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LUKE - Christ, the Savior of the World
A Bible Study Course on the Gospel of Christ according to Luke

PART 6 - THE REPORT OF CHRIST'S SUFFERINGS, DEATH, AND RESURRECTION (Luke 22 - 24)

3. The Preparation for the Lord's Supper (Luke 22:7-13)


LUKE 22:07
7 Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed.

The 14th day of April 30 AD was perhaps the most important day in the history of mankind. This day began from Thursday 06.00 PM and lasted till Friday 06.00 PM according to the Jewish order of days. During those twenty-four hours hundreds of thousands of lambs were slain. At the same time the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world, was slain. All the events about Christ’s sufferings and death that are mentioned in Chapter 22 v. 14 to Chapter 23 v. 56 took place within this short period. In this great Good Friday the salvation of the world was accomplished.


LUKE 22:08-13
8 And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.” 9 So they said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare?” 10 And He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters. 11 Then you shall say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ 12 Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready.” 13 So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.

Jesus knew that the traitor began his attempts, inquiring beforehand about the place where his Master would meet with his disciples. Judas planned to deliver him into the hands of his enemies, away from the crowds.

Yet the Son of God was determined to spend the last evening of his life on earth joyfully with his disciples, to make the new holy covenant with them.

He did not tell Peter and John the exact place of the room where he wanted to meet with them, but guided them with his prophetic insight in the midst of the crowds of people and pilgrims to a man carrying a pitcher of water on his head. It was unusual for a man to carry water, for such work was relegated to the women of the household who carried the pitchers, filled them from the spring, and brought them back on their heads to their homes on the mountain of Jerusalem.

This man was humble. He served his family himself, and carried the heavy load unashamedly before the many women and pilgrims around him.

Jesus foresaw him with his eye of prophecy, as he had already foreseen all the events of that day with exactness. He was not only a prophet, but the Omniscient himself. He had infallible knowledge of all things distant and future, of all thoughts, words, and acts of men before their occurrence. Moreover, he never forgets the past, and your life is clearly disclosed to him with all its details.

As the two disciples believed and obeyed the word of Christ, they went into the crowded lanes of the city, and saw the man whom Jesus had described to them. He had furnished and prepared his house, guided by the Holy Spirit, and made ready for the visit of the guest of God. His house became the first church in which the Son of God made his new covenant with his followers with great joy.

It is difficult to know whether this last supper of Jesus started with the meal of the Passover lamb. This is why we read in the reports of the first Lord’s Supper that the only things Jesus served them with were only wine, bitter herbs, and bread. Christ celebrated the Passover beforehand as someone who is rejected by the nation. He had the supper as one who had no right to slay a lamb for himself and his disciples in the temple. In fact Jesus had no need of a lamb to reconcile himself with God, for he himself was the sinless Lamb of God, who took away the sins of the world. Nevertheless he continued with patience and joy, and offered his disciples a number of cups of wine according to the rites of the festival, for the Passover was the day of great joy because of the salvation from God’s wrath.


4. The Lord's Supper (Luke 22:14-20)


LUKE 22:14-18
14 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the wine until the kingdom of God comes.”

The disciples sat down with their Master in that upper room. Jesus celebrated God’s party with men, and announced to his disciples his intense desire as an expression of God’s desire toward all men: “With all my pleasure I have most earnestly desired to make this holy, new covenant with you that sin may not separate you from God any further, but you may be united with him in the covenant. I am willing to suffer and die as a substitute for all those who seek God. I am also willing to purify you, sanctify you, and fill you with my Spirit, that a new generation may be born, the true people of God, children of my heavenly Father, true Christians.”

This new covenant will have its complete accomplishment at the second coming of Christ. Today, we are on our way to him in the midst of the desert of our world, which is full of temptations, dangers, and attacks. Yet the blood of the Lamb accompanies us. His protection and holiness sanctify us. The believer will have the privilege of celebrating with Jesus in heaven the fulfillment of the Lord’s Supper. The joy caused then will be inexpressible. The songs of praise and worship will surround him bringing out the meaning of the words in (Revelation 5:12):

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”


LUKE 22:19-20
19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.”

Christ is the divine Lawgiver who changed the words of the rites of the Passover, and decided with his authority that in the Lord’s Supper he bread is a representation of his body, and the wine is a sign and token of the new covenant made with us. It commemorates the purchase of the covenant by his blood. As we partake of these two elements in the Lord’s Supper they provide us with us strength and life. Jesus himself is willing to dwell in us with his spiritual nature, and reside, abiding in us forever. The aim of the Lord’s Supper is not to eat the bread and drink the wine, but that believers may be in-dwelt with the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Jesus and the Lord himself. Taking the Lord’s Supper will be of no use to you if you do not accept Jesus in your heart, asking him to stay forever. He says in confirmation to you, “This bread is my body. Believe in me that I may abide in you indeed.”

Jesus also testified that the new covenant with God in his blood begins from the moment of this first Supper, and continues forever, in spite of the unworthiness of men to covenant with God. In fact we all deserve immediate destruction. But the power of the blood of Jesus Christ protects us, and produces life in us, that we may receive justification, enter into holiness, and become worthy of the covenant with the holy God. This privilege is based only on grace. It is not based on our works, prayer, and fasting. It is Christ who comes to you, purifies you, and joins you together with God in a holy union. Do you believe this? God himself in Christ’s blood makes a covenant with you and with all the followers of his Son Christ. Then God will be with you. The Almighty will dwell in you! This is true and certain.

PRAYER: O holy Lamb of God, we worship you, and participate with all the saints in songs of praise.. We glorify your death, your blood, and your new covenant. You redeemed us to God, and made us children of your heavenly Father. Your blood purifies us, and your Spirit renews us. We rejoice and thank you because you dwell by faith in our hearts.

QUESTION 130: What does the Lord’s Supper signify?

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