The Last Supper Series

The Last Hours

The Last Supper

March 25

How would you spend your last hours?

“It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.”

John 13:1

What would you do for your last meal? What are the last words you would say to your Father? What would you fight for in your last moments?

In the next three weeks we’re going to look deeply into the most powerful moments of Jesus last hours. We’re going to think about his last meal, his last opportunity to talk with his Father, and the final battle of his life – not only for his soul but for yours as well.

Jesus last hours are the most important moments in all of history. We begin with the last supper. It’s in an upper room and thirteen men are present. They are alone as the celebrate the Passover feast and Jesus know that this is last real opportunity to make a difference in their lives with his presence and teaching. Yet his disciples, his companions for three years, his closest friends think it’s just another meal.

This week we begin a deep look into the very soul of our Lord and what we see is an incredible, amazing love. This year remember the story of Jesus and tell it to your friends and family.

Jesus’ Last Meal

“The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus…”

John 13:2-5

We begin in the upper room where the Passover feast was prepared. The disciples and Jesus had gathered in this place which was by itself a miracle. Peter and John had found the location by the special direction of Jesus himself.

And now here they were doing what virtually every other family in the city was doing. The Passover was a celebration of the passing over of the death angel when the people of Israel were captive in Egypt. The last of the ten plagues that Moses brought on the Egyptian people was the death of every first-born in all the land. Only in the homes where the blood of a lamb was painted in the door posts and lintel with a branch of hyssop did the death angel pass over and the first born spared. In every other home there was the sound or wailing and weeping that night. Only Israel was spared.

Now centuries later the people gathered to eat the same meal and to pass on to their children the significance of their salvation.

This Easter we’re going to gather early in the morning for a breakfast and is much the same way we are going to recall the events of some 20 centuries ago when Jesus rose from his tomb. We’re going to remember the story and tell it to our children. If you haven’t signed up yet this is something you’ll want to do today. It is part of the passing on of our faith and heritage to our children, our families, our friends and neighbors.

On this Friday night we are remembering today it was just Jesus and his 12 closest friends. They were alone in this secluded room when Jesus washed their tired and dirty feet.

It was Jesus and Judas Iscariot who dipped their bread in the same bowl of gravy at the same moment and their eyes met. Jesus gaze was filled with pain and understanding. Judas looked quickly away – his eyes filled with reservation and guilt.

When the meal was completed Jesus took a cup of wine, held it up in both hands and with every eye on him in the room he spoke the words that are so familiar to us, “This is my blood, shed for you.” Then he passed the cup and each man drank from it. It was then that Jesus took a last loaf of bread and broke it with equally memorable words, “This is my body, broken for you. Take it and eat.”

Judas left suddenly and Jesus began to talk about a future place and a coming time. He shared some of the most powerful thoughts and moments in all the scriptures.

The disciples listened intently and freely acknowledged that they were absolutely certain of one fact. This man they had followed for three years was from God

They sang hymns and Jesus prayed for them. After a time, they crossed over the Kidron valley and went into the garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed and they slept.

In all of this time, in spite of all of the emotion in Jesus voice and the electrifying power of Jesus words there is one overwhelming truth. Do not miss this truth. What is this truth?