The Cup Of Redemption

The Cup of Redemption

Luke 22:7-22

Sunday marked the day that all of God’s people began to lose sight of everything other than the preparations for the most important day of the year. There was much to do. People had come from everywhere to celebrate Passover in the Holy City of Jerusalem. The streets were buzzing on Sunday with lambs being paraded through the streets and scrutinized to see if they could pass the test. The Passover Lamb couldn’t be just any lamb; he had to be a lamb without blemish or defect. A perfect offering to God and a reminder to the people of the sacrifice that had been made so long ago when the “Death Angel” passed over the shanty town homes of the Hebrew slaves and spared their firstborn. (Exodus 12)

While all of the Jews in Jerusalem were busy choosing their lambs for the Passover, a disruption happened on Sunday. A man like no other man they had ever known came riding into town on the back of donkey. Oh, they knew who He was, they had heard the stories, many of them had even been present when He had healed the woman with an issue of blood, some were there when He gave his Sermon on the Mount, others had witnessed blind Bartimaeus see with 20/20 vision for the very first time. They had seen Him walking around with a motley group of followers, but there was nothing “motley” about Him…they called Him Master.

Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday on the back of a donkey and the prophecy that had been given some 500 years before by the prophet Zechariah was fulfilled. Zechariah said,

9 Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9 NIV)

In the first century, during the day of Jesus, a lamb was chosen by the high priest outside of Jerusalem on the tenth of the Hebrew month, Nisan. The one lamb chosen by the priest would be led into the city while crowds of worshippers lined the streets waving palm branches and singing Psalm 118, "Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord."

Jesus, our King, entered Jerusalem this same day, on a donkey (usually ridden by a king), as the fulfillment, the embodiment, of the sacrificial lamb who had just been paraded down the street by the High Priest. The crowds that had just celebrated the entrance of the sacrificial lamb broke out in exuberant praise to the Lamb of God. Jesus was making a bold statement to all the world…He was the Lamb to be slain.

Isn’t that just like God? While the city was preoccupied with examining the little lamb without defect or fault, God paraded the perfect Lamb of God right before their eyes. Evidently some of the people recognized the King of Glory riding on the back of a donkey because they began to wave palm branches and shout,

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you. (Psalm 118:26 NIV)

Not everyone in the crowd was impressed. The Pharisees and teachers of the Law, when they saw the people giving Jesus the welcome of a king, knew they had to act fast and they had to act decisively to put an end to the threat to their power. Jesus, knowing who He was and what He had come to do before the crowds had ever erupted in praise, set out to continue His mission. All week long He continued to teach the people everywhere He went and point them to God.

Later in the week, Jesus told some of His followers to go and make preparation for the Passover meal that they would share together. Let’s read together our Scripture for today found in Luke 22.

7Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.” 9“Where do you want us to prepare for it?” they asked. 10He replied, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, 11and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 12He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there.” 13They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. 14When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” 17After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19And 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.” 20In 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. 21But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him.” (Luke 22:7-22 NIV)