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17 Now on the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?" 18 And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.'" 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover. ~ Matthew 26:17-19
Today, we continue our study of Matthew 26 where a clear contrast has been established between those who are defined by the God of the Bible and those who are not. As we return to the narrative, we find ourselves entering back into Thursday. Preparations are being made for this last Passover meal because the Lord Jesus changed it into the Lord’s Supper. In fact, now, God desires for us to remember the Passover by remembering the death of His Son on the cross at Calvary.
In v.17 of today's passage we read, "Now on the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, 'Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?'"
On the first day of the feast of the Unleavened Bread, the Jews celebrated the Passover where they gathered to share a celebration meal of the Exodus when the nation of Israel was delivered from slavery in Egypt. During the tenth plague in Egypt, those who trusted the LORD applied the blood of the sacrificial lamb to the doorposts of their home. As a result, the death angel passed over their house and their firstborns were spared from death.
The time of Israel's slavery in Egypt was so hard, yet it was the will of God for them. As with all things, good and bad, there is always to be found the purposes of God for our lives and the lives of those whom we love. Sometimes, we find it difficult to imagine that God causes or allows certain things in our lives. But, we can rest assured that His will is the best for us and it will come to meaningful fruition as we learn to bend our will to His.
No one would have guessed that for the Jews to be in Egypt for 400 years meant they would grow to be a powerful people in numbers. During those 400 years, God grew Israel to be a people of 2 million. God clearly uses the trials that come into our lives to tune our hearts and souls to be able to recognize and follow Him and to do His will. Without tests, there are no testimonies.
Since they were in Jerusalem, the disciples inquired of the Lord Jesus regarding where to eat the Passover. The way the Lord Jesus arranged for the Passover feast clearly reveals He knew there were plots to thwart God's plan. This is why He set up the Passover meal at an unknown place. No names were given, and the unnamed man who carried the pitcher of water gave the disciples the guest room. And that’s where they had their last Passover. It happened this way so that the Lord Jesus could celebrate the Passover to fulfill all righteousness.
In v.18 of today's passage we read, "And He said, 'Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ''The Teacher says, My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.'""
Since it was the task of the women to carry the water from the well, a man carrying a pitcher of water was unusual. And, of course, that was how the Lord Jesus lead the disciples to look for the upper room. With the Lord, there is always more to the story. Rarely does He work in the main headlines of the day. He is to be found in the subscripts of all of the stories. Those thirsty for Him have heard His words found in John 7 where He said, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, 'Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.'"
We do not know what the next moment of our lives will bring. But, we have come to know the One who has invited us to follow Him through the ebbs and flows of life. As we follow Him through prayer and scripture reading, we learn to see Him with our hearts. This is not an easy habit to form but as we trust Him accordingly, He will direct our way. As He leads and we follow, we will realize that out of our hearts will flow rivers of living water. This water satisfies and fuels us on in our personal relationship with Him.
In v.19 of today's passage we read, "So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover."
It all happened as the Lord Jesus had told the disciples. When they arrived in Jerusalem, the disciples immediately saw the unnamed man carrying a jar of water. They followed him and made preparations in a large upper room in a man's house in Jerusalem. Through all of this the Lord Jesus very subtly illustrated the beauty of His will and His culture. He gave the disciples reassurance by showing them His omniscience, for He knew in advance that there would be a room and an obedient messenger who led them to the room. As a result of the obedience of the disciples, they enjoyed the will of God. This all aided the deepening of their relationship with Him. The more they saw Him in control, the more they trusted Him. This is the way it works. It was no accident. Such is the process of knowing God, His power, and realizing His will in and through our lives daily.
The death of the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary's cross was also no accident. It was not a bad ending to a noble effort by a good man. His death on the cross was not the end of His life, it was the beginning of ours because His death brought an end to sin and death for us. It was at His cross that He dealt a death blow to the penalty, power and eventually the presence of sin. And, when we receive His free gift of salvation, God sees us through the lens of His Son. The goal of His life was to bridge the gap between us and God, something we could not do for ourselves.
As is always the case, the Lord had a plan and afterwards, He was betrayed and arrested in accordance with His plan. After He finally accomplished everything during the last supper, the Lord Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. It was there that He was arrested and He was led away to be executed. Only in that little window could He be arrested, tried, and executed, but not before He fulfilled all righteousness on our behalf. Then He would die at the very hour all Passover lambs were slaughtered since Israel's time in Egypt. It is truly stunning to see all of these details come together under His control.
Many find the cross to be foolish, but it reveals the incredible wisdom of God. While it reveals the ugliness of sin, it reveals the beauty of God’s love. It punishes sin and offers forgiveness at the same time for all who are humble enough to admit we need help. Justice and grace were wed that Friday in Jerusalem at His cross. I trust you have seen the beauty of this narrative for yourself.
