the un-named young man who later runs from the garden leaving his robe behind. This is not clearly stated in the Gospels, but we do know that John Mark’s home was a center for Christian fellowship in Jerusalem (Acts 12:12). And Mark would not name himself in the narrative. He wants the focus to be on Jesus. This is just speculation, but the point is - Jesus saw all of these things coming.

Verse 16 says the two disciples found everything just like Jesus said. Jesus knew exactly was they would find and he knew what was coming afterwards - the cross.

Peter and John prepared for the Passover feast. That meant getting the sacrificial passover lamb, gathering the bitter herbs, making the sweet marror apple fruit dish, having enough wine and unleavened bread - all ready for the symbolic meal that gave thanks to God for rescuing His people from slavery in Egypt and saving them from the judgment of death of the first-born throughout Egypt. Each element helped parents tell their children and grandchildren about God’s faithfulness and great provision through their history.

In Luke 22:15-16 Jesus sat down with his disciples and said, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

I love this detail, Luke provides. Jesus earnestly desired to share Passover with them. This is so similar to our looking forward to sharing holiday meals with the ones we love today. Jesus knew that his death was near and he wanted one last time of fellowship. What he would say and do that night would change history. But first, there was impossibly bad news to share with them.

Prophecy

Table fellowship had more significance for Jews than simply a social gathering.

4:18. While they were eating the Passover meal, Jesus declared, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me. To break bread with someone was to enter into a pact of friendship and mutual trust. Eating together was evidence of peace, forgiveness, and brotherhood. To betray the one who had given you his bread was a horrendous act. It would be an act of incredible treachery to break bread and then to betray your host. Not only was it someone who was breaking bread with Jesus—but it was one of his own friends who had been with him for the past three years of ministry. This must have seemed unbelievable to the disciples. They did not know that Judas had already made arrangements to betray Jesus.

One by one, they sadly asked Jesus “is it I?”John’s Gospel in chapter 13 gives us more insight.

John 13:26–28 ESV

Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him.

The disciples did not hear this private interchange between Jesus and Judas. Don’t you think, quick-tempered Peter would have immediately jumped up and attacked Judas?

But Judas’s betrayal was the only first step in the defection of all the disciples. There was only one betrayer, but every one of them would fall away that night as the events leading to the crucifixion unfolded. Peter and John watched the trial from nearby, but did not defend Jesus or try to stop it. In spite of Jesus’ knowing they would fall away, he still goes on with the meal and continues to love them.

Passover

The actual Passover meal was divided into four parts, each concluding with the drinking of a cup of wine. A blessing was first pronounced by the head of the family narrating the gathering. Then, in response to a child’s question, “ ‘Why is this night different from other nights?’ ” the father recounted the deliverance from Egypt according to Deut 26:5–9. Next, the father pronounced a benediction over the various foods that symbolized the bitter captivity in Egypt and both the hardships and blessings of the Exodus: unleavened bread, bitter herbs, greens, stewed fruit, and roasted lamb (with no bones broken). Family and guests were then invited to partake of the meal. Near midnight the feast concluded with the singing of Psalms 116–18 and the drinking of the fourth cup of wine.

Mark refers to the passover lamb, but it is only John’s Gospel that clearly states that Jesus is ‘the Lamb of God’ (John 1:29), although ‘Christ our Passover’ is a phrase the Apostle Paul would use (1 Cor. 5:7), and it became familiar to the church later.

The reference to “eating” (v. 18) signals the third phase of the meal.

BREAD

Blessing for Bread: Blessed are thou, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth.

In this setting, however, bread carries another set of meanings as well. It symbolizes not only life and salvation, but also as Jesus gives it to Judas intimacy and betrayal.

The Jews have no clear explanation in the Seder as to why the bread is broken and hidden away. Looking back at the Passover through the lens of the Gospel we can see great meaning. In the Passover Seder (ceremonial meal) the unleavened bread is broken into three pieces. (possibly Father, Son, Holy Spirit). The first piece is dipped in bitter and sweet dishes. The second (Afikomen) is wrapped in linen (Like Jesus) hidden away for later.

After the meal, the children are sent to find the treasure and then share with each other. (Salvation is a treasure to be found).

