Twelve men entered the Upper Room with Jesus, eleven men would look back at the time as a time of powerful redemption, as a time of healing and communion – one man, he would look back with regret.
Eleven men would break bread and share the cup with others becoming some of the most honored men in history. One man believed in the lie that he was not worthy of redemption and became the most scorned man in all of history.
Why the eleven? Why did the eleven make it? Because they never forgot. They never forgot the bread broken that night in the Upper Room, was broken for them. They never forgot the cup they all drank that night was the cup of redemption, a cup of redemption for them. And years later, they never believed in the lie that they were not worthy of being redeemed. When they held that bread, when they held that cup, they knew, that in spite of their imperfections, in spite of their sin, in spite of their seeming inability to be what they knew they should be, they knew, they were the redeemed. As the Hebrews in Egypt experienced on the very first Passover, death had also passed over the eleven and they would be redeemed by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Don’t you ever forget. Don’t you ever believe in the lie – You are not worthy of redemption.
In the book of Exodus chapter 12, the tenth and last plague fell upon Egypt. Death passed over the houses of those who were covered by the blood of the lamb, and the joy of redemption followed with the household being released from captivity – but death entered the houses of those not covered by the blood of the lamb. They had no redemption. They had only mourning and regret. Death passed over the redeemed, and in the New Convenant, again death passes over the redeemed.
Here in Mark chapter 14:12-26 we see the celebration of the Lord’s Supper where Jesus celebrates the Passover meal with his disciples, what would be his last meal. With this brief description Mark impresses upon us the life changing significance of Jesus sacrifice for us. We are to never, never, forget, for there is power in the blood of Christ. Today, this very morning, there is healing, there is forgiveness, there is a fresh start, there is a placing aside of all those failures – by the power of the blood of Jesus.
By the blood of Jesus – death has passed over you, it has been rendered harmless in the new Passover, you who believe, will experience eternal life in the presence of the Lord Jesus.
As we look at our Scripture this morning, it is evident that Jesus makes careful advanced preparations. We see this in verse 13, right there in the beginning of our verses, the reference to the man carrying the water. This is probably a prearranged signal as ordinarily only women carried water in jars. Normally one would see a man carrying a wineskin, never a jar. This signal would allow recognition between the two disciples and the man without an exchange of words.
We saw that the call by the Jewish authorities had been put out to turn in Jesus for a reward, the call which Judas responds for a reward. Because of this, Jesus needs to be careful, so He sends in two disciples to make the necessary preparations so that He could then slip into Jerusalem and the upper room without being seen. Jesus chooses the Upper Room for its seclusion for an undisturbed Passover celebration. We may assume that the owner of the house was a person who was either a follower or sympathetic to Jesus and that he is the one who may have secured the lamb and the other food for the meal. Verse 14 indicates the owner had made the arraignment with Jesus, “Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’” And things were exactly as Jesus had told them they would be.
The room would be furnished with carpets to recline on as well as low tables to place the meal upon. The two disciples would have made sure all the elements of the Passover were ready: The unleavened bread, the wine in four cups, bitter herbs, a sauce made of dried fruit, spices and wine; and a roasted lamb.
At this time the custom was that the Passover meal began after sunset and could last until midnight, and had to be eaten within the city of Jerusalem. Jesus has been staying outside of Jerusalem at night, but on this night He enters the city after the twelve for what would be his last meal.
There was sure to be a celebratory mood with the disciples as they entered the room for the celebration of Passover was always marked by excitement and hope that God’s intervention would take place once more. They would remember Ex. 12:42 “Because the LORD kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the LORD for the generations to come.” But on this night, the Passover of Passovers, Jesus himself would accomplish the Passover in himself permanently having death pass over all those who are redeemed.
Understand that what Jesus does, is He takes the traditional Passover meal and reinterprets two elements, the bread and the cup. Here in this passage, Mark does not go over the entire Passover, Mark only focuses on the bread and the last two cups.
