The New Passover

For 1500 years since the Exodus Passover has been celebrated without a break. This is the final legitimate Passover because the next day the one who was the true Passover lamb.

Christ, our Passover would be slain in the reality would come the substance would come in the symbols in the shadows you fail to see how the parts make up an even grander hole, and with that in mind today on grace to you. John MacArthur continues his brand-new series called the divine drama of redemption.

It's based on Mark's gospel and it's a high-altitude look at the Easter story and Christ's saving work on behalf of sinners.

If you're a new believer. This will quickly catch you up on the details surrounding Christ's crucifixion and the resurrection. And even if you're familiar with how Christ paid the penalty for sinners. This study will give you a fresh perspective on the story of redemption. And so with that, here's John MacArthur. Well, let's turn to the word of God. Mark 1417 when it was evening he came with the 12 as they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, truly, I say to you that one of you will betray me one who is eating with me. They began to be grieved and to say to him one by one, surely not. I and he said to them, it is one of the 12 one who dips with me in the bowl for the Son of Man is to go just as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed, it would've been good for that man if he had not been born while they were eating, he took some bread, and after a blessing, he broke it and gave it to them and said, take it this is my body, and when he had taken a cup and given thanks, he gave it to them and they all drank from it and he said to them, this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many truly I say to you I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God. After singing a hymn, they went out to the amount of olives. This Passover is monumental for 1500 years since the Exodus Passover has been celebrated at that time of year by the Jews without a break. This is the last Passover. This is the final legitimate Passover. This marks the end of the old and the beginning of the new is not only the last Passover is the first communion, our Lord himself makes the transition taking the components of the last Passover and redefining them as the elements of his table. The Old Testament is over in the New Testament has come. Now, it is essential that our Lord be the Passover on Friday and die at 3 o'clock at exactly the time the Judeans were slaughtering the lambs for their Passover, for he is the Passover lamb and God made the timing perfect because Jesus died at exactly that time on Friday, but it also is crucial that he celebrate the Passover, and thus this tradition of one on Thursday and one on Friday fits perfectly into the purpose and plan of God who is in control. After all of history. Lord needs to celebrate this final Passover because it is commanded to do that and that allows him again. As always, to fulfill all righteousness. He also needs to celebrated in order that he might define it as the end and that he might inaugurate the new Memorial that we call communion and make the transition is also critical that he have time prolonged time from the very beginning of evening till after midnight to instruct his disciples and all of that instruction is contained in John chapter 13 through chapter 60. It is a critical area of biblical instruction and it is capped off by the great high priestly prayer of our Lord, recorded in John 17. Within that there are promises about the future as well as a listing of all the necessary resources for their survival and what was to come.

The main premise that our Lord gave them during those hours was the promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit.

It also provided an opportunity for him on his schedule on his timing when he wanted it done to initiate the action of Judas to bring about his death. Right on God schedule crucial Thursday evening. Then, now, having said that those are the components of that evening.

We don't know all of the chronological sequence with any precision. It really isn't that important to know what followed what it only matters that we know what happened. All of these things that are important are laid out for us by the four Gospel writers who write about Thursday night and collectively we get the full picture. If not, in any kind of order. What happened is critical. The sequence is not Passover was a very simple Memorial.

It looked back to the Exodus in Egypt final plague you remember in the book of Exodus was the slaying of the firstborn in every family and the only way that you can avoid the angel of death coming by and killing your firstborn was to sacrifice a lamb and spread the blood of that lamb on the cross piece and the side pieces. The wooden pieces of the door and where the angel of death saw that the past by hence Passover what that said was that protection from the judgment of God deliverance from the wrath of God requires death and requires listen the death of an innocent substitute. That's what the sacrificial system communicate very simple. That deliverance from sins judgment from divine wrath can be provided by the death of an innocent substitute. The lamb was innocent from iniquitous viewpoint, but no lamb ever satisfied God. That is why millions of them had been slaughtered through those 1500 years, but now this would be the last legitimate Passover because the next day the one who was the true Passover lamb. First Corinthians 5.

