[Message] Pastore Jung Myeong Seok
[Scriptures] Luke 22:1-6
1 Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, 2 and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. 3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. 4 And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. 5 They were delighted and agreed to give him money. 6 He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.
Luke 22:14-22
14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!”
Hallelujah! I bless all of you to be abundantly filled with the love of the Holy Father God and the peace of the Holy Son.
Jesus was the ‘Messiah’ whom God had sent to fulfill the New Testament history. He came to save the nation of Israel and the entire world.
However, due to the disbelief of those who had believed in God while waiting for the Messiah, Jesus knew that the time had come for him to atone for the sins of all mankind through his ‘death’ and return to the Father.
With the disciples gathered, Jesus told them, "I am about to be handed over to the sinners.
One among you, the one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.
The Son of Man will go as it is written about him, but woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man. It would have been better for him if he had not been born."
He then took the bread that had been prepared, placed it on the table, broke it and gave some to each person saying, "Take and eat. This is my body, which I give for you and the world.
I give my life for you. From now on, become my bodies, do what I have told you and receive eternal life. And since all people do not know, preach my Word to the world."
He spoke again and said, "Everyone, pick up the cup. This red wine is my blood which I shed for you. Blood is life. I give this for you and the world. Drink from this cup, become my bodies and just as I have taught you in the world and preached the gospel, you also go and preach the gospel. And since you are brothers, be at peace with each other. However, until you come to Heaven and eat, I will not be able to eat and drink with you again in this world. Since the world disbelieves me and slanders me, I must walk the path of dying for the sinners and saving those who believe."
Then Jesus went to Gethsemane with the disciples and prayed.
As Jesus was giving the last words to the disciples, the soldiers sent by the Jewish high priests charged in, wielding swords and steel clubs.
Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, came to Jesus and said, "Rabbi. Are you well?" and kissed him. At this, the soldiers bound Jesus and dragged him off to Pilate's court.
A savior does not bear the cross because of ‘his own sins.’
He bears the cross because of the ‘sins of the world.’
The original Will was for Jesus to become the ‘Lord of glory’ by having the people of the time period believe in him as the Messiah and follow him and fulfill the Will of salvation.
However, the people of that time period continued to refuse to turn back, and the more time passed, the more they slandered and blocked Jesus and treated him like a heretic.
Jesus was the Messiah that God had sent. However, the believers of God disbelieved Jesus until the very end. That is why the situation turned so bad that it became impossible to share the gospel any longer. Although Jesus preached the gospel with his disciples, the persecution became more and more severe as the days went on and they refused to even try to listen to Jesus' words at all.
If they had believed in Jesus, it would have worked out. However, because they disbelieved and persecuted Jesus until the very end, if things were left as they were, neither the people who disbelieved Jesus nor those who followed Jesus could achieve salvation properly. Then that time period could not help but be seized by Satan.
Therefore, as the Messiah, Jesus gave his own body to the cross and walked the 'path of death on the cross' in order to forgive the sins of all people.
Even though the believers of God and the world failed to do their responsibility of believing in the Messiah, Jesus forgave the sins of mankind by paying the price with 'death.' As a result, he opened the path of salvation for those who repent and believe. Therefore, he prevented that time period from being handed over to Satan.
At this, the people began to commemorate the last supper that Jesus had with the disciples
while he was still alive, and they became even more resolute to be His body and preach the gospel boldly to the world. The sacred Holy Communion Ceremony began like this.
<Pastor Jung Myeong Seok’s Wednesday message summary from November 4th, 2015>
