Nisan 10 - Day 1 - Jews take a lamb into their home to be examined for blemishes. This lamb will be the Passover sacrifice on Nisan 14. Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey. The people take Him into their hearts as their king.
Nisan 11 - Day 2 - Jesus clears the temple and teaches the people.
Nisan 12 - Day 3 - Jesus is questioned by the religious leaders. They are unable to find fault in Him.
Nisan 13 - Day 4 - Judas betrays Jesus to the religious leaders. Jesus continues to teach in the temple.
Nisan 14 - Day 5 - The disciples prepare for the Passover. The Passover lambs are sacrificed.
Nisan 15 - Day 6 - Jesus eats the Passover, prays in the garden, is arrested, tried, crucified and buried.
The Jewish calendar follows the lunar cycle. Days start at sundown and end at sundown. So, the lambs are sacrificed at twilight on Nisan 14, then the Seder meal is eaten on Nisan 15 after sundown.
The Passover with the Disciples: Matthew, Mark, and Luke give the same account. John extends the account by sharing Jesus' teaching and private conversations with the disciples. It is thought that Mark's gospel was written first, then Matthew's, Luke's and John's. So, John, having read the first three accounts, includes information that the first three didn't.
Nisan 14 - Before Passover, Jesus sends 2 disciples into the city to a certain man. They will prepare the Passover in his large upper room. The disciples follow Jesus' directions.
Nisan 15 - Before the meal, Jesus washes the feet of the disciples. This act was usually performed by the servants. For Jesus, the leader, to wash the feet of the disciples was unheard of. In fact, Peter at first refused. But Jesus washed their feet as an example of servant hood. As Christians we are to serve each other. No one is greater or more important than anyone else. Leaders are to serve their people, just as people are to serve their leaders. We must remember to never think we are above anyone else. Nor should we refuse to get our hands dirty in helping others.
Jesus then tells the disciples that one of them will betray Him. Judas is revealed as the betrayer, but the disciples just don't get it. Once he has been revealed, Judas leaves the meal.
The new commandment - loving one's neighbor was not a new commandment. However, loving one's neighbor in light of the way Jesus loves us is. Jesus died for us. Our love for our neighbor, our willingness to put them first, even to lay down our lives for them, should be the distinguishing mark of a Christian. Oh, how far we have fallen. Christians are not known for love. We are known for judgment. Hmmm . . . perhaps we need to reexamine our actions. Look, Jesus loved people - He loved the woman at the well who was living in adultery, He loved the tax collectors who were ripping people off, He loved the sinners, the drunkards, the outcasts. How about you? Because Jesus loved them, treated them as equals, and had their best interest at heart, they were willing to listen to Him. You can't come at someone pointing out all their wrongs and expect them to listen to anything else you have to say. When you look at someone, remember that Jesus loved you right where you were, He loves you right where you are. He didn't cast you out for your sin, He called you in. If your sins were forgiven, if He gave you a chance even when you were a sinner - can't you do the same for others? That's the new commandment. Show others the love that Christ has shown you. As they come into a relationship with Christ, He will show them the areas that need to change, just like He did for you.
Peter declares his willingness to follow Jesus wherever He goes. Yet, Jesus knows Peter's heart, knows what is coming and warns Peter about it. Peter is rash and spontaneous, he still has some maturing to do. So, is this loving? Yes. Jesus and Peter have a close relationship built on honesty. Loving someone means that you treat them with compassionate honesty. Sometimes we think it's all other nothing. I can love or I can judge. We don't realize that honesty isn't judging. So, as you love people and form relationships, you need to be honest about who you are and you need to be honest about what you see. However, this honesty isn't about condemnation, but about concern. If your friend is about to make a decision that will cause harm - for themselves or others - you need to let them know.
Jesus then prepares the disciples for His death. Once He is gone, they will need to continue the ministry, so He gives them practical advice for any Christian:
1) Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. If you truly believe that, then you will listen to what He tells you. You will follow His ways. If you love Jesus, you will keep His commandments because you know that they are in place for your own good. Your actions will reflect your relationship.
2) Praying in Jesus' name doesn't mean ending your prayer with the name "Jesus." It means praying in a way consistent with Jesus' character and will. I like what my study Bible says, "Effective prayer must ask for and desire what Jesus delights in." So, praying that your enemy will fail or for material abundance or selfish gain probably isn't going to help you no matter how many times you say His name in that prayer.
3) Jesus will send the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us while He is away. He will teach us, help us remember Jesus' words, and bring us peace.
4) Stay hooked in with Jesus. Jesus is our foundation, He is our life. Just like a branch must stay connected to the plant, we must stay connected to Jesus. A healthy branch is receiving everything it needs from the plant and it will bear fruit. An unhealthy branch has become disconnected somehow and withers and dies. To keep the plant healthy, that branch must be cut off.
5) Just as Jesus was persecuted, so will His followers be persecuted. Look, the world is based on selfish ambition, greed, lust, and power. Christians are called to be the opposite of those traits and the world simply cannot take it. Our peace and love make the world squirm. The world doesn't like to be reminded of what it's lacking. It doesn't want to face the fact that it is empty and shallow. So it attempts to destroy us. To push us aside, to shut us up - then it doesn't need to face reality. But stay strong. Jesus overcame the world and through Him, we will too.
6) Jesus is leaving them, but He is coming back. For three days, Jesus lay in the tomb. The disciples thought it was over. But on the third day He rose & they were filled with joy. This joy sustained them through all that was to come because they knew without a doubt that Jesus overcame the world. With His help, with His helper, they would too.
The meal is finished and the last two cups of the Seder are drank. During this time, Jesus institutes Communion. It is believed this happened during the third cup of Passover, the cup of redemption. When we drink this cup we are to remember that Jesus' blood redeemed us from death.
Jesus then prays for the disciples and they head out for the Garden of Gethsemane.
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