Seven. Christ, our Passover would be slain, and the reality would come the substance would come in the symbols in the shadows would cease the slaughter of these lambs had gone on for centuries but now only one more day exactly the hour of slaughter on Friday afternoon. True lamb would die the veil in the temple will be ripped from top to bottom in the system of sacrifice. The Levitical system would come to its final in it would be ended, not by Judas and not by Herod and not by Caiaphas and not by the Jewish leaders of the Sanhedrin and not by the Romans. It would be ended by God who offered up his own son is his perfect sacrifice now again it's Thursday evening Peter and John have gone to make preparations the disciples as Thursday began you remember said were going to have the past.

There is a 13 of us were going to have passing and the Lord answers the question by sending Peter and John Luke tells us that in Luke 22 eight define a man carrying a water jar and follow him and the Lord. It obviously set it up and he will take you to the place they went to the place Peter and John and never left.

So eventually they all arrive. That's what we see in verse 17 it was evening of that Thursday and he came with the 12 he actually came technically with 10. The other two remaining there and they were all together and again we don't have a fixed chronology, but this evening then begins when evening begins at the setting of the sun and runs past midnight is a long meal into that evening the four Gospels fit the following components. The Passover meal itself. The exposure of Judas the action of Satan, the confrontation of Peter about his denial. The discussion among the apostles about who of them will be the greatest. The unparalleled act of washing their feet. The teaching of John 13 to 16, which includes the promise of the Holy Spirit and persecution and all other resources that will be made available to them. The prayer of Jesus in John 17, and some other warnings to the apostles. All of that occurs and is woven in and around the events that go on for many hours at the Passover again.

The components are crucial to sequence is not but just break it up into two parts. The final Passover in the first communion.

Okay, let's look at the final Passover verse 17 of this night is is a monumental transition I can emphasize that too much. The old is gone, the new has come. In verse 17 we pick it up that he came with the 12 and as they were reclining at the table and eating stop there, just long enough to say this is not a quick lunch. This is not a fast meal they recline when they wanted a prolonged meal. That's what they did, their heads would be at the table their feet reclining away from the table. They didn't put their feet under the table as we do.

We sit in a chair put our feet under the table they were on some kind of a reclining couch of some nature with feet away from the table and their heads toward the table. Early in this celebration.

In this sequence. Our Lord says something that I think is important for us to hear in Luke 2215 and 60 he said to them, I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. Language is very very strong literally. He says I desire with a desire that's emphatic in the Greek this is a very strong passion. I must celebrate this Passover with you before I suffer.

This has to happen for all the reasons that I told not only because it's right because it's commanded by God but because he must make this transition, he must end an era he must bring to a completion and entire system and launch a new one and he must lay out all the promises upon which every believer through all of redemptive history draws must tell them of the coming of the Holy Spirit and he must confront their sin, and he must give them a lesson on humility in all these things are so compelling. He knows that he can't die until all of this is clearly delineated to them, and the Holy Spirit will bring it back to their memory in the future and they will write it down and it will be in Scripture, rated, and we will follow that instruction and cling to those promises. This pass to happen before he dies. He has like everybody else lived his whole life. Seeing animal sacrifice and all of them.

He knew pointed to him and now he was eating a meal at which the last legitimate lamb was sacrificed and would be and in a matter of hours would be over and he was the fulfillment of all those sacrifices in the view of his imminent suffering. He knows he will die. He knows he will not live to another Passover. He understands the urgency of this hour. Now back to Mark will move a little faster as they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, truly, I say to you that one of you will betray me one who is eating with me somewhere in the middle of this Passover this last Passover, Jesus says one of you will betray me one of you. When Jesus said one of you will betray me one who was eating with me that was outrageous when you had a meal was someone that was safety that was friendship. You didn't violate the person you are having a meal with unthinkable in the Jewish culture. One of you, but I had no idea that was Judas verse 19. They began to be grieved and to say to him one by one. Surely not high word grieved lapel means to be distressed, sorrowful, profoundly pained. Matthew adds they were exceedingly slow drip strongly violently distressed, agitated. John 1322 says they were doubting, of whom he spoke. They had no clue. For three years Judas had been the most clever of hypocrite when they preached. He preached when they talk about the kingdom.

