The Upper Room
It was almost time for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, also called the
Passover, which was a great Holiday in Israel. The religious leaders were
jealous of Jesus, and wanted him killed, because they were afraid the people would follow Him instead of
them.
At that time, the devil began tempting Judas Iscariot who was one of Jesus’ 12
followers called disciples. Judas didn't really believe that Jesus was the
Messiah. The religious leaders were glad when Judas came to
talk to them about Jesus, and they offered him money to betray the Lord. So
Judas promised to turn Jesus over to the chief priests and soldiers, as soon as
he could find a time when the crowds of
people were not surrounding Him.
Then came the day of the unleavened bread, when the Passover lamb was killed.
Jesus sent 2 of His disciples, Peter and John, telling them to go prepare their
last meal for them to eat together. They asked Jesus, “Where do you want us to
prepare it”? Jesus told them, “When you enter the city, you will meet a man who
is carrying a pitcher of water on his head”. (This was very unusual, because in those days, only women carried water pots on
their heads).
Jesus continued, “Now when you see this man, follow him into the
house he enters. Then when you meet the owner of the house, tell him, “The
teacher says to you, 'Where is the guest room where I and my disciples may eat
the evening meal'? Then he will show you a large furnished upper room, and that
is where you will prepare the meal”. So they went, and found it just as
Jesus said it would be, and they prepared the meal.
Later that evening when Jesus got there, He sat down with his 12 apostles, and
He said to them, “With great desire, I have wanted to eat this last supper with
you before I suffer. I will not eat of it again until it is fulfilled in the
Kingdom of God”. When supper was ready, the devil whispered to Judas that this
was the night to betray Jesus.
Meanwhile, Jesus had left the table.
The custom of that day was when someone came to your home, the servant of the
house would take off the visitors' sandals and wash the dirt off their feet, that
was collected from walking on the dusty roads.
While the disciples remained seated, Jesus had gotten up and put on the servant’s
towel. Acting as a servant, Jesus began washing the disciple’s feet.
When He came to Peter, Peter said “Oh no Lord, You will never wash my feet”.
But
the Lord said, “If I don’t, then you will have no part with me”. Then
Peter said, “In that case, wash my hands and head too”. Jesus said, “If
you have taken a bath, then all that’s needed is for the feet to be
washed” (to be clean). But Jesus meant this only for the 11 disciples,
knowing that the devil had already planted an impure thought into
Judas. So He said, “Not all of you are clean”…for He knew who had
betrayed Him.
When everyone had returned to the table, Jesus said to them, “Do you understand
what I have just done to you? You call me teacher and Lord and that is what I
am. Therefore, if I, your Lord and teacher, wash your feet, then so you ought to
wash one another’s feet. I have given you an example, so do as I have done to
you. Truly a servant is not greater than his master. Neither is the messenger
greater than the one who sends him. You know these things; obey them and you’ll
be blessed. I’m not saying this to all of you; I know whom I have chosen; but
that the Scripture may be fulfilled, where it is written, 'He that eats My bread
will betray me'. I tell you this now, so when it happens, you will believe on
me”.
Having spoken of His betrayer, Jesus was in great anguish and exclaimed, “Truly
one of you shall betray me”. Peter caught John’s attention, and said, “Ask Him
who is going to do this terrible deed”. John leaned back against Jesus and asked
Him, “Lord, who is it”? Jesus said “It is the one to whom I give this
morsel of bread dipped in sauce”. He dipped the bread and gave it to Judas
Iscariot, son of Simon. A short time later, the devil entered Judas. Jesus knew
what had just happened, and said to Judas, “Go and do what you must”. The
other disciples thought Jesus had sent Judas on an errand; (evidently, John had
not told anyone that Judas was the betrayer). Judas left
immediately and it was about 9:00 Tuesday evening.
As they were eating, Jesus took a piece of hard unleavened bread, which required
to be broken, and blessed it and broke it. He then gave it to the disciples and said,
“This is my body, take and eat”. And He took the cup of wine and gave
thanks, and said “Each of you drink of it: for this is my blood sealing the New
Covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sin.
I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine again, until I drink
it with you in my Father’s Kingdom”.
When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is the summary of the upper room events according to the Four
Gospels...with one exception. I added that it was about 9:00 Tuesday
evening. Most commentators would have said Thursday evening, since it would only
be a matter of hours before the Lord would be arrested and then crucified on
"Good Friday" (called Black Friday in the early church).
This was always confusing to me, as Jesus said He would be three
days and three nights in the tomb (Matt. 12:40). If He died on Friday and was
already out of the grave on Sunday morning, then it didn't add up to three days
and three nights. When we seek the truth of God's Word, our teacher, the Holy
Spirit, guides us into all truth, as Jesus said He would do.
Several years ago, the Lord led me to a website, where my questions were
answered. Some of the information, I already knew, but the key pieces to this
puzzle were found on this site. Since it is too long to be added in this article, just click onto the website address below,
and read for yourself.
Enjoy and be blessed with this new revelation of the old, old, Story...the Holy Scripture!
Happy Resurrection Day,
Pastor Moser
March, 2008
W. O. W.
http://www.centuryone.com/crucifixion.html