A Morning Cup of Tea: The Passover

  Good morning! Looks like we may get some rain in my area. If we do I hope it waits till my blanket is brought in from the line. J's routine has changed a bit this week, and he is sitting here at the table with me. While I write I am also keeping him out of trouble. I'm now having to listen to the wheels on the bus while writing but that's what he wants to hear at the moment.
 Today we are in Luke chapter 22, verses 1-34. In the days before the Passover, Judas Iscariot met with the chief priests and scribes, to discuss how to betray Jesus.
 For the Passover, Jesus sent some of his disciples to secure a guest chamber so they might celebrate the feast. He told them the man to follow and whom to ask. At the feast itself, Jesus instituted what is known as the Lord's Supper, or communion. In remembrance of Jesus, on the first day of the week we partake of the bread and the fruit of the vine to symbolize his broken body and the blood he shed for us.
  It was then that Jesus announced one of of the disciples would betray him. This of course shocked most of them, because they couldn't imagine any of the twelve doing something like this. Why would anyone want to? 
  Once again, in verses 25 through 27 Jesus teaches about being a servant first if you wish to be great in the kingdom. I've noticed in my reading that Jesus speaks often of the first being last and the last being first, so I try to sit up and take notice when he does. In this world of me, me, me what's in it for me, it is important for us to remember that there are others to consider.
  Interestingly, beginning in verse 31, Jesus addresses Peter. He tells him, "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.
 " But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."
 Peter reminds me so often of myself :headstrong, passionate, sure he knows how he will handle a situation. He told Jesus he is ready to go with him, both to prison and to death. It was then that Jesus told him that before the rooster crowed, Peter would deny Jesus three times.
  Peter had a good heart. He loved Jesus dearly and was fiercely loyal. But Jesus let him know he still had much to learn and was human, just like the rest of us. He would mess up sometimes. But that's okay. We can be forgiven.
  Have a great day.
 

A Morning Cup of Tea: The Passover

 Good morning! It's a beautiful, if somewhat chilly day here. Feels perfectly like a time to snuggle in and burrow under comfy blankets and read.

The time is near. Judas has conspired with the chief priests. He will hand over Jesus to them, and for this he will receive money. It is now a very busy day. In the evening the Passover begins, and the disciples know they need to find a place to celebrate the feast. Jesus tells two of his disciples to go into the city and look for a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him. (mark 14:13)
 14. And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?
15. And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared; there make ready for us.
 They found the man, and made ready the room. That evening they gathered together. As they ate, Jesus announced that one of the twelve will betray him. All of the disciples were sorrowful, wanting to know which of them would do such a thing. 
 21. The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.
 It seems harsh that Jesus would say such a thing. Jesus knew that one of the disciples would do this, and that it must be done in order for Jesus to become the sacrifice for us all. Judas wasn't forced to do it by any means, he did it on his own free will. Whether he knew that the chief priests planned to have him killed I don't know. We just know that he did it.  Jesus didn't hate him for what Judas was about to do. But he knew that others would.
 While they were eating, Jesus gave the disciples unleavened bread, and the fruit of the vine. These were symbols of Jesus' body and his blood, and thus began our memorial feast which we take on the first day of the week ( Acts 20:7) To find more about the Lord's Supper go here.  After the supper they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.   

A Morning Cup of Tea: The Betrayal of Jesus

Chapter 26 begins with Jesus telling his disciples that in two days is the feast of the passover  and he will be betrayed and crucified.  During this time, the chief priests, and the scribes and the elders of the people gathered together at the palace of Caiaphas, the high priest. They wanted to catch Jesus and put him to death. They wouldn't do it on the feast day, because the people would get angry over that. 
  Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper, having a meal. While he ate, a woman came in carrying an alabaster box full of precious ointment. She poured it on his head while he ate. This made the disciples angry. How dare she waste something so precious? It could have been sold for much money and the proceeds given to the poor!  Jesus told his disciples, leave the woman alone. She has done a good thing.  The poor you will always have with you. I won't always be with you. She did it to prepare me for burial.
  Can you imagine how sobering that conversation must have been? All along he's been telling his disciples that he is going to die, but I don't think they were ready to understand it, much less want to hear it. 
 Judas Iscariot found time to find his way to the chief priests and he conspired to deliver Jesus to them for the sum of thirty pieces of silver.  
  On the first day of the Passover  Jesus told his disciples to go into the city to a certain man and tell him the master says his time is at hand and he wants to have the passover at his house with his disciples. The disciples did as they were asked and prepared for the passover dinner.
  As they ate, Jesus told them that one of them would betray him. Most of them, of course, couldn't imagine that any of them would do such a thing, and certainly not themselves. They kept asking, Is it I? 
  Jesus had some pretty harsh words for the betrayer:
23. And he answered and said, he that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.
24. The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed!  it had been good for the man if he had not been born.  I think he was warning Judas that his life was not going to be easy once the deed was done. It was his choice to do this but this was not something he would be able to put behind him.
  Judas asked him, Master, is it I? and of course Jesus said, You said it.
  During the dinner, Jesus took unleavened bread, blessed it, and broke it and gave it to the disciples. This represented his body.  He took a cup of the fruit of the vine and blessed it, and gave it to them also. This was a representation of his blood.
  26. And as they were eating, Jesus too bread and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to them, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
27. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 
28. For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
29. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine , until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.