Editors Note: Disciples Today is publishing this brief Quiet Time series for those who would like a guide to walking through "Passion Week" in the footsteps of Jesus. Please see the other days of the week for further study: Monday Tuesday Wednesday Friday Saturday Sunday.
To deepen your study, consider these options:
Thursday: The Passover Fulfilled
Read: Mark 14:12-26; John 13:1-15; Luke 22:24-38
Twelve Lords, One Servant from The God of the Towel by Jim McGuiggan
"There were 13 men in an upper room - how many servants and how many lords?
One Lord and 12 servants sound like the right answer, but is is? The truth is there were twelve lords and one Servant! Only one man in the room knew anything about service.
In the end, that is why he was made Lord. Down through the ages God has given power to many men and women; but only one really knew how to use it.
...[God gave Jesus] power to understand Scripture and saw him use it in the temple for his Father's honor. Later still, he gave him power over bread, and he fed people; he gave him power over disease, and he healed people; he gave him power over death, and he raised people;p he gave him pwer over sin, and he forgave people. And God watched it all with admiration, knowing that there, finally, was a human who knew what to do with power from God - he blessed and redeemed people! So he gave him power over his own life. And what did he do? He laid his life down for others! No wonder the Father said to him, This is my son whom I love; with him I am well pelased. ...We mustn't think that Jesus the Christ has all authority just because he's greater than us; he has all authority because he is better than us.
God Says:
Philippians 2:1-11 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant,k being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lod, to the glory of the Father.
A Covenant Made
Luke 22:15-20 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 he took the 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."
The Passover feast ends with everyone looking for the Messiah. Jesus was excited to celebrate this Passover with his closest friends because he knew he was the fulfillment of God's promise to the Jews and to all people. His disciples could not fully grasp this until after the crucifixion, resurrection and ascention. He knew they would all desert him and one would even take money to betray him in his darkest hour of life. yet he loved first and always.
Application:
Jesus made a commitment as binding as a written will to lay down his life for us. his verbal commitment was not made lightly or out of an emotional state. he lived out this covenant in small acts of service as well as in his death. WE made a statement of commitment in our covenant with God when we confessed "Jesus is Lord!" [Romans 10:8-10] Like him, our covenant is not sealed by lip service, but by the blood of Christ and the Holy Spirit [Ephesians 4:20] for the purpose of being "living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God" [Romans 12:1, 2 Timothy 2:19; 1 John 3:16].
If Jesus lived out his commitment to me, the way I live out mine to him, how would I be doing?
Jesus' Teachings and Prayers:
Jesus prayers during this time of agony, at the threshold of the supreme spiritual battle of all times, reflect His pure love for God and us. A man's last words are often the most important. John details the teachings and prayers of Jesus during the Passover celebration in John 13-17. Pease read this account to fully appreciate the strength of his desire to glorify God and his heart of concern for us.
Response and Action:
Prayer
Using John 17 as inspiration, write out your own prayer for yourself, your fellow Christians and for all who will follow Jesus in the future. Oviviously, we are not Messiahs. We only need one. But we are his disciples.
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