The Master’s Picture

[0:00] His disciples at the last Passover there, as we've seen in Jesus as he begins to prepare and to work through those things with his disciples, preparing them for what is to come here very shortly.

[0:16] And we find that as Jesus is there, we're going to take a look at the master's picture that he has set forth and that we might know and to understand what God is doing and how God is working in this situation here.

[0:37] How many of you ever heard that a picture is worth a thousand words? You know, that used to be a saying that said, you know, but the rest of that, that attached to it, but a memory is priceless, you know.

[0:48] So, and most of us, you know, really today we do a lot with pictures and the things that we take. I mean, we have devices filled with pictures. You know, people, some people, I mean, it amazes me as I talk to people.

[1:02] It's like, well, I got to get a new phone. Why? Well, I don't have enough room for all my pictures. You know, they take a picture and record everything that is around them. And, but most of us do have pictures around and pictures we know we enjoy in our generation, something very special and unique because we have pictures all over, you know, that you can look at and they bring back memories from specific milestones in life, you know, events like, you know, when a little one is born, you know, you get grandmas go snap happy and they get all sorts of pictures going, you know, and, and you find that things like graduations, you know, or weddings or other meaningful events or maybe a special vacation or a location of something that we take a picture and we keep those pictures.

[1:52] Why? Because when we look at that picture, it brings back to mind those things associated with it, you know, it brings back to mind, you know, the, the enjoyment that it might've brought or the, or the joy that came with it or the milestone of that event in life, you know, as you look back and you remember those things and a picture is that because a picture itself is not the event, but a picture does help us to recall, I believe, the value surrounding the event, you know, because the picture is just that.

[2:31] It's just a, something that is a flashpoint in time. But what it means to us makes a difference. You know, as we're looking here at the last Passover, I want you to understand this meal that Jesus is celebrating with his disciples represents a moment in time that transformed the children of Israel.

[2:55] This is a transformational moment that this marks. When we look at the last supper that Jesus has with his disciples here, at that moment in time, because it brought back to them that night in Egypt where they had slain the land and the, and the head of the household had went out and put the blood as he dipped it in the bowl with the hyssop and, and put it upon the doorpost.

[3:22] And we know that the death angel, the destroyer passed over all those that had the blood applied. And we see that picture for them.

[3:33] It was something they were supposed to do for a memorial forever. You know, to remember, what does it do? That event created a picture in their mind that they might remember what took place.

[3:47] And here is the disciples and Jesus here, they're looking back at a moment in time, but Jesus is going to take it and move it to a moment in the future for him, which will become a moment in time for us.

[4:07] And we're going to see this picture played out. So if you found Mark chapter 14 this morning, let's stand together in honor of the reading of the word of God and we'll pick up in verse 22 in Mark chapter 14.

[4:18] If you want to follow along in your Bible, hopefully you brought your Bible with you this morning. You know, that's a, if you come to church, that's the best thing you can bring with you besides yourself is a Bible. Amen. And so you can see for yourself and notice here in verse 22, it says, and as they did eat, Jesus took bread and blast and break it and gave it to them and said, take eat.

[4:40] This is my body. And he took the cup and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many.

[4:54] Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine until the day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives.

[5:08] Let's pray. Heavenly Father, as we come before you today, Lord, we're thankful for your word. We're thankful for the picture that we see here today. Lord, what a wonderful picture that this brings forth to the reality of your salvation, what you've done and provided for all those who call upon you.

[5:27] Lord, I pray that you just would work in a mighty way in our hearts here today. Lord, that we might even today remember and to know for sure there was a point in time when we've called upon you.

[5:39] Lord, I pray that you just have your hand upon each one today. Lord, you know the need. You know those that need encouragement. Lord, you know those who are struggling with things. Lord, you know all the different dynamics of life we bring in.

[5:52] But Lord, help us to still our minds here today that we might really consider what this picture is before us here today. And Lord, we just give you all the praise in Jesus' name.

[6:04] Amen. May be seated. You know, we can have thousands of pictures stored on a device marking moments in time. But, you know, the problem is oftentimes I find people have thousands of pictures, but most of the time they never go back and look at them.

[6:21] You know, most of the time they never go back and look at all the things. And sometimes there's so many that they lose sight of what it really is or what took place or, you know, it becomes overwhelming.

[6:32] But I want you to understand, hopefully the picture we see today is one you always remember. One that is always brought to the forefront of your mind. One that you never take for granted.

[6:45] One that you never just look past or to take lightly. Because as we see this moment in time, it's going to be very easy sometimes to pass through life at the busyness of life.