He talked about the kingdom. When they prayed, he prayed when they listen. He listened. Apparently when they healed he was out there doing their shock and disbelief. They had no clue what the disciples verse 22 began looking at one another at a loss to know which of them.

He was speaking in there next to Jesus was John the one whom Jesus loved the always calls himself like that. Simon Peter says to John ask ask ask John said Lord Lewis. Jesus then answered. That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsels. So now we know there at the point where there ready to dip the bread and give it to him. So when you dip the morsel. He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. After the morsel Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him what you do do quickly is wretched and foolish as Judas was as much as he operated on his own evil wretched desires. He did not function outside the plan of God, nor did he alter the plan of God athwart the plan of God or adjust the plan of God for verse 21 says for the Son of Man is to go just as it is written of him. He is to go just as it is written of him and it is written of him that he will be betrayed by a familiar friend that he will be betrayed by one who lifts up his his heel against him, who also takes bread with him. It is written of him, he will go the way it is written of him. Every detail the details of his crucifixion in Psalm 22 the meaning of his crucifixion in Isaiah 53 the detail of him being pierced and Zechariah 1210 the details of his resurrection. In Psalm 16, and other features of Old Testament prophecy. All three written that is why when Paul preaches the gospel in first Corinthians 15 verse three he says Christ died.

According to the Scriptures next verse, and rose the third day according to the Scriptures everything was laid out in Scripture. Our Lord was not killed at the whim of Judas or Pilate or Caiaphas or Herod or the Sanhedrin or the Romans or even Satan, but by God on God's timing and in God's manner still verse 21 says woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.

Would've been good for that man if he had not been born because God used Judas in his plan does not exonerate Judas case you wondered God will use every human being who rejects him to accomplish his own purpose in his own plan and none of them will be exonerated because our sovereign God overrules for his own ends. In his own glories their choices. That's nothing different with Judas than it is with anybody. If you think that if anyone thinks that they can thwart the purposes of God by acting against Christ and against his church and against the gospel and against God himself that is a fool to be sure God orders everything according to his own purpose at this point, the record tells us Judas left and he went to get his money and to tell the leaders of the Sanhedrin where they could find Jesus in the garden later. Now the 11 remaining in the Lord instructs them on his table.

We come to verse 22. Now I know we have several verses left but this is something you're very familiar with.

So I am knocking to spend a lot of time on this while they were eating, he took some bread at some point in this Passover pretty high drama. By now he blesses it, which is what went on, as they ate. They bless the cup they blessed the bread they blessed the lamb. They bless the whole event.

He broke it and gave it to them and said, take it or take. Actually, this is my body.

He broke it. That's so that they could all shared was baked as a unit of some kind. He broke it does not symbolic because not a bone of his body was broken.

John 1936 as as it was prophesied broken only to be distributed is given to them. Take, eat, then he said this is my body that's new that the bread of the Passover had never been anything but a memorial to the Passover itself in Egypt and the unleavened bread which they baked for that Passover meal. This is all bran new. In fact, Luke adds this, Luke 2219. This is my body which is given for you. That's so important is meant to do this in here the keywords in remembrance of me. That explains what this act means is remembrance. Paul got it for screen is 1124 when he had given thanks, he broke it said this is my body which is for you.

Do this in remembrance of me. It's a remembrance is nothing more by it.

We remember that he was bruised for our iniquities that he was chasing for our peace, that he was wounded for our transgressions.

Isaiah 53 Galatians 3 he was made a curse for us that he was made sin for us, who knew no sin that he bore in his own body our sins on the cross.

All of those things that the New Testament talks about it is simply remembrance that's the bread and the cup is the same when he had taken a cup, a cup nephew calls it the cup Luke first Corinthians calls it the cup and so does Paul V cup that would correspond. I think to the 3rd cup of the Passover after the eating and before the final singing.

