The time had come for Jesusto fulfil what all of creation had been groaning for… to fulfil what the prophets of old had foretold and to fulfil the possibility for each one of usto come into direct relationship with Him.

Many times – Jesus had avoided the religious bunch who sought His end. 

He knew the appointed timesfor things to happen and not.  The times to be public and the times to lay low.

He often held Himself back or arrived and left places in secret.  Heknew the religious leaders of the day were after him – wanting to kill Him –and He knew that while this was to happen, it was to happen at the appointed time.

After being welcomed as the Son of David as He rode by donkey into Jerusalemin the week before the crucifixion, it seems as though He deliberately stirreda nest of hornets.

MT 26:18 He replied, "Go into the city to acertain man and tell him, `The Teacher says: My appointed time is near.

MK 14:13-15 "Go into the city, and aman carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him.  Say to the owner of the house he enters, `TheTeacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with mydisciples?'  He will show you a largeupper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there."

They had groaned under thecruel oppression and longed to be free. God had been bringing the plagues on Egypt as part of the process for Pharaoh to let His people go.

Exodus 6:5  Furthermore I have heard the groaning of thesons of Israel, because the Egyptians are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered Mycovenant.

The Hebrews had - overseveral weeks - seen the plagues and their impact happening around them but not to them.  Plague after plague came on Egypt, but still the Pharaoh would not let them go.  

Portions from Exodus 11 and12:

Now the LORD had said toMoses, "I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. Afterthat, he will let you go from here, and when he does, he will drive you outcompletely…

The LORD said to Moses andAaron in Egypt,  "This month is to be for you the firstmonth, the first month of your year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day ofthis month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. …  The animals you choose must be year-old maleswithout defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats.  Take care of them until the fourteenth day ofthe month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them attwilight.  Then they are to take some ofthe blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houseswhere they eat the lambs.  That same nightthey are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, andbread made without yeast. …  This is howyou are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on yourfeet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD's Passover.

"On that same night Iwill pass through Egypt andstrike down every firstborn--both men and animals--and I will bring judgment onall the gods of Egypt.I am the LORD.  The blood will be a signfor you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass overyou. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt."This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come youshall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD--a lasting ordinance.  Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel …"Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and yourdescendants…

At midnight the LORD struckdown all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on thethrone, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstbornof all the livestock as well.  Pharaohand all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and therewas loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.

During the night Pharaohsummoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Up! Leave my people, you and theIsraelites! Go, worship the LORD as you have requested.  Take your flocks and herds, as you have said,and go. And also bless me."  TheEgyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. "Forotherwise," they said, "we will all die!" So the people tooktheir dough before the yeast was added, and carried it on their shoulders inkneading troughs wrapped in cloths.

The Israelites journeyed fromRameses to Succoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besideswomen and children.  Many other people went up with them, as well as largedroves of livestock, both flocks and herds.

By the time Jesus and the disciples celebrated that “Last Supper Passover” it had been part of their culture for around sixteen hundred years. 

There are a number of things we know about the Passover celebration atthe time of Jesus…

We know:

• That each gathering had between 10-20 people.

• That is was customary for those that lived in Jerusalem to opentheir homes for the out-of-towners to celebrate the Passover. 

• That when Jesus told the disciples to look outfor a man carrying a jar of water, that this was particularly unusual asthat was considered woman’s work.

• That the meal itself had specifically required elements but they were free to add to the banquet menu provided theydidn’t break any other restrictions of the law.

• The OT meal elements are, unleavened bread,roasted lamb, bitter herbs and wine.

• That the Passover was a banquet as it was customary to recline at banquets and also that at banquet it was customary to sit in order of relationship or importance to the head of proceedings.  I have wondered if the argument that broke out at the Lords supper was a carry-over from the discussion they would likely have had regarding who was to take what place at the table!

• We know from Deuteronomy 16 that the Jews wereinstructed to travel to Jerusalem three times a year – one journey being to celebrate the Passover according to the Law.  Something I only recently understood was just how much of their sacred practice was physically tied to the temple in Jerusalem…  They couldn’t just do this festival anywhere they pleased; certain elements of it had to be done at the temple.

