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Easter / Passover / Lordʼs Supper
(Easter 09) Luke’s account, supplemented with the other Gospels Today, we will be recreating (as closely as possible) what Jesus’ last passover meal with the disciples to give us a context for understanding Jesus death and resurrection. Hickory Lane Christian Church Washington Courthouse OH Rob Hoos
Introduction • Today, we are going to be doing something a little different for the celebration and remembrance of Easter. • Today, we will be walking through the Last Passover of Jesus before he was arrested, unjustly tried by the leaders of the Jews and crucified by the Romans. • One may wonder, why in the world are we going to be recreating a Jewish meal during a Christian gathering? • Within the heart of the Jewish Passover held by Jesus the night before he was crucified is some of the most telling and interesting information about Jesusʼ Gospel, and ultimately a reflection on the entire death, burial, and resurrection. • Today, by experiencing something similar to the Passover of Jesus, we will be delving into the deep meaning that rests behind Jesusʼ words “take and eat, this is my body which is broken for you, take this and drink, this cup which is poured out is the new covenant in my blood.” • As many of you already know, the Lordʼs Supper tradition which we practice every Sunday is originally founded in the festive meal of the Jews called Passover which celebrates Godʼs deliverance from Egyptian Slavery. • You will be invited to understand it better, see it a little more, and even taste what it would have been like for Jesus and his disciples.
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Peter and John Prepare the Passover. • Before the feast of the Passover, Jesus sends out some of his disciples, Peter and John, to go ahead of them and prepare for the meal that they will be eating. • This preparation would have likely included removing leaven from the entire house (if the owner of the house had not already done that), • setting up the table, and all of the ceremonial aspects of the meal, • and taking the lamb to sacrifice at the temple, • including the roasting of the lamb. • Because of the crowded conditions in Jerusalem (essentially the whole country coming into one city to celebrate one of their most important feasts) people from outside of Jerusalem would rent space from people that lived there year round. • It was not uncommon for a family to have multiple passover celebrations in their house, nore was it uncommon for a large room to be rented to two separate groups. • Could there have been other groups in the same room with Jesus, possibly yes, but likely no. • Another interesting note to go along with this is that Jesus tells the disciples to find the room through a very strange way. • He says to them: Go into town, youʼll find a man carrying a pitcher of water, follow him to the house he enters, and then go up to the owner of the house and say: “The teacher says to you, where is the guest room in which I may eat the passover with my disciples?” • Why didnʼt Jesus just say,
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• “Alright, look to the corner of fifth and walnut and youʼll see 311 walnut street. That is where my friend Tom will be and you can tell him I need to use his spare room to have the passover.” • It seems so strange that Jesus told them about where he was going like this, but keep in mind that Jesus knows what is about to happen to him. • Done so Judas could not yet betray them. • So, Jesusʼ people go and prepare the passover meal ahead of the arrival of Jesus, and the rest of the disciples. • This way, when Jesus arrives, everything is ready for the meal to begin.
Jesus Arrives, the Feast Begins 14When the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. 15And He said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." • Jesus reclined at the table? What does that mean? • Well, it means he would have laid on his side/stomach with his feet away from the table, and head toward it. • For the sake of our demonstration here, we will be sitting because that is the easiest way for you all to see us. • Jesus also makes mention that this meal will be different than all other meals that he has eaten. Foreshadowing. • Jesus also indicates that he will not eat this again with them until he sees it fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
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Foot Washing Incident • After making this peculiar statement about how he wonʼt eat this meal again until the coming of the kingdom of God, Jesus moves on to teach the disciples something which helps us understand everything that is about to happen. • The foot-washing is one of Jesusʼ most direct teachings on service, and it provides the background for us to understand what is actually happening with the crucifixion • Since this isnʼt the main focus for us today, weʼll cut it short by saying this. Jesus in humility washes their feet and serves them willingly. • He is about to willingly humble himself to the point of dying on the cross for them. • Jesus then puts his clothes back on and rejoins the table to teach them that they should likewise be willing to serve others.
Jesus Identifies the Betrayer • Sometime after this, the meal proper begins. • First, they would have partaken of a cup of wine which is ritually blessed and then passed around for everyone to drink. • Okay. After the first cup is drunk, the second cup is poured out and left for later on in the process of eating the meal. • Next, the Jews would have gone through a ceremonial hand washing, but this first hand washing is without a blessing. • The next part of the meal would have likely been what is called Karpas, but before we get to that point, Jesus would have begun to speak again.
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• Somewhere during the passing of the 1st cup, the pouring of the second cup, and the washing of the hands, Jesus launches into the following account from the book of John. 21When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me." 22The disciples began looking at one another, at a loss to know of which one He was speaking. 23There was reclining on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24So Simon Peter gestured to him, and said to him, "Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking." 25He, leaning back thus on Jesus' bosom, said to Him, "Lord, who is it?" 26Jesus then answered, "That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him." So when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. • We see something very interesting going on. In all of the other accounts of the Gospels, the disciples are totally unaware as to who the betrayer is. • Jesus simply signifies that it is someone who dips in the bowl with Jesus, this only means it is one of the disciples. • However, in the gospel of John, we see that Jesus signals very quietly to only one of his disciples (who indicates it to another) that it is Judas who is the one who will betray him. • Peter asks the disciple who Jesus loves (presumably John) to ask Jesus who the betrayer is. So he asks, and Jesus says, it is the one who I dip the morsel and given it to. • Here we see Jesus dipping a “morsel” and giving it to Judas the betrayer. • Often this is translated as being a piece of matza during the actual meal, but
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• Based on the meaning of the actual word which just indicates a portion of a thing. • It is likely during this thing called Karpas.
