I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
Psalm 16:8
Exodus 12, Matthew 26:14-30, Luke 22:1-34, John 14
The Last Supper
The Passover was first celebrated in Egypt, during the time of Moses. Passover commemorates Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and their flight to freedom. God gives Moses the instructions for the Passover meal, including the precautions they needed to take so the angel of death would pass over them. One of these precautions was sacrificing a lamb and using its blood as a symbol of their obedience to God. This became a yearly tradition for the Israelites so they would never forget how God delivered them from the Israelites.
For this Passover, Jesus and His disciples traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate it. They prepared the Passover meal with all of the disciples, with the wine and the unleavened bread. This meal was especially significant because it was the last meal Jesus ate with His disciples. It was also the start of what we now refer to as “Holy Week,” which is the week between Passover and Easter. This is the start of Jesus’ journey to the cross.
During the Passover meal, Jesus takes the bread and says “eat this, for this is my body” and He also takes the wine and says “drink this, for it is my blood – signifying the sacrifice and the covenant between God and his people.” Jesus is explaining the connection between His upcoming sacrifice and the sacrificial lamb in the Passover. Just as God had delivered the Israelites from Egypt, God was going to deliver all people through Jesus. The Jews still celebrate Passover in remembrance of their deliverance from Egypt, but now all believers celebrate by taking communion to remember the sacrifice Jesus made and the freedom we have because of it.
Even though Jesus died and left His disciples on earth to finish His work, He did not leave His disciples alone. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to help His disciples even after He was gone. So this Passover meal, and even Jesus’ death, did not signify the end for the disciples. Instead, this was a transition to a new season for them; a season of walking with God without Jesus walking right next to them.
QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT:
- We need to take time and remember the miracles God has done in our lives. What life changing miracles has God done in your life? Take some time and praise Him for them.
- How do I experience God and His goodness on a day to day basis?
- What does God’s presence look like in my life?