Thursday part 1; The Upper Room

I had to divide Thursday into two podcasts.  The first is longer, and about the Upper Room.  The second takes you to the Garden of Gethsemene and is shorter.  We are moving to a part of the narrative where I only have time to read the account and briefly comment.

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well over one. Once we've arrived a Wednesday and Thursday, it feels as though the biblical record of the passion puts on its brakes. Very little happens on Wednesday and nothing on Thursday until supper time. But then a great deal happens from supper onward, we have first the upper room experience with the disciples and the celebration of the Passover. And then we have the time that they experienced together as Jesus went into the garden of guests emanating. Now, good reason for there being so much that happens in the evening, is that on Wednesday and Thursday of Passion Week, the people were preparing for the Passover meal with their families. And like any modern holiday meal, family would be coming in from out of town, and there would be many preparations underway. So the crowd spend less and less time in the temple and in public areas and more time around the home. I suggested yesterday that you might prepare toe, have the Lord's Supper together as a family today, if you're gonna do so during this message, I'll tell you in a moment a good point to interject it. Now I'm not going to say a lot during the narrative, this story pretty well tells itself, but I am going to break it up into two parts, like I did Tuesday's podcast from the first part Jesus in some disciples to arrange for a meeting place for the Passover meal, and they gather and eat that meal. Then they leave and walk to the Mount of Olives, the garden of guest Semini, where Jesus has hours of agonizing prayer before his arrest. And that will be the second part. But I will interject in some places for clarity's sake. So for the first part, this is Thursday 14th and nice on 30 a. D and these air the preparations for the Last Supper in Luke, Chapter 22 vs seven through 13 it says. Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the Passover must be killed. As I noted in a previous lesson, the Passover was a Jewish feast that celebrated God's deliverance of Israel from Egyptian slavery in one night, and now Jesus takes this Passover meal and fills it with meaning by applying its elements to himself. Birthday goes on by saying he sent Peter and John saying, going for Paris, the Passover that we may eat and they said to him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? And he said to them, Behold, when you're entered into the city, there shall a man meet you bearing a pitcher of water. Follow him into the house where he's entering. Well, this seems to be some kind of cryptic instructions. But what Jesus is doing is keeping the location of his last supper with his disciples secret. Even if Judas had heard what Jesus had said, he wouldn't know where the meal would be held. Verse 11. And you will say to the Goodman of the house, The master says, My time is at hand. Where is the guest chamber where I shall eat the Passover with my disciples and he will show you a large upper room furnished there. Make ready. And they went and found, as he said to them, and they made ready to pass over. Now, when the even was come, he sat down with the 12. And before we look at the Last Supper itself, let me comment on the first part of John's record. John, Chapter 13 verse one through 20 begins this way now, before the feast of the Passover when Jesus knew that his hour was come, that he should depart out of this world unto the father, having loved his own, which were in the world, he loved them to the end and supper being ended. John's account says this is before the Passover, but supper it ended well. The supper that the disciples participated in was The Last Supper, which was a joint to the Passover meal. So how could John say that the pastor was over in terms of the disciples, but it hadn't yet begun in regard to the rest of the world? Well, for time's sake, I'm simply going to read excerpts from an article by John MacArthur. It says this. The chronological reckoning between John's Gospel and the Synoptics presents a challenge, especially in relation to the time of the Last Supper. While the Synoptics portrayed the disciples and the Lord at the Last Supper as eating the Passover meal on Thursday evening and Jesus being crucified on Friday, John's gospel states the Jews did not enter into predatory Um, unless they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover. So the disciples had eating the Passover on Thursday evening. But the Jews had not. In fact, John in Chapter 19 Verse 14 states that Jesus trial and crucifixion were on the day of preparation for the Passover and not after the eating of the Passover, so that the trial and crucifixion on Friday Christ was actually sacrificed at the same time the Passover lambs were being slain. The question is, why did the disciples eat the Passover meal on Thursday, before even many of the Passover lambs had been slain? The answer lies in the difference between the Jews and the way they reckon the beginning and ending of days. From Josephus, the Mission A and other ancient Jewish sources, we learned that the Jews in northern Palestine calculated days from sunrise to sunrise. That area included the region of Galilee, where Jesus and all the disciples except Judas had grown up. Apparently most, if not all, of the Faris ease use that system of reckoning. But Jews in the southern part, which centered in Jerusalem, calculated days from sunset to sunset because all the priests necessarily lived in and near Jerusalem, as did most of the saddest sees. Those groups followed the southern scheme on that basis. The seeming contradictions in the gospel accounts are easily explained, being galleons Jesus and the disciples considered Passover Day to have started at sunrise on Thursday