• That there were a great many regulations about the Passover meal, its preparations and most importantly the sacrifice of a chosen, unblemished lamb. Too many to mention here but each of them carrying with it - great symbolism and depth of meaning.  Each portion intended to prepare and instruct those who had eyes to see – for the coming sacrifice to be doneonce only – and for all.

• That much tradition developed around thePassover meal and that it is difficult to determine exactly how and what the tradition Jesus took part in would have been like, though there are some likelihoods!   A modern Passover (from what I’ve read) is loaded with meaning but much of its form developed after Jesus time.  There were ritual readings of Scripture. Scripted questions and answers to bring remembrance.  And the “Hallel” was read or sung ateach of the High holidays – 4 complete Psalms 115 – 118.  There was hand and foot washing at various points of the way.  And it seems at least 3-4 cups of wine which all, together with each element ofthe meal received its own blessing before partaking.  Listen later for what sounds like 2 cups that Jesus spoke over.

• The basis for the 4 cups of wine is from Exodus6 verses 6-8.  There are 4statements in these two verses that begin with the words of God “I WILL”…These four statements are the 4 cups which are named

1.  The Cup ofSanctification

2.  The Cup ofDeliverance

3.  The Cup ofRedemption

4.  The Cup ofAcceptance

EX 6:6- 8 "Therefore, say to the Israelites: `I amthe LORD, and   

I will  bring you out from under the yoke of theEgyptians. (1.The Cup of Sanctification 

I will free you from beingslaves to them, (2.TheCup of Deliverance) 

and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. (3.The Cup of Redemption) 

I will take you asmy own people, and I will be your God. (4.The Cup of Acceptance)  Thenyou will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under theyoke of the Egyptians.  And I will bringyou to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and toJacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.' "

• We also know that the old system – the law and cycle of sacrifices was ended with Jesus self sacrifice.  We also know that even for those who didnot believe, the ability to practice the OT law was ended when the Temple was destroyed about 40 years after Jesus death and resurrection.  Remember – the practice of the system was tied to the Temple.  While systems were revised for the sakeof those who missed Jesus and stuck with the law, we see much reason as to why modern Jews and those throughout history, have waited with so much anticipation for the day the temple may be rebuilt.

From the beginning of Jesusministry at about age 30, when he was baptised by his cousin, we know of two times when John the Baptist recognised and proclaimed Him as “The Lamb of God”.

Later in the New Testament,Paul calls Jesus “Our Passover Lamb”.

The timing of Jesus crucifixion was no accident.

Passover for centuries had been both to commemorate God bringing His people out of slavery in Egypt, and to point them towards the final and ultimate sacrifice Jesus would make.  In Colossians 2 the topic is judgement of our family in Christ, but in speaking, Paul points out a shadow AND a reality.

A shadow has a shape and animage.  It only exists because of thereal thing that casts it.   It can beseen before or after the real thing.  It is not the real thing – if you see theshadow of your Dad coming home – you don’t run to it, you run to the person.

COL 2:16-17 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by whatyou eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Mooncelebration or a Sabbath day.  These area shadow of the things that were to come; thereality, however, is found in Christ.

We’re not to get lost in theshadows, we see them, learn from them, recognise the real thing is nearby andrejoice in the real thing.

Coming back to Jesus time…

On the same day that theNational Passover lamb was taken to the temple for inspection, Jesus rode into Jerusalem, also to the temple.

Then the National Passover lamb was kept and scrutinised for several more days and in those same days, Jesus was very public and was scrutinised by the religious leaders who were determined to corner Him.

On the same day the National Passover lamb was tied and sacrificed on the temple alter, Jesus was being tied and sacrificed on the cross.  And when the National lamb was dead and Priest according to the ritual announced “It is finished”, Jesus said, "It is finished." - bowed his head, and gaveup his spirit.

In an earlier reading we heard Gods words that he “remembered His covenant”

This was not to say that He’d ever forgotten.  The word as it’s written here is to do with both bring something to mind with the readiness foraction.  It is to do with commitment and faithfulness.

At the same time, when God forgets something it is not because He is absent minded - for He cannot be! To forget, in Hebrew, doesn’t mean that something has slipped from mind - to forget is to deliberately annihilate,to blot out, to obliterate.

There are lots of things the Bible specifically tells us that God remembers.  He remembers His covenant, His promises, His love for us.  His mercy.

It’s a wonderful thing thathe “remembers our sin against us no more”.

