YEA Lesson Library

The Lesson

All across Egypt families wailed and cried with grief. Not an Egyptian family was spared from the death of its firstborn son the night of the first Passover. God had told Moses and Aaron that He would smite all the firstborn males in the land of Egypt, both man and beast. Judgment time had come upon Egypt for mistreating the Israelites and for not allowing them to leave Egypt to keep God’s feast. The night of the first Passover the death angel passed over the houses where the blood of a lamb was on the doorpost – their firstborn was saved from death. Where there was no blood on the doorpost, the firstborn male in every family, both human and animal, died that night.

That Passover was only a type of Jesus’ destiny. All of the lessons we have learned in this Life of Christ series are narratives leading to the culmination and climax of this most sobering occasion. Jesus was born as a human baby for this very purpose, to die for your sins.

Jesus knew that this particular Passover dinner was special. It meant that His death was near. It was His last night on earth before returning to His Father. Jesus knew that He would not be with His disciples for their next Passover meal; He knew that He would not be able to eat it again with them until He partakes of it with them in God’s Kingdom. He also knew that one of those eating this very special meal with them would be His betrayer. He loved His disciples very much and this was very disturbing. This Passover was a time of both great love and great agony.

As this Passover approached, Jesus talked with His disciples. “As you know, the Passover celebration begins in two days, and I shall be betrayed and crucified” (Matthew 26:2 TLB). Even while He was talking with His disciples, Jewish leaders were meeting at the house of Caiaphas, the High Priest, plotting to kill Jesus. They devised a plan to capture Him quietly. They knew that if they did it during the Passover celebration, riots could erupt.

While the Israelites were cleaning the leavening out of their houses, the disciples came to Jesus and asked where they would be keeping the Passover. Jesus instructed these men to go into the city and see this unnamed man and tell him that Jesus would be eating the Passover with His disciples at home. The men followed Jesus’ instructions.

After Jesus sat with His disciples and ate the Passover meal, He took off His robe and wrapped a towel around Him. He poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of each man. Peter protested, “Master, you shouldn’t be washing our feet like this!” Jesus told Peter that he didn’t under- stand why He was doing this. “If I don’t wash your feet, you can’t be my partner” Jesus replied. Then Peter was anxious for Jesus to wash his feet. Jesus explained that He was setting an example. Since He had washed their feet, they ought to wash each other’s feet as well. “How true it is that a servant is not greater than his master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends him. You know these things, now do them! That is the path of blessing” (John 13:16-17 TLB). Jesus was in great anguish of spirit and said, “One of you will betray me.” A chill came over the room as this statement tore the heart out of every man there. No one thought they would betray Jesus. Each one of them began to ask, “Is it I?” Jesus replied that it was the man He served first. Then Judas asked, “Am I the one?” Jesus answered in the affirmative. Satan entered into Judas and Jesus told him to hurry up and do it now.

As they were eating, Jesus took unleavened bread, blessed and broke it and gave the disciples a piece to eat. He said, “Take and eat, for this is my body.” Then He took the cup of wine, blessed and gave it to them as well. “This is my blood, sealing the New Covenant. It is poured out to forgive the sins of multitudes” (Matthew 26:27-28 TLB). They sang a hymn before going to the Mount of Olives.

This covenant renewal with Jesus, done by the taking of the bread and wine, is most important for Christians. For Jesus says, “With all the earnest- ness I possess I tell you this: Unless you eat the flesh of the Messiah and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. But anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him at the Last Day” (John 6:53-54). What does your Bible say about simply going through this ceremony when the heart is not right? “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body” (1 Corinthians 11:28-29). Self examination and repentance are very important before we take the Lord’s Supper.

The Passover is filled with history and significant meaning. It’s a time of love, a time of forgiveness, a time to examine ourselves and a time to renew our covenant with Jesus Christ. Our prayer as we remember the body and the blood of Christ each year should focus on Jesus Christ and the supreme sacrifice that He paid for our sins. We should remember His sadness at that special time. We should remember that Christ gave His life for our sins. We should resolve to live a life more pleasing in His sight. And we should remember the joy of His promises.