6 12 03

9:40a

Luke 22

Verses 1 through 6 talk about Judas; specifically that he contracted with the chief priests to betray Jesus. The thing that strikes me is the first part of verse 3 where it says �Then Satan entered Judas�. I�m thinking that although it was necessary for Jesus to die in order that we may have true and eternal life, it�s possible that Judas didn�t have to be the one who betrayed Him.

Dunno� it�s just a thought.

Anyway, Verses 7 through 38 discuss the last time Jesus had a meal with His disciples. It was Passover night. This is why we (my family and I) observe the Passover Holy Day. It is where most people�s �communion� got started.

In this passage Jesus pours the wine and breaks the bread saying they are His body and blood. Verses 17 and 18 are where some church groups get the idea that they shouldn�t drink alcoholic beverages. Jesus took the wine and told His disciples that He would not drink wine again until the kingdom of God came.

I personally do not think that Jesus meant we shouldn�t consume alcoholic beverages until He was once again with us. He was saying only that He wouldn�t be partaking of wine until He came back. He also said, in verse 16, that He would not be having a Passover meal again until it was fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

Many people consider that to mean that we should no longer observe the Feast � Passover or any other of the Feast days � however, I believe that it means only that Jesus was going to be with the Father in Heaven and wouldn�t be here to observe the days, drink the wine, eat the food, etc.

Erm, anyway, back to the point.

The bread and wine ceremony is discussed in greater detail in John.

The reason I chose this chapter for study, actually, is because of a sermon I heard on the radio the other day. �Pastor Jack� from a radio program, was diving into Luke 22. He brought out a point I hadn�t thought of before. In his sermon he discussed the differences between Jesus� dispatching His disciples previously, that He told them to take no money� no supplies� that they were to go out and preach to people. Before His death, however, Jesus told His disciples to go out with money, extra clothes and to take a sword.

The sword is important here. Though it is thought to be common practice in that day-and-age to carry a sword, Jesus told His disciples to get swords� the importance was so great that they were to sell their clothing in order to get swords. Because� and this is the point� (verses 36 through 38) because Jesus was considered bad and something to be feared, His followers would also be considered bad and something to be feared.

I can�t concentrate on this