Risen That We Might Enter In! Series

He is risen

He is risen indeed!

Do not abandon yourselves to despair: We are the Easter people, and Hallelujah is our song. ~ Pope John Paul II.

Today we come in the knowledge that Christ Jesus is risen and yes we praise him Hallelujah is our song! Hallelujah – God be praised

Thursday; At the last supper Jesus and his disciples joined together in a meal, an observance that their people had partaken in for hundreds of years. Luke tells it like this! Chapter 22:8-20

“Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, ‘Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.’

‘Where do you want us to prepare for it?’ they asked.

He replied, ‘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 room upstairs, all furnished. Make preparations there.’

They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, ‘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.’

After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, ‘Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “’This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.’”

There is an interesting point in Luke’s gospel that he discusses Jesus taking the cup of wine twice. The cup was traditionally taken at Passover four times. Between the first and the second cup, two Psalms were sung one of these Psalms is Psalm 113. These Psalms were part of a group of five songs sung at the Passover meal from Psalm 113 to 118. These are the Hallel Psalms, praise Psalms, Psalms that declare the greatness of God! You may know the song “Praise ye the Lord, Praise him you servants of the Lord”. This is where it comes from (Psalm 113:1-8)

Praise the Lord!

Yes, give praise, O servants of the Lord.

Praise the name of the Lord!

2 Blessed be the name of the Lord

now and forever.

3 Everywhere—from east to west—

praise the name of the Lord.

4 For the Lord is high above the nations;

his glory is higher than the heavens.

5 Who can be compared with the Lord our God,

who is enthroned on high?

6 He stoops to look down

on heaven and on earth.

7 He lifts the poor from the dust

and the needy from the garbage dump.

8 He sets them among princes,

even the princes of his own people!

Praise the Lord!

a) This song of praise is so much a picture of what Jesus has done for us. At this time of Easter we remember that in our own strength we cannot come to God, being lost in sin we could never have approached his throne, as people living lost in the darkness the light of God sought us out.

We have reason to praise him; four times in this Psalm the Psalmist declares that the Lord is to be praised! Why because his name is blessed.

b) Why is his name blessed, because from all over the world he has made himself known. Jesus said, “Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures” (John 10:9 NLT). We see God in creation, through his word, through his servants, and by The Holy Spirit the very person of God who enters into our lives and makes us fruitful and gifted so that his church may grow and his name might be further praised. The Holy Spirit dwells in us because Jesus made it possible; he is the Gate through which we can be saved.

c) Jesus has made it possible from east to west that the name of God could be praised. Prior to the cross, prior to Jesus’ resurrection, as gentiles our knowledge of God the Father was limited, now all over the Earth his name is praised. God the Father who is above all and created all! His glory is high above the heavens. None can to compare God.