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In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
It was to be Passover like no other. This remembrance and celebration of the Lord delivering the children of Israel from the bondage in Egypt. This remembrance and celebration of truly becoming God’s people, of receiving His grace and fellowship. This remembrance and celebration for which Moses was given very specific instructions about how the people were to prepare for and carry out his commands for this Passover. This remembrance and celebration for the obedience and for the faith of their fathers who believed and trusted in this promise. But this night would be different. There would be no celebration. For when it was over, the disciples would be scattered and disillusioned, and their teacher and leader would be in the custody of the religious authorities on trial for his life.
And yet, to the disciples, at first, it had the appearance of many of the other Passovers that they had observed. But perhaps the secrecy behind the meeting location, that perhaps should have been a hint that something different might be going on that night, for there was a plan already in action. A betrayer, urged on by the father of lies, had already hatched his plot against a close friend. Slowly, over a period of months, maybe years, the traitor had grown to lose faith in this friend. Initially, he was enamored and enchanted with this stranger from Nazareth who was going about preaching about the kingdom of God, and he, oh, so wanted to be in that kingdom and be a part of it. He longed to be one of those who would receive a portion, and his share of the riches of this kingdom, once this Messiah rose up and threw off the oppression of the Romans.
But the more he was around Jesus of Nazareth, Judas, the traitor, realized that everything that he wanted in a Messiah, he saw none of this in Jesus. Jesus withdrew and was timid when he should have been defiant. Too often he backed down and didn’t challenge the Jewish religious authorities or show them the sign that they demanded. And his constant reminders about those who would seek to follow him, how they would have to suffer and perhaps even die should they decide to follow him, well, that’s just not what he wanted to hear. And so Judas became frustrated and disappointed and bitter. And so he opened his mind to evil thoughts and his heart to wicked desires. And Satan was waiting and entered him.
But the supper was ready. The hour was at hand, not just the hour of the beginning of the Passover, but the onset of Jesus’ passion. Everything was in order because Jesus had made sure of it, and the disciples were eagerly awaiting his words, words from their master. And no doubt Jesus was ready to speak the traditional blessings of the meal, but his words would be different that night, and his disciples would wonder at some of them. He begins and tells them how he has longed to eat this supper with them, but how he has earnestly desired to because he must suffer.
Thank you. Now this isn’t just a meal for a last meal for a condemned man, although he will be condemned, but a condemned man does not look forward to his last meal. But Jesus does, because this meal, once instituted and completed, it will be for the disciples and for the church throughout the world to proclaim his death until he comes. But for now, Jesus says that he will not eat another Passover with them until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God, until his death on the cross. And so we assume the usual sequence of the Passover is being observed. But when Jesus takes the bread and he prays the traditional benediction after breaking it, he says something completely new and unexpected.
“This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” Given for you. The words of the substitutionary atonement to come when God’s servant would be stricken, smitten, and afflicted, when he would be crucified on a cross for the sin of the entire world and complete the Passover. In the breaking of the bread, he bids them to eat it in remembrance of the sacrifice that he will undergo and in the words that he now tells them about the supper.
And then he likewise gives them the cup, saying, “this cup that has poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood,” a cup of the Passover meal, but one that becomes an entirely new cup, that brings with it the grace found in the blood shed by Christ, this New Testament that will begin with his death. But one of them, this betrayer, he would not receive the blessings of this supper, for he would quietly and shamefully slip away so that he could complete that wicked mission that he had set out to do. And not that Judas was the only sinner in the room that night because the evangelist tells us that suddenly this disagreement or this dispute comes up among the disciples. And we don’t know, perhaps this happened before the supper even began with an argument about who would serve, more specifically who would have to wash feet, or perhaps it came after Jesus’ warning about the betrayer with them all wondering who it might be. And as they had before, the disciples began to argue about who was the greatest.
