June 14, 2009

 Mark 14:12-26 

The Last Supper, The Gang...the Betrayal

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Mark

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread (the day the Passover lambs were sacrificed), Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go to prepare the Passover supper?"

So Jesus sent two of them into Jerusalem to make the arrangements.  "As you go into the city," he told them, "a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you.  Follow him.  At the house he enters, say to the owner, "The Teacher asks, 'Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?'  He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up.  That is the place; go ahead and prepare our supper there."  So the two disciples went on ahead into the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover supper there.  

In the evening Jesus arrived with the twelve disciples.  As they were sitting around the table eating, Jesus said, "The truth is, one of you will betray me, one of you who is here eating with me."  

Greatly distressed, one by one they began to ask him, "I'm not the one, am I?"

He replied, "It is one of you twelve, one who is eating with me now.  For I, the Son of Man, must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago.  But how terrible it will be for my betrayer. Far better for him if he had never been born!"

As they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread and asked God's blessing on it.  Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, "Take it, for this is my body."

And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it.  He gave it to them and they all drank from it.  And he said to them, "This is my blood, poured out for many, sealing the covenant between God and his people.  I solemly declare that I will not drink wine again until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God."  Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.   

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Thoughts...

The Last Supper.  There are two schools of thought on the last supper in Christian circles.  One is that when we now partake of 'the last supper' it is a representation...a remembrance only.  The other is that is is a communion, we actually are receiving the body and the blood of Christ.  Let's look at the scripture.  Jesus said...JESUS SAID...."Take it, for this is my body."  "This is my blood."  Now, this is according to Mark.  In Luke 22:19-20,  Luke notes that Jesus says, "This is my body given for you.  Do this in remembrance of me."  "This wine is the token of God's new covenant to save you--an agreement sealed with the blood I will pour out for you."  Matthew tells us in Matthew 26:26-29 that Jesus said, "Take it and eat it for this is my body."  And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it.  He gave it to them and said, "Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood which seals the covenant between God and his people.  It is poured out to forgive the sins of many."  

'Is'...is...'is'.  YES, do this in remembrance of all he did.  But realize that he said...'is'.  Yes, realize the wine is a token...a reminder...a keepsake...of God's new covenant.  But take..eat...it is...his body and his blood.  In the protestant churches, it is understood that partaking of the wine or juice and the wafer or bread is just a copy of what he did...a reenactment of sorts to remember him.  In the Catholic church, it is believed that the body and the blood are actually present mystically in the wine and the wafer...the host.  That Jesus truly enters in...is present...it is his body and his blood.  As Jesus asked his disciples to receive him completely and become one with him in this action, the Catholic church embraces him the same.  

I want you to read the scripture today as if you are there...in the upper room, you are one of the disciples of Christ.  He is looking around and he sees you.  His eyes penetrate your heart...your soul is on fire.  And then he asks you to become one with him.  You are overcome with passion for this man who is to become your Savior...he is now your Rabbi, your Lord.  You revere him and are enraptured with him....all he says and all he does you wish to embody.  Your spirit runs to him and says yes....and you take the cup and you drink from it.  And likewise...you eat the bread.  You are lifted to new heights of glory.  For him....and only him.  You know that you will be one with him in paradise.  You, too, shall be resurrected....in time.  Praise God...our glorious God...for giving you THE Savior of the world.  

And your Rab speaks words of pain and suffering...telling you and the others that he is going to be betrayed and it is one of the gang....one of the tight-knit close boys from the hood.  Your heart is stabbed to its core when he tells you he must die.  You look around and wonder who...who would do such a thing?  Who could take your Savior from you?  You fear it could be you.  You pray it is not.  

Yet every day that you do not serve the Master, the Rab, the Savior of the world...a man who could be your Savior, if you would let him, and obey him....if you would receive him in the body and the blood....you betray him.  You betray him when the thoughts of the hood are more important.  You betray him when your desires overcome the desires of his heart for you and for others.  You betray him when you sit at the table and do not give him thanks for all he provided for you to eat....drink.  You betray him when you do not thank him for your life...your mere existance, for his death to allow you to be forgiven of your sins and the offer of eternal life.  You betray him with the poor choice of television show, the cigarette, the liquor, the swear words, the impartial, impudent, irrespectful way you choose to live.  You betray him when you do not worship your risen Lord.

