Leawood, Kansas, United States - The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Tuesday, 15 April 2014 "Jesus re-imagined the Passover"
Reflection Questions:
The annual Passover meal (part of the weeklong Festival of Unleavened Bread) reminded Hebrews of God's great act rescuing them from Egypt (cf. Exodus 12:1-18). It was their defining story. When Jesus and his disciples shared the Passover meal, with the cross just ahead, Jesus added meaning to the meal. He said that, from that time on, the bread and wine would point to his even greater act of deliverance in dying and rising again.
The Passover pointed to God's great act in the past. When Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper, it didn't just recall the cross, but also pointed forward. The CEB Study Bible notes that "until it is fulfilled" (verse 16) "is a promise to Luke's readers that the kingdom truly will come." Do you trust that God's promises are not just empty "church talk," but offer a future you can count on? How can taking part in Communion reinforce your trust and hope?
Scholar William Barclay noted of verse 10 that in Jesus' day, "A man carrying a jar of water would be as easy to pick out as, say, a man using a lady's umbrella on a wet day. This was a pre-arranged signal." Jesus made careful preparations for this important meal. In what ways can you intentionally prepare your heart to get the most out of being with Jesus in worship this Easter?
Today's Prayer:
Living Lord, I rejoice in your saving acts in the past. But even more, I look forward with such eagerness to the day when you fully establish your kingdom. Keep me faithfully on track until that day. Amen.
Daily Scripture: Luke 22:1 Now the feast of unleavened bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching. 2 The chief priests and the scribes sought how they might put him to death, for they feared the people. 3 Satan entered into Judas, who was also called Iscariot, who was numbered with the twelve. 4 He went away, and talked with the chief priests and captains about how he might deliver him to them. 5 They were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6 He consented, and sought an opportunity to deliver him to them in the absence of the multitude. 7 The day of unleavened bread came, on which the Passover must be sacrificed. 8 He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”
9 They said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare?”
10 He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered into the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him into the house which he enters. 11 Tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ 12 He will show you a large, furnished upper room. Make preparations there.”
13 They went, found things as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. 14 When the hour had come, he sat down with the twelve apostles. 15 He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, 16 for I tell you, I will no longer by any means eat of it until it is fulfilled in God’s Kingdom.” 17 He received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, “Take this, and share it among yourselves, 18 for I tell you, I will not drink at all again from the fruit of the vine, until God’s Kingdom comes.”
19 He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.” 20 Likewise, he took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 21 But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. 22 The Son of Man indeed goes, as it has been determined, but woe to that man through whom he is betrayed!”
23 They began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing. 24 There arose also a contention among them, which of them was considered to be greatest. 25 He said to them, “The kings of the nations lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ 26 But not so with you. But one who is the greater among you, let him become as the younger, and one who is governing, as one who serves. 27 For who is greater, one who sits at the table, or one who serves? Isn’t it he who sits at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. 28 But you are those who have continued with me in my trials. 29 I confer on you a kingdom, even as my Father conferred on me, 30 that you may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom. You will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Insight from Glen Shoup
Rev. Glen Shoup is the Executive Pastor of Worship and a Congregational Care pastor.
It’s Passover—the defining story for any Hebrew. The remembrance of God’s power and deliverance from Egyptian slavery and the pregnant hope that God would choose to liberate again from Roman oppression just as God had once liberated from Pharaoh’s oppression. You remember the story: after generations of bondage as Egyptian slaves God speaks through Moses to the Pharaoh demanding that His people be freed. The Pharaoh refuses so God sends a series of plagues—and after some “I will, I won’t” on the part of the Pharaoh, the final plague arrives—the death of every firstborn. And in something of symbolic precursor to the salvation a Roman Cross would later bring, the Israelites were all saved by the blood of a sacrificial lamb being spread across the doorpost of every Hebrew home. Every home where the blood of the lamb was applied, death would Passover, and that first Passover was the final impetus in Egypt freeing all the Hebrew slaves.
Thus Passover had not only been salvation from death, but also salvation from slavery; and every year the Hebrews would gather to remember God’s amazing work of past Salvation. And there was no place more hallowed to observe Passover than in the Holy City of Jerusalem. Jerusalem’s population would swell many times over during Passover, so even Jesus’ apparent pre-arrangement of a place to observe Passover with His disciples was a minor miracle (see verses 10-13 of today’s reading).
But then, what jumps out at me most in today’s reading is that even though the disciples—the 12 guys who had spent nearly every day of the last three and half years with Jesus—were about to engage in the holiest event of the year…the annual remembering of God’s promised salvation…and even though they are about to do this with the One who had made no secret that He was God’s promised Messiah—even though all of this is going on and these 12 fellas find themselves in the holiest of moments with God-in-the-Flesh—-what most jumps out at me is that in the midst of all of this…these guys start arguing with each other about…which one of them is the greatest (verse 24).
Really?
After all the sermons and all the teachings and all the miracles and all the quiet talks around the fire about love God with everything and love your neighbor as yourself; after all the parables about hated Samaritans who do the right thing when everybody else walks away or not only tolerating your enemies but actually praying for people who spitefully use you and turning the other cheek—after three and half years of in-residence seminary education these guys come to the holiest moment in the year and they sit around a table where Jesus is trying to tell them he’s about to be crucified and they get into a knock-down-drag-out about which one of them is really the most important and what the pecking order of their new religious club should be.
Let me tell you something; if I’d have been Jesus, I’d have said forget about it—I am up to here with you people. After everything I’ve tried to show you; after everything I’ve tried to teach you; after everything I’ve tried to pour into you—you’re going to sit around this Passover table and argue about which one of you is most important—I AM DONE WITH YOU PEOPLE!
But Jesus didn’t do that. Jesus apparently, calmly, just proceeded to tell them that what they were arguing about wouldn’t matter very much 12 hours from now and what they really needed to focus on was what He’d been trying to share with them over the last couple years…because in a matter of hours, they were going to need that more than they could possibly imagine.
If I’d have been Jesus, I’d have said forget about it, I am done with you people. But Jesus just proceeded to move towards the cross and bring redemption and salvation to a bunch of people who wanted to sit and argue about pecking order—which one of them was the greatest.
And I guess the reason why this jumps out at me so much isn’t because of the galling ignorance and arrogance of the disciples—though that is pretty hard to miss in the story and I think Luke wanted it to be that way—but I think the biggest reason why this really jumps out at me is because I can so easily see…myself, in the disciples. Sitting in the holiest of moments with Jesus wondering about…focusing on—obsessed with…me. My wants, my agenda, my advancement—all the while ignoring my neighbor—let alone the One who died to redeem me from a life of self-occupation and others-ignor~ance.
If I’d have been Jesus, sitting around that Passover table with those guys, I’ve got to tell you—I’d have said forget it.
But today’s reading reminds me that I am inexpressibly grateful that Jesus didn’t!
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