Mark 14:12 – On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go to prepare the Passover meal for you?”
13 So Jesus sent two of them into Jerusalem with these instructions: “As you go into the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 At the house he enters, say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ 15 He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is where you should prepare our meal.” 16 So the two disciples went into the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover meal there.
17 In the evening Jesus arrived with the twelve disciples. 18 As they were at the table eating, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, one of you eating with me here will betray me.”
19 Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one?”
20 He replied, “It is one of you twelve who is eating from this bowl with me. 21 For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!”
22 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it, for this is my body.”
23 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many. 25 I tell you the truth, I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.”
26 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives. (NLT)
This familiar passage depicts the story of the Last Supper. While this passage is usually reserved for Holy Week, it provides us with a powerful lesson on any day. To understand what this passage can teach us, let us consider two revelations that Jesus shared with his disciples during the Last Supper.
First, in this passage Jesus shared that one of the twelve would betray him. That revelation ‘greatly distressed’ the disciples, and each asked, “Am I the one?” If we look at the other Gospel accounts of the Last Supper, we discover the second revelation that Jesus shared that night – he told Peter that he, too, would deny Jesus not once, but three times! (John 13:38, Luke 22:34).
How shocking it must have been for these disciples to know that at least two of them would deny Jesus. They had known Jesus for several years, and followed him everywhere. As difficult as Jesus’ revelation must have been that night, how many of us who have known Jesus for years still find that we stumble and deny Jesus? How many times, by our actions and words (or lack of), have we denied truly knowing Jesus?
While it does sadden us to think that we have denied Jesus, we should celebrate the covenant that Jesus established at this meal. Because of the Body and Blood of Jesus, we have peace with God. Paul tells us in Romans 5:1 – “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.” Because of Jesus, we do not have to fear God when we stumble, for we have grace!
Today, let us celebrate the peace of God, which certainly exceeds anything we can understand! (Philippians 4:7).
Posted by Ramón Torres
What a comfort it is to know that when stumble in our Christian walk, because of Jesus we can repent and still have peace with God. Praise His Holy Name for His grace and forgiveness! Thank you Jesus!
Amen!