April 25 - Sacraments

April 25 - Sacraments - Mark 14:1-26

It's Wednesday of Passion Week. Passover and The Feast of Unleavened Bread are coming up, Jerusalem is filling with people as they come in to town to sacrifice and celebrate. The Sanhedrin has been looking for a way to kill Jesus, but know that with this many people in Jerusalem, the crowds could get out of control if they aren't handled correctly.

Simon the Leper. What an amazing name. We know that he wouldn't still be leprous and be able to host a dinner in his home. Jesus had healed this man at some point and was now spending time with him. What had once been a cursed name for this man was now a name of remembrance.

John 12:3 tells us that the woman who poured this expensive perfume over Jesus' head was Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. This is the same woman that we read of in Luke 10:38-42, who sat at the feet of Jesus drinking in His words. Look at the amazing promise that Jesus gave her. Mark 14:9 says "...wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." Hers was a love in its purest form and would be forever remembered.

The section closes out by returning to the thoughts of Mark 14:1-2. Judas Iscariot was going to offer the Sanhedrin a chance to arrest Jesus. They were thrilled. He was watching for the perfect opportunity.

Thursday dawns. Preparations need to be made for the Passover meal. The disciples followed Jesus' instructions and got everything ready for that evening. When evening came, Jesus arrived at the location with the large upper room, large enough for the disciples to be there with Him for a meal. This meal couldn't begin until after sunset and had to be finished by midnight.

Passover was a celebration meal, yet while they were eating, Jesus changed the course of the meal by telling them that someone at that table would betray Him. Celebration quickly turned to sadness. No one could imagine that was possible?

Jesus went on to affirm His prediction and gave us "The Lord's Supper." During the Passover meal, the host would explain the meaning of the celebration as they remembered the flight from Egypt. Tonight, however, Jesus prepared His disciples for a new understanding of the bread and the wine. He spoke about literal things - his body and his blood - but taught of them in a figurative sense.

The word "eucharistēsas" means 'giving thanks.' He explained the meaning of the bread and wine, prophesied that He was going to be gone soon and then finished the meal with the traditional hymns - generally Psalms that were sung at the close of the Passover meal.