Jesus Passion For His Final Passover

Jesus Passion for His Final Passover

In today’s message I want to key in on a couple of things Jesus really wanted. Do you know there were a couple of things that Jesus was absolutely driven to have happen? A lot of people today are talking about their, "bucket list," - things they would like to do before they die. A bucket list is things you hope to do, things you would like to do, things you are not sure you can do. What I want to talk about today is a little bit different, I want to talk about something that Jesus passionately wanted to do, and was absolutely going to do.

We will start in the book of Luke:

Lu 22:14 And when the hour had come He reclined [at the table,] and the apostles with Him.

Lu 22:15 And He said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;

Lu 22:16 for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God."

Here is Luke 22:16 in the Message version.

Lu 22:15 and said, "You’ve no idea how much I have looked forward to eating this Passover meal with you before I enter my time of suffering. (MSG)

Jesus says that He was intensely desirous of eating the Passover with them. This verse opens for us a window into His soul. Often we read of Jesus knowing the thoughts of others, this is one of the occasions that we are told of His thoughts, of what was precious to Him, of what He greatly longed for.

One of the Rabbinic blessings is, "May you be covered with the dust of your Rabbi." Meaning may you walk so close to him that the dust that is kicked up by his walking falls on you. Also included is the idea that you will walk in the same path He is walking in. Since this passage gives us an insight to what drove Jesus, and what was at the top of the pyramid of His hearts desire, we who want to be like Him should consider well what His passion was, and pray that it is also instilled in us.

This was the fourth Passover Jesus had with the disciples, but it is the only one He speaks of His emotions about it. What made Jesus so greatly desirous of this one? What was He so passionate about in this Passover.

First we notice that:

1. He was passionate about being with them.

"I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover WITH YOU...

Jesus could think of nothing better to do, than be with His closest friends.

As a pastor I run into people who tell me they can be a Christian and not go to church. Jesus loved to be around His people, how can you say you are Christ like but don’t want to be around His people? Yes Jesus spent time with the people in the world, but He enjoyed it much more when He was around His disciples.

In John’s gospel we read:

John 2:23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast [day], many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.

John 2:24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all [men],

John 2:25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

Did you notice the part where it says He did not commit Himself unto them? Matthew Poole in his commentary says this about that phrase: Christ did not take all these seeming believers into his bosom, nor call them after him, nor maintain any familiar fellowship and communion with them; but made haste again into Galilee, till his time was come, knowing that in so public a place of danger they were not to be trusted; for being God blessed for ever, he had knowledge of the hearts of all men.

Sometimes people complain that there are cliques in the church. Truth of the matter is that Jesus had a clique. He treated his disciples different than the crowd, and of His disciples He was especially close to Peter, James, and John, and of those three He was closest to John. Cliques can be bad if they are snobbish or exclusive, or uppity. But to associate by similarities of age, and likes and hobbies is perfectly fine. Jesus did not desire to be with the crowds preaching to them before He died, He wanted to be with His closest friends.

Those who say they can be Christian without going to church have no idea of all the blessings they are missing out on.

John 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.