The Passover meal is framed in a liturgy whose core was the Passover prayer said by the head of household (in this case Jesus) using psalms 113-118. At different times during the meal they would say of sing through these psalms eventually finishing with psalm 118 by the end of the night.
Jesus would have begun by pronouncing a blessing, then they all would have drank from the first of the four cup. Then the question was asked, “Why is this night different from all other nights?” Jesus would have respond with recalling the biblical account of the redemption of Israel from Egypt. This story of redemption would naturally lead to praise thanking God for what He had done in the past for Israel AND praise in expectation for his future redemption of the people of God. Little did they know, that future redemption was unfolding right before their eyes. After singing part of the traditional psalms, they would have all drank from the second cup. Here at this point in the dinner, is where Marks picks up.
Jesus breaks the festive mood in verse 18 “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.” Imagine their shock. What Jesus said must have seemed so random, so out of context. But it isn’t out of context. Jesus is referring to Psa. 41:9 “Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.” Notice, there is no vindictiveness here, it is a powerful statement of fact.
One by one they ask (verse 19) “Is it I?” Why do they do this? They cannot possibly imagine anyone of them could do such a thing. Did you notice, Judas asks too? 20 “It is one of the Twelve,” he replied, “one who dips bread into the bowl with me.” They would all dip bread into a bowl of bitter herbs and this dipping into a bowl of bitterness intensifies the illustration. Jesus generosity in hosting the meal is in contrast with the hypocrisy of a traitor. Jesus then pronounces woe upon the traitor, “It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
What is going through the mind of Judas? Why does Judas continue with his sin? Why doesn’t he seek a way out, a reversal, redemption…why? Because, he believes in the lie that he is not worthy of redemption, He feels this before the death of Jesus, He feels this after the death of Jesus and he becomes a man scorned. His name is synonymous with betrayal of the worst kind. We think of Judas as a man without hope, who had no chance, who was simply caught by the hand of fate. But to believe that is to believe the lie. Judas could have turned to Jesus Christ at any time, He could have turned that night at the table – or at any time after. The blood of Jesus covers any, and all, sin.
Have you ever thought of how different things would be if Judas had asked for forgiveness, if Judas had been able to see through the lie? Probably nine out of ten churches would have Judas Iscariot in their name. Judas would probably be the most popular name for baby boys. The name of Judas would be held in high honor. Every town in America would have a Judas Iscariot boulevard. Colleges and Seminaries would bear his name, “Judas Iscariot Theological Seminary”, “The University of Judas Iscariot”. Even day care centers would jump in on the action, “Iscariot Children’s Academy”. He for sure would have been the most powerful of all the disciples in terms of witness and preaching. Imagine, meeting the man who betrayed the Lord Jesus Christ, who would stand before you forgiven. How powerful is that? People would flock to hear him. People would weep in astonishment at his witness. Judas would be the rock star of the twelve, the most studied, the most celebrated and the most loved….but, instead, he is loathed and despised. He believes in a lie – he believes that he is not redeemable. What a waste of such great potential.
You are worthy of redemption. You are worthy of the blood of the lamb. You are worthy of bread of life. Don’t you ever forget – you are worthy.
We are worthy, but not because of what we have done, we are worthy, but not because of our birth, we are worthy, but not because of some spirituality we can produce – no we are worthy, because Jesus Christ has deemed us worthy, and by acceptance of Him as God, Lord and Savior we are promise a covenant of redemption.
Jesus doesn’t want us to forget – we are worthy. So He institutes the Lord’s Supper with words of institution over the bread and the cup. We are not to forget.
Then at this time in the Passover meal, Jesus would have taken the bread, pronounced this blessing and then broke the bread “the Lord our God, the sovereign of the world, who has caused bread to come forth out of the earth.” When Jesus lifts the bread he would have said “This is the bread of affliction which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. Let everyone who hungers come and eat; let everyone who is needy come and eat the Passover meal.” Jesus would have then distributed the bread. After the bread was broken it would have traditionally been passed in silence. But here Jesus breaks tradition and introduces the fact that He Himself is the significance of the bread. “Take it; this is my body.” (verse 22)
When Jesus speaks of the bread being his body, He is speaking of more than just physical body – but his whole person. I am myself this bread. The disciples each take the bread from the hand of Jesus. As certainly as they receive the bread from Jesus, Jesus will certainly be with them forever – in spite of his death. So Jesus anticipates His resurrection.
