~

This is the audio from the March 17, 2024 sermon, “Good News: The Ultimate MEAL!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Luke 22:7-53

This morning’s message continued our Good News series from the gospel of Luke. This section of the series will take us to Resurrection Sunday as we gaze into the life of Jesus during His final week leading up to, and through, His resurrection.  As His trial and crucifixion loom large on the horizon, Jesus gathers with His disciples to share a Passover meal that would become more meaningful than the disciples could have awareness of at the time.    In fact, this meal was not just for them but it was to become an invitation to all believers to join with Jesus in a time of remembrance.  When Jesus invites us to dine with Him we discover a result that is beyond ordinary.  As He shares with His disciples on the night of His arrest, we find that He sets before us the ultimate . . .

• Memorial: — Luke 22:7-23

  • At the heart of this twenty-second chapter of Luke is the gathering of Jesus and the disciples for what has become known as the Last Supper.  Within that meal, Jesus takes the ordinary elements of bread and wine to become an ultimate memorial for all believers to remember the broken body and shed blood which paid the penalty for our sin.  This ultimate memorial is designed to help us remember not just the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, but also the promise of His return.

• Example: — Luke 22:24-38

  • After being told that one of them would betray Jesus, the disciples get into an argument about which one of them is the greatest.  While this wasn’t the first time this discussion would take place, I suspect that the motive this time was an attempt by each of them to clear themselves of being suspected as a possible betrayer.  While they argue about who was the greatest, the One who was greatest among them continues to set the ultimate example of what kingdom greatness looks like.  The ultimate example set by Jesus is one that chooses to serve others regardless of how much they may or may not deserve being served.

• Action: — Luke 22:39-46

  • As the events in the upper room come to a close, the “after party” follows Jesus to the Mount of Olives.  We find from the text that this was a usual practice of Jesus and, at least on this occasion, the disciples followed Him.  While it was His usual practice, it was not necessarily a usual night.  It is important to realize that Jesus knew what was about to take place not only that night, but also in the days ahead.  It is with this awareness that Jesus engaged in the ultimate action of prayer.  The ultimate action of Jesus as He leaves this ultimate meal is to not only spend time in prayer with His Father, but to call His disciples to engage in that ultimate action of prayer also.

• Love: — Luke 22:47-52

  • While the entire record of this final meal Jesus has with His disciples is filled with example after example of His love, perhaps nothing proclaims His ultimate love quite like what occurs as a crowd comes out to arrest Him.  In an attempt to protect Jesus, a sword is drawn and swung by the disciples with the result being a servant of the high priest having one less ear than he began the evening with.  In a stunning example of putting into practice His own teaching of loving your enemies, Jesus heals the man who had been struck by the sword.  As surprising as that might be, the ultimate love of Jesus wasn’t an act of kindness shown to one servant but rather the surrender of Himself without a fight so that the spotless Lamb of God could atone for your sin and my sin.

As you receive the good news of Jesus, how will you engage in the ultimate MEAL?