V. 22 Jesus broke the bread and shared it with his disciples saying “Take, this is my body.” Jesus was clearly speaking symbolically, just as the entire Passover was symbolic. He was sitting there with them - the bread did not mysteriously become his flesh. He called himself the bread of life. If you have no part in me, you have no part in the Father who sent me.

CUP

v. 23 It does not state which cup of the meal this was, but it’s likely it was the third cup. It’s purpose was to praise God for bringing salvation to his people. That would make perfect sense.

Blessing for Wine: Blessed are Thou, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.

Jesus took a cup and after giving thanks they all drank from it. Again, this was wine, not literally his blood, but a symbol of his blood.

v. 24 Jesus said, this is the “blood of the covenant” reflects Exod 24:8 and Zech 9:11. The same expression appears in Heb 9:20 and 10:29. Just as the blood of a sacrificial animal sealed the covenant God made with Israel, the blood of Jesus sealed the new covenant God made with his new people, the church, at the cross.

And as the blood confirmed the death of an animal, so the blood of Jesus confirmed his literal death. The blood/death of Jesus provided forgiveness of sins and right relationship with God. The old covenant sacrifices anticipated the sacrifice of Jesus and depended on his death on the cross to be complete.

This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. The covenant that Jesus talks about here is instituted by his death. Again Hebrews 9:22 says without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Jesus had to die to pay the penalty for the sins of the world.

Back in chapter 10:45 Jesus said that the purpose of the Son of Man “ ‘to give his life as a ransom for many.’ ” At the Last Supper that purpose becomes clear.

ALL - UNITY

Mark is the only Gospel writer who adds, “and they all drank from it.” The “all” echoes throughout the remainder of the chapter, recalling both the grace of Jesus for all and the failure of all of the disciples: they “all drank” (v. 23), they “all [swear allegiance to Jesus]” (v. 31); but they “all fall away” (v. 27), and they “all fled” (v. 50). The original Last Supper is attended by traitors (v. 18) and cowards (v. 50); it a table not of merit but of grace!

The new covenant was accomplished, once and for all, by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross (Heb. 9–10). The new covenant would take away sin and cleanse the heart and conscience of the believer. Salvation no longer would come by Old Testament temple sacrifices but by faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior. The prophet Jeremiah prophesied of such a day (Jer. 31:31–34). This day was about to happen.

Until that Day

v. 25 Jesus said "I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until "that day" when I drink it new int he kingdom of God. He was looking forward to the great feast in heaven in Rev. 19:9 "Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." and Matthew 22:2 "Kingdom of heaven compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son."

“Until that day” also reminds us of the last days Jesus told the disciples about in Chapter 13, when God’s kingdom will be fully realized.

But the main reference is to the final consummation of the kingdom and the messianic banquet at that time (cf. Isa 25:6–8; Rev 19:6–9).

The day when Jesus finally drinks the wine in the kingdom of God marks the time when the tension between the old and new no longer exists. That will be the day when the new has come completely and the old has passed away. This Passover meal with this disciples and our monthly Communion are forerunners of the final Feast at which the triumph of the new will be celebrated.

v. 26 At the end of the meal, they sang a hymn. The Hallēl, or closing section of the Psalter, (Pss. 113–118) was an established part of the ritual of the Passover meal. According to the Mishnah Pss. 113–114 would be sung before the meal and Pss. 115–118 after it. One of my favorite songs from Psalm 118 is Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

Take Aways

The Passover Feast Jesus shared with his disciples is repeated every month as we celebrate our unity in Him. that’s why we call it Communion. We eat the bread and drink the cup proclaiming our salvation through his blood until he returns and we have a final Wedding Feast together in heaven. Revelation 19 tells us that believers are the Bride clothed in fine linen, bright and pure - we are clothed in Christ’s righteousness. Nothing we can do ourselves.

Invitation - God invites anyone to fellowship at His table but only by repenting and trusting in Jesus Christ as Savior.

Do you look forward to fellowship with your church family? Or do you only come when it is convenient?

Does your church family really know you? Do you know them? Come to a Growth Group for regular food and fellowship.

Are you earnestly waiting to share the final Feast with Jesus in Heaven? If you are, you will want to bring everyone you know with you. Share your invitation with everyone. It’s more than a plus one!

Benediction

May the Holy Spirit grant you peace and love with faith from God the Father and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who love our Savior with love incorruptible.