The roast lamb would have then been eaten. When the meal had been completed – the third cup was then introduced – which was blessed with a prayer of thanksgiving. This is known as the cup of redemption. Jesus would have taken the cup and pronounced a prayer of thanksgiving ending with these words: “May the All Merciful one make us worthy of the days of the Messiah and of the life of the world to come. He brings salvation to his king. He shows covenant faithfulness to his Anointed, to David and his seed forever. He makes peace in his heavenly places. May he secure peace for us and all Israel. And say to you, Amen.” After all had said Amen. Jesus would have passed the cup and spoken the second word of institution – about the cup. 24 “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,”
Jesus relates the cup of wine to the renewal of God’s covenant with His people. While the word over the bread deals with Jesus being with his followers, the cup deals with covenant sacrifice. Jesus is referring to Ex. 24:6-8 as He speaks of the cup, 6 “Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he sprinkled on the altar. 7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the LORD has said; we will obey.” 8 Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.” Jesus speaks of his blood sealing a covenant as the blood that Moses sprinkled sealed the covenant between God and the people. Moses uses the blood of a sacrificial animal, but here Jesus tells us that He Himself is the sacrifice. His blood is the blood that seals the covenant. The allusion to Jesus’ violent death is unmistakable, His blood will flow. The cup represents a covenant that, is a promise, from Jesus Himself – it is an agreement Jesus makes with all those who follow Him: I promise everlasting salvation for those who believe.
The disciples partake of the cup, though the sacrifice has not yet happened, the death of Jesus has not yet occurred, but it will. Later, the disciples will celebrate this meal with others and they will recall the promise. They will remember and they will pass on that memory – You are worthy in the eyes of Christ. You are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. The cup represent not only a blood sacrifice, it also offers assurance of hope that the new order is inaugurated through Jesus death. We see this in Jeremiah 31:31-33, Jer. 31:31 “The time is coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,’” declares the LORD.
33 “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” The cup is a pledge that when the people of God meet in table fellowship God is present and able to achieve salvation.
Together the Bread and the Cup represent the promise of Jesus Christ to be present those who believe and the promise of salvation, signed in blood – But the promise is deeper. The promise given by Jesus not only looks to what has been done, but it also looks forward to the future to a time of great celebration, vindication and uninterrupted fellowship. This is what the fourth cup is about, the cup that Jesus refuses to drink, 25 “I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God.”
The fourth cup, was the cup of consummation, the cup that signified that God will take his people to be with him. The purpose of this declaration of abstinence is to declare his submission to God the father. Jesus forsakes this last cup for in the future He will drink new wine, He will drink at the Messianic Banquet with all of the believers. The four cups represent the four fold promises of God: set fourth in Ex. 6:6-7, 6“Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. (And the fourth cup) 7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.”
We read in the book of Revelation 19:6-9 the scene of the great banquet, here is where Jesus will drink the fourth and final cup. 6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.
8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) 9 Then the angel said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”
This abstaining from the fourth cup is Jesus promise to us, that we are not only to remember that we are worthy in His sight to receive redemption, we are also worthy to sit with Him in honor – and we are worthy, but not because of what we have done, we are worthy, but not because of our birth, we are worthy, but not because of some spirituality we can produce – no we are worthy, because Jesus Christ has deemed us worthy, and by acceptance of Him as God, Lord and Savior we are promise a covenant of redemption.
Twelve men entered the Upper Room with Jesus, eleven men would look back at the time as a time of powerful redemption, as a time of healing and communion – one man, he would look back with regret – because he believed in the lie, the lie that he was not worthy of redemption.
Don’t you ever forget. Don’t you ever believe in the lie….
