Jesus, Our Portion

When Jesus and the disciples were in the upper room, there was a sequence of events that shaped what was to come after that last supper.

Matthew 26:¹⁷ On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

¹⁸ He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” ¹⁹ So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. ²⁰ When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve.

Jesus gave His instructions in preparation for the passover meal, which we know as the Last Supper. His specific instructions were followed after He told His disciples to go into the city to a "certain" man and tell Him. The teacher says: My appointed time is near." The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a week-long Jewish festival celebrated in conjunction with the springtime Passover.

Everything is set into motion, and Jesus has set His life toward the end goal. No turning back. As they all sat down to take the passover meal, He told of one who would betray Him. Matthew 26:²⁰ When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table with the Twelve. ²¹ While they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” ²² Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one, Lord?” ²³ He replied, “One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me. ²⁴ For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!” ²⁵ Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, “Rabbi, am I the one?” And Jesus told him, “You have said it.” Jesus still ate with His betrayer, and His unconditional love was seen in His commitment to His calling.

Jesus broke the bread and handed it to each one, knowing them all individually, with all their failings and weaknesses. Jesus knew what was coming for Him and for each of them who was taking this last supper with Him. As He blessed the bread, Jesus said: "Take this and eat it, for this is my body." As He blessed the wine, Jesus said, " Take the wine and told each of them to also take, as this is My blood shed for you." Jesus said this is a covenant between God and His people. Matthew 26: ²⁶ As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.” ²⁷ And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, ²⁸ for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant^[d] between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. ²⁹ Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”

Jesus was telling them of a new wine He would drink with them in His father's kingdom. That is heaven, and that new wine is for us as well as Jesus. What they took with Jesus was their portion given to each of them who was at the table. We celebrate the lord's supper to this day, and it is a special individual portion that Jesus gives us as we remember the blood shed on the cross. It is amazing the full extent of that portion as we live in the forgiveness His shed blood provides, and we live in the victory of His broken body for each of us. If you had been the only person left on the earth at the time of Jesus, He would still have died for you, because the value He puts on you is beyond comprehension. Jesus is our portion, and the power of that portion is realized and sealed throughout eternity.

The Pilgrimage Continues,

David Warren