[7:00] And that's the reason I think Jesus, you're going to find, told the children of Israel, clear back in the Old Testament, we'll find that the reason the Passover was given to the children of Israel is so that it would not pass by their memory.

[7:15] That it wouldn't just go on of something that, yeah, we heard about, but something that would be brought up every year to the forefront of their mind. To consider those things, but to stop and to consider what took place.

[7:30] You know, look back in Exodus chapter 12 for a moment. Exodus chapter 12, we find here when the Passover was instituted, here in the book of Exodus, you'll find as the children of Israel are facing the dynamics happening with God judging Egypt and judging the gods of Egypt.

[7:50] And we're going to see here as God prepares that last judgment upon them. And we see this, and it says in verse 14 of Exodus chapter 12, it says, And this day shall be unto you for a memorial, and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations.

[8:09] And ye shall keep it a feast by ordinance forever. In other words, God said, I want you to mark this day, this 14th day of the first month of your new calendar to say, this is the day that you're to stop and to remember what took place.

[8:32] To remember what happened in Egypt, because the memorial that was given to Israel thousands of years ago is now going to be transformed by the one that instituted it.

[8:46] The very thing they were remembering pointed to the one that sat at the table with them. Everything about the Passover, the blood that was applied, the perfect lamb that was to be slain, everything from the pictures we're going to see here today of the bread that was broken, and the cup that represents his blood.

[9:08] And we're going to see how Jesus presents this to them in a way that impacts even us today. Because I want you to understand, the Passover was not to be a ritual.

[9:21] The Passover was not to be a ritual. Those were just how Jesus blanc thì took place even us today. In other words, sometimes we get so caught up in doing the thing that we forget what's the purpose behind it.

[9:34] We find that today even. We'll have special days in our nation that are set aside. We'll have special holidays that mark or commemorate. you know it's like memorial day memorial days for most people to become just another day off but when it was instituted it wasn't just another day off it had meaning it had purpose behind it there was something attached to it and they wanted people to remember here jesus has given us something to remember and we're going to look at what are we to remember and what's he pointing to and how does it impact us today because what happened right here still impacts you and i if we're not separated from it because we're going to see here as we see the body uh there this as we note the blood of the lamb was applied in egypt on the doorpost you know interesting thing about the passover in egypt is the only place they put the blood on the doorpost it's they're never told to do that again but they're told to celebrate the meal i think it's a great picture even for us to remind us today because jesus when he shed his blood once was sufficient for all and when it's applied to your life it's sufficient for everything there's no in between there's no i'm maybe i'm saved or maybe i'm not you either are or you're not it's either been applied or it isn't you know we see here this passover though was not just to become something that they did but each time was to remind them of what happened that the blood that allowed the destroyer the death angel to pass over all those that had applied it to the doorpost of their house by faith you know the disciples as they sat that evening to a meal it was a meal they'd celebrated many times before but they had no idea what was going to take place they had no idea what was about to change because the perfect lamb was about to be slain his body broken and his blood shed that by trusting in that sacrifice anyone could experience the forgiveness of sin and pass from death to life you know they had no idea that the master would give them a new picture to remember a new and better sacrifice could be seen one that would provide what we're going to have what jesus calls as he's talking to them a new testament or a new covenant we have a better covenant than the old covenant we have something far greater we have the completed picture of it because today let's see at what a believer today is to recall through what jesus is telling him here at the last supper let's look at the examples that he gives us because jesus was leading the meal i want you to see this as jesus was leading the meal the passover was led by the head of the household the one that they considered in charge of the house the past would lead the passover within that household so we know jesus was the one leading through the steps of the passover meal that was taking place because it was very organized when they did it it wasn't just sitting down at a random meal and just sort of going through you you know it wasn't a potluck you know a little later we're going to have soup and sandwiches you know and we're just going to people are going to kind of pick and choose what they want and how they want and all those things but i want you to understand the passover was not a meal they got to pick and choose they had some things very specific they had very specific items they had very specific order in which those items were taken and consumed during the meal all these things were planned out and ironed out and we find here that jesus was leading them through the meal and one of the things