and to end at sunrise on Friday. The Jewish leaders who arrested and tried Jesus being mostly priests and sad Jessie's, considered Passover Day to begin at sunset on Thursday and end at sunset on Friday. By that variation, predetermined by God's sovereign pra vision, Jesus could thereby legitimately celebrate the last Passover meal with his disciples and yet still be sacrificed on Passover Day. Well, I hope that clears that up now. Back to The Last Supper on Thursday evening, the Book of Luke describes the meal Verse 15. He said to them, With desire, I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer for I say to you, I will not anymore eat thereof until it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God. It is at this point you might participate in the Lord's Supper together. I am interweaving Paul's record of The Last Supper, taken from first Corinthians Chapter 11. There's 23 through 26 Paul says, for I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered to you of the Lord Jesus that last night when he was betrayed, took bread and we need given thanks. He break it and said, Take eat. This is my body which is broken for you This do in remembrance of me after the same manner He also took the cup and gave thanks. And when he had supped said drinky, all of it. This cup is the New Testament on blood. For this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins. He took the cup, gave it to them, saying I will not drink hints fourth of this fruit of divine until that day when I drink it new with you in my father's kingdom. This Dewey in remembrance of me for as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup you do show the Lord's death till they come. Well, at this point we pick up with the gospel of John. It seems that all of the disciples had gathered. They had reclined around the table before Jesus had given them of the carpet of the bread, then reclined around this low table on the floor, but no one had washed the disciples feet. It was customary and hygienic for a servant after everyone had left their sandals at the door. Toe wash guests feet, removing the dust and grime of the long walks from town to town. But no one had done it. They just plopped down in eight. So after supper and after the Lord's Table, John's Gospel tells us in Chapter 13 Jesus knew that his hour was come and that he should depart out of this world unto the father, having loved his own, which were in the world. He loved them to the end and suffer being ended. The devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him. Jesus. Knowing that the father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God. He rises from supper, lay societies garments and took a towel and guarded himself. He took off his outer cloak and aproned himself with a towel around waste Verse five. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel where with? He was girded. Well, at this point, I'm sure the room became silent as Jesus went around the circle washing each one of their feet. By the way, that included Judas. And I think that as Peter watch this happening, he was probably seething inside thinking, Why is he doing this? He is our master, not our servant. And why is everybody letting him do this? So it says over six. Then come a feta. Simon, Peter and Peter said to him, Lord, does that wash my feet? Jesus answered and said to him What I do, you don't know now. But you will know hereafter. Peter said to him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him. If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. You're saying you don't get it, Peter, But this has to be done. Well, to Peter's credit, he immediately obeys. I mean, if Jesus says that I can no longer have any part with him if he doesn't wash my feet. Well, 1st 9 Simon Peter says the Lord Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands in my head. I want it all. Lord 1st 10 Jesus said to him He that is washed needs only to wash his feet, but is clean every wit and you are clean, but not all. For he knew who would betray him. Their force. He said you are not all clean. So after he'd washed their feet and taken his garments and was set down again, he said to them, Do you know what I've done to you? You call me master and Lord, and you say well for so I am. If I then your master and lord have washed your feet. You also ought to wash one another steed, for I've given you an example that you should do as I have done to you. Verily verily I say to you, the servant is not greater than his Lord. Neither is he. That is sent greater than he that sent him. If you know these things happy are you? If you do them, I speak not of all I know whom I have chosen but that the scriptures may be fulfilled. He that Edith bread with me has lifted his heel against me. Now I tell you before it comes that when it does come, you may believe that I am he Verily, verily I say to you he that receives who met whomever I sin receives me and he that receives me receives him that sent me So up to this point, Judas, the one who would betray him is still there. Jesus even washed his feet. And I'm sure that in the Lord's heart there was attention because evil was present among them. So at this point in the evening, Jesus calls it out. He drops a bombshell. John, 13 tells us about that verse 21 when Jesus had thus said he was troubled in spirit and testified and said, Verily, verily, I say to you that one of you will betray me. Well, then the disciples looked at one another, doubting of whom he spoke. And it goes on to say that they were exceedingly sorrowful and began every one of them to say to him, Lord, is it I Everybody was doubting themselves, and they began to inquire among themselves which of them it was. That should do this thing Well. After Jesus dropped that bombshell, the murmur of voices cascaded around the room. And as the hubbub continued, John leans over to whisper to Jesus, it says in Verse 23 in John's Gospel. Now there was leaning on Jesus