24 Hours That Changed the World - Gus's Sermons



24 Hours That Changed the World

Psalm 25:1-2 and 16-18

Mark 14:12 & 17-25

Over the next few weeks we will be focussing on the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life.

The series will be loosely based on a book by Adam Hamilton entitled: 24 Hours that Changed the World; we’ll also include some video footage from a DVD that accompanies the book.

We will take our chronology (the order of events) from Mark’s gospel – because that is traditionally held to be the earliest gospel; and use the other gospel accounts to fill in some interesting information.

If you read carefully – you’ll notice that John differs with Matthew, Mark and Luke in that he speaks of Jesus being crucified on Thursday – rather than Friday (we’ll get to that just now).

The Last 24 Hours

So; we begin.

Jesus didn’t sleep in the final 24 hours of his life. He had supper with his disciples; a Passover meal – which probably lasted late into the night.

After the meal, in the darkness Jesus and his disciples went to the garden of Gethsemane to pray.

From the garden we learn that Jesus was arrested by the guards of the high priest; tried at the high priests house; then passed on to the Roman authorities.

He had a trial before Pontius Pilate and then Herod – and the crowd – who called for his blood.

After he received his sentence he was tortured and humiliated by a group of Roman soldiers.

And then – led out to be crucified.

In less than 24 hours Jesus went from supper with his friends in the upper room – to being buried in a stranger’s tomb.

The Last Supper

The Upper Room

[Slide]

In Mark 14:13 we learn that Jesus sent his disciples to go on ahead of him and prepare a place for them to share the Passover.

He gives them specific instructions: ‘Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you…’

It seems Jesus has planned things quite carefully.

A man carrying a jar of water would be a strange sight, in those days – in that place, carrying a jar of water was woman’s work.

A man carrying a jar of water would probably be a slave.

The disciples were to follow the slave to the owner of the house and enquire about where they could share their meal together.

Watch Adam Hamilton present a short video of his visit to the traditional site of the upper room in Jerusalem.

[Video]

Its interesting to note that the upper room – where Jesus and his disciples shared their Passover meal belonged to a very wealthy person. Someone who not only owned a multi story house in the city; but owned a slave too.

Washing of the Feet

[Feet]

Which makes it especially interesting that at this final meal – Jesus washed the feet of his disciples.

Even though a slave would have been available; Jesus does the work of washing feet.

[Slide]

3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4 got up from the table,‍a‍ took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet[1]

Knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going from God Jesus took off his outer robe and wrapped a towel around himself; so that he was dressed as a slave.

And washed his disciple’s feet.

* * *

A strange and unnecessary thing to do in a household that already has slaves.

But this is a part of Jesus’ prophetic ministry to us; his actions speak of God’s attitude to us.

Old Testament prophets sometimes do strange things to make their point; think of Ezekiel – instructed to lie on his left side for 390 days and then on his right for 40 days.

Jesus act reminds me of the verse from Isaiah that we read a few weeks ago:

‘See I have inscribed you on the Palms of my hands.’

- Isaiah 49:16

God has made himself a slave to his people – the passage from Isaiah speaks of markings of ownership made on the palms of slave’s hands by their masters. Isaiah’s words remind us of Jesus’ wounds on the cross.

Crucifixion; the mode of punishment for slaves and the lowest of society. Was the death Jesus would suffer.

As he showed his people the loving, servant heart of God.

* * *

As we see Jesus led to the cross in his final 24 hours – we learn something of his threefold ministry; as prophet, priest and king.

Here – as prophet – he is opening the mind and heart of God to us. Helping us to see in a dramatic and profound way – what Jesus is teaching us.

The Meal

Having washed his disciple’s feet; Jesus shares a Passover meal with them.

But a puzzling thing comes to light if you read your Bible carefully. According to John’s gospel – Jesus final meal with his disciples took place on Wednesday and Jesus’ was crucified on Thursday.

In the other three Jesus shares a Passover meal with his disciples on Thursday and is crucified on Friday.

Introducing the meal – in John 13:1 John says ‘Now before the festival of the Passover’.

And then on the day when Jesus is crucified, John says in 19:14, ‘It was the day of Preparation for the Passover.’

