They
went off to the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they
prepared the Passover meal there. When the time came, Jesus and the apostles
sat down together at the table. Jesus said, "I have been very eager to
eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now
that I won't eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom
of God." Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. Then he
said, "Take this and share it among yourselves. For I will not drink wine
again until the Kingdom of God has come." He took some bread and gave
thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples,
saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember
me." After supper he took another cup of wine and said, "This cup is
the new covenant between God and his people--an agreement confirmed with my
blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you. Luke 22:13-20
Excitement –
enthusiasm, eagerness, exhilaration, anticipation, pleasure, delight, elation.
This was a time of Passover—a joyous Jewish
celebration. Jerusalem was crowded with people there to worship, since it was a
Jewish Festival that required Temple attendance.
Each year you must celebrate three festivals
in my honor. First, celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For seven days
the bread you eat must be made without yeast, just as I commanded you.
Celebrate this festival annually at the appointed time in early spring, in the
month of Abib, for that is the anniversary of your departure from Egypt. No one
may appear before me without an offering. Second, celebrate the Festival of
Harvest, when you bring me the first crops of your harvest. Finally, celebrate
the Festival of the Final Harvest at the end of the harvest season, when you
have harvested all the crops from your fields. At these three times each year,
every man in Israel must appear before the Sovereign, the LORD. Exodus
23:14-17
Jesus and His disciples were meeting the
requirements of the Jewish customs by being in Jerusalem and celebrating
Passover.
Think about how you look forward to special
holidays to celebrate with family and friends. Jesus here expressed that same
enthusiasm. I have been very eager to eat this Passover
meal with you. Another
translation says… I have earnestly
desired to eat this Passover with you…(NASB). He was anticipating this
feast that they were about to begin. The table was probably loaded with good
food…as well as bread and wine. This would be Jesus’ last meal and He knew it.
I’m sure He wanted to enjoy every morsel…as well as the companionship around
the table. This was also His last teaching session. The precious lessons He
conveyed are recorded by John for us in John 14-17. Those are worth an intense
study sometime. Put that on your TO DO List.
Consider the excitement that Jesus invoked
in others during His ministry and the people that He healed. Some shouted with
joy.
As he entered a village there, ten lepers
stood at a distance, crying out, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"
He looked at them and said, "Go show yourselves to the priests." And
as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy. One of them, when he saw that
he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, "Praise God!" He fell to
the ground at Jesus' feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a
Samaritan. ... And Jesus said to the man, "Stand up and go. Your faith has
healed you." Luke 17:12-16, 19
Gratefully giving God glory. That is how we
should be when we experience God working in our lives. We need to show our excitement
like Zaccheaus.
Jesus knows us by name. Just to hear his
name called out…and that Jesus was coming to his home, excited Zaccheaus.
When Jesus came by, he looked up at
Zacchaeus and called him by name. "Zacchaeus!" he said. "Quick,
come down! I must be a guest in your home today." Zacchaeus quickly
climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy.
But the people were displeased. "He has gone to be the guest of a
notorious sinner," they grumbled. Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the
Lord and said, "I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I
have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as
much!" Jesus responded, "Salvation has come to this home today, for
this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came
to seek and save those who are lost." Luke 19:5-10
How do you show your enthusiasm—your excitement
for what the Lord has done for you?
Work with enthusiasm, as though you
were working for the Lord rather than for people. Ephesians 6:7
Prayer
~ Dear Jesus, I am excited daily as I eagerly anticipate Your presence in my
life…Your healing touch…and Your return to take Your church to Your heavenly
home. Thank You.
Daily
Bible Reading: Jeremiah 35-37
Friday’s
Feast at the King’s Table
Time to put up a few jars of fresh dill
pickles. If they are not all eaten soon they should last until Thanksgiving so
that you can share them with family and friends at your Thanksgiving Feast.
Refrigerator Dill Pickles
3 ½ cups
water
1 ¼ cups
white vinegar
1Tbsp
sugar
1Tbsp
sea salt (no iodine added)
4 cups
cucumber spears or small whole cucs
4
cloves garlic, sliced and mashed
2 heads
fresh dill
Stir water,
vinegar, sugar and salt together in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil.
Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Sterilize
four pint (or combination of pint and quart) glass jars. Heat lids.
Wash
cucumbers well and slice into spears if they are large. Put cucumbers, garlic
cloves and fresh dill into jars. Pour cooled vinegar solution over cucumbers.
Seal jars with lids and refrigerate for at least three days.
© 2018 Text and
photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All
scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.
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