Never Forget

Never Forget
written by Chris Baker

In today’s passage, Mark 14:12-25, Jesus celebrates the last supper with His disciples. There is a repurposing that takes place at this meal. The Israelites were commanded to celebrate Passover every year since being released from slavery in Egypt. Why? This occurred yearly so they would not forget! Forget what? 

This account can be found in Exodus 12. God freed His people from the slavery of Egypt. Most importantly, the night before this happened, He had the people of God slaughter a lamb and place its blood above the door frame of their house. This occurred so the destroying angel, who was about to kill the first born of the Egyptians, would not kill the first born of the Israelites. However, that spared life was not free of charge. Blood needed to be offered for blood. The innocent pure lamb had to be killed to take the place of the first born male of each family. This was all a foreshadowing. 

The lamb that was slain was a foreshadowing of Jesus! Jesus is letting His disciples know that night that He was the sacrificial lamb, even though they did not understand that at the time. He was to be the perfect sacrifice that took the place of our sin just as the Passover lamb took the place of the first born male. Jesus will soon, in the Gospel account, deliver us from the power of sin and death!!! 

In the midst of this account we notice Judas. Judas will betray Jesus this very night. Even with this knowledge, Jesus permits and even welcomes Judas to participate in the Passover meal with Him. Jesus said in Matthew 5:44, “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (NIV). Interesting, sure looks like Jesus is loving His enemy (Judas) to me. Interesting how Jesus never asks us to do something that He Himself has not modeled for us. 

Do you have any enemies today? What has your response been to them? Have you been loving them as Jesus loves you? Have you been praying for them? That is not easy is it? One could argue it is even impossible. It is impossible to truly love your enemy in the flesh. However, we are not called to do anything in the flesh. Yes Christian, you can love your enemy through the Power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within you! Remember, you have the very same Spirit that Jesus had. Not only did He truly love Judas, but even those who were persecuting Him and ridiculing Him on the cross. This is love! 

This week especially, we focus on the love of God. According to John 3:16, “for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (NIV). God gave His Son to die for us! Jesus willingly went to the cross so that He could set us free from the bondage (slavery) of sin and death. He loved us enough to willingly die so that we could have live. Jesus calls the Church (the people of God) to model this same love!

The Church, the people of God, are called to this same sacrificial love. We are called to lay down our life for our neighbor. We are called to love our enemy. We are called to love when it hurts, when it’s uncomfortable, when it’s unnatural. We are to model the love of Jesus Christ. Think about that kind of love this week as you watch Jesus move toward the cross. What would it look like if you, and me, truly modeled this sacrificial love in our lives? 

The sacrificial lamb of God died for the sins of the world. He died for my sin and your sin. Our sin put Him on that cross but He overcame that sin and put it to death! Jesus freed us from our sin. He freed us from that sin of slavery. Live in true freedom today! Place your faith and trust in the one who loves you enough to die for you, Jesus Christ!!!