[13:40] the head of the household would do was explain why they were doing what they were doing you know it would part of it was not just for the sake of going through the ritual it was they were training another generation to remember they were training them to understand why do we do this why why did they do how what they were doing and we find here that he would explain that each portion of the meal and what it represented you know that the bitter herbs reminded them of their bondage as slaves in egypt you know the fruit of the vine represented god's fellowship with the believer in the midst of trial the stewed fruit which was the color and consistency of clay reminded them of the bricks they had been forced to make the unleavened bread represented the separation from evil and haste and the roasted lamb represented redemption as each part of the meal was eaten the host would take time to explain the symbolism and the spiritual importance of each element in other words this meal wasn't one they just sat down as a family to enjoy it was a meal with purpose because it reminded them of what god had done for them how god had brought them out of egypt how god had redeemed them that night how had the blood being applied allowed death to pass over as jesus is there that night expounding to his disciples what i'm going to refer to as a fuller and more complete picture because jesus now takes it and applies what's happening to himself he says i want you to see i am the fulfillment of what we're doing i am the fulfillment of that and we see uh the night that jesus did this look over in verse 22 where we started there earlier we find here as jesus looks at them and he says as they did eat jesus took bread and blasted and break it and gave it to them and said take eat this is my body you know the first thing he takes that he separates out for them is the bread that was there jesus equates the unleavened bread to himself you know unleavened bread if you're not familiar it's just more like a a large saltine cracker you know it's kind of like be the best description we have today you know everybody's familiar with what a saltine cracker is you know just a flat piece of bread that doesn't rise because it doesn't have yeast it's unleavened and we see that a picture it was a perfect picture of his body because it also symbolizes a leaven was removed we talked about that a few weeks ago the fact that leaven represents sin in the old testament because a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump a little sin in your life affects the whole it's a picture to help us understand the impact because it's not just a little thing it's a big thing and we find here that jesus equates the unleavened bread to himself it was a picture to illustrate just as when he equated himself other places i want you to understand the bread his body is not literally what we partake in it's a picture no different than who said i am the door or i am the way or i am i just lost my place or when he says i am the vine i want you to understand it's a picture it's a symbolism to help us remember and notice this night jesus adds to the meal because what's recorded for us wasn't what the disciples were expecting to hear they'd heard the meal explained their whole life step by step

[17:42] matter of fact in their mind they're probably saying okay i can repeat this matter of fact many of them had probably led passover meals peter was married he probably led a meal in his household before and here he's listening to jesus i imagine rolling this through his mind as he's there that night and jesus suddenly adds something different that's the reason i know we got their attention because it's like oh so hold on that's not in the script that's not what we normally do but jesus said this is important because this night he adds he says take eat this is my body luke in chapter 22 it records it for us this way as a luke puts it it says and he took bread and gave thanks and break it and gave it to them this is my body which is given for you do this in remembrance of me you know first corinthians chapter 11 records for us in verse 23 it says for i have received of the lord which i also delivered unto you that the lord jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks he break it and said take eat this is my body which is broken for you this do in remembrance of me jesus used the bread to show he was about what he was about to do i want you to understand part of the ceremony was the breaking of what the middle piece of the three loaves of unleavened bread so to him breaking it was not the problem was not anything new but the illustration he gave of what was taking place was different he said this bread as it is broken my body is going to be broken for you he's letting them know in advance of what was going to take place he used the bread to illustrate that he would soon go to the cross giving his life for our sin he was on the way to calvary where his body would be broken for me and for you it wasn't caught off guard consider the old testament prophet isaiah look over to isaiah 53 because isaiah 53 reflects exactly what's taking place he says surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows yet he did esteem him stricken and smitten to god and afflicted but he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed all we like sheep have gone astray we have turned everyone to his own way the lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all what a powerful picture jesus is a presenting to them he says i am the one that god's going to place everything upon my body's going to be broken for you i want you to understand it wasn't just the unleavened bread that was broken that night but it's a representation of who that's critical because jesus is telling them beforehand what's going to take place and he says guys i want you to remember because in just a few hours from this point less than 24 hours jesus is going to be put in a grave says guys i want to tell you beforehand what's going to happen and i want you to remember it i want you to remember because he points out that they must receive by faith what he is going to do what's going to be done just as we today must accept by faith what he has done for us it's something that happens internally not externally in other words taking their participation that night isn't what jesus was