This is often called the cup of blessing to the cup, and gave thanks gave it to them.

They all drank from it and he said, and this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many, shedding blood was God's requirement to establish a covenant, just a quick note a lot of covenants in the Bible God made a lot of promises you promise not to drown the world again. That's the no way covenant gave us the law.

That's the Mosaic covenant had a priestly covenant about the behavior.

The priest there was the Abraham a covenant which did promise salvation, but no means there is the Davidic covenant which promises a kingdom in the king at the Messiah and the future kingdom. The new covenant promises forgiveness of sin, salvation, regeneration, a new life. It is laid out in specific. In Ezekiel 36 in Ezekiel 37 and in Jeremiah 31. It is a saving covenant to get a new heart and a new spirit and complete forgiveness.

It's all regeneration that salvation that's always been in operation. It's always been in operation, but it was ratified by the death of Jesus Christ.

The old covenant could be written constantly in animal blood because it was only a covenant of of promise. It consisted of promise, the new covenant is fully satisfied in the blood of one lamb. The blood of Christ because it consisted not of promise, but of fulfillment fulfillment.

Now there's no more need for the symbolic lamb's all we need to do is remember the number.

The this is grace to you with John MacArthur.

Thanks for being with us.

John has titled this brand-new Easter series, the divine drama of redemption was just thinking about what we saw today about the origins of the Lord's supper communion. We received a call from a listener who has a serious concern that speaks not so much to the details of the Lord's supper, but what God requires of those who participate in it.

And so, let's hear this question now and then John you respond and I wondered that I fell many times a night of drinking. Sometimes they all your networking. I'm really want to live the Christian life. I grab many regulation and I think I got a little help play that might mean thanking him well. Thank you Sharon. If we had to be sinless to take communion. Nobody would take communion although the New Testament requires of us will become the Lord's table is to examine ourselves. That means you look into your own mind and be honest about whether or not your cultivating sin with your entertaining sin.

Whether your purposely continuing in sin. That is the issue because if you come to the Lord's table sinning with an attitude of hatred or animosity or pride or or anything like that if you come to the Lord's table with behaviors in your life that are not honoring to God. You will bring judgment on yourself. I don't think people think about how serious the sin it is to come to the Lord's table and say I am going to celebrate Christ death for my sin, while at the same time holding onto my sin, and thus mocking the very act that I'm doing this little wonder that the New Testament says you bring judgment on yourself. That doesn't mean you have to come perfect as no one would ever be able to do that but you come confessing and repenting.

I'm convinced that that is the whole point of the Lord's table in a church, not simply to historically remember the cross of Christ, but personally to confront the sin in our lives. I think many people assume communion is just a remembrance of the cross. What is that but it's the remembrance of the cross that looks at the fact that the cross is what the Lord provided to take away my sin and I can't honor him for doing that while I'm holding onto that sin. Thank you John, that is a question I know many people have been friend, just a reminder that our Q&A line is open to anyone. If you have a question for John just call and leave your message and you may hear John answer your question on a future broadcast so get in touch with us today. The Q&A number is 661-295-6288 and again you can call any time leave your question and you might hear John's answer on an upcoming broadcast that Q&A line one more time. Here's the number 661-295-6288. You can also find that number@ourwebsitejidety.org and to find answers to your biblical questions right when you have them pick up a copy of our flagship resource MacArthur study Bible study Bible has 25,000 footnotes to help you understand what you're reading and to apply the truth to your life is available in the English standard King James and new American Standard versions as well as Spanish, Chinese, Arabic and other non-English translations to order the MacArthur study Bible, call us toll-free 855 grace or shop online@tty.org that's TTY.org now for John MacArthur and the entire grace to you. Staff I'm Phil Johnson reminding you to watch grace to you television Sundays on DirecTV channel 378 or check your local listings for channel and times and be here tomorrow when John continues his look at the divine drama of redemption. It's another half hour of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on grace