This has been a trying week for Jesus. On the first day of the Week there were shouts of excitement as Jesus rode upon the donkey into Jerusalem. The great crowd gathered around Jesus, some spreading their clothing upon the road and others cutting and gathering palm branches and spreading them along the road.
The crowd shouted: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest” (Matthew 21:9).
This was a happy and joyous crowd. This was the day the people recognized and gave glory to their King Jesus. As Jesus rode into Jerusalem and the crowds following and shouting, the people in Jerusalem were asking the question: “Who is this person who is causing such excitement?”
The crowd responded with these words: “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee” (Matthew 21:11).
The crowd appeared to be 100% for Jesus. They seemed to be dedicated followers who would stick by him regardless of what might happen.
Many people today are like these people. As long as things in life are going in the right direction, Jesus is wonderful because he has blessed them. As soon as trials and tribulations come their way, as soon as the sea of life becomes rough, or as soon as some mountain appears and upsets their life, they begin to drift away from the Master and they try to take care of their problems the worldly way.
As the events of the week proceeded and a change of events became apparent, Jesus’ followers began to drift away from him. By the end of the week, the only cheering heard was when Pilate asked the question: “Whom do you want me to release to you?” (Mathew 27:17).
The crowd shouted “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas” (Luke 23:18).
On Monday, Jesus entered the temple and proceeded to clean it out. The temple had been set up as a market place. There were merchants selling animals to be sacrificed for the forgiveness of their sins. People were coming from many miles away to worship in the temple. Those who did not have sacrifices were able to purchase them at the temple and paid whatever price asked by the merchants.
The moneychangers were present with the coins used in the temple to purchase their sacrifices. The visitors would exchange their money for the coins of the temple because only these coins were accepted by the merchants. Many or most of the time the visitors were cheated out of their money.
This practice was not appreciated by the visitors and this whole setup angered Jesus. The Father’s house was not a place to carry on this type of business. The temple was a house of worship and not a market place.
Jesus, being very angry, entered the temple on Monday and “overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves” (Matthew 21:12).
Jesus said, “It is written My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers” (Matthew 21:13).
On Tuesday, Jesus began to teach and preach the message in the temple. The educated people, priests and teachers were also present in the temple as Jesus was teaching. As the day went by, the priests and the teachers questioned Jesus as to his right or authority to teach and preach in this manner.
When Jesus answered their question with a question, that they could not answer, he continued to teach in parables. After teaching the parable of the wicked tenants they became a bit upset. They became upset because they were trying to trap Jesus. Jesus knew their plan.
When the priests and teachers realized their plan wasn’t working, they began to question Jesus about paying taxes and the resurrection. Then Jesus began to talk about the future and his return which was something the people did not understand. The priests and teachers still needed a way to get rid of Jesus.
On this same Tuesday, Satan entered Judas who was one of Jesus disciples. Judas did not like the fact that Jesus was talking about death and resurrection instead of establishing his kingdom here on earth. We cannot cast all the blame upon Judas because he was not the only person who did not understand the mission of Jesus. Judas, along with other people, did not understand that Jesus’ death and resurrection was a part of God’s plan.
Scripture says “Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over” (Mark 14:10, 11).
Judas was a man looking for material possessions and wealth. He was treasurer in the temple so he had control of the money. Sometimes people who are trusted with the money of other people tend to take advantage of this responsibility and use the money for their own benefit.
Judas’ eyes were opened when Mary anointed Jesus with the costly perfume. “But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages’” (John 12:4, 5).
John records these words: “He (Judas) did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it” (John 12:6).
When Judas realized that Jesus was not going to set up his kingdom here on earth and there would not be an earthly position for him or anyone else, Satan entered Judas and convinced him to betray Jesus and in doing so, would end Jesus’ mission and ruin God’s plan. Satan was wrong and Jesus’ mission would be completed and God’s plan of redemption would unfold.
Judas, being a greedy self-centered individual, agreed to a time when he could betray Jesus into the hands of the priests. In return, the priests counted out thirty pieces of silver and gave them to Judas as payment for the act of betrayal.
On Wednesday Jesus probably continued the activities from Tuesday. The Bible is not specific concerning this day.
Thursday, the day of Unleavened Bread arrived. This was the day that the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed. Jesus said to his disciples, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover” (Luke 22:8).
When the disciples inquired as to the place to celebrate the Passover, Jesus said, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, and say to the owner of the house. ‘The Teacher asks: where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there” (Luke 22:9-12).