- The ‘Day of preparation for the Passover’ was the day on which lambs were sacrificed for the Passover meal.

But in Mark’s gospel the meal is introduced in Mark 14:12 – ‘On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed…’

* * *

On ‘the day of preparation, according to John – Jesus was crucified, and according to Mark – Jesus shared the Passover meal with his disciples.

The two disagree.

* * *

So, we look at the Passover meal; explained here by Rabbi Amy Katz:

[Video]

For the Jews of today and of Jesus’ day the Passover meal was a celebration of their being set free from slavery in Egypt.

Think of that phrase so often repeated in the Old Testament – Remember, you were once slaves in Egypt and I brought you out…

A defining moment in the history of the Jewish people.

If we go back to that original Passover meal – which we read about in Exodus – we learn something of the origin.

Moses had asked Pharaoh to let the Israelites go free.

Moses said ‘Go?’ and Pharaoh said ‘No!’

* * *

There were horrible plagues:

Water turned to blood; Moses said go? And Pharaoh said No - Frogs – Moses said __? And Pharaoh said __!; Lice and Gnats, Flies, Diseased Livestock, Unhealable Boils, Hail and Thunder, Locusts, Darkness…

Everytime Moses warned what would happen if Pharaoh didn’t listen; and finally – after 9 plagues; the most terrifying of all; the death of the firstborn…

Anyone whose doorposts were not marked with the blood of the slain Passover lamb would not be spared – firstborn animals and people would all die.

Moses said ‘Go?’ and Pharaoh said ‘No!’

* * *

The next morning there was terrible wailing in the streets – and Pharaoh finally relented; setting the Israelites free… and they escaped!

* * *

The Passover meal is a chance to tell the story of what God has done again and again from generation to generation.

And as we come to understand what the Passover meal meant; we come to understand the richness of John’s story in which Jesus – the innocent lamb that was slain; is crucified on the day of preparation.

He is our Passover lamb; a sacrifice made to set us free from our own ‘Egypt’. Our slavery to sin and its consequences.

Priest

I mentioned that in the last 24 hours Jesus will act as prophet, priest and king.

And as Jesus breaks bread at the Passover meal he is both priest and sacrifice as he says: ‘This is my body broken for you…’

He reconciles us to himself by offering himself as our slave and our sacrifice.

King

Finally – As Jesus takes the cup and shares it with his disciples he hints at his Kingship. I imagine these words as those of a King preparing for battle:

‘Truly I tell you,’ he says in verse 17 ‘I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.’

A King who knows – that despite the hardship of the battle – it will be won; who King who commits himself to a fast until his authority is established.

Betrayal

Finally – a thread woven through the whole of the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life is Jesus’ betrayal.

Judas will sell him out to the Priests for thirty pieces of silver.

Peter will deny him before the cock crows the next morning.

Very few disciples will be in sight by Friday evening.

Yet – all the while – in grace, Jesus shares this meal with his friends, washes their feet – and invites them to pray with him; As he looks forward to the coming of the Kingdom; in the knowledge that in his death and resurrection…

Our frailty is healed.

Conclusion

So Jesus shares his final meal with his disciples. A symbolic meal – in which he acts as slave, washing their feet; a prophetic act that reminds us of the gentleness and humility with which God reaches out to us.

He breaks bread – a symbol of his own body broken for us; a priestly act that truly breaks the barrier of sin and death between people and God.

And as King – he proclaims the Kingdom to come; in which he will reign – The promise of hope, of justice to come – in the Kingdom where he reigns.

* * *

As we think of this meal – a highly symbolic meal in which God’s love for us is remembered; perhaps we should rethink the way in which we share meals.

Do we slow down to remember the story of our relationship with God; do we take time to taste life – to interpret the moments in which we live?

I invite you – this lent – to slow down a little bit; especially as you take time to eat – and even if you eat alone, to remember Jesus with you at your table.

If you eat with people – or as a family – I encourage you to set one meal aside this lent as a time to talk about God; what God has done in your life and is doing in your life.

After they had shared their meal; probably at about midnight they sang a hymn and went on to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed.

Next week we will reflect on what happened at Gethsemane.

-----------------------

a Gk from supper

[1]The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1989 (Jn 13:3-5). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

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