ON YOUR MARK: WEEK 12 DAY 2

Mark 14:12 – 26 

The Passover with the Disciples

12 And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 13 And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, 14 and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” 16 And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

17 And when it was evening, he came with the twelve. 18 And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” 19 They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?” 20 He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. 21 For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

Institution of the Lord's Supper

22 And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

The dinner that Jesus and the disciples were participating in was, to the Jews, the most significant feast in their year! It was a reminder of God’s provision of salvation from the Egyptians to whom they were enslaved for 400 years. It also served as a reminder of God’s faithfulness to Israel and His coming faithfulness when He would provide salvation through the coming Savior.

That night, Jesus took that dinner and gave it new meaning: He is the promised and long-awaited Savior. And He is not just the Savior of the Jews, He, in fact, brings salvation for all of humanity. On that same night, Jesus reminded them that as they broke the bread, His body would be given for them (and for us). Jesus then took the cup of wine, passed it around, and said that it represented His blood shed for us.

That was the cost of reconciliation with God. That was the cost of our salvation; a life for a life. Jesus did that because of God’s great love for us!

Take a minute and dwell on what your relationship with God cost and give thanks to Him!