After all that Jesus has said and done, this is their mindset, this is what concerns them. How could they so quickly turn from Jesus’ passion and think of themselves? Have they learned nothing from their master? Once again, Jesus is going to explain to them the nature of their mission and how they will do well to understand the gravity of it. He begins then with this admonition about their desire to be called great. The disciples think that greatness comes through worldly titles and responsibilities and authorities like those of the Gentile kings. And just as he had before, Jesus speaks about a reversal. “Let the greatest among you become as the youngest and the leader as one who serves.” And in doing this, he is simply pointing to himself. Leadership, being a leader is important, but servant leadership is what he is calling them to do and to be. And so they may show their greatness by putting themselves below others, by making themselves the least at the table, by serving the table.
And as he often does, as he admonishes them, he also praises their faithfulness. Because of this, he says he will entrust them with great responsibility and authority. And chief among them now will be Peter. But he will undergo his own trial before this comes to pass. Jesus emotionally laments to him, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you that he might sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.” Now Jesus had surely prayed for Judas also, but he knew that the betrayer would not repent, and he is sure that Peter will. And when he does, when he does turn again to the Lord, he will be the one to encourage and strengthen his brothers.
But poor Peter, poor, prideful Peter, he just can’t help himself. “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” Not, “Lord, with your help, I will remain faithful.” He’s still confident in his own ability to resist Satan and to confess the truth before his accusers, but the rooster will confirm otherwise. Now before Jesus leads the disciples to the Mount of Olives, he will give one last caution about the nature of their upcoming apostleship. For now, in the future, they will be responsible for basically everything, for planning and executing their own missions, and they should proceed with caution. They have to prepare as if they are going into battle, for they will surely suffer both physically and spiritually. But while they were with him, Jesus made sure that they needed nothing. They lacked nothing. They had everything they needed, but soon things will be different. For they will be associated with Christ, whose shameful death on the cross will bring shame on them. So they too will be treated with contempt and hatred.
But they must follow the same road as their Messiah, this suffering servant who will be numbered with the transgressors. But perhaps they only paid attention to this part about selling their cloaks and buying some swords. They quickly point to the two swords as if they’re proud of them. Jesus has grown weary of this lack of understanding and their short attention span. And so he concludes this dialogue with, “It is enough.” The hour has come. And so he makes ready to go into the dark of night toward his death.
It is enough. It is indeed enough. It is enough that the Lord should see fit to institute this holy supper on the Passover. Now, somebody asked and say, well, did the disciples know what they were actually receiving in this supper or assume that they took Christ’s words to be merely symbolic language? I mean, it’s true. There’s a lot that the disciples did not understand about the kingdom of God. But we can be sure that they knew for Christ’s blessing of the bread and wine enlightens them for the proper reception of his body and blood. And in this, the Old Testament Passover was fulfilled in Jesus’ Passover of the Lord’s Supper and in his death. For his own words testified to the establishment of this new covenant, his last will and testament.
But tonight, we, too, have the opportunity to remember and celebrate. We remember the words of Jesus in the institution of his Passover, the Lord’s Supper, and we celebrate with all the marriage feast of the Lamb and his kingdom which has no end. He has broken the bread, his body which he gives to us and bids us to remember him. He pours out the wine, his blood shed for the forgiveness of sins. And not just tonight, but any time when we gather together at the Lord’s table to proclaim his death until he comes.
But maybe tonight you don’t feel worthy. Yes. Maybe you think about the disciples and their desire for greatness and recognition and you know you’ve done the same. Maybe you think about Peter and his denial of Christ and you’ve done the same. Or maybe you’re thinking about something far worse. Brothers and sisters, know that Jesus died for every one of those sins. And he prays for you that your faith may not fail. As he earnestly desired to eat his Passover with his disciples, he earnestly desires to forgive you of those sins. And he is now here among us, to serve us.
For the Passover lamb has been sacrificed for all of us. So let us join in the remembrance and the celebration of the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Passover. Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.