The Last Passover

Click here for audio message of: Matthew 26:20-30

“The Last Passover”

No doubt we are all at least somewhat familiar with the Passover feast. Each family in Israel picks a spotless lamb and takes it to the priests to be slaughtered and then taken home and roasted. This is done in remembrance of the nation’s deliverance from Egypt.

Jesus and His disciples were celebrating the last Passover this night almost 2000 years ago. I want to take you back in time to the scene so that we can understand and feel what it was that the disciples did that night.

There were many preparations that needed to be made. Early in the day, Jesus told Peter and John to go and prepare the Upper Room. No doubt the other disciples were preparing portions of the meal. The lamb needed to be taken to the priests for the sacrifice. The unleavened bread needed to be prepared. They also needed wine and bitter herbs for the feast.

The disciples went about their business with a solemn, reverent attitude that day and probably didn’t see each other much until they gathered that night in the Upper Room. Jesus continues talking to and teaching each of His disciples that night.

When it is time for the feast, they all recline around the table which would have been low to the ground, much like a coffee table, and the feast begins. As with many traditions there was a certain way the Jewish people celebrated this meal.

A cup of wine was passed and each person would take a sip. Then there was the ceremonial washing to signify the need for moral and spiritual cleansing. It is at this point that a discussion broke out among the disciples as to which of them should be considered the greatest.

Jesus acted in true humility by washing the feet of His Disciples. After the washing, the meal continued with eating the bitter herbs. This would be a mix of parsley, endive, and other leafy greens.

The herbs were bitter to represent the harshness of Israel’s bondage in Egypt and they were eaten with the bread. The bread was dipped in a chutney like dip, made of pomegranates, apples, dates, figs, raisins, and vinegar.

The chutney was similar to the consistence of mortar mix to represent the Israelite’s slavery in Egypt when they were forced to make bricks. As each of these items were passed, the head of the house, in this case Jesus, would explain the meaning of the Passover and the stories of their ancestors.

The cup of wine was passed again and there was singing and praising God for saving them. Then the roasted lamb was served with more bread. It was at this point in the evening that Jesus spoke and said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”

Each of the disciples were sorrowful and each asked, “Lord, is it I?” Jesus knew who it was. Jesus took some bread dipped it and handed it to Judas. After Judas took the bread, Satan entered him.

Jesus told Judas to go and do his deed quickly and Judas left. From that point on the Passover feast became the New Covenant which we know as the Lord’s Supper.

Jesus took some bread gave thanks to God for it. Then He broke it and distributed it to the disciples saying, “Take, eat; this is My body.”

This would have startled the disciples. They knew something was up. Judas had left, someone was going to betray Jesus and now Jesus breaks from the Passover tradition and does something new, something different, something out of their comfort zone.

The disciples think to themselves, what is going on here. This is My body? What is He talking about? Wait a minute, as they think back to Jesus’ ministry and teachings. Didn’t Jesus say at one point that He is the bread of life? This is it, they know it now, something really big is truly happening here.

After the bread was eaten, Jesus took the cup of wine. Again He gave thanks to God and said “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

What? The disciples are even more stunned now. Nothing was more repulsive and disgusting to the Jews than blood, especially drinking it. Again, the disciples think back to the past 3 years of Jesus’ teaching.

They think back to all the times He spoke of His death and they knew that Jesus was not talking about literal blood, rather He was speaking of the kind of death He would have. As we know, it was a violent blood shedding that resulted in the death of Christ, but a death that would mean eternal life for us.

As the last Passover draws to a close, a new ordinance was established for the church. They sang a final hymn and the Passover meal was complete.

As we celebrate the Lord’s Supper tonight, let us remember the sacrifice Christ made for us. Let us remember, like the Israelites, what the sacrifice means for us. Christ removed the power of sin over us. He also took on the penalty of sin for us. And one day, He will take us to be with Him and remove us from the presence of sin. - AMEN