Luke 22:14-15 (ESV)
[14] And when the hour came, he
reclined at table, and the apostles with him. [15] And he said to them, “I have
earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
Jesus knew that Judas’ betrayal
was coming. He knew his crucifixion was coming. He knew Peter’s denial of him
was coming. Yet he earnestly desired to eat the Passover with his apostles. He loved
them deeply. He was grieved by Judas’ actions and Peter’s denial. It didn’t
change his love for them. In light of what was coming, the evening of the
Passover meal with his apostles was a special time for him to spend with them.
At the first cup of the meal
Jesus said to his apostles, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves.” Despite
the betrayal and denial to come, Jesus demonstrated unity and love to this group
that had been through so much with him. Divide it among yourselves. Do you
suppose some tried to take more than others? Do you suppose that by the time
the cup got to the last person there were only a few drops left? I don’t know
how they divided it. But I do know that Jesus loved them all and prayed for
their unity.
Immediately following this Jesus revealed
that one of them would betray him. They debated who it might be. Then a dispute
broke out among them about who is greatest. In the midst of a meal designed to
remind them of God’s merciful deliverance from Egypt, a meal that Jesus earnestly
desired to eat with them, a meal in which Jesus worked to display love and
unity, they were arguing about who was the greatest among them.
It seems that often when I have
felt that God was moving in a congregation, I find out later that there has
been grumbling and disputes happening in the background. Over the years I’ve
seen that happen time and again. Is it the Enemy’s disruption? Is it human
nature? Is it to be expected that no matter what God is doing, someone is not
listening? I don’t know. But what I do know is that it should never distract us
from what God is doing and from his faithfulness.
After Jesus demonstrates unity
among his apostles, reveals that he will be betrayed, addresses their dispute
about greatness, and tells Peter that he will deny him, Jesus reminds them of
God’s faithful provision in verses 35-38. The weight of what is coming is
beginning to weigh heavy on Jesus, but his concern is for his apostles. He
wants to make sure that despite the distractions and disputes they never lose
sight of God’s faithfulness. The strategies may be different. The Scripture
must be fulfilled in him. But God’s faithfulness does not change. Jesus asks, “Did
you lack anything?” and they responded, “Nothing.”
In the distractions and disputations of life
never lose sight of God’s faithfulness. Things may not go the way we planned. Things
may not work the way we hoped. People may not respond the way they should. But
God is faithful, and Jesus loves us as believers in him, and prayed for our
unity as well. On that we can depend.
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