As you recall, the Passover meal was in celebration of the Jewish exodus or departure from Egypt. At that time, the Jews were told to kill a lamb and paint its blood on the doorposts of their houses. By doing this, the first-born sons of that household would be saved. The angel of death would pass them by. The blood of this sacrificial lamb saved the lives of the Israelites and by obeying they were able to escape from Egypt.
This event, the first Passover, was a picture or a shadow of what would happen many years from now. When the Messiah arrived on earth, he would be sacrificed and his blood would be shed in an effort to save his people from the awful penalty brought about by sin.
Upon finding the room, Peter and John prepared the Passover meal which included; bitter herbs, vegetable, bitter vegetable, apple, nut, spice and wine mixture, shank bone, and egg.
When the hour of celebration came, Jesus gathered in the upper room with his disciples. They all sat around the table and heard these words from Jesus: “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God” (Luke 22:14-16).
During this special time in the Upper Room with the disciples, Jesus performed two acts that are very significant. One act was the institution of the Last Supper and the other was the Foot Washing Ceremony.
Following the Gospel of John, after Jesus and the disciples finished eating the Passover Meal; Jesus got up from table and proceeded to do demonstrate the love of a true servant.
John tells us that “Jesus got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him” (John 13:4-5).
Remember that in Jesus’ day, people wore sandals, the roads were dusty, and therefore, the feet probably got very dirty. In those days, foot washing was considered very degrading, even to the point that a master could not require a Jewish slave to perform the task.
I heard a story one time about a little boy who attended a foot washing ceremony. There were six chairs in a row and on each chair sat old gray-headed gray-bearded men. In the front of each seated man was another man kneeling over a white basin with water and a towel.
The little boy stood on his tip-toes to get a good look. He noticed the wrinkled old hands of one of the kneeling men pick up the log ugly bony foot of the seated man. He gently washed the foot, rinsing it in the basin, and then drying it with the towel. He did the same with the other.
The little boy later told his parents that you really had to love someone to do that. And that is absolutely right. Jesus said to his disciples, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them” (John 13:14-17).
Then Jesus went back to the table and instituted what we call Holy Communion, The Last Supper, Eucharist, or The Lord’s Supper, Mass, The Lord’s Table, or the Breaking of Bread.
The Lord’s Supper is a meal, but not a meal that will sustain the physical body. This is a meal for one’s spiritual diet. This is a meal of remembrance in which we remember what the Lord Jesus did for each of us. It is a meal of thanks, forgiveness, and unity. It is a meal where we receive so little, but in reality gain so much.
By the time Jesus was ready to institute the Last Supper, he was in distress, he was in agony, not for himself, but for mankind. He knew Judas was going to betray him. Jesus knew Peter would deny know him three times. He needed to talk to the Father, so after he gave the bread and the cup to his disciples, he went to the Mount of Olives followed by his disciples.
When they reached the place, Jesus said to his disciples, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation” (Luke 22:40). Then Jesus went a little father, knelt down and prayed to the Father, ‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).
Jesus was not trying to get out of his mission, but he was expressing his feeling to his Father. He knew that soon he would be betrayed and arrested. He knew the quick trial that was about to come. He could feel the pain of humiliation he would encounter. He could feel the flogging and beating as his skin was torn apart. He could feel the pain of the thorns pushed into his scalp and the warm blood as it ran down his face. He could hear the mocking of the crowd, the words “Crucify Him, Crucify Him”. He could feel the weight of the Cross and the nails being driven into his hands and feet. He could hear the shouts: “He saved others, but he can’t save himself” (Mark 15:29).
After going through all of this, Jesus could still pray, “Father, forgive them for they know what they do” (Luke 23:34).
Conclusion:
People often change their minds and take the road of least resistance. Remember the crowds were happy and joyful on Palm Sunday, but by the end of the week, they had deserted him. Judas had betrayed him and Peter had denied him three times. The soldiers mocked and spit upon him. The crowds laughed as he was nailed to the Cross and they gambled for his few earthly possessions.
Jesus’ mission never changed. He was sent to bear the sins of mankind and to give mankind an opportunity to spend eternity in his kingdom. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be save” (John 3:16, 17).”
Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are my friends if you do whatever I command you” (John 15:13, 14).
Jesus agonized as he prayed in the Garden. As he prayed, his perspiration was like drops of blood falling to the ground. He had the weight of every sin committed by mankind and every sin that man would commit upon his shoulders. Jesus prayed to the Father these words: “Father is you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). The cup he spoke of was the agony of the crucifixion but also separation from God that would be necessary to die for the world’s sins.
Tonight we are going to follow through with what Jesus told his disciples in the Upper Room when he gave them the bread and the cup: “This do in remembrance of Me” (I Corinthians 11:24, 25).
Amen.
