Beyond Judgment (Luke 22:7-38)

Passover

• Luke 22:7 (NIV)

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Have you ever experienced a close one, like where you could of, or should of, been hurt, but somehow, someway (God), it didn't happen? 

Yet, sometimes we can't avoid being hurt, but suffering for righteousness compared to wickedness is two different stories.

Communion is the symbolic celebration of the passover, that the body and the blood of the lamb separates those who are in relationship with God from judgment. If we can learn to partake of the Lord daily, we can overcome our sinful nature, and judgment can passover, continually. 

Here in Luke 22:7-38 we have the story of the Last Supper. The passover celebration at this time was going to be seen from another view point, no longer symbolic of what was to come, but experienced in Christ as the fulfillment of what has come. 

Communion is just a religious observance if not experienced in life relationship with God. He is our passover when we abide in Him. How though do we remain in Christ? We see in the passage that Jesus gave the disciples instructions on preparing the way for Him. No matter how small the task is, when we follow through He is present, and His perfect will is the safest place we can be. This again does not mean we are void of suffering, it means we are free from judgment. Meaning we are free from the consequences of our past, generational curses, and judgment on those around us.

Jesus spoke that one of his disciples (Judas) would betray him. It is hard to imagine anyone that close to Jesus betraying him. Yet we are the very body of Christ, His chosen bride, and yet we commune with Him one moment and betray Him the next. How do we betray Him? When we are ashamed of Him before others and compromise our beliefs so not to offend anyone. If someone was married to someone and nobody else knew, what sense does that make, yet who else knows that we are married to Christ. If we are passionately in love with Jesus we should not be able to hold it within. When I feel in love with my wife, everyone knew, ever strangers, for I would tell all my customers at the restaurant I worked. When we make promises to Christ and don't follow through with them that is betrayal. We play the modern role of Judas, thank God for His unconditional love and mercy, that judgment doesn't fall when it should.

We next see in this passage the disciples disputing whom is greatest. Jesus explains that the greatest becomes the least, for a follower of Jesus is humble, and leads through service not by force. When we operate in a worldly manner we can expect worldly results. The way of the Kingdom of God is upside down compared to this world. Only when being separate from the world are we separate from the suffering of the world. We will suffer in this life by the world but not from judgment from being of the world. 

Jesus now tells Peter that he will betray Him by denying Him three times. Fear of rejection and suffering can change a man's path rather quickly. Peter told Jesus He would go to jail and even die for Him, we all say a lot when emotional that we don't have the guts to follow through with.  If I have given my life to Jesus Christ but I am not in communion, I betray Him as Peter did for I deny His existence through the lack of His presence in my life.

As we will soon see Jesus did not forsake Peter, He did not even condemn Him, He restored Him, and so He does with us today, we forsake Him but He never forsakes us. So let us this day commune with Him and let judgment pass over.