I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail

Luke 22:14-34 (NASB) from the daily reading in the One Year Bible (link on links page)

The Lord’s Supper

¹⁴ When the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. ¹⁵ And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; ¹⁶ for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” ¹⁷ And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; ¹⁸ for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” ¹⁹ And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” ²⁰ And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. ²¹ But behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Mine on the table. ²² For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!” ²³ And they began to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing.

Who Is Greatest

²⁴ And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest. ²⁵ And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ ²⁶ But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. ²⁷ For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

²⁸ “You are those who have stood by Me in My trials; ²⁹ and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you ³⁰ that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

³¹ “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; ³² but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” ³³ But he said to Him, “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!” ³⁴ And He said, “I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”

 “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer."   Those were Jesus words to the twelve gathered there in that upper room. The Passover meal is one of the most meaningful of the Jewish holidays. It was done as a celebration and remembrance of the night that the Lord spared the nation of Israel from the death angel just before they were released from their captivity in Egypt.  Exodus 12:

 ⁷ Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. ⁸ They shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. ⁹ Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather roasted with fire, both its head and its legs along with its entrails. ¹⁰ And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire. ¹¹ Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is the Lord’s Passover. ¹² For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—I am the Lord. ¹³ The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.  

Jesus now has become that sacrificial lamb. It is by His blood that we are spared from the curse of death. It is through His sacrifice that we are freed from the bondage of our captivity to sin.  Jesus says:  “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” ²⁰ And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood."    In the same way the Jewish people celebrate the Passover in remembrance of the protection and deliverence of the nation that night in Egypt, we are to participate in communion to celebrate and remember the sacrifice and deliverence Jesus provides for us.

We have just come through the Passover and Easter holidays on the Jewish and Christian calendars. As Christians we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior on Easter morning. Jesus said:  “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood."  A covenant is an agreement between two parties, like a contract. Jesus initiated the New Covenant. He says: “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.(Matthew 5:17) The covenant He initiates is to fulfill the covenant God made through the law. In Christ we are no longer subject to the law. We are covered by His sacrifice. Jesus made a verbal commitment when He  declared that He was initiating this new covenant. When two parties agree on a contract it needs to be signed and witnessed to become legal and binding. The empty tomb, Jesus resurrection from the grave is the Fathers seal on the verbal commitment Jesus made. It is legal and binding. Jesus is the fulfillment of the law for us. We are saved and freed from the bondage of sin by the grace of God. 

Our text today ends with Jesus predicting Peter's denial.  “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; ³² but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” ³³ But he said to Him, “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!” ³⁴ And He said, “I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”   We too face trials and temptations that sift us. Some we may stand and walk through well, in others we may stumble  as Peter did. We need to remember that nothing we do takes God by surprise. He has loved us and Christ has died for us, They knew and know every step and misstep in our lives. Like He did for Peter, Jesus has prayed for us.

John 17:14-20      I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. ¹⁵ I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. ¹⁷ Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. ¹⁸ As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. ¹⁹ For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.

²⁰ “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; ²¹ that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

Jesus is still praying for us. Hebrews 7:24-25        Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. ²⁵ Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

Jesus calls us, like Peter, to turn again and strengthen our brothers. He teaches us to be servants to those we lead, as He Himself came to serve. In Christ we have the confidence to know every sin past, present and future is forgiven and covered by His blood. We have the confidence to know that Jesus Himself is praying for us to remain strong. He asks of us that we follow Him.

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ my Savior, precious Holy Spirit. Thank You that You have initiated a covenant, a promise of freedom that does not depend on my ability, but on Your sacrifice and Your grace. Thank You that though You know I may stumble, You have prayed that I will not fall. Holy Spirit I yield to You. Guide me as I follow Jesus.   Amen