You never know when you will partake of YOUR last supper.  Will it be with him, when you do?  Are you a part of the gang that loves him more than life itself?  Join the hood today....the one that matters.  Be a part of the brotherhood/sisterhood of the Son of Man...the Son of God.  Make this choice the right choice.  Go to your church and take communion....come into union with Jesus...ask him into your heart.  Don't just take the body and the blood as a remembrance.  Fully enter into life with Jesus today and allow him to fully enter you.  Believe that it is the body and the blood of Jesus Christ.  And for you it will be.     

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Let Us Pray

Lord, when did I see you and not respond?  Forgive me, Lord.  When did I feel you and not reach out to touch you?  Forgive me, Lord.  Lord, when did you speak to me directly or through others and I did not want to hear you...or listen?  Oh, Lord, forgive me.  When did you ask for my heart...to become one with you...call my name...and I didn't respond?  Oh, my Lord...my? Lord....forgive me.  Forgive me for all the things I've done wrong, and thank you for helping me all the times I did make right choices and did things right.  Thank you for all things because I have now learned from them.  This Lord, is a painful lesson of reality to learn.  Forgive me with the fullness of my heart, Lord.  Please.  Lord, love me still, please.  Help me 'to make of the timber of my life a mountain'...of love for you and for others.  Help me to stop looking at my desires and needs and start looking at yours, so you will see that my needs are met, as I meet yours and those of whom you call me to help.  Emblazon your love on my very soul.  Even if I cannot get to church, I believe in the fullness of my heart that if I take a piece of bread and a sip of water, that you will turn it into your body and blood, so that I can become one with you.  I so see the need to become one with you....and not just a need...an all encompassing desire to love you and receive all the love you have to give me even beyond what you have already done for me....died...on a cross....nailed...for me.  With every strike of the nail, you and I were cleansed.  You bled for me...me.  Someone special to you.  Oh, Lord, forgive me still.  I bow to you now, my Savior.   I honor you...I will honor you.  I will make better choices for a new life for and with you for myself and others around me.  I will tell others of your love and the choices you made to give them a new life, too.  I will raise you to new heights of glory.  I will with your help.  I praise you, I worship you, I glorify you....King of Heaven...Lamb of God.  I love you.  Thank you....forever thank you.  Amen.               

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Scroll down to read Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving...'The Unforced Rythms of Grace'.

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Definition of a Christian:  Anyone who believes in God, Jesus and Holy Spirit, and accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Regardless of church name or religious affiliation.  

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Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this:

I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

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  Our NEW Current Cause

My family and I, and the church, are in crisis and could desperately use your prayers and financial support.  Due to medical concerns, employment crisis, and economic devastation,  I do not have funding to meet everyday expenses right now for the church, or home, nor those necessary to keep this website afloat for those shut-in or needing spiritual support, nor the ability to help others along the way.  But I am confident that, with your help, balance can be achieved.  If God touches your heart, I hope you will pray earnestly for the church, my family and me, and send any amount of money you can to help.  Please note 'Church and Family' on your check and I will see that all funds get divided appropriately.  The church, I and my family, as well as to those to whom we reach out, will be sincerely grateful for anything you can do to help.  

Please accept my sincerest thanks....and may God bless you!

 Melinda Norstad, Minister

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    One last thing....

 Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving

'The Unforced Rythms of Grace'

 "Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer:  "Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth.  You've concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people.  Yes, Father, that's the way you like to work."

Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly.  "The Father has given me all these things to do and say.  This is a unique Father - Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge.  No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does.  But I'm not keeping it to myself; I'm ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen."

"Are you tired?  Worn out?  Burned out on religion?  Come to me.  Get away with me and you'll recover your life.  I'll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn how to live freely and lightly.

  Matthew 11:  25-30

  The Message

And the people said,

"Amen."

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I now write most prayers in the position of ' I ' (first person) because most people are sitting at their computer alone, not in groups, and it allows those reading and praying to personalize the prayer as coming from them going to God.  Variations may appear on holidays when families may wish to use the prayer provided.

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 Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996.  Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189.  All rights reserved.

Scriptures may be taken from the New Living Translations website.

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