Quote from Forum Archives on March 29, 2002, 11:00 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

This week, we have been looking at various aspects concerning the
renewing of our minds, that we may become whole and complete, as
God has intended for each of us. In Monday's message, we
discussed renewing our minds, and Neil Anderson gave us some
sound arguments on that topic. On Tuesday, we discussed the
importance of scripture, coupled with prayer, as two of the
methods God designed for us.

On Wednesday, we examined several examples of prayer from both
the Old Testament and New Testament, ending with Jesus'
passionate prayer.

Today, let's take a look at a message that comes from an excerpt
from a book sold by The Christian Book distributers at
www.christianbook.com/html/static/80917x.html?p=1012188.

I have a few closing words at the end, indicated by a line of
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The following is excerpted from "Sensing the Passion" by Kevin
Scully (Upper Room Books, 2000).
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

March 27, 2002: Wednesday in Holy Week
Indoors: The Last Supper

It is also the first supper. It is the meal at which Jesus told
the disciples to do as he did in his memory. The early church
carried out the command of Jesus to reenact the meal.

This original supper in the upper room in Jerusalem comes after
an amazing sight. The first prophetic sign in the Passion
narrative comes in a puzzling episode. Jesus had asked two of
the followers to go on ahead, and Jesus told them what they
would see (Luke 22:10- 13).

The meal was to follow the sacrifice of a year-old male lamb or
kid, without blemish, its bones unbroken, slaughtered in the
presence of the whole congregation of Israel at twilight on the
fourteenth day of the month. It was to be roasted over a fire
with its head and inner organs intact. It could not be eaten raw
or boiled. And it had to be eaten with accompanying unleavened
bread and bitter herbs. The Book of Exodus outlines a tradition
maintained in Jewish households to this day.

The apostles' view takes in the progression of the meal. They see
it move in its set order of presentation, through the
consumption of the food to the stage of leftovers. At times,
they notice that the tide-line of wine in cups and jugs has
lowered. Maybe they did realize the enormity of what Jesus was
saying and doing. But did they show it? How did they display
their awareness that this supper was more than the continuance
of the tradition, that it was a massive shift, a new beginning
in which the supper would come to figure so prominently? By
being there and seeing it they were part of the change.

The other, often neglected, part of this is what was happening
outside the upper room. Was there a window? What was happening
in the sky? Was it cloudy, clear? As the evening progressed did
the room become dimmer, full of the foreboding we see in the
exchange of glances? If the light was failing, did they have to
lean in with more concentration, straining to see more clearly
what was unfolding before their very eyes?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I'd like to encourage each of you to examine, both the scriptures
that record the events of this Holy week, and your own hearts,
privately and personally. Do you realize that Jesus Christ went
through this entire uncomfortable ordeal for YOU (and for me)?

I mourn my sinful ways, turn away from them, and seek God each
day. But there is something special about this season that
reminds me, once again, of the love that God demonstrated. I
will not ever forget His demonstration of love, and I am
determined to love others, even if I'm still flawed in the way I
go about it. By God's Spirit (and through no other means) I am
being refined, little by little, with the eternal hope that I
belong to Him!

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

=====
--
Brian Masinick, "The Mas", mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

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