We need to remember Jesus, The Passover Lamb, and the importance of His sacrifice

In this passage, these are the final hours of the Savior’s life, the day before His crucifixion (Thursday) and He is about to eat His last Passover Meal.

Mark 14:12-16 Understanding Passover
And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb

The Passover lamb was selected on the tenth day of the month Nisan (our March-April) and was then examined for blemishes. It was killed on the fourteenth day of the month; this whole ritual was to be a memorial – a remembrance of God’s grace. The original Passover feast consisted of the roasted lamb, the unleavened bread, and the dish of bitter herbs

• Lamb: Pictured the blood applied to the doorposts in Egypt (keeping angel of death from killing their firstborn).
• Bread: Pictured their haste in leaving Egypt
• Salt water (for dipping) — tears shed under slavery in Egypt
• Bitter herbs: Pictured suffering as Pharaoh’s slaves.

For the Jews, the Passover feast was the memorial of a past victory, but Jesus would institute a new supper that would memorialize His death. This was His last Passover; He would fulfill the Passover by dying on the cross as the spotless Lamb of God. None of the gospels mention a Lamb at this last Passover, Was the Lord too rushed? Did the Lord not have enough time? Was this a forgotten detail in the gospel accounts? Or JESUS sending a message – that HE would be this Passover’s Lamb?

Mark 14:17-21 Prophesying Betrayal at Passover
And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.”

The disciples heard many surprising things from Jesus, but this had to be one of the most surprising things they ever heard. No one would have suspected Judas, and the idea that one of them would seek to betray and kill Jesus must have seemed absurd. God is sovereign, Judas would help Jesus fulfill God’s redemptive plan. Jesus loved Judas – He washed His feet, gave Him every opportunity to repent!

Judas is rightly regarded as one of the most notorious sinners of all time, and even though his actions fulfilled prophecy his own wicked heart condemned him. Judas will never be able to justify himself before God on the Day of Judgment by claiming, “But I was fulfilling prophecy.” He CHOSE to betray Jesus.

Did Jesus love Peter and hate Judas?  Absolutely not! Jesus loved both Peter and Judas. Jesus would wash Judas’ feet; Jesus would ask for the Father to “Forgive them for they do not know what they are doing….” And Jesus would welcome the thief on the cross. Jesus does not resent those who reject, Jesus doesn’t despise those who are repeat offenders; Jesus doesn’t “write off” those who don’t get it.  And neither should we.

Mark 14:22-26 Repurposing Passover
And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.

Jesus didn’t give the normal explanation of the meaning of each of the foods. Rather, He reinterpreted them in Himself; the focus was no longer on the suffering of Israel in Egypt, but on the sin-bearing suffering of Jesus on our behalf. The bread and the cup are powerful pictures to partake of – to enter into – as we see the Lord’s Table as The New Passover. Take means that it won’t be forced upon you. We must receive it. Without food and drink, we die. Without Jesus, we die. Jesus has to be taken into our innermost being.

(v.25)  Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Jesus has not yet celebrated a Passover in heaven because He still waits for all His people to be gathered to Him. One day there will be a great supper – The Marriage Supper of the Lamb, and this is the fulfillment in the kingdom of God Jesus longed for.

Mark 14:27-31 Prophesying Failure at Passover
And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’

(v.27) “You will all fall away…” – Jesus said this not to condemn His disciples, but to show them that He really was in command of the situation, and that they would battle sin and temptation, just like you and me. Most importantly: He wanted to demonstrate that the Scriptures regarding the suffering of the Messiah must be fulfilled. And this was not the first time Jesus warned Peter and the other disciples that they would forsake Him.

(v.28) “But after I am raised up…” – This shows that Jesus was already looking beyond the cross. He had His eyes fixed on “…the joy set before Him.”  (Hebrews 12:2)

Be encouraged, Christ does not demand perfection. But He does expect commitment and devotion.

(v.30) “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” – Peter failed, but he did not fail in his devotion or commitment. Peter, despite his bold proclamation that he would never be made to stumble, would fail in what he thought was his strong area – courage and boldness.

Through this solemn warning Jesus gave Peter an opportunity to take heed and consider his own weakness, sadly, it was an opportunity that Peter did not take; Jesus knew Peter far better than Peter did, and in overestimating himself, Peter was set up for a fall.

And the rest of the disciples also overestimated their strength and did not rely on the Lord in this critical hour. The Apostle Paul warned us against falling where we think we are strong: (1 Cor. 10:12) Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. When we think we are beyond the reach of some sins, we are primed for a fall.

“Has Christ provided such a blessed banquet for us? He does not nurse us abroad—but feeds us with His own breast—nay, with His own blood! Let us, then, study to respond to this great love of Christ. It is true, we can never parallel His love. Yet let us show ourselves thankful. We can do nothing satisfactory—but we may do something out of gratitude. Christ gave Himself as a sin-offering for us. Let us give ourselves as a thank-offering for Him. If a man redeems another out of debt—will he not be grateful? How deeply do we stand obliged to Christ—who has redeemed us from hell!” – Thomas Watson, The Lord’s Supper

Mark 14:24  And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.