Daily Devotion, April 8, 2020

Devotion:

Read Matthew 26:17-19.

Jesus was very familiar with this Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Passover meal. Luke 2:41 says that Jesus’ family went every year to the Feast of the Passover. This was his family’s tradition for many generations. The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread was known as the “Day of Preparation”.

(Exodus 12 tells us the story of God’s deliverance of the Israelites from their enslavement of over 400 years by the Egyptian people. The Passover meal and eating the unleavened bread had its beginnings here. The people were instructed to continue the feast and to tell the story of God’s deliverance for all the future generations.)

These brief verses in Matthew 26 are filled with “time” words including the words “make preparations”. Preparations included: locating the place; searching the room and removing all leaven; obtaining a lamb and having it ritually slaughtered by the priests in the Temple; roasting the lamb and preparing it with the other necessary items of the meal.

Even the word “unleavened” is a time word, because this type of bread was prepared to commemorate their hurried escape from Egypt. There was not enough time for the bread to be leavened.

 

Jesus speaks in time words when he says, “My appointed time is near.” Jesus is not speaking of time as we understand it in chronological order, but he is speaking of a special “fulfilled time”. It is the time he has prepared for and a time appointed for his life to be given for the forgiveness of our sins.

 

It is worthwhile to note the gospel writer’s order of placing the story of Judas’ betrayal to acquire 30 pieces of silver between the stories of the woman’s unselfish gift of expensive perfume poured upon Jesus and of Jesus’ own sacrificial gift of life.

And notice the difference in two of the questions asked. Judas asks in Matthew 26:14, “What are you willing TO GIVE ME if I hand him over to you?” The disciples ask Jesus in verse 17, “Where do you want us to make preparations FOR YOU to eat the Passover?”

Personal Worship Option:

Let us examine our own hearts with the questions, “How are we spending our time?” Are we willing to take the time to “prepare” in the ways God calls us to give our best and our all? Are we willing to give our all for the Christ who gave his all for us?