bosom. One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved Simon Peter, therefore beckoned him that he should ask who it should be, of whom he spake. He then lying on Jesus Breast, said to him, Lord, who is it? Matthew goes on to tell us, he answered and said. Is one of the 12 he that dips his hand with me in the dish. The same shall betray me. In other words, you need look no further than these 12 who have been sharing this meal together with me. Well, Jesus goes on and says, the son of man goes as it is written of him. But woe to that man by whom the son of man is betrayed. It had been good for that man. If he had not been born well in Verse 25 with a great deal of audacity. Judas, who would betray him, answered and said, Master, is it I and Jesus said to him, now has said in verse 25 Jesus answers he It is to whom I shall give a sop when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped this up, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And after the stop, Satan entered into him, then said Jesus under him that thou do ist do quickly. Now John's gospel tells us that despite the fact that this appears to be a very public calling out of Judas as the betrayer, that no one at the table knew for what intent that Jesus spoke to him, maybe they didn't hear. Or maybe they didn't understand the entire conversation because Verse 29 tells us that some of them thought because Judas had the bag that Jesus had said to him by those things that we need off against the feast, or that he should give something to the poor. So Verse 30 he then, having received the sop when immediately out and it was night. So now, in this upper room, Judas is gone, and I think that the tension left the room. Now that doesn't mean that the disciples who remain were without their vices. As with any supper. Once your stomach is full, everyone sits around and starts conversation, and somehow the conversation comes around to the pecking order of the disciples. Who is number one? Who's the best? Who will be the greatest who's gonna be in charge in Jesus Kingdom. Now, how did this conversation start? Well, I don't know, but maybe as they were talking, somebody brought up that time that James and John had their mother asked Jesus that they might be made first and second in authority in Jesus Future Kingdom. Yeah, that happened. So the whole conversation about who deserves those positions started up again. The description of it is found in Luke Chapter 22 Verse 24 following it says. And there was also a strife among them. Which of them should be accounted? The greatest. And he said to them, the kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But you shall not be so. But he that is greatest among you let him be as the younger and he that is, chief, as he that noth serve for weather is greater. He that sits at meat or he that serves, Is it not he that sits at meat? But I'm among you as he that serves is what he's saying. He saying, I'm your lord, but yet I serve you. I wrapped a towel around my waist and wash your feet. So don't count yourself above serving your fellow servants. He goes on. You are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom as my father has appointed under me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on Thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. He's saying you have been elevated to places of prominence in the future kingdom. But before that kingdom comes, I'm going to go away for a time. John, Chapter 13 Verse 31 Jesus said now is the son of man glorified and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself and shall straight way glorify him. Little Children get a little while I am with you. You shall seek me. And as I said to the Jews, whether I go, you cannot come. So now I say to you a new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you that you also love one another. By this show, all men know that you are my disciples, that you have love one for another. You see, Jesus is trying to prepare his disciples for his absence. He's going to the cross. But after the cross he will be raised on the third day and then a matter of a few days past. And then he ascends to God in heaven. And from that point forward, we don't have Jesus physical presence with us. And in his absence, these disciples will need each other. They will need to lean on each other, to exhort each other, to teach each other and to love each other. And that's the lesson Jesus is trying to teach them. Now. That's a marvelous an important lesson for the disciples and for all those who follow Jesus. But Peter zoomed in on one point that Jesus made one statement. He said, I'm only going to be with you a little while longer. I'm going away and you can't come with me. So in Verse 36 Simon Peter says to Jesus Lord, whether go us now, Jesus answered him. Whether I go, thou canst not follow me now without shout followed me afterward. Now it seems that Peter picks up that Jesus is referring to death. So he says, Lord, why cannot I follow the now I will lay down my life for you. I sake. I'm ready to go with you both to prison and to death. Now, here's where Luke interjects in Luke, Chapter 22 Verse 31. The Lord said Simon Simon, Behold Satan has desired toe. Have you that Amy Sift Yuhas wheat. But I prayed for you that your faith fail not and when you are converted, strengthen your brethren. But Jesus goes on to say wilt thou lay down my life for my sake. Verily, verily, I say to you, the cock shall not crow until you've denied me thrice. Well, as we compare the gospel accounts, we find that Jesus predicted Peter's denial twice in this evening, once here and once more before they went into the garden of guests emanating on this first occasion, Peter seems to have been shocked by the words Jesus spoke that he would deny him so he doesn't answer still, in the upper room Now, Jesus has opened up a spiritual discussion. The disciples are understandably troubled. Jesus told him that one of them was going to betray him, and now he has