OUR LORD'S LAST SUPPER...

In the past days, CHRIST JESUS had been coming to the Temple by day; teaching, and even reprimanding the religious leaders, scribes, then, returning to Bethany by night---

Now, it is time for the PASSOVER meal to take place, which our LORD looked forward to sharing with HIS Disciples, for several reasons, and with knowledge that this was the night HE would be turned over to those who sought HIS life, and for HIS LOVE of Mankind...

Let us embrace this time in remembrance, in reflection, in recommendation, and in rejoicing, IN HIS NAME, and FOR HIS GLORY!!!

The New Testament speaks of our sharing with Jesus in several ways. We share in his crucifixion (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 2:20), death (Romans 6:4), resurrection (Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 2:13; 3:1) and life (Galatians 2:20). Our lives are in him, and he is in us. The Lord’s Supper pictures this spiritual reality.

LUKE 22: 1-53...
1+++Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching. 
2+++The chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might put Him to death; for they were afraid of the people.
3+++And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. 
4+++And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them. 
5+++They were glad and agreed to give him money. 
6+++So he consented, and began seeking a good opportunity to betray Him to them apart from the crowd.
7+++Then came the first day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 
8+++And Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, so that we may eat it.” 
9+++They said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare it?” 
10+++And He said to them, “When you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house that he enters. 
11+++“And you shall say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ 
12+++“And he will show you a large, furnished upper room; prepare it there.” 
13+++And they left and found everything just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.
14+++When the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. 

15+++And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 
16+++for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 
17+++And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; 
18+++for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” 
19+++And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 
20+++And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. 
21+++“But behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Mine on the table. 
22+++“For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!” 
23+++And they began to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing.

24+++And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest. 
25+++And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ 
26+++“But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. 
27+++“For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.
28+++“You are those who have stood by Me in My trials; 
29+++and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you 
30+++that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

31+++“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; 
32+++but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” 
33+++But he said to Him, “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!” 
34+++And He said, “I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”
35+++And He said to them, “When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” They said, “No, nothing.” 
36+++And He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one. 
37+++“For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, ‘AND HE WAS NUMBERED WITH TRANSGRESSORS’; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment.” 
38+++They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”

39+++And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. 
40+++When He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 

41+++And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, 
42+++saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” 
43+++Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. 
44+++And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. 

45+++When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, 
46+++and said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

47+++While He was still speaking, behold, a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was preceding them; and he approached Jesus to kiss Him. 
48+++But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” 
49+++When those who were around Him saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” 
50+++And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 
51+++But Jesus answered and said, “Stop! No more of this.” And He touched his ear and healed him. 
52+++Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders who had come against Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against a robber? 
53+++“While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power of darkness are yours.” 

Christ knew all men, and had wise and holy ends in taking Judas to be a disciple. How he who knew Christ so well, came to betray him, we are here told; Satan entered into Judas. It is hard to say whether more mischief is done to Christ's kingdom, by the power of its open enemies, or by the treachery of its pretended friends; but without the latter, its enemies could not do so much evil as they do.

Christ kept the ordinances of the law, particularly that of the passover, to teach us to observe his gospel institutions, and most of all that of the Lord's supper. Those who go upon Christ's word, need not fear disappointment. According to the orders given them, the disciples got all ready for the passover. Jesus bids this passover welcome. He desired it, though he knew his sufferings would follow, because it was in order to his Father's glory and man's redemption. He takes his leave of all passovers, signifying thereby his doing away all the ordinances of the ceremonial law, of which the passover was one of the earliest and chief. That type was laid aside, because now in the kingdom of God the substance was come.

The Lord's supper is a sign or memorial of Christ already come, who by dying delivered us; his death is in special manner set before us in that ordinance, by which we are reminded of it. The breaking of Christ's body as a sacrifice for us, is therein brought to our remembrance by the breaking of bread. Nothing can be more nourishing and satisfying to the soul, than the doctrine of Christ's making atonement for sin, and the assurance of an interest in that atonement. Therefore we do this in rememberance of what He did for us, when he died for us; and for a memorial of what we do, in joining ourselves to him in an everlasting covenant. The shedding of Christ's blood, by which the atonement was made, is represented by the wine in the cup. 

How unbecoming is the worldly ambition of being the greatest, to the character of a follower of Jesus, who took upon him the form of a servant, and humbled himself to the death of the cross! In the way to eternal happiness, we must expect to be assaulted and sifted by Satan. If he cannot destroy, he will try to disgrace or distress us. Nothing more certainly forebodes a fall, in a professed follower of Christ, than self-confidence, with disregard to warnings, and contempt of danger. Unless we watch and pray always, we may be drawn in the course of the day into those sins which we were in the morning most resolved against. If believers were left to themselves, they would fall; but they are kept by the power of God, and the prayer of Christ. Our Lord gave notice of a very great change of circumstances now approaching. The disciples must not expect that their friends would be kind to them as they had been. Therefore, he that has a purse, let him take it, for he may need it. They must now expect that their enemies would be more fierce than they had been, and they would need weapons. At the time the apostles understood Christ to mean real weapons, but he spake only of the weapons of the spiritual warfare. The sword of the Spirit is the sword with which the disciples of Christ must furnish themselves.

Every description which the evangelists give of the state of mind in which our Lord entered upon this conflict, proves the tremendous nature of the assault, and the perfect foreknowledge of its terrors possessed by the meek and lowly Jesus.  
Here are three things not in the other evangelists. 
1. When Christ was in his agony, there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. It was a part of his humiliation that he was thus strengthened by a ministering spirit. 
2. Being in agony, he prayed more earnestly. Prayer, though never out of season, is in a special manner seasonable when we are in an agony. 
3. In this agony his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down. This showed the travail of his soul. 

We should pray also to be enabled to resist unto the shedding of our blood, striving against sin, if ever called to it. When next you dwell in imagination upon the delights of some favourite sin, think of its effects as you behold them here! See its fearful effects in the garden of Gethsemane, and desire, by the help of God, deeply to hate and to forsake that enemy, to ransom sinners from whom the Redeemer prayed, agonized, and bled.