He does ask us to remembersome things too.

One of them comes at thepoint where Jesus changes Passover from it’s centuries old tradition:  

TheLord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had giventhanks, he    broke it and said,"This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance ofme."  In the same way, after supperhe took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; dothis, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.

There are many Covenants inthe Bible.  Some between God and Man,some that Man made to God, men with each other, God with all life on earth and ultimately - the New Covenant that Jesus spoke of – one which doesn’t fit any other category.

Many signs and symbolic actsare associated with covenants.

The rainbow is a sign of the covenant God made with Noah and all living creatures on the earth.

Circumcision was a sign ofentering into Gods covenant in the Old Testament.

Prince Jonathan gave Davidhis cloak, tunic and weapons as a sign of his protection and identity.

Meals would be shared.

Often witnesses were needed,though not always.

However, there was always a representative needed oneach part.

And blood – in some form ofletting - was the most common sign of covenant. The Hebrew word “berith means "to cut," and so, a covenant isa "cutting,"  It also means “to eat bread with, to keep community of a meal with”.

Because our culture has diluted the meaning of an agreement, and largely sold the value of honesty and integrity to convenience, our understanding of the word ‘covenant’ has suffered.

It was legal.  It was binding.

It was permanent to the time or length of the agreement - many covenants continued beyond the death of the original partners whereby all portions of the covenant were as equally binding to the descendants.

Entering into covenant,  made people “of the same family”.  With blood shed, and often mixed, they were“of the same blood” by the covenant.  For those of us who have entered into Jesus new Covenant by the blood shed for usat the cross – that makes us legal heirs and sons of God but also it makes usfamily to one another.  We are blood-brothers.  We are of the same blood.  Jesus blood family.

In covenants, the strength or need of one flowed to the other.

If one partner broke covenant, the other was legally obligated to fulfil the retributive portion ofthe agreement.

With God, all these things still ARE.

John 6:53-56  Jesus said to them, "I tell you thetruth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and   drink his blood, you have no life in you.Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raisehim up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him"

Sometimes we don’t do so well at being each other’s family.

Jesus once said:

“You have heard that it was said tothose of old, ‘You shall not murder,[a] and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’  But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause[b] shall be in danger of thejudgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of thecouncil. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that yourbrother has something against you,  leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Our covenant relationship to each other is that important.          

One Uncle of mine when leading communion in his church once stopped proceedings explaining he and his wife had argued that morning and he needed to put it right before he could continue.  He then encouraged others to use that time for the same purpose – right there in the middle of church!

Some people do use those words of Jesus as a measure of their worthiness to participate in communion.

The word ‘worthy’ is a bitof a troublesome one.  On one sense notone is worthy – yet that is referring to the state we are in before coming into relationship with Him.  For once we AREin relationship, it is His own righteousness that makes us worthy.

ISA 1:18 "Come now, let us reasontogether,"  says the LORD.  "Though your sins are like scarlet,   they shall be as white as snow;  though they are red as crimson,   they shall be like wool.

Then in 1 Corinthians:

1CO 11:27-29 Therefore,whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body andblood of the Lord.  A man ought toexamine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.  For anyone who eats and drinks withoutrecognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.

So what is this unworthiness?

There is the need to recognise who Jesus was and what He achieved.

There is the need to take that and make it personal – for food to do us any good, it must be taken in.  If Jesus is the bread of life, we must take Him in and let His flesh become part of our own, renewing our own,not something separate to us.  If the life is in the blood, His blood must wash our lives and bring us new life. 

Perhaps there’s more to be understood in the phrase “sinning against the body and blood of the Lord” for I think this often happens even when one recognises who He is and what He achieved.  It is the attitude that looks across the intimate space of eternity at the bleeding man on the cross and says“No thanks Jesus, not now - you just hang there and wait a bit longer”.

HEB  ^26-31If we give upand turn our backs on all we've learned, all we've been given, all the truth wenow know, we repudiate [reject] Christ's sacrifice and are left on our own to face the Judgment—and amighty fierce judgment it will be! If the penalty for breaking the law of Mosesis physical death, what do you think will happen if you turn on God's Son, spiton the sacrifice that made you whole, and insult this most gracious Spirit?This is no light matter.

Sometimes sin keeps itspower over us because we havn’t known the state we’re in.

