First Lessons
Luke 22:7-13
Originally scheduled for May 19
It is a curious fact. The preliminary directions given to Peter
and John to prepare the Last Supper are quite remarkable. This is
made all the more so by the fact that they are seldom if ever
remarked upon. Consider these items:
·
Peter and John are to go into the city and find somebody carrying a
water jar. No name; no description; no location in the city — just a
guy carrying a water jar.
· They
are given no instructions on greeting this man. They are simply to
follow him until he walks into a house. They still don’t talk to
him, but to the owner of the house. The man probably doesn’t even
know he’s a signpost.
· Matthew’s
account tells us that they are to identify themselves as disciples
of “the Teacher” who needs the room for the Passover. He introduces
this statement by saying, “my time is at hand.” Evidently the owner
of the house has some idea of why Jesus is going to Jerusalem and
what that phrase, “time is at hand”, really means. It’s clear that
Peter and John don’t know.
·
Perhaps even more curious is the selection of Peter and John, two of
the closest disciples that Jesus has. It emphasizes that even the
inner circle of his disciples does not know what is going to happen.
So we have a combination of random chance (the man with the water
jar) and careful preparation (“my time is at hand”) providing
geographic directions. Christ is master of the past and the future.
At the very least his disciples should have understood this from the
directions he is given them.
Think that through. This set of
directions shows us that Christ has control over the tiniest of
things as well as the “big picture” of the future. It is a very
timely reminder, as the disciples are about to go through the
experience of the crucifixion. All their hopes will be shattered;
all their confidence destroyed, leaving them wondering, “what now?”
Then came the morning of the resurrection, changing everything.
We are to take communion “in remembrance of him.” Consider the
experience the disciples underwent: in three days time they went
from absolute despair to glorious hope. You may look at the world
today and conclude that there is no way that the church can triumph.
Just remember: Christ’s disciples have been down this path before.
You will take the bread as the symbol of his body; the cup as a
symbol of his blood. In so doing you remember the sacrifice he made
for our atonement. Also, then, remember the hope that came with the
resurrection. Someday our Lord will return to judge the living and
the dead — taking his children home to be with him forever.
Communion is not a celebration of despair, but of hope.