told Peter that that very night he would deny him three times. So Jesus takes this opportunity to reassure his disciples. Now he comforts them and he comforts them in a number of ways. John Chapter 14 Beginning in verse one, he says, Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God believe also in me. The first kind of comfort that Jesus gives is by saying to his disciples, Listen, I'm leaving, but I am going to prepare, prepare a place for you and then I'll be back, he says in Verse two. In my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to her prayer, a place for you, Even with the prospect of my departure, keep in mind why I'm leaving, Verse three continues, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself. There where I am there you may be also and whether I go, you know, and the way you know, Thomas said. to him. Lord, we know not. Whether thou goes, How can we know the way? And this is the second kind of comfort that Jesus gives. He says you don't have to have any inside in, so you don't have to have a map to where I'm going. If you know me, you're going to get there. If you know me, you're going to get to the destination because I am the destination. Her six Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the father, but by me. If you had known me, you would have known my father also. And from henceforth you know him and have seen him Well, there's comfort number three, if you know me. You know God well, Philip doesn't understand this, and he says in verse eight Lord, show us the father and it suffices us. Jesus said to him, Have I been so long time with you? And you have not known me, Philip? He that has seen me has seen the father. And how is it that you say? Show us the father? Don't you believe that I am in the father and the father and me the words that I speak to you. I speak not of myself but the father dwells in me and he does the works. Believe me, that I am in the father and the father is in me. Or else believe me for the very work sake. Well, then comes the fourth comfort. He says I'm leaving you not alone, Not just with my words but I'm leaving you with the source of my power. There's 12. Verily verily I say to you he that believes in me the works that I do. Shall he do also and greater works in the shally do because I go to my father and whatsoever you shall ask in my name that will I do that? The father may be glorified in the son. If you'll ask anything in my name, I will do it. If you love me, keep my commandments now. Comfort number five is this. I'm sending you help for 16 he says, and I will pray the father and he will give you another comforter that he may abide with you forever. Even the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it doesn't see him nor know him. But you know him for he dwells with you and shall be in you. I will not leave you Comfort Lis. I will come to you yet a little while. And the world sees me no more. But you see me because I live. You shall live also at that day, you shall know that I am in my father and you and me and I and you. And that's comfort number six. It is a comfort that Jesus leaves us his words. It is a comfort that he's going to prepare a place for us. It is a comfort that he leaves us a comfort her the Holy Spirit, the comfort number six is I will be with you. Verse 21. He that has my commandments and keeps them. He it is that loves me. And he that loves me shall be loved of my father. And I will love him and will manifest myself to him. Judah said not a scary it Lord. How is it that you will manifest yourself to us and not to the world? Jesus answered and said to him If a man loved me, he will keep my words and my father will love him and we will come to him and make our abode with him. You see, my friends, Jesus is preparing his disciples for his absence. So he gives them the key to living in the world without Christ being physically present. And that key is that in spirit. Not only do we have the father, not only do we have the spirit of God, but we have Christ himself living in us. There's 24 he that loves me, not keepeth, not my sayings. And the word which he hear is not mine but the father's which sent me. These things have spoken to you being yet present with you. But the comforter which is the Holy Spirit whom the father will send in my name. He will teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever. I have said into you peace. I leave with you my peace I give to you not as the world gives. Let not your heart be troubled. Neither let it be afraid. Jesus Trying to lead them to the point where they can trust him even though they don't seem to know what pathway they gotta walk. To be with him would have this spirit or how they're going to continue after he is gone. He essentially said to them, Trust me, you've heard how I said to you. I go away and come again to you. If you loved me, you would rejoice because I said I go to the father for my father is greater than I. And now I've told you before. It comes to pass that when it is coming to pass you might believe hereafter I will not talk much with you. For the prince of this world comes and there's nothing in me. And Jesus concludes this time in the upper room by preparing them to go out. He said them when I sent you without purse and script and shoes. Did you lack anything? They said nothing. Then he said to them. But now he that has a purse. Let him take it. Likewise, he that has script and he that has no sword. Let him sell his garment and buy one for I say to you that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me. And he was reckoned among the transgressors for the things concerning me haven't end and they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords And he said to them is enough but that the world may know that I love the father and the father gave me commandment. Even so, I do arise. Let us go. Hence Matthew tells us that before they left that up a room by saying to him and went out, this podcast will be continued in part two.