God’s Perfect Timing
Scripture: Matthew 26:26-29
“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the[b] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
Let’s focus on the events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion and the significance of the Last Supper. When diving into Matthew 26:26-29, we discover the divine orchestration behind Jesus’ final meal with His disciples.
Jesus Fulfills the Old Testament Prophecies
Jesus, knowing the prophecies of the Old Testament, repeatedly referenced Himself as the Messiah. He pointed out how the events unfolding around them were the fulfillment of those prophecies. The Last Supper, which took place during the Passover feast, holds immense significance. It was a time when God’s people celebrated their deliverance from slavery in Egypt, protected by the blood of the lamb.
Jesus, the sacrificial Lamb of God, chose this specific moment to institute the practice of communion. He took bread, gave thanks, and broke it, symbolizing His body. Then, He took the cup, gave thanks, and offered it to His disciples, representing His blood shed for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus instructed His disciples to remember Him as they celebrated the Passover, connecting His sacrifice to the freedom and redemption God had provided for His people in the past.
This passage reminds us of God’s perfect timing and His meticulous planning. He orchestrated events centuries in advance, aligning the celebration of the Passover with Jesus’ sacrificial death. It is a testament to His sovereignty and His deep love for us.
Practical Insights:
Recognize God’s Sovereignty: Reflect on the intricate details of Jesus’ life and ministry. Consider how God’s hand was at work, fulfilling prophecies and orchestrating events according to His divine plan. Trust that God is in control of your life as well, even when circumstances seem uncertain.
Celebrate Communion with Reverence: When participating in communion, remember the significance of Jesus’ sacrifice. Let it be a time of deep reflection and gratitude for His love and forgiveness. Approach the table with reverence, knowing that through His blood, we are cleansed and restored in our relationship with the Father.
Embrace God’s Perfect Timing: In moments of waiting or uncertainty, remember that God’s timing is perfect. Just as He orchestrated the events surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, He is working behind the scenes in your life. Trust in His plan and have faith that He will bring about His purposes in His perfect time.
Action Steps:
Take time to study the prophecies in the Old Testament that were fulfilled through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Reflect on the intricate details and how they point to God’s faithfulness.
Prioritize regular participation in communion, whether in a church setting or in your personal devotional time. Approach it with reverence and gratitude, remembering the significance of Jesus’ sacrifice for your life.
Surrender your timeline and plans to God, trusting in His perfect timing. Seek His guidance and wisdom in every decision, knowing that He is working all things together for your good.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your perfect timing and meticulous planning. Help us to recognize Your sovereignty in every aspect of our lives. As we reflect on the significance of Jesus’ sacrifice during the Last Supper, may we approach communion with reverence and gratitude. Teach us to trust in Your perfect timing, even when we face uncertainty or waiting. Guide us in embracing Your plan for our lives and grant us the faith to surrender our own timelines to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Podcast Transcript: God's Genius - The Last Supper
Introduction
So I read through the last few chapters in Matthew, just reflecting on what had just happened. And if I was a disciple, like Saturday, today would be a super tough day because even though Jesus had talked about it and he had referenced it, It just doesn’t seem like they expected it still. I can imagine them, the day after Jesus is crucified, getting together. Scripture doesn’t really talk about that, but I just, if I was them, I would just want to know, what just happened? Jesus tried to tell them over and over again, what was going on, what was happening. It was going to be okay. I’m fulfilling all these prophecies.
Jesus as the Messiah
I was skimming through Matthew, and it seemed like Jesus, towards the end there, just kept referencing himself as the Messiah that the Old Testament was talking about. He’s like, do you remember when the Bible says this? Do you remember when the Bible says that? It’s like, that’s happening right now, see? Oh look, that’s happening right now. The time is coming, so on and so forth. And in hindsight, I’m sure that makes a lot of sense, but at the time, today has gotta be a tough day, for sure. It’s like all hope is lost. The more I read through Matthew and I read through some of Mark this morning too, the more obvious it becomes to me that God knows what he’s doing. I mean, this has been orchestrated for a long time. It wasn’t just, hey, you know, today, Jesus just so happened to get captured today while he was praying in the garden, and he went on trial, and he was convicted and murdered. It wasn’t even a random time of year.
The Last Supper
You read through what was going on, like the last meal that Jesus had, his last supper, they were celebrating the Passover feast. That was his last meal. Like, that blows me away. That’s something that gives me the chills when I read it. I’m like, God had for sure orchestrated that. For sure. Matthew 26, verses 18, it says he replied, So he celebrates this at somebody’s house, gonna have the meal, And this is where we get the scripture verses when we’re doing communion. In verse 26, it says, While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take and eat. This is my body. Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and offered it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you. This is the blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now until the day when I drink anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.” That’s right through verse 29 in chapter 26 of Matthew. He says, remember this, this is my last meal, but remember this. And then I believe it’s in Luke, the other gospel says, as you do this, continue to remember me. It’s like as you do what? As you celebrate the Passover. That was when God rescued Israel from slavery. And through all the famines and everything God did, through Moses, to make that happen, the very last thing he did that set them free was death for everybody’s firstborn. And he protected God’s people by the blood of the lamb. If you read that, go back to Exodus, read that. God set them free and he protected them from death through the blood of the lamb. And it was through the death of everybody else’s children, because they didn’t have the blood of the Lamb, that they didn’t want anything to do with Israel anymore, and they’d let them go. Freedom came through the blood of the Lamb, and they celebrated that year after year after year for centuries. And now Jesus is here while they’re celebrating it at this time of year, which they do every year, and says, when you do this, remember me. There would be no better time, if I was orchestrating this, there would be no better time, ever, than for Jesus to have this last supper, to say, do this in remembrance of me, because I am the sacrificial lamb for you that is going to save you from your sins. This is the last meal that I have, I’m gonna eat it with you, and as you do this, every year from now on, remember me.
God’s Perfect Plan
When I read stuff like that, I’m like, man, God has got this figured out. He’s got this figured out to a level way beyond that I can comprehend. How are you going to do something centuries before, have all your people celebrating it, and then have that be a precursor and an example of how you’re going to save everybody, and then have that be the day, not some random other day during the week or during the year. They celebrate that for a whole week. And it’s during that week that he gets captured. It’s during that celebration meal is his last meal. Helping his disciples understand who Jesus was. He was a sacrificial lamb. His blood is the blood that is going to wash their sins and renew their relationship with the Father. God’s got this figured out, for sure. I think I’ve always kind of known that, like in the back of my head that I read stuff like this again, which I’ve read lots of other times before. But as I read it during this week, it’s a reminder like, yeah, no, God like really does got this thing under control, like at a level beyond that I can comprehend. That to me is comforting. Those are my thoughts for what it’s worth. Hopefully, it’s encouraging. But as always, I’m going to recommend that you get into the Word yourself and let God speak to you. Because these are the things that he’s pointed out to me. Have a great day!
