Now comes the time of The Last Supper, the Passover meal HE shares exclusively with those who have been loyal, and with HIM throughout! Hours are shared in LOVE, and in dread, while HE yet guides, and instructs them. There is no real way the Disciples can fully fathom what is coming, though HE has been preparing them...
JOHN 13: 1-30...
1+++It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2+++The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
3+++Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;
4+++so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.
5+++After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6+++He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7+++Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8+++“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
9+++“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
10+++Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.”
11+++For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12+++When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.
13+++“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.
14+++Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.
15+++I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
16+++Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
17+++Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
18+++“I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.’
19+++“I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am.
20+++Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”
21+++After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”
22+++His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant.
23+++One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.
24+++Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”
25+++Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”
26+++Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
27+++As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.
So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”
28+++But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him.
29+++Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor.
30+++As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.
Our Lord Jesus has a people in the world that are his own; he has purchased them, and paid dear for them, and he has set them apart for himself; they devote themselves to him as a peculiar people. Those whom Christ loves, he loves to the end. Nothing can separate a true believer from the love of Christ.
We know not when our hour will come, therefore what we have to do in constant preparation for it, ought never to be undone.
What way of access the devil has to men's hearts we cannot tell. But some sins are so exceedingly sinful, and there is so little temptation to them from the world and the flesh, that it is plain they are directly from Satan.
Jesus washed his disciples' feet, that he might teach us to think nothing below us, wherein we may promote God's glory, and the good of our brethren. We must address ourselves to duty, and must lay aside every thing that would hinder us in what we have to do. Christ washed his disciples' feet, that he might signify to them the value of spiritual washing, and the cleansing of the soul from the pollutions of sin.
Our Lord Jesus does many things of which even his own disciples do not for the present know the meaning, but they shall know afterward. We see in the end what was the kindness from events which seemed most cross. And it is not humility, but unbelief, to put away the offers of the gospel, as if too rich to be made to us, or too good news to be true.
All those, and those only, who are spiritually washed by Christ, have a part in Christ. All whom Christ owns and saves, he justifies and sanctifies. Peter more than submits; he begs to be washed by Christ. How earnest he is for the purifying grace of the Lord Jesus, and the full effect of it, even upon his hands and head! Those who truly desire to be sanctified, desire to be sanctified throughout, to have the whole man, with all its parts and powers, made pure.
The true believer is thus washed when he receives Christ for his salvation. See then what ought to be the daily care of those who through grace are in a justified state, and that is, to wash their feet; to cleanse themselves from daily guilt, and to watch against everything defiling. This should make us the more cautious. From yesterday's pardon, we should be strengthened against this day's temptation. And when hypocrites are discovered, it should be no surprise or cause of stumbling to us.
Observe the lesson Christ here taught. Duties are mutual; we must both accept help from our brethren, and afford help to our brethren. When we see our Master serving, we cannot but see how ill it becomes us to domineer. And the same love which led Christ to ransom and reconcile his disciples when enemies, still influences him.
MATTHEW 26: 26-46...
26+++While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
27+++And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you;
28+++for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.
29+++“But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
30+++After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
31+++Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, ‘I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK SHALL BE SCATTERED.’
32+++“But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”
33+++But Peter said to Him, “Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away.”
34+++Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
35+++Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You.” All the disciples said the same thing too.
36+++Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”
37+++And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed.
38+++Then He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.”
39+++And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”
40+++And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour?
41+++“Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42+++He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.”
43+++Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.
44+++And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more.
45+++Then He came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.
46+++“Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!”
Observe, the place for their eating the passover was pointed out by Christ to the disciples. He knows those hidden ones who favour his cause, and will graciously visit all who are willing to receive him. The disciples did as Jesus had appointed. Those who would have Christ's presence in the gospel passover, must do what he says. It well becomes the disciples of Christ always to be jealous over themselves, especially in trying times. We know not how strongly we may be tempted, nor how far God may leave us to ourselves, therefore we have reason not to be high-minded, but to fear. Heart-searching examination and fervent prayer are especially proper before the Lord's supper, that, as Christ our Passover is now sacrificed for us, we may keep this feast, renewing our repentance, our faith in his blood, and surrendering ourselves to his service.