[21:43] emphasizing he was emphasizing the fact that they had to understand he is the one that's going to be broken for them because our salvation isn't in bread and and grape juice or anything else our salvation is in christ the one who was broken jesus wants them to know this is a picture so every time that they take place it remember what took place but it's internally it's something that we do by faith ephesians 2 8 and 9 ron talked about it and before the song he says for by grace are you saved through what faith that not of yourselves is what the gift of god not of works lest any man should boast i want you to understand it's not the elements of anything that saves anybody what jesus is telling us very clearly it's a picture and we're going to talk about that picture more in just a moment because this is part of the picture because there's no saving power of any kind in the physical bread he gave but only in believing what jesus accomplished when his body was broken for you that bread means absolutely nothing on its own but what it symbolizes pictures and reminds us of what jesus christ did on the cross it reveals to us what he did for you and for me because nobody's exempt from the need it's for everybody he takes as he's there that night the first example is that of the bread then he takes the third cup and he takes the cup and it represents his blood the fruit of the vine which he shared that night has given new meaning it represents his blood that would be shed for the remission of sins you'll look in verse 23 of our text he says he took the cup and when he had given thanks he gave it to them and they all drank of it and he said unto them this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many this is my blood it represents his blood that was going to be shed his blood that was going to be shed for what for the remission of sin jesus would be it would be the blood of the new testament a new covenant i want you to understand the the term new testament here has nothing to do directly with what we call the new testament other than the fact the new testament records what's taking place okay he's talking about a new covenant because there's a new covenant that took place a covenant that now whosoever shall call upon the name of the lord shall be saved the sacrifices ceased why because the complete sacrifice was done there's no longer a need for the blood to cover to roll forward every year from the old covenant the new covenant was complete it needed nothing you can add nothing to it and you take nothing away from it it was complete and he looks at them and he hands the cup to them and they all partake in it the fruit of the vine in the cup was produced when the grapes were crushed to extract the juice just as jesus was soon to be crushed upon the cross and his blood would be shed for the remission of sin his very father would crush him because he became sin for us second corinthians 5 21 tells us this it says for he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin remember the picture of the unleavened bread that was broken the one that had no sin was broken that we might be made the righteousness of god in him that picture of the bread

[25:51] and the blood of jesus christ that he would be crushed his blood would be spilt isaiah 53 listen to what isaiah the prophet foretold this was going to happen i want you understand it didn't catch jesus off guard when he went to the cross it's for that purpose which he came he knew exactly what was going to take place this night he knew judas was going to betray him he knew everything that was about to happen in front of him and i want you to know that he did it because he loves you he knew what lay ahead and chose anyways isaiah 53 says yet please the lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed and he shall prolong his day and the pleasure of the lord shall prosper in his hand i want you to understand he was crushed for our sin because of our sin but it was for our benefit romans 4 25 says who was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification peter says in chapter first peter chapter 3 verse 18 says for christ also hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to god being put to death in the flesh but quickened by the spirit i want you to see the picture that's happening because when jesus was crushed on the cross his precious blood was shed satisfying the wrath of the father i want you to understand look at hebrews chapter 9 hebrews chapter 9 reminds us you know people don't like the idea today i'm a good person i don't need what jesus did i want to tell you that you need what jesus did because you're not near as good as you think you are because i want you to understand remember the 11 one sin is enough to condemn you one now some people might think they're that good but i don't think anybody realizes that they've done a lot more than one but it only takes one one sin to separate you from god it's not about our righteousness there's nothing we can do but notice what it says and almost all things are by law purged with blood and without the shedding of blood is no remission in other words without jesus paying the price because the wages of sin is death the life is in the blood i mean you can see we could build picture picture after picture that the bible gives to us romans 3 tells us this it says whom god has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remissions of sins that are passed through the forbearance of god to declare i say at this time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in jesus i want you to see jesus is showing his disciples exactly the picture of what was going to take place he was giving them a picture to remember he's giving us a picture to remember because now all who believe in jesus christ for salvation their sins can be put away washed away your slate can be made clean because of jesus christ they're instantly brought into a new relationship with the almighty god he takes the righteousness of christ the one who was crushed for you and for me and applies it to our account account of all those who say i know i'm a sinner and i need a savior you know repentance is just that it's recognizing who you are that you're moving away from god because of your sin and you turn and look back at the savior and say

