The Road to the Cross Part III: The Last Supper The Upper Room

 

Jesus’ final week:

• Chapter 19 - Jesus comes into Jerusalem

• Chapters 20-21- Jesus teaching and ministering to people in the temple area

• Chapter 22 - Jesus shares the last Passover meal with His disciples

 

Luke 22:7-8

“Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.””

 

What is Passover?

 

Passover Background:

- Family of Joseph (70) travel to Egypt due to a famine

- Joseph was promoted as the second most powerful person in Egypt

- His family is reunited with him thorough an exchange of forgiveness for mistreating him

- Pharaoh makes room for his family in the land of Egypt

- The Pharaoh that knows Joseph dies

- A new Pharaoh takes over who does not know Joseph

- The 70 family members of Joseph grow into millions of Jews

- Pharaoh makes them their slaves

- The Israelites cry out to God to save them and He raises up Moses

- Moses goes to Pharaoh on behalf of God and tells him to let them go

- Pharaoh refuses to do so

- God releases 9 plagues to wear Pharaoh down, but he does not relent

- God releases a tenth and final plague which is the death of the first born son across the land (livestock included)

- The Hebrews were protected through the passover lamb

- They were to slay a lamb and apply its blood to the doorposts of their home

- When death passed through the land it would “pass over” those homes marked by the blood of the lamb

- They were then finally released by Pharaoh and went on their way to the promised land

 

Passover = Remembrance of God delivering His people from slavery in Egypt

 

So Jesus has Peter and John prepare a room for this Passover meal. Eventually, Jesus along with His disciples made their way to the upper room and began their celebration. 

 

Luke 22:14-15

“14 And when the hour came, he reclined at 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.”

 

No doubt they went through the entire ceremony of Passover, which included:

• Drinking 4 cups of wine

• Rinsing of their hands

• Telling the Passover story

• Eating a meal

• Reciting blessings before and after the meal

• Singing songs of praise

• Etc. 

 

Then, things changed.

 

Luke 22:19-20

“19 And he took bread, and when he had 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 likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”

 

When Jesus took the bread and grabbed the cup, they knew what typically came next. However, Jesus didn’t stick to the script, He did something different. He grabs the bread, breaks it and tells them “this is my body which was given for you, do this in remembrance of me.” This was not something they were expecting. The disciples imagined this was going to be like any other passover. However, little did they know that the true passover lamb was sitting right in front of them.

 

Jesus gave new meaning to this Passover meal they had been celebrating over the last 1400 years. Before, it was a remembrance of what God had done to deliver His people from slavery in Egypt. Now it had become something much bigger. Jesus was saying that this Passover meal was pointing to Him the entire time. 

• The bread = His body that was going to be broken for them

• The wine = His blood that would be shed on the cross for the remission of their sins

 

Jesus revealed that like a lamb at passover, it was Jesus’ body that would be broken for the forgiveness of our sins. Similarly, it was going to be His blood that covered the doorposts of our heart that would cause death to pass us by.

 

Passover was not only about the deliverance of the people of Israel from Egypt, but deliverance for all people from the power of sin. He came to set us all free through His sacrifice on the cross!

 

Now, just imagine what the disciples were thinking! They realized that the bread with no leaven in it that they had been celebrating over the last 1400 years was actually a picture of Jesus without sin, being broken on their behalf. The cup represented His blood that would be spilled for them on the cross for an even greater deliverance than Egypt. So that “blood of the Lamb” would cause judgement to pass over you so that you can have eternal life. Praise God!!

 

 

Similarities between Jesus and the Passover Lamb

 

1. Four Days - A lamb had to be chosen and brought into the house four days before Passover. Four days before His death on the cross, Jesus came into Jerusalem on a donkey. (Exodus 12:3-6)

2. Without Blemish - The lamb had to be without blemish. Jesus was without without blemish. He was sinless. (Exodus 12:5)

3. One Year - The lamb had to be one year old, in the prime of His life. Jesus was in the prime of His life when He was sacrificed at 33 years old. (Exodus 12:5)

4. Man - The lamb had to be a male. Jesus came to earth as a man. (Exodus 12:5)

5. The 14th Day - The Passover Lamb was slain on the 14th day Nisan at twilight (3:00pm). Jesus was sacrificed on the same day at the same time. (Exodus 12:6; Mark 15:25-38)

6. No Broken Bones - The lamb was to be sacrificed without breaking a bone. Jesus was crucified and not a bone was broken. (Exodus 12:46; John 19:36)

7. It was the blood of the lamb that saved the Jews from judgement. It is the blood of Jesus that delivers us from the penalty of sin. (Exodus 12:7)

 

 

John 1:29 - "“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

 

Jesus is our Passover Lamb!

 

Passover through Moses = deliverance of the Jews from slavery in Egypt.

 

Passover through Jesus = deliverance of all who believe in Jesus, from slavery of sin.

 

Do this in remembrance of me:

- Communion is all about Jesus first (Fulfillment of the Passover Lamb)

- Communion declares the Lord’s death until He comes (1 Corinthians 11)

- Communion looks forward to Jesus’ return 

- (”For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”“ Luke 22:18 ESV)

- Communion is meant to draw us closer to the Lord

 

Takeaways:

 

8. Jesus is our Passover Lamb

9. Honor Christ in Communion 

- Not man made

- Realize our need for communion