This ordinance of the Lord's supper is to us the passover supper, by which we commemorate a much greater deliverance than that of Israel out of Egypt. Take, eat; accept of Christ as he is offered to you; receive the atonement, approve of it, submit to his grace and his government. Meat looked upon, be the dish ever so well garnished, will not nourish; it must be fed upon: so must the doctrine of Christ. This is my body; that is, spiritually, it signifies and represents his body. We partake of the sun, not by having the sun put into our hands, but the beams of it darted down upon us; so we partake of Christ by partaking of his grace, and the blessed fruits of the breaking of his body. The blood of Christ is signified and represented by the wine. He gave thanks, to teach us to look to God in every part of the ordinance. This cup he gave to the disciples with a command, Drink ye all of it.
The pardon of sin is that great blessing which is, in the Lord's supper, conferred on all true believers; it is the foundation of all other blessings. He takes leave of such communion; and assures them of a happy meeting again at last; Until that day when I drink it new with you, may be understood of the joys and glories of the future state, which the saints shall partake with the Lord Jesus. That will be the kingdom of his Father; the wine of consolation will there be always new. While we look at the outward signs of Christ's body broken and his blood shed for the remission of our sins, let us recollect that the feast cost him as much as though he had literally given his flesh to be eaten and his blood for us to drink.
He who made atonement for the sins of mankind, submitted himself in a garden of suffering, to the will of God, from which man had revolted in a garden of pleasure. Christ took with him into that part of the garden where he suffered his agony, only those who had witnessed his glory in his transfiguration. Those are best prepared to suffer with Christ, who have by faith beheld his glory.
The words used denote the most entire dejection, amazement, anguish, and horror of mind; the state of one surrounded with sorrows, overwhelmed with miseries, and almost swallowed up with terror and dismay. He now began to be sorrowful, and never ceased to be so till he said, It is finished. He prayed that, if possible, the cup might pass from him. But he also showed his perfect readiness to bear the load of his sufferings; he was willing to submit to all for our redemption and salvation. According to this example of Christ, we must drink of the bitterest cup which God puts into our hands; though nature struggle, it must submit. It should be more our care to get troubles sanctified, and our hearts satisfied under them, than to get them taken away. It is well for us that our salvation is in the hand of One who neither slumbers nor sleeps.
All are tempted, but we should be much afraid of entering into temptation. To be secured from this, we should watch and pray, and continually look unto the Lord to hold us up that we may be safe. Doubtless our Lord had a clear and full view of the sufferings he was to endure, yet he spoke with the greatest calmness till this time. Christ was a Surety, who undertook to be answerable for our sins. Accordingly he was made sin for us, and suffered for our sins, the Just for the unjust; and Scripture ascribes his heaviest sufferings to the hand of God. He had full knowledge of the infinite evil of sin, and of the immense extent of that guilt for which he was to atone; with awful views of the Divine justice and holiness, and the punishment deserved by the sins of men, such as no tongue can express, or mind conceive.
At the same time, Christ suffered being tempted; probably horrible thoughts were suggested by Satan that tended to gloom and every dreadful conclusion: these would be the more hard to bear from his perfect holiness. And did the load of imputed guilt so weigh down the soul of Him of whom it is said, He upholdeth all things by the word of his power? into what misery then must those sink whose sins are left upon their own heads! How will those escape who neglect so great salvation?
And our beautiful LORD was arrested, suffering immensely in the process...
Let us PRAY to not be carried away with the tides of enticement which the world uses to snare us, and let us NEVER, not for one day, forget the enormity of THE GIFT OF CHRIST JESUS, nor what HE endured for our souls! It is awe inspiring to say the very least! HIS amazing lowering of HIMSELF to SACRIFICE for us, sinners one and all, in the PURE and TRUE heart of LOVE...
In these HOLY days, we recall, we reflect, we are more filled with HIM, but soon after, we are caught up in the world again, putting HIM in the background, although HOW could we, when we KNOW the selflessness involved in HIS GIFT of LIFE, and LOVE? Ah, let us take from HIS example, and go forth less selfish; ever striving to know HIM better, and to pattern ourselves after HIM...
In all of this, we SEE just how lost the world has caused most to be, and how fickle too, as many waver in the sight of others, and lose conviction when not hourly reminded, or shown! Our TRUTH lies IN HIM, and IS of the soul; the body, the world, and all therein, ARE TEMPORAL, and fading away, but HE WAS, IS, and EVERMORE SHALL BE, and this my dears, IS the image in which we are made, as our soul, also, IS eternal, but only shall it reside in PEACE IF we have CHOSEN to FOLLOW HIM, and HIS GLORY!!!
ALL we can GIVE HIM in return is the humble obedience of LOVE, and this IS ALL HE has bid of us in exchange for eternal LIFE...
LWINSOR © 2018
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS
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