[29:57] i know that's the one i want you to understand repentance isn't crying repentance is a change of direction towards god that says i know i'm a sinner but you're the savior i know i cannot but i know you have it's a change of mindset a change of thought process the lord's supper i want you to understand does not save anyone you know many times people think if i partake then you want i'm taking salvation you've missed the point that'd be like going home and pulling a picture out of the frame and chewing on it and saying i can go back to the moment i want you to understand it's that foolish because you can't relive it by chewing on it but you can relive what took place in your life at the moment that you called upon the savior to understand that god wants us to slow down and remember the whole thing is about remembering just as the passover meal was to remember remember remember remember the lord's supper's there that those that are saved and right with god can stop and really get a perspective to remember to remember i'm here only by the grace by the shed blood of jesus christ can you be here that his body was broken and his blood had to be shed because of my sin and your sin jesus gave it to the disciples and then he gave it to the assembly of the saints so that they might remember the price of our salvation you know oftentimes we forget what christ paid for us i think sometimes we can get so accustomed to god's righteousness being applied we forget and jesus i'm going to institute something here that makes you stop and consider the reality of what took place that you might enjoy salvation i think it's good for us to stop and to remember i hope today you can look back and you can look in moment in time when you realized you were a sinner hopefully in your mind today as you're sitting there you can look back to that moment in time when i realized i was a sinner and you called out to the savior the salvation doesn't happen progressively god transforms you as you grow and mature but salvation is a moment i describe it this way you ought to be able to go back to a circle and say this is the place and the time that i know that i recognized i was a sinner and needed a savior and more importantly not just recognizing it but calling upon him because you can know something but if you don't take any action regarding it it does you no good it's by faith we find here that this wonderful thing is also an expectation that we can look forward to notice here in verse 25 he says this verily i say unto you i will drink no more of the fruit of the vine until that day i drink it anew in the kingdom of god you know one day we're going to sit down with a great meal with our savior and if you're saved you ought to be able to look forward and say i'm looking forward to the day when the head of this meal is my savior and jesus just walks through all that he did for you there's an expectation he says i'll drink no more of the fruit of the vine until the day i drink anew in the kingdom of god jesus knew that he would soon be departing this world he was looking forward to a coming day when his kingdom is established you know the great thing about what we call the lord's supper one day we're going to celebrate it with jesus what a wonderful

[34:00] time to remember when you're sitting there looking at the savior it's a hope it's an expectation that we can grab a hold of because jesus that night you know what i i as you read the scripture i think jesus even though he knew what was ahead of him there was an expectation knowing he was going to rise again that he was going to overcome that he would be victorious that he would go back to heaven to prepare a place for you and return again to the earth and glory and power to rule and to reign it's an expectation hopefully you have an expectation of that day because you know christ is your savior something you can look forward to when every saint is gathered together in the presence of the savior that's a church service i'm looking forward to what a powerful picture lastly we find the meal ended in jesus and the eleven departed you know i like this picture because you see jesus as he walks through the passover meal at the end there's an exodus just at the end of the passover meal in the old testament you'll find when they ended the meal the next morning even before the sun rose pharaohs get pack your bags and get out you've been set free just as when the blood is applied to you guess what you've been set free from sin you've been exited from the power of sin over your life you've been set free and jesus and the disciples when the meal ends there's an exodus notice here in verse 26 it says and when they had sung a hymn they went into the mount of olives they departed from the upper room after they sang a hymn you know tradition jewish tradition tells us that the hymns that they would sing at this moment was psalm 115 through psalm 118 they would take their hymn book and they would open it up and they would sing now us today the psalms don't make much sense to us in song but i want you to understand the psalms that's what they are that's the jewish national hymn book they would sing it but you think about what would have been said during that time you know just a small glimpse you know psalm 116 says this in verse 1 it says i love the lord because he has heard my voice and my supplications because he has inclined his ear unto me therefore i call upon him as long as i live i don't know as i read through those earlier you imagine just sitting there with jesus and hearing him sing it hearing the disciples talk about what was happening what a picture jesus knew what was ahead he went out from the room that night about to fulfill the very picture he had just presented you see he is the one pictured the one that must be remembered the one that hopefully you can truly remember the moment in time when he saved you i hope you'll never see the lord's supper as a ritual or a spiritual exercise but as a picture that reminds you of what the savior has accomplished for you the wonderful part is that you don't have to wait to thank him for what he's done you know any day is a day that we can remember that we can look back and say thank you lord for saving me you don't have to wait to call upon him if you don't know in your mind for sure this morning if you can't put a circle around the place and the time yeah every time i talk about it it takes my mind back to a campground in kilkenauic iowa i could take you there i could walk you out i'm not sure the old buildings that

[38:00] classrooms there anymore but i could take you out pretty close to the spot and say it was right here as a young boy that jesus changed my life today is there a moment for you like that if not why not make it today that you can know his heads are bowed and the eyes are closed this morning maybe you're here today and you say i can't look back at that moment because i've never experienced that moment when i called upon the savior maybe the holy spirit speaking to you today to say today is the day of salvation what about you if god is speaking to you i encourage you to come let me show you from god's word how you might know for sure that maybe this might be the place you can draw a circle around and say this is the place that i called upon the savior maybe you're here today and you know that you're saved maybe you just want to take a moment this morning to say thank you lord help me never to forget who i was and what you've done heavenly fathers we come before you this morning lord you know each heart you know each life lord what a beautiful picture lord i pray just have your hand upon this opportunity to respond today lord we might not ever forget what you've done for us lord i pray just stir hearts and souls and minds today in a mighty way towards you we ask it all in your precious name as the piano plays as it's about knives are closed this morning what about you who you you