Sometimes sin keeps itspower over us through rationalisation, self justification.

Sometimes sin keeps itspower over us because we have become defeated by repeated failures.

Sometimes sin keeps itspower over us because we like it too much to let go.

In Sy Rogers testimony he tells how temptation did not dry up and disappear when he became a Christian –he simply had to say to God in each instance, “Yes I want that thing – but I want YOU more”.

Lisa Bevere writes that “wego to God for forgiveness and each other for healing.  Often though we know we’re forgiven, shame holds us bound and freedom comes in confessing to someone trusted.  The hold dries up and disappears as we seethat speaking it out was not the big deal we anticipated.  That idea comes from:

JAMES 5:15-16 And the prayer offered in faith will make thesick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other sothat you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful andeffective.

We go to God for forgiveness, and are encouraged to go to each other for prayer for healing.  Some reduce that to the word‘accountability’.  That’s too legal and simple a word for my liking.  Going to one another is to bring the power of God through prayer in a relationship of love which while that might include accountability, releases His power over human effort which is were we fail in the first place.

And perhaps we’ve made the idea of remembrance too small.  Next time we take communion, will we participate with the readiness for action, in anattitude of faithfulness and commitment?

Jesus was the representative of the New Covenant for BOTH God and man. 

Fully God and fully man – inone man the requirements to represent both parties are fulfilled.

This is not intended to be atraditional Passover meal.  Partly because I felt our of my depth to teach the depth of smbolism to do itjustice.  Partly because of the trap of tradition and structure.  Wanted to get to the bare bones before adding back.  This small meal is to simply share space together to consider the ingredients of the Last supper.   The ingredients of thePassover.  The ingredients of His sacrifice. The ingredients of His love.

Exodus speaks of the wine,roast lamb, bitter herbs and unleavened bread. The gospels record a bowl Jesus and Judas dipped into together.  This salty dressing was for dipping theherbs, remembering the bitterness of their tears in slavery.  It also represents our being the salt of theearth.  A final point of interest beforewe eat is that there seems to also be symbolism in Jesus and Judas dipping –together - into the bowl representing tears.

CLOSE SERVICE:

Listen for the 2 cups thatJesus spoke over…

LK 22:14-20  When the hour came, Jesus and his apostlesreclined at the table.  And he said tothem, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before Isuffer.  For I tell you, I will not eatit again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God."After taking the cup, he gave thanks andsaid, "Take this and divide it among you.  For I tell you I will not drink again of thefruit of the vine until the kingdomof God comes." And he took bread, gave thanks and brokeit, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; dothis in remembrance of me." In thesame way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is thenew covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. Perhaps this was the cup for centuries the Jews had already knownwas “The Cup of Redemption”?

MT 26:30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out tothe Mount of Olives.

I’ve sometimes wondered what it was that they sang.  We know fromlater in the New Testament that they sang Psalms hymns and spiritual songs.

Turns out the Hallel is andhas been sung for thousands of years on the Jewish feast days.  This is a sung recitation of Psalms 113-118.  It is at least possible that the last hymn Jesus and the 11 sang together was Psalm 118. 

Listen with that possibility in mind as we close with that Psalm as our benediction.

PS 118 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let Israel say:"His love endures forever." Let the house of Aaron say: "His love endures forever." Let those who fear the LORD say:  "His love endures forever." In my anguish I cried to the LORD,  and he answered by setting me free. The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The LORD is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. Itis better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the LORD I cut them off. They surrounded meon every side, but in the name of the LORD I cut them off. They swarmed around me like bees, but they died out as quickly as burning thorns; in the name ofthe LORD I cut them off.

I was pushed back and about to fall, butthe LORD helped me. The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous:" TheLord’s right hand has done mighty things! The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!" I will not die but live,and will proclaim what the LORD has done.

The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death. Open for me the gates of righteousness; Iwill enter and give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD throughwhich the righteous may enter. I will give you thanks, for you answered me; youhave become my salvation. The stone the builders rejected has become thecapstone; the LORD has done this, and it is marvellous in our eyes. This is theday the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. O LORD, save us; OLORD, grant us success.

Blessed is he who comes in the name ofthe LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you. The LORD is God, and he hasmade his light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festalprocession up to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever…  

 

 

[AMEN].