Karpas • Karpas is the time of the meal when the Jews dipped bitter herbs and vegetables into salt water. • The reason that they did this is because the salt water represents the tears of the slaves when they were in Israel. • The bitter herbs represent the bitterness of the Israelite's bondage and slavery. • It is very likely that Jesus dipped a vegetable, or parsley, or something like that in salt water and/or vinegar and then handed it to Judas. • If you want to come forward and try some of the Karpas, then feel free to come up and dip the vegetables in the salt water.
Satan Enters Judas After Jesus hands this to Judas, watch what happens. 27After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly." 28Now no one of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him. 29For some were supposing, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, "Buy the things we have need of for the feast"; or else, that he should give something to the poor. 30So after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night.
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Breaking of Bread • Next, in the course of the meal, the Matza will be broken, and set aside for later on in the meal. • Some think this is when Jesus said: “This is my body, broken for you, but others think it comes a little later yet.”
Story of the Passover is Told • Next, the story of the Passover is told. • Usually, one of the children will ask: “Why is this night different than all other nights?” and a series of 4 other questions. • These questions are the basis for the retelling of the 1st passover. • When the 1st passover is retold, it is using present tense verbs like those who are engaging in the current passover celebration are one with those who first celebrated it, and take part with them in both suffering and deliverance. • Then, Godʼs deliverance of Israel through the plagues, passover, and exodus story is recounted to them. • God is pictured as the deliverer of Israel, and the people join with them every time they come together to remember this feast.
Blessing over the second cup/Hand Washing • Next, the second cup of wine is blessed. It is passed around and everyone takes a drink. During this, Jesus says to them: 17And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, "Take this and share it among yourselves; 18for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes."
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• Then the hands are washed again, and this time it is with a blessing as they are preparing to break the unleavened bread which is symbolic of the speed with which they had to flee from Israel. • Afterwords, another blessing is said over the Matza and grain products.
Breaking Bread • It is during this time that Jesus likely made certain claims about the bread which he would have been distributing to them. • As the bread is being passed around right before the meal is to begin, Jesus made a certain claim about the meal. It would have been very odd for anyone to add anything to the festival anyway, but what Jesus does is startling. • The bread had always represented the Jews quick flight from Egypt, and thus the deliverance of God. • Jesus changes that. • He says, this is my body which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me. • At this time, I would like you to come forward and partake of the unleavened bread, this will be part of our communion celebration this morning.
Maror and the Sandwich • Following that, there would have likely been a time where they ate the bitter herbs / vegetables dipped in Charoset. • The bitter herbs would have represented the bitterness of slavery in Egypt • The Charoset would have represented the mortar that they used to build the bricks for the Egyptians.
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• Some Jews take the Matza and make a sandwich here. They take unleavened bread, bitter herbs, and charoset (or lamb) and eat it all together.
The Full Meal • Following these things would have been the full out meal. • This is where they would have eaten the lamb, and a number of other Jewish foods as a celebratory meal remembering Godʼs deliverance of Israel. • We also have some lamb up here to try if you all would like any of that. • I would now like to invite you all to try some of the charoset, bitter herbs, “sandwiches” and lamb.
The Third Cup • After dinner is finished, a third cup of wine is poured, a blessing for the entire meal is given, and then the third cup is passed around to everyone to drink. • It was during this time that Jesus would have made the comparison with the wine. • The 3-4 cups of wine represented promises of Godʼs deliverance associated with the Exodus story. • Here, Jesus gives it a different definition. • This cup is the new covenant in my blood, do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. • Today, we will be drinking this as part of our Lordʼs Supper service. Please come up and remember the shed blood of the Lord.
Fourth Cup? • Sometimes a fourth cup is poured.
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• For some people it is symbolically left for Elijah who will one day show up at the Pascal meal and declare the time of the Messiah. • Of course we believe that has already come and gone.
Psalms • After dinner, it was part of the passover tradition to sing the Psalms, 113-118. • This is the story of Godʼs deliverance of Israel.
Significance for today. • Great right... • As usual, the great question of “So What” comes out. • What does this ancient meal from another religion have to do with us today. • Well, I think it beautifully helps us understand a little more about who Jesus is. • Jesus takes this tradition that is about God coming to his people who were in the midst of hardship and slavery, God coming to those who were oppressed, downtrodden, and didnʼt have a hope in the world. • God comes to their rescue. • The amazing thing to me, is that Jesus takes this festival meal which celebrates God coming to the rescue and redefines it for his disciples. • He essentially says, “You know what... This has always been something that represented God delivering you from Captivity in Egypt. It has always been associated with the covenant. But now, it is associated with my actions which save you, and my new covenant which is paid for with my very own blood.” • The true story behind the lordʼs supper, and the celebration we have through taking it every week is this, God will come through for us, and save us.
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• Israel was broken down, defeated, conquered. • Godʼs people were enslaved to something that they could not free themselves from. • And God rescued them. • So to, with the Lordʼs supper and Jesus death burial and resurrection, we remember this. • We were messed up, hopeless, defeated. • We were a slave to the fact that we were messed up, and we were not good enough to earn salvation, or have a relationship with our creator. • But, GOD RESCUED US
and that is
[gospel]