From Rome to Jerusalem—in preparation.

Let us shift our focus from Rome back to Jerusalem and cast our gaze toward the Upper Room.  It is Passover time, so the city is teeming with people.  All Jewish males over the age of 12 were required to go there for the festival, which was followed by a seven-day celebration called the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For these festivals, Jews from all over the Roman Empire would converge on Jerusalem to celebrate the most important events in their history. You will remember that the Passover commemorated the night the death angel smote the first-born sons of all in Egypt, except for the Jews who had spread the blood of a lamb across their doorframes. The Festival of Unleavened Bread was a memorial to Israel's quick escape from Egypt, when they didn't have time to let their bread rise, so they baked without leavening (yeast). Both observances were annual times of remembering, honoring and giving thanks to God for how He had saved the Jews.

Think of that, for a moment--the Jews are about to put Jesus to death, though it was the time of year they were honoring how God had 'saved' them. . . from losing their firstborn sons, from the tyranny of the cruel Egyptian pharaoh. It is estimated that nearly 300,000 'spotless' sacrificial lambs would be slaughtered in Jerusalem that week, and the one Spotless Lamb who was their Messiah they not only missed, but chose to kill Him. Hmmm. . .

Jesus takes charge, by telling Peter and John to "go and prepare the Passover meal, so we can eat it together." Luke 22.7  'Where shall we eat such a meal, Lord?' Remember, Jerusalem is busting at the seams with all of the people in town, also there to observe Passover, and looking for a place to hold their meal. "As soon as you enter Jerusalem, (they would be coming from the Mount of Olives, a little less than a mile away), a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. . ." Now ordinarily, women would be going to the well and bringing home water, so this man would have been easy to spot in a crowd. Of course, it was as the Master said; they found the man, and he agreed to let Jesus and the disciples have their meal in his guest room. So Peter and John prepare the meal of a sacrificed lamb, unleavened bread, bitter herbs, wine, and other ceremonial food for Jesus and his men to eat in the upper room of the man's home. (Funny, because we don't usually see anything other than a fluffy, albeit crusty piece of bread and a chalice in the painting of the Last Supper--kinda misses the symbolism of the Passover, leaving out the lamb)

I'd like to stop there today. Let's think of Peter and John for a bit--I don't think Jesus randomly grabbed their elbows, while thinking, 'oh they are as good as any, I guess, they can take care of this'--no, I think Jesus deliberately chose Peter and John to prepare the Passover meal, the Last Supper. They may have grumbled under their breaths, because some of what they would be doing was 'women's work', and well beneath their calling. But think of it--they were chosen for this task--not knowing the significance of it until much later.

What things has God 'tasked' you with that might seem well beneath you or unimportant right now? Paul later said, "We are created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2.10)  It was not happenstance that Jesus chose Peter and John to prepare the lamb--would it interest you to note that they were the only two of the Twelve who were recorded referring to Jesus as the Lamb. Ponder that. In fact, many years later, Peter would write, "we were redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." (1 Peter 1.19)  So, let's visualize Peter and John preparing the lamb that day--believe me, they would remember it all their days!--because God revealed to them the Lamb of God through the symbolism of their hands-on work with that little lamb.

How about you? Has God called you to a task lately, that you might not be crazy about doing? Maybe you felt a little tug about doing something . . . but you chose to ignore it. Maybe you shouldn't. Be encouraged today, my friends. God wants to use you in his work, just as he used Peter and John that day. No matter who your boss is, think of it--you are called to do the work of the King--if you're willing.

Make yourself available today . . .

Ask God to use you in some capacity . . . He will.

You were created for it~

Christine

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