Summary: Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper with His Disciples as a time of remembrance, of intimacy shared among believers. We must remember that God is still FAITHFUL to His promises, the question is, are we faithful to Him?

The Lord’s Supper

Mark 14:12-26

- Reminder, final msg in Mark, Wed Oct 22, will be “open forum” style

- Jesus is demonstrated in this book as a “servant”

- The past several messages gave us LOTS of information with a huge emphasis:

-- PREPARATION! We need to be prepared and to pay attention!

-- There is a coming day where Jesus will return, this is a promise

-- For us, we have not only this promise but job to KNOW what He taught

- Today we continue the final week of Jesus’ life and ministry

- It is very important to note that nothing that happens catches Jesus off-guard

-- There is a preparation for these events, and Jesus knows what is to happen

-- Some suggest that perhaps to avoid the agony God spared Him knowledge

-- But if the Son of God needed sparing, how could He suffer for us? (Isaiah 53)

- These events unfold for us in clear, dramatic form for us to learn from

- Read Mark 14:12-26

∆ Point 1 – Preparing for Passover (12-16)

- Jewish custom has them celebrate this feast on the 8th day of Passover (v12)

-- It is the Feast of the Unleavened Bread

-- Since they are in Bethany, the disciples knew this had to be prepared for

-- Their question is one of ceremony, and so they ask “where” to celebrate

-- Being their leader, they ask Jesus what he would prefer and where

- So He sends the disciples to go and prepare a place for the meal (v13)

-- Mark does not record which disciples, but Luke does record these men

-- Luke 22:8, “Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”

- Jewish custom and work would have women carrying jars of water

-- They would fetch water for the day’s events (cooking, washing, etc.)

-- Therefore, to see a man doing this would’ve been unique

-- APP: This is why Jesus tells them to look for him – he’d be easy to spot

- Jewish custom requires residents, if they have room, to allow it to be used

-- For Passover, this was a sign of courteousness for a fellow Jew

-- Man already had the room prepared (v15); Disciples just needed to meet him

- Peter and John would prepare this meal for them to celebrate Passover

-- APP: Meal is specific menu which reminds them of their past struggles

- Turn to and read Exodus 12:8-20

-- Lamb is a memory of the lamb’s blood spread on the doorposts

-- Unleavened bread reminds them of the haste in which they left Egypt

-- Bitter herbs are a reminder of the suffering they endured under Pharaoh

-- Later in time, they added in the drinking of wine during the meal

- TRANS: The Lord’s Supper provides a very intimate setting for the Disciples

-- It also gives Jesus the opportunity to talk very openly with these men

∆ Point 2 – Betrayal and the First Covenant (17-22)

- When the evening arrived, Jesus arrived at the location with the Disciples

-- They had spent the day in Bethany, only a few miles away from the city

-- The Jewish day begins at sundown, so this is Thursday night in Jerusalem

- While they are eating (v17) Jesus makes a prediction that worried them

-- Consider this: You are eating with the Lord, and He calls one of them out

-- Surely, this would cause a massive panic throughout the Disciples

-- Their reaction is typical, and I’m sure we can see ourselves in this also

- You see, having dinner with someone is a special bond of trust/friendship

-- Celebrating the Passover was a sign of intimacy, of communion

-- We observe the same: Lord’s Supper is sign of fellowship, common bond

-- It is a sense of community that they are celebrating and look what happens

- Jesus announces that one of them will betray Him; it’s treacherous! (v18)

-- More so: It is one of the intimate ones who’ve been with Him for 2 yrs.

-- APP: The disciples didn’t know what Judas did in v10-11; but Jesus did!

- The disciple’s sadness (v19) is completely understandable here

-- This brings them to question Jesus, one by one, and ask Him directly

-- Surely, even Judas would ask this question to maintain his cover-up

-- He would not want to reveal to any that he had betrayed Jesus

- Jesus’ only response is that it is in fact one of the Twelve (v20)

-- But He does not reveal the exact one (probably out of common sense)

-- Consider: Had He said it was Judas, Peter would’ve acted rashly

- Judas’ betrayal was for his own selfish reasons, to force Jesus to act

-- However, the betrayal was REALLY for prophetic reasons for God’s glory

-- (v21) Woe to the man who betrays Jesus; because he was never saved!

-- His woe is not that he’s worthless; but that he would not accept Christ

- Jesus then offers the bread He spoke of, as a sign of commitment (v22)

-- The bread was a covenant for them to stand on, for all of eternity

-- It represented the body which would be broken for all of us

-- Christ commands: “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19)

- It is a sacrificial sign of love that Jesus will demonstrate for them

-- Much like the promise He has already given them in earlier teachings

-- John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

∆ Point 3 – The Blood Covenant (23-26)

- What is incredible here is the word choice that Jesus uses in v23

-- “Then he took the cup” indicates that they were drinking wine during dinner

-- And the phrase “give thanks” literally means “Eucharist” in Greek

-- “eucharistia” is the term used in Mark and what this is referred to

- At Calvary, Jesus would do two things for all of the Father’s creation

-- 1) He would fulfill the Old Testament covenant from the Father, and,

-- 2) He would establish a new covenant with all who would receive Him

-- IMP: This is a literal promise of redemption: “poured out for many”

- The new covenant would take away our sins … forever

-- IF … if we would receive and confess that we are in need of salvation

-- Paul goes to great length in Romans to discuss this (re: Sunday school)

-- Romans 10:9, “If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

∆ CHANGE SLIDE

- Jesus promises that He will not take part in this again (v25) until …

-- Until He comes again in power and glory to receive those who call Him Lord

- In v26 there is great celebration, and they sing together before going out

-- Psalm 116 is the traditional Passover hymn, and what they sing together

-- They rejoice at what God has done, and who He is, and what He can do!

- The covenant that God has established reveals God’s eternal promise

-- 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

- Why is the blood important?

-- Turn to and read Hebrews 9:11-15

-- God uses the blood as a sign of commitment; Jesus paid ULTIMATE sacrifice

∆ Big Ideas

- 1) Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper with His Disciples

-- It is a time of remembrance, of intimacy shared among believers

-- It is why Paul speaks so harshly about doing so improperly (1 Cor 10 - 11)

- 2) He reveals that He will be betrayed by a Disciple

-- This brings each of them to examine their intentions, to ask questions

-- It is the unfaithful man who will lie to the Lord directly to His face

- 3) God is STILL faithful to fulfill His promises!

-- The covenants of body and blood are forever sealed in the promise of Bible

-- These are as firm as John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

-- The Word will NEVER pass away; it